UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN LAW SCHOOL

Overview ²

The University of Michigan Law School in Ann Arbor is one of the world’s finest institutions of legal education. Housed in the Cook Quadrangle on the University of Michigan’s central campus, the Law School is unmatched for beauty and is superbly functional for its residential and scholarly community. The School has a sizable and diverse faculty, with many preeminent in their fields. The careers of alumni also speak eloquently to the strength of the School; our graduates are leaders serving with distinction in the public, private, and academic sectors in this nation and beyond.

Provenance: A Great Law School in a Great University

The University of Michigan, founded in 1817, celebrates a long and distinguished history. It was in 1787 that the Northwest Territorial Ordinance provided public land for this and other Midwestern universities and established a tradition of respect for excellence in higher education. Three Native American nations—the Ojibwa (Chippewa), Odawa (Ottawa), and Bodewadini (Potawatomi)—subsequently granted certain lands for use of the University of Michigan and by the end of the 19th century, Michigan was the largest and most generously supported public university in America and already a leader in graduate education.

The University of Michigan Law School, one of the oldest law schools in the nation, was founded in 1859. But unlike other highly selective law schools established in that era, admission was never restricted to the privileged. When Gabriel Hargo graduated from the Law School in 1870, Michigan—then the largest law school in the country—became the second American university to confer a law degree on an African American. That same year, Michigan was the first major law school to admit a woman, and in 1871, graduate Sarah Killgore became the first woman with a law degree in the nation to be admitted to the bar; by 1890, Michigan had graduated more women than any other law school. That commitment to access and diversity joined an equally powerful commitment to excellence, which continues to this day.

Student-Faculty Ratio ³

10.2:1

Admission Criteria ⁴

	LSAT	GPA
25th-75th Percentile	164-169	3.56-3.87
Median	168	3.78

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

Director of Admissions	Sarah C. Zearfoss
Application deadline	February 15

Admission Statistics ⁴

Approximate number of applications	5076
Number accepted	1205
Percentage accepted	23.7%

The above admission details are based on 2016 data.

Law School Cost ⁵

Tuition and fees Full-time:	$55,104 per year (in-state) $58,104 per year (out-of-state)
Room and board	$14,240
Books	$1,100
Miscellaneous expenses	$3,450

Class Ranking and Grades ⁶

A student who matriculated prior to May 2013 must complete with a passing grade (D or better) not less than 82 hours, of which 64 must be earned in regularly scheduled class sessions in the Law School or at another law school in the United States for which the credit has been approved for transfer.

A student who matriculated in May 2015 or thereafter must complete with a passing grade (D or better) not less than 83 hours, of which 64 must be earned in regularly scheduled class sessions in the Law School or at another law school in the United States for which the credit has been approved for transfer.

A student who matriculated prior to May 2015 must achieve an honor point average of 2.0 or better, and a student who matriculated May 2015 or thereafter must achieve an honor point average of 2.3 or better, in the minimum hours submitted for graduation, calculated as follows:

Grade	Honor Points Per Credit Hour
A+	4.3
A	4.0
A-	3.7
B+	3.3
B	3.0
B-	2.7
C+	2.3
C	2.0
C-	1.7
D+	1.3
D	1.0
E	0.0

In courses which are offered under a mandatory limited grade scheme, an S will be awarded for work equivalent to a C or better, except in Legal Practice, where the top 20% of students will be awarded the grade H, with the balance awarded an S for work equivalent to a C or better; otherwise a grade of C-, D+, D or E will be entered. An S grade for a clinical offering will be earned for work equivalent to a grade of C+ or better; otherwise, a grade of C, C-, D+, D or E will be entered. A Y is awarded for completion of a course which extends beyond the semester.

Grade Normalization (Curve)⁷

Students who matriculated prior to May 2015 must earn a minimum of 62 letter-graded credits in law classes taken at the University of Michigan Law School in order to be eligible to receive degree honors. Students who matriculated in May 2015 or thereafter must earn a minimum of 63 such credits to be eligible.

