Arizona State University - Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law

Overview ³

The Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law at Arizona State University is one of the country's preeminent law schools. Ranked No. 25 nationally by U.S. News & World Report; ASU Law provides comprehensive and personalized legal education through graduate programs with a wide range of courses, popular focus areas, and unique experiences. ASU Law’s world-class faculty and administrators provide students with unparalleled opportunities to gain insights and practical skills needed to address legal challenges locally, nationally, and globally. More than 90 percent of ASU Law students participate in public service through externships, clinics, and pro bono activities and donate more than 100,000 hours annually.

ASU Law prides itself on its network of engaged alumni and its relationship to the broader legal community, which has fully embraced the law school and is dedicated to the success of its graduates. The move to the Beus Center for Law and Society in downtown Phoenix in fall 2016 greatly enhanced ASU Law’s ability to connect with the legal community. Students are now steps away from the courts, government offices, and businesses in the heart of Phoenix, the nation's sixth largest city.

In 2006, the law school was renamed to honor Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, the first woman appointed to the Supreme Court of the United States. Justice O'Connor (ret.) is a frequent visitor to ASU Law where she lends her knowledge and expertise to the next generation of lawyers and others interested in the legal profession. To learn more, visit law.asu.edu.

Student-Faculty Ratio ⁴

10.8:1

Admission Criteria ⁵

	LSAT	GPA
25th-75th Percentile	158-163	3.34-3.8
Median*	161	3.64

The above LSAT and GPA data pertain to the fall 2016 entering class.

Director of admissions	Chitra Damania
Application deadline	March 1

Law School Admissions details based on 2016 data.

*Medians have been calculated by averaging the 25th- and 75th-percentile values released by the law schools and have been rounded up to the nearest whole number for LSAT scores and to the nearest one-hundredth for GPAs.

Admission Statistics ⁶

Approximate number of applications	1860
Number accepted	780
Percentage accepted	41.9%

The above admission details are based on 2015 data.

Law School Cost ⁷

Expenses

Tuition and fees Full-time:	$27,226 per year (in-state) $43,896 per year (out-of-state)
Room and board	$12,688
Books	$1,888
Miscellaneous expenses	$7,134

Class Ranking and Grades ^8-9

A student will be ranked at the end of each semester if the student’s grades are in the top one-third of the class and the student has completed all the required first semester coursework (after 1 semester), all the required first and second semester coursework (after 2 semesters), 42 credits (after 3 semesters), 54 credits (after 4 semesters), 66 credits (after 5 semesters), or 87 credits (after 6 semesters). Class rank information shall be released only upon authorization of the student concerned.

Effective for classes entering in Fall 2009 and after:

A+	Excellent
A
A-
B+	Good
B
B-
C+	Average
C
D	Deficient
E	Failure
P	Pass
X	Audit
W	Withdraw
I	Incomplete
XE	Academic Dishonesty

Grading Courses and Pass/Fail Grading

All courses are to be graded on letter grade scale shown above except for (a) offerings in which the primary instructor is not a resident, visiting, or adjunct faculty member; (b) seminars in which the faculty/instructor’s posted course description states that pass-fail or non-numeric grading will be employed; and (c) independent research where faculty/instructor’s independent study approval form states that pass-fail or non-numeric grading will be employed. Offerings that are not numerically graded will be graded “pass-fail,” within the meaning of the last paragraph of this section.

In those courses that are graded pass-fail, a grade of the equivalent of C or above will be recorded as a pass. Any grade below C will be recorded as the grade which the student earned.

Grades for M.L.S. Students

In any class, faculty must use the following grading system for MLS students: (1) A+,* A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C, D,** and E.**

When assigning MLS grades, faculty should not require MLS students to achieve the same performance as J.D. students earning the same grade. MLS students should be graded with the recognition that they have not completed the first year of law school.

Incomplete Grades

A grade of incomplete may be given whenever a student does not complete a course because of failure to meet academic requirements according to the schedule announced by the faculty member. An instructor may assign a grade of incomplete in a first-year course with the approval of the Dean’s designee for rare and unusual cases with compelling reasons.

If an incomplete is not removed by the instructor within one calendar year from issuance, it becomes part of the student’s record. Students receiving incomplete grades will be notified in writing of the effect of a failure to remove an incomplete grade within the specified time period, with a copy to the professor. The initial notice will be followed by a reminder to the student prior to the expiration of the one-year period. No credit is recorded for a course until an incomplete has been removed, and an incomplete may not be changed to a withdrawal. For graduating students incomplete coursework must be submitted and certified as completed by the final scheduled day of the examination period in the semester in which they plan to graduate. Exceptions to this deadline can only be granted by the Dean’s designee.

Anonymous Grading

An instructor is not permitted access to student names on examination blue books at any time before grades are final and recorded. Supplementary credit for assignments other than final examinations or for classroom performance is permissible but must be determined and calculated in the final grade before student identification is known to the faculty member.

If mid-term scores, grades on problems or papers, classroom performance bonuses (or demerits), or other factors are to be a part courses of the final grade of any course, a list of these items and student recipients should be submitted to the Registrar. When raw scores on the final examination papers have been entered, the papers should be delivered to the Registrar. The Registrar will add the assessment factors, and enter a final grade for the course on the official grade list. Only after this process is completed, may the instructor see the student names.

An instructor may not alter the final grade except for clerical error. A written statement by the instructor explaining the reason for the change must be submitted to the Dean’s designee for approval prior to changes.

Grade Normalization (Curve)^10-11

Grade Normalization for J.D. Students

1. In all 1L courses and upper level courses with enrollment of 20 or more the following distribution requirements will be followed:



Grade	Subgroup % Distribution	Group % Distribution
A+(*)	0 – 4%	Combined A’s must constitute 25% of the grades awarded (plus or minus 2%)
A	10 – 15%
A-	10 – 15%
B+	25 – 35%	Combined B’s must constitute 60% of the grades awarded (plus or minus 2%)
B	20 – 30%
B-	5 – 15%
C+ and Below	15% (plus or minus 4%)
D and E(**)	0 – 4%

(*) Note: A+ should be awarded only when exceptional work is clearly demonstrated.

(**) Note: D and E should be given only when deficient performance is clearly demonstrated.

2. In any 1L class of fewer than 20 students, faculty must use the following grading system: (1) no more than 25% A's (+/-2%) and no more than 1 A+; (2) no more than 60% B's (+/-2%); (3) no more than 15% C+'s (+/- 4%) and below. (Effective March 2010)
3. In upper level classes of fewer than 20 students, faculty are to use the grade distribution system for upper level courses with 20 or more students as a guide, but are not held to that distribution. In these classes, however, faculty are to award no more than 50% A’s and no more than 1 A+.
4. The lowest grade in any course is E, which constitutes a failing grade.

Honors ¹²

At or after graduation, students may be awarded the designations cum laude, magna cum laude, and summa cum laude by the faculty. A student graduating among the top 5 students in the graduating class graduates summa cum laude. The remainder of the top 10% of the student body graduates magna cum laude. The next 15% of the class graduates cum laude. The cumulative grade point average for these designations is based on only ASU resident course work. In addition, Order of the Coif (a national honor society) is awarded to those students who rank in the upper 10% after six semesters of course work with a minimum of 66 graded credit hours.

Honor	Criteria
Order of the Coif	Order of the Coif (a national honor society) is awarded to those students who rank in the upper 10% after six semesters of course work with a minimum of 66 graded credit hours.
Summa cum laude	A student graduating among the top 5 students in the graduating class graduates summa cum laude.
Magna cum laude	The remainder of the top 10% of the student body graduates magna cum laude.
Cum laude	The next 15% of the class graduates cum laude.
Pedrick Scholar Honors	A JD student who, in any single semester in which he or she has taken at least 10 graded credits, achieves a GPA of 3.5 or higher shall be deemed a Pedrick Scholar for that semester.

Ranking and Honors for Transfer Students

Students who transfer to the College of Law are not eligible to be ranked and are not eligible for Order of the Coif. Transfer students who earn a minimum of 40 graded credits at the ASU College of Law are eligible to earn academic honors (cum laude, magna cum laude, or summa cum laude) based on their final cumulative grade point average at the ASU College of Law.

Awards ¹³

Name of Award	Awarded for/to
Hon. William Canby Jr. Scholarship	3rd year student with demonstrated interest in Indian law.
John S. Armstrong Award	Graduating student based on academic performance.
Mary Schroeder Prize Endowment	Graduating student committed to practice in public interest.
Daniel Strouse Prize	Graduating student associated with ASU's CLSI.
W. P. Carey/Armstrong Prize for Achievement in Public Service	Graduating student dedicated to public service.
Dan Strouse Scholars	Awarded to students associated with ASU's CLSI.
William H. Pedrick	Completion of 10 graded hours with 88 minimum.