The following credits do not count towards the 62 or 63 minimum letter-graded credit requirement:

• Non-law classes taken at the University of Michigan or at another university, whether or not a student receives a letter grade in such a course.
• Law classes taken at another law school, with two exceptions:
  1) credits earned by a transfer student during their first year at another law school; and
  2) credits earned by a student who was given permission by the Academic Standards and Practices Committee to visit another law school for one or two semesters due to compelling and unusual personal reasons. (Note: letter grades earned pursuant to these exceptions do not get factored in to a student’s Michigan Law School GPA.)
• Law classes in which a student earns a mandatory pass (“S”) grade, e.g. Legal Practice classes, mini-seminars, external studies classes, semester study abroad classes, and some clinical law classes.
• Law classes in which a student has converted a letter grade to a pass (“P”) grade.

Honors ⁸

JD degrees will be awarded as follows to students who matriculated in May 2012 or thereafter.

Honor	Criteria
Order of the Coif	For Coif purposes, graduates from the full academic year are combined for honors determination (e.g. August & December 2015, and May 2016). Only honors-eligible graduates within the top 10% of the combined graduating class (which includes non-eligible and honors-eligible graduates) will be considered for Order of the Coif. The final determinant for receipt of Order of the Coif is ultimately conditioned on a vote by the Law School faculty.
Cum laude	An honors-eligible graduate with a 3.400 to 3.699 GPA will receive cum laude.
Magna cum laude	An honors-eligible graduate with a 3.700 to 3.999 GPA will receive magna cum laude.
Summa cum laude	An honors-eligible graduate with a 4.000 or higher GPA will receive summa cum laude.