Journals ¹⁴

You can be part of the team that produces, edits, and publishes high-quality works of legal scholarship in one of our four law journals.

Arizona State Law Journal Established in 1969 and originally published under the title Law and the Social Order, the Arizona State Law Journal is a nationally recognized legal periodical that serves as the primary scholarly publication of the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law at Arizona State University. The Journal is routinely cited in major textbooks, treatises, and opinions at all levels of the state and federal judiciary, including the United States Supreme Court.

Jurimetrics—The Journal of Law, Science, and Technology is the journal of the American Bar Association Section of Science & Technology Law and the Center for Law, Science & Innovation. Jurimetrics is a forum for the publication and exchange of ideas and information about the relationships between law, science, and technology. Jurimetrics was first published in 1959. The current name was adopted in 1966. Jurimetrics is the oldest journal of law and science in the United States.

Law Journal for Social Justice Created in 2009, the Law Journal for Social Justice (LJSJ) is the first student-run and student-created online journal at ASU Law. Through its online website, LJSJ edits, publishes, and produces notable works from legal scholars, practitioners, and law students. LJSJ also publishes twice a year, featuring articles that focus on important, novel, and controversial areas of law. LJSJ provides a fresh perspective and proposes solutions to cornerstone issues.

Sports and Entertainment Law Journal Established in 2010, the Sports and Entertainment Law Journal (SELJ) serves as the premier legal periodical for which scholars from the sports and entertainment industries can foster academic analysis and debate, such that industry professionals, the news media, and the general public can discuss current issues as they specifically relate to sports and entertainment law. SELJ publishes biannually in the spring and fall in both digital and print. Authored by professors, practitioners, and students, each issue contains essays and articles, as well as notes or comments on the latest topics in sports and entertainment Law.

Moot Court ¹⁵

Moot Court is an opportunity for law students to develop the oral and written advocacy skills learned in the classroom and put them in action towards a "simulated" trial or advocacy environment. Judges and jurors for the competitions are often practitioners and sitting judges. Many times, law students work with junior high and high school students in their mock trial/moot court activities.

Depending on their extracurricular commitments, most students find time for at least one Moot Court competition per semester. Law students in their third year can apply to be in the Order of Barristers, a national advocacy honor society.

Moot Court opportunities and benefits include:

• Gain practical lawyering skills and network with other local attorneys and judges
• Join a team and travel nationally or internationally to participate in one of hundreds of external competitions
• Coach high school students in after-school mock trial/moot court programs
• Volunteer as a timer for internal competitions
• Role play as a client volunteer for our Client Counseling competition
• Gain a competitive edge with Moot Court experience on your resume

Clinical Programs ¹⁶

ASU Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law students can participate in an array of closely supervised clinical experiences, representing entrepreneurs and small business startups seeking economic viability, families seeking assistance in obtaining immigration services, Native American legal issues, juveniles in need of advocates, and inmates with compelling claims of innocence, as well as the public by working in prosecutors’ and public defenders' offices. Many ASU Law students complete two clinics.

Clinics include:

• Healthcare Entrepreneurship
• Immigration Law & Policy
• Indian Legal
• Innovation Advancement Program
• Lisa Foundation Patent Law
• Lodestar Mediation
• Post-Conviction
• Public Defender
• Prosecution

Placement Facts ¹⁷

Starting Salaries (2015 Graduates Employed Full-Time)

Private sector (25th-75th percentile)	$70,000 - $115,000
Median in the private sector	$87,000
Median in public service	$55,000

Employment Details

Graduates known to be employed at graduation	66.8%
Graduates known to be employed ten months after graduation	85.2%

Areas of Legal Practice

Graduates Employed In	Percentage
Law Firms	48.3%
Business and Industry	20.4%
Government	19.4%
Public Interest Organizations	1.4%
Judicial Clerkships	9.5%
Academia	0.9%
Unknown	0%

Externships/Internships ^18-19

Externships

ASU Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law students can pursue externships in Arizona and across the nation, including popular destinations such as Washington, D.C., and Los Angeles. Externships are typically with judicial, government, and nonprofit organizations, and are done under the supervision of a U.S. attorney.

Designed for second- and third-year law students, the externship program enhances your educational experience through advanced legal work typically not available in the regular curriculum. In addition, you will have the opportunity to network with prominent judges, lawyers, lawmakers, and community leaders in over 100 placement options available.

Students may engage in substantial legal work with Judges from the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, U.S. District Court of Arizona, U.S. Bankruptcy Court District of Arizona, Arizona Court of Appeals, and Maricopa County Superior Court; agencies such as the Office of the Attorney General, Maricopa County Attorney's Office; Maricopa County Office of the Public Defender; Cities, including Phoenix, Tempe, Mesa, Scottsdale and Peoria; or work side-by-side with lawyers in non-profit settings, such as Community Legal Services, The Florence Immigrant & Refugee Children's Project, and Phoenix Children's Hospital. Simultaneously, the work students perform provides greatly needed legal assistance to non-profit and governmental agencies and their clients.

You can get one (1) credit for every 55 hours of legal work completed through an externship, up to a total of nine (9) credits in a single externship (a total of 12 credits of externship work while in law school). Students undertaking externships in DC or LA can also take courses from ASU Law professors and earn up to six (6) additional credits. You must have a minimum of 28 credits in order to participate in any externship. All externships earn pass/fail credits (a total of 16 pass/fail credits may be applied towards graduation).

Internships

ASU students may receive credit for a law-related internship secured individually through LIA 484. All students are graded on a pass/fail basis and receive three hours of LIA 484 internship credit. Although legal internships are not required for law school, these internships can help students gain insight into the field of law. Law-related internships can also help students develop a strong personal statement as part of the law school application process.

Student Organizations ²⁰

• American Constitution Society (ACS)
• American Bar Association Law Student Division
• Amicus Society (AS)
• Armenian Law Students Association (ALSA)
• Asian Pacific American Law Students Association (APALSA)
• ASU Graduate and Professional Student Association
• John P. Morris Black Law Students Association (BLSA)
• Chicano/Latino Law Student Association (CLLSA)
• Christian Legal Society
• Corporate and Business Law Society (CABLS)
• Courtworks
• Delta Theta Phi Law Fraternity
• Disability Law Project
• Environmental Law Society
• Executive Moot Court Board
• Federalist Society
• Government and Public Interest Law Student Association (GPILSA)
• Health Law Society
• Intellectual Property Student Association (IPSA)
• International Law Society (ILS)
• Jewish Law Student Association (JLSA)
• J. Reuben Clark Law Society
• Jurimetrics Journal
• Law & Science Student Association (LASSA)
• Law Journal
• Law Journal for Social Justice
• Law Society for Human Rights (LSHR)
• Law Students for Veterans Legal Issues
• Liberty Project
• Marshall-Brennan Constitutional Literacy Project
• Muslim Law Students' Association (MLSA)
• National Lawyers Guild (NLG)
• Native American Law Students Association (NALSA)
• OUTLaw
• Phi Alpha Delta (PAD)
• Phi Delta Phi
• Space Law & Policy Society
• Spouses and Parents in Law School (SPILS)
• Sports & Entertainment Law Students Association (SELSA)
• Sports & Entertainment Law Journal (SELJ)
• St. Thomas More Society
• Student Animal Legal Defense Fund
• Student Bar Association (SBA)
• Tax and Estate Planning Law Association (TEPLA)
• Volunteer Legal Assistance for Artist
• Women Law Students' Association (WLSA)

References

1. https://law.asu.edu/contacts
2. https://students.asu.edu/contact/office-university-registrar
3. https://www.law.asu.edu/about
4. https://premium.usnews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-law-schools/arizona-state-university-oconnor-03003/
5. https://premium.usnews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-law-schools/arizona-state-university-oconnor-03003/admissions
6. https://premium.usnews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-law-schools/arizona-state-university-oconnor-03003/admissions
7. https://premium.usnews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-law-schools/arizona-state-university-oconnor-03003/cost
8. https://law.asu.edu/sites/default/files/statement_of_student_policies.pdf
9. https://law.asu.edu/sites/default/files/statement_of_student_policies.pdf
10. https://law.asu.edu/sites/default/files/statement_of_student_policies.pdf
11. https://law.asu.edu/sites/default/files/statement_of_student_policies.pdf
12. https://law.asu.edu/sites/default/files/statement_of_student_policies.pdf
13. http://www.nalplawschoolsonline.org/employer_profile?FormID=356&QuestionTabID=38&SearchCondJSON=
14. https://www.law.asu.edu/student-life/law-journals
15. https://www.law.asu.edu/student-life/moot-court
16. https://www.law.asu.edu/experiences/clinics
17. https://premium.usnews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-law-schools/arizona-state-university-oconnor-03003/career-prospectss
18. https://www.law.asu.edu/experiences/externships
19. https://students.asu.edu/prelaw/internships-guidelines
20. https://www.law.asu.edu/student-life/organizations