Awards ⁹

Name of Award	Awarded to / Awarded for
Henry M. Bates Memorial Scholarship	Widely held to be the Law School's highest honor, the Bates Scholarship is given to outstanding seniors, with account taken for scholarship in legal studies, personality, character, extracurricular interests, and promise of a distinguished career.
Jane L. Mixer Memorial Award	An award presented for outstanding contributions to activities designed to advance the cause of social justice.
Irving Stenn, Jr. Award	An award presented to those students who have demonstrated leadership, and contributed through extracurricular activities to the well-being and strength of the Law School or the University.
Daniel H. Grady Prize	An awarded presented to the student who has graduated with the highest standing in his or her Law School class.
Class of 1908 Memorial Scholarship	Awarded to the student who attained the highest scholastic average at the beginning of his or her senior year.
Maurice Weigle Scholarship Award	Presented to the student who attained the highest scholastic average at the end of his or her first year.
Clara Belfield & Henry Bates Overseas Fellowship	Fellowships presented to students who have completed two or more years of law school to pursue academic or professional projects abroad.
ABA-BNA Health Law Award	An award presented to the student who has excelled in the study of health law.
ABA-BNA Intellectual Property Award	An award presented to the student who has excelled in the study of intellectual property law.
ABA-BNA Labor Law Award	An award presented to the student who has excelled in the study of labor law.
S. Anthony Benton Memorial Award	An award presented for scholastic excellence in the field of international law.
William W. Bishop, Jr. Award	A prize presented to the student who has performed with distinction in the field of international law and in related Law School activities.
Lee Bollinger Prize	A prize presented to the student who has achieved excellence in the study of the First Amendment.
The Henry M. Campbell Moot Court Competition	The oldest and most prestigious of the various Law School competitions, involving significant hours of preparation throughout the academic year.
Alden J. "Butch" Carpenter Memorial Scholarship Award	Presented to students evidencing intent to assist economically depressed communities.
Roger A. Cunningham Memorial Property Prize	Awarded for scholastic excellence in the first-year Property Law course, along with outstanding performance in the rest of the first-year core curriculum.
Emmett E. Eagan Award	An award presented for excellence in the field of corporate law.
Robert S. Feldman Labor Law Award	Awarded for outstanding work in the field of labor law.
Fiske Award	A fellowship awarded to exceptional graduates serving as government employees at the federal, state, or local level, and who have demonstrated a commitment to public service values.
Ralph M. Freeman Scholarship	A scholarship presented to a second or third year student who has demonstrated true excellence in the fields of criminal law and procedure.
Carl Gussin Memorial Prize	A prize awarded for excellence in the area of trial work.
Rockwell T. Gust Advocacy Award	An award presented for demonstrated potential as an outstanding trial lawyer and advocate.
International Academy of Trial Lawyers Award	Presented for demonstrated ability in courtroom advocacy.
Richard Katcher Senior Tax Prize	Presented for outstanding work in courses and seminars in taxation and related areas.
The Jon Henry Kouba Prize	This prize recognizes the best student papers on European Integration and International Peace and Security.
Jeffrey S. Lehman Legal Practice Award	An award presented by the faculty to the student deemed the best legal practice student from the previous year.
Award for Exceptional Service	An award presented to a student for outstanding all-around contributions to each Journal.
Award for Outstanding Scholarly Contribution	An award presented to the student who wrote the best note published by each Journal.
Dores McCree Award	For extraordinary devotion to the well-being of students and commitment to a widely inclusive and unified vision of the Law School community.
Michigan Supreme Court Historical Society Law Student Prize	For outstanding work in courses related to legal history.
Saul L. Nadler Memorial Award	An award presented for outstanding work in courses related to commercial and corporate law.
National Association of Women Lawyers Award	Awarded for academic achievement, community service, and the potential for future contributions to the advancement of women.
Jack C. Radcliffe, Jr. Award	An award presented to a second or third year student who has served as a senior judge in the legal writing program, with account taken for excellence in mentoring first year law students.
The Rakow Scholarship	Established by the Federal Bar Foundation, this is awarded to the student who demonstrates outstanding achievement in corporations or business law.
Jenny Runkles Memorial Award	An annual award presented to second year students who have exhibited a selfless commitment to improving the Law School community, and society as a whole, through devotion to public interest and diversity.
Scholarly Writing Awards	Presented for scholarly work of superior quality, prepared without the expectation of publication.
Craig Spangenberg Oral Advocacy Award	An award to recognize one or more students who have demonstrated exceptional ability in courtroom oral advocacy.
Juan Luis Tienda Memorial Scholarship Award	Awarded to students who have demonstrated a commitment to working for the advancement of Latinos in the United States.
Joseph Wolfe Memorial Prize	Presented to the writer of the best student paper produced in the field of Trust Law during the last year.
Women Lawyers' Association of Michigan Foundation Award	Awarded to women law students who have demonstrated leadership capabilities and served the community in such areas as family law, child advocacy or domestic violence, or displayed potential for advancing the position of women in society.
Women Lawyers of Michigan Julia D. Darlow Award	Awarded to a student who has demonstrated a commitment to advancing the interests of women members of the legal profession and to promoting equity and social justice for all people.
Hessel E. Yntema Award	An award presented to the student who has performed with distinction in courses and seminars in international and comparative law.

Journals ^10-18

Student journals and organizations at the University of Michigan Law School offer law students a wide array of extracurricular opportunities for students to get involved in different aspects of the law, as well as community service projects and political groups.

Journals at the Law School are staffed by students and offer a varied selection of interesting opportunities for students to further their involvement in a specific area, such as environmental law, technological law, international law, gender, and critical race issues.

Michigan Law Review

The Michigan Law Review publishes eight issues annually. Seven of each volume’s eight issues are composed of two major parts: Articles by legal scholars and practitioners, and Notes by law students. One issue in each volume is devoted to book reviews.

First Impressions, the online companion to the Michigan Law Review, publishes op-ed length articles by academics, judges, and practitioners on current legal issues. This extension of the printed journal facilitates quick dissemination of the legal community’s initial impressions of important judicial decisions, legislative developments, and timely legal policy issues.

University of Michigan Journal of Law Reform

The Michigan Journal of Law Reform is one of the country’s foremost academic journals dedicated to promoting legal reform. Across its four issues, annual symposia, and online publication, Caveat, the Journal identifies the critical problems facing domestic decision-makers and presents responsive solutions. In every medium, the Journal provides content that is timely, novel, and focused on reform.

The Journal is one of the oldest and most well respected law and policy publications in the nation. It publishes cutting-edge legal scholarship by both academics and legal practitioners. Established in 1968, the Journal finds its roots in a desire to propose constructive, well-reasoned reforms in all areas of the law.

In the Journal’s inaugural issue, Professor Francis Allen summarized the publication’s purpose in the following way: “In short, it seeks to promote the improvement of law and its administration in all areas in which needs are disclosed and in which useful proposals can be advanced.” True to these words, the Journal’s Editorial Board has consistently sought out and published articles on a diverse range of legal issues, eschewing the narrow focus of many legal publications.

The Journal also regularly sponsors symposia. These multi-day events provide an in-depth examination of one area of law in need of reform, with presentations by some of the most prominent and compelling scholars and practitioners in that field. The ideas presented at these symposia are then consolidated and published in article form in the Journal’s Summer Issue. Previously, symposia have focused on such varied topics as jury reform, products liability law, and school finance revitalization of American cities.

Michigan Journal of International Law

First published as the Michigan Yearbook of International Legal Studies, the Michigan Journal of International Law is now one of the premiere international legal journals in the world. We publish four times a year with the help of our Editorial Board, Contributing Editors, and Associate Editors. We are lucky to benefit from Michigan’s excellent international law faculty and enjoy bringing cutting edge international legal scholarship to our campus and beyond.

Michigan Journal of Gender & Law

The central mission of the Michigan Journal of Gender and Law is to create a feminist legal publication that will help expand and develop legal discourse beyond traditional boundaries. The Journal, which was founded in 1992, is dedicated to providing a forum for exploring how gender issues (and related issues of race, class, sexual orientation, gender identity, and culture) impact law and society. The Journal seeks to compare, contrast, and combine theoretical and practical perspectives on gender issues in order to provide a bridge between theory and practice. To achieve these purposes, the Journal publishes the views of legal scholars, social scientists, practitioners, students and others. The Journal is committed to representing a broad range of perspectives, however unconventional or unpopular they may be. We welcome the submissions and responses of our readers.

Michigan Journal of Race & Law

The Michigan Journal of Race & Law is a legal journal that serves as a forum for the exploration of issues relating to race and law. To that end, MJR&L publishes articles, notes, and essays on the cutting edge of civil rights scholarship from a wide variety of scholarly perspectives. MJR&L’s diversity is reflected by the authors with whom we collaborate, ranging from scholars and students to practitioners and social scientists.

Michigan Telecommunications and Technology Law Review

Founded in 1994, Michigan Telecommunications and Technology Law Review was one of the first law journals to use interactive media to promote informed discourse about the interrelated legal, social, business, and public policy issues raised by emerging technologies. As one of the original online law journals in the world, MTTLR is a ground-breaking publication.

MTTLR publishes online and printed volumes, available through subscription. MTTLR is available through Lexis-Nexis, Westlaw, and this web site. The Michigan Telecommunications and Technology Law Review’s primary purpose is to examine the tensions created by advances in computing, telecommunications, biotechnology, multimedia, networking, information and other technologies.

Michigan Journal of Environmental and Administrative Law

The Michigan Journal of Environmental & Administrative Law (MJEAL) is The University of Michigan Law School’s newest legal journal. MJEAL is made possible by a generous grant from the Graham Sustainability Institute at the University of Michigan.

The journal publishes articles, student notes, comments, essays, and online blog posts on all aspects of environmental and administrative law.

Michigan Business & Entrepreneurial Law Review

The mission of the Michigan Business & Entrepreneurial Law Review (MBELR) is to serve as a vessel for practitioner and scholarly work related to business law, with a focus on legal issues involved with private equity and venture capital. MBELR was founded as the Michigan Journal of Private Equity and Venture Capital Law (MJPVL), which published Volumes 1 – 3, and plans to continue the legacy and mission of MJPVL.

In order to enrich its members’ educational experience, MBELR seeks to comprehensively prepare its members to perform the editorial and administrative tasks required to publish a professional legal journal while simultaneously assisting each of its members in preparing an original work of scholarship adequate for publication.

Moot Court ¹⁹

The University of Michigan Law School offers law students a wide array of extracurricular opportunities, including moot court and other competitions, to get involved in different aspects of the law.

The links below provide additional information for the various competitions in which students have participated.

Moot Court Competitions

• Campbell Competition
• Child Welfare Law Moot Court Competition
• Criminal Law
• Entertainment Media and Arts
• Environmental Law
• Intellectual Property Moot Court Competition
• Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition
• Native American Law Students Association Competition

Clinical Programs ²⁰

Michigan Law has long been known for its distinctive educational blend of leading scholarship and legal practice. In today's competitive environment, it is more important than ever for new graduates to hit the ground running in the practice of law. For more than 45 years, Michigan Law has offered clinics in which students take "first-chair" lead responsibility for real clients with real legal needs. Students represent these clients under the supervision of experienced faculty in small, intensive settings in classrooms, boardrooms, and courtrooms in Michigan and beyond. We are so committed to this formative experience that we guarantee every student at least one upper-level clinic, with many taking more.

Our 18 clinics cover a remarkable array of practice areas from transactional to litigation and everything in between. Students represent children, families, small business owners and nonprofit agencies, the wrongly convicted, human trafficking victims, asylum seekers, startups and makers, organizations bringing business solutions to some of the world's most pressing problems, and individuals in need of core civil and criminal legal services.

• Child Advocacy Law Clinic
• Child Welfare Appellate Clinic
• Civil Mediation Clinic
• Civil-Criminal Litigation Clinic
• Community and Economic Development Clinic
• Criminal Appellate Practice
• Entrepreneurship Clinic
• Environmental Law Clinic
• Federal Appellate Litigation Clinic
• Human Trafficking Clinical Program
• International Transactions Clinic
• Juvenile Justice Clinic
• Low Income Taxpayer Clinic
• Michigan Innocence Clinic
• Pediatric Advocacy Clinic
• Transactional Lab & Clinic
• Unemployment Insurance Clinic
• Veterans Legal Clinic

Placement Facts ²¹

Starting Salaries (2015 Graduates Employed Full-Time)

Private sector (25th-75th percentile)	$125,000 - $160,000
Median in the private sector	$160,000
Median in public service	$59,246

Employment Details

Graduates known to be employed at graduation	83.1%
Graduates known to be employed ten months after graduation	87.6%

Areas of Legal Practice

Graduates Employed In	Percentage
Law Firms	57.6%
Business and Industry	4.1%
Government	10.9%
Judicial Clerkships	17.6%
Public Interest Organizations	8.8%
Academia	0.6%
Unknown	0%

Externships/Internships

Externships²²

Externships offer an exciting opportunity to augment classroom study with real-world work experience. Under the guidance of Michigan faculty and a field placement supervisor, students immerse themselves in legal work with local, state, and federal governmental agencies, and with nonprofit organizations throughout the country and world. Externships complete a student's personal study agenda, complementing coursework that often includes clinics. Externships enable students to pursue sophisticated work and research in a particular field beyond our curricular offerings.

Michigan Law offers five distinct externship programs:

1. Full-Time Externship Program: Students receive a full semester's worth of credits and can go anywhere in the United States or world while working at a nonprofit or government agency of their choice.
2. Part-Time Externship Program: Students receive three to five credits and propose their own positions at local government, nonprofit, or judicial placements.
3. Geneva Externship Program: Students receive a full semester's worth of credits while spending the winter term with leading intergovernmental and nongovernmental institutions selected by Michigan Law; students indicate their top placement choices on the application.
4. India Externship Program: Students receive a full semester's worth of credits while spending the winter term in Bangalore, India, working at the Alternative Law Forum.
5. South Africa Externship Program: Students receive a full semester's worth of credits while spending the winter term in a variety of cities throughout South Africa working for nongovernmental organizations selected by Michigan Law; students indicate their top placement choices on the application.

Internships²³

Other off-site opportunities abound both internationally and domestically through our externship and independent study programs. Our South African Externship Program allows students to spend the winter term working in South Africa for human rights organizations or other nonprofit legal organizations. Our Geneva Externship Program gives students the chance to spend the winter term at UN agencies and non-governmental organizations in Geneva, engaged in a broad range of international legal work. Other students have pursued externships with the U.S. Department of State, Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, U.S. Department of Commerce, Overseas Private Investment Cooperation, and at public interest organizations in New York, Washington, D.C., and London. Further, the School supports paid internships at the AIRE Centre in London, as well as those offered through our Cambodian and Refugee Law Programs. Michigan is one of a select group of U.S. law schools whose students are eligible for clerkships at the European Court of Justice through the Dean Acheson Legal Stage Program and at the International Court of Justice.

Student Organizations ²⁴

• 1L Oral Advocacy Competition
• American Civil Liberties Union
• American Constitution Society
• Asia Law Society
• Asian Pacific American Law Students Association
• Bankruptcy Law Society
• Black Law Students Association
• Business Law Association
• Campbell Competition Board
• Catholic Law Students Association
• Christian Legal Society
• Compost Michigan
• Criminal Law Society
• Cultural Heritage Law Society
• Education Law and Policy Society
• Entertainment, Media, and Arts Law Students Association
• Entrepreneurship & Law Association
• Environmental Law Society
• Family Law Project
• Federalist Society
• First Generation Law Students
• Food Law and Policy Association
• Frank Murphy Society
• Future Advocates In Training
• Headnotes
• Human Rights Advocates
• Intellectual Property Students Association
• International Law Society
• International Refugee Assistance Project
• J. Reuben Clark Law Society
• JDs in the D
• Jewish Law Students Association
• Latino Law Students Association
• Law School Book Club
• Law School Hockey Team
• Law School Student Senate
• Law Students for Sensible Drug Policy
• Legal Advocates for Children and Youth
• Legal Alternative Winter Breaks
• Michigan Election Law Project
• Michigan Energy Law Association
• Michigan Health Law Organization
• Michigan Immigration and Labor Law Association
• Michigan Law Veterans Society
• Muslim Law Students Association
• National Lawyers Guild
• National Security Law Society
• Native American Law Students Association
• Older Wiser Law Students
• Organization of Public Interest Students
• Outlaws
• Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Team
• Poverty Law Society
• Prisoners' Rights Organization of Students
• Privacy & Technology Law Association
• Public Benefits Advocacy Project
• ?Racial Justice Coalition
• Real Estate Law Society
• ?Reproductive Rights and Justice
• Society for Space Law and the Law of the Sea
• South Asian Law Students Association
• Sports Law Society
• Student Funded Fellowships
• Student Rights Project?
• Trial Advocacy Society
• Wolverine Street Law Organization
• Women Law Students Association

References

1. http://www.law.umich.edu/contact/pages/default.aspx
2. http://www.law.umich.edu/aboutus/Pages/default.aspx
3. https://premium.usnews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-law-schools/university-of-michigan-ann-arbor-03082
4. https://premium.usnews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-law-schools/university-of-michigan-ann-arbor-03082/admissions
5. http://www.law.umich.edu/financialaid/Documents/budget.pdf
6. http://www.law.umich.edu/currentstudents/registration/Documents/JD%20Regulations%20-%20Current.pdf
7. http://www.law.umich.edu/currentstudents/registration/Documents/JD%20Honors%20Eligibility.pdf
8. http://www.law.umich.edu/currentstudents/registration/Documents/JD%20Honors%20Eligibility.pdf
9. http://www.law.umich.edu/currentstudents/studentservices/awards/Pages/default.aspx
10. http://www.law.umich.edu/journalsandorgs/Pages/orgs.aspx
11. http://michiganlawreview.org/about-us/
12. http://mjlr.org/
13. http://www.mjilonline.org/about-us/
14. http://repository.law.umich.edu/mjgl/
15. http://mjrl.org/
16. http://mttlr.org/about/
17. http://www.mjeal-online.org/home/
18. http://mbelr.org/about/
19. http://www.law.umich.edu/currentstudents/studentservices/Pages/moot.aspx
20. http://www.law.umich.edu/clinical/pages/default.aspx
21. https://premium.usnews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-law-schools/university-of-michigan-ann-arbor-03082/career-prospects
22. http://www.law.umich.edu/curriculum/externshipsandindependentstudy/Pages/default.aspx
23. http://www.law.umich.edu/curriculum/Pages/default.aspx
24. http://www.law.umich.edu/journalsandorgs/Pages/orgs.aspx