The Truman Wesley Collins Legal Center at Willamette University

Law School Admissions

Application

Director of admissions Carolyn Dennis
Application deadline March 1
Full-time program application fee $50
Part-time program application fee $50
Besides the fall semester, can enter in N/A

The Truman Wesley Collins Legal Center at Willamette University

Admissions & Enrollment (Overall)

Acceptance rate 49.3% – High
Median undergraduate GPA for all program entrants 3.15
Median LSAT score for all program entrants 155

Admissions & Enrollment (Full-time)

Acceptance rate 49.3%
LSAT scores (25th-75th percentile) 152-157
Undergraduate GPA (25th-75th percentile) 2.86-3.42
Median undergraduate GPA for full-time program entrants 3.15
Median LSAT score for full-time program entrants 155

Admissions & Enrollment (Part-time)

Applicants N/A
Acceptance rate N/A
LSAT scores (25th-75th percentile) N/A
Undergraduate GPA (25th-75th percentile) N/A
Median undergraduate GPA for part-time program entrants N/A
Median LSAT score for part-time program entrants N/A

Law School Academics

Academic Program Details

Academic calendar Semester
Joint degrees offered
J.D./M.B.A.
Special programs offered to J.D. students (as provided by the school)
The law school offers certificate programs in business law, international and comparative law, sustainability, dispute resolution, and law and government. Students may also enroll in a joint degree program that offers an MBA in addition to the JD. The law school offers programs in foreign study enabling students to study in China, Ecuador and Germany and has an LLM program in Transnational Law.
Programs/courses offered in
appellate advocacy intellectual property law
clinical training international law
dispute resolution tax law
environmental law trial advocacy
health care law

Curricular Offerings (Overall)

Classroom course titles, beyond the first-year curriculum, offered last year 109
Seminars 24
Positions available in seminars 333
Positions available in simulation courses 297
Positions available in faculty-supervised clinical courses 82
Student activities (as provided by the school)
Students participate in the Law Review, the Journal of International Law and Dispute Resolution, the Sports Law Journal, and the Willamette Law Online case summary and updating service; students also participate in various moot court competitions. The school operates a legal clinic and offers an extensive externship program that gives students opportunities to gain practice experience.

Curricular Offerings (Full-time)

Typical first-year full-time section size taught by full-time faculty (excludes small sections) 80
Is there typically a full-time “small section” of the first-year class taught by full-time faculty (excluding Legal Writing)? Yes
Typical size of first-year “small section” 46
Positions filled in full-time program seminars 272
Positions filled in full-time program simulation courses 267
Positions filled in faculty-supervised full-time program clinical courses 60
Full-time students involved in field placements 31
Full-time students involved in law journals 65
Full-time students involved in advanced moot court or trial competitions 129
Full-time students enrolled in independent study 9

Curricular Offerings (Part-time)

Typical first-year part-time section size taught by full-time faculty (excludes small sections) N/A
Is there typically a part-time “small section” of the first-year class taught by full-time faculty (excluding Legal Writing)? No
Positions filled in part-time program seminars N/A
Positions filled in part-time program simulation courses N/A
Positions filled in faculty-supervised part-time program clinical courses 0
Part-time students involved in field placements 0
Part-time students involved in law journals 0
Part-time students involved in advanced moot court or trial competitions 0
Part-time students enrolled in independent study 0

Faculty Profile (Fall 2011)

Student-faculty ratio 12.8:1 – Medium
Full- and part-time faculty 39
Full-time minority faculty 16.0%
Part-time minority faculty 7.1%
Total faculty 49
Total faculty (men) 73.5%
Total faculty (women) 26.5%
Total faculty (minorities) 12.2%

Class Size

Law School Ranking

#129 Best Law Schools

(1) Ranking by Specialties

#12 in Dispute Resolution

Law Ranking Scores

Score 34
Peer assessment score (out of 5) 2.1
Assessment score by lawyers/judges (out of 5) 2.7
GPA (25th-75th percentile) 2.86-3.42
Median undergraduate GPA for all program entrants 3.15
LSAT scores (25th-75th percentile) 152-157
Median LSAT score for all program entrants 155
Acceptance rate 49.3% – High
Student-faculty ratio 12.8:1 – Medium
Graduates known to be employed at graduation N/A
Graduates known to be employed nine months after graduation 83.7% – Medium
Bar passage rate (first-time test takers) 75.6% – Low
State where the greatest number of first-time test takers took the bar OR
Statewide bar passage rate (first-time test takers) 75.0%

Law School Student Body

Student Body (Overall)

Total Enrolled 405

Student Body (Full-time)

Enrollment (full-time) 405

Student Body (Part-time)

Enrollment (part-time) N/A
Gender distribution (part-time) N/A

Attrition Rates for Full- and Part-time Students (2010-2011)

First-year students discontinuing law school 22.2%
Second-year students discontinuing law school 6.0%
Third-year students discontinuing law school 1.5%
Fourth-year students discontinuing law school N/A
Male students discontinuing law school 11.2%
Female students discontinuing law school 10.2%

Law School Cost

Financial Aid Contact Information

Financial aid director Pat Hoban
Financial aid phone (503) 370-6273
Financial aid application deadline June 1

Expenses

Tuition and fees
Full-time: $32,540 per year
Room and board $14,510
Books $1,460
Miscellaneous expenses $80
Is the tuition the same for first-, second-, and third-year students? Yes
Does the university offer housing restricted to law students? No
Does the university offer graduate student housing for which law students are eligible? Yes
Does the university offer a public-interest scholarship program to current J.D. students? Yes

Grants (Full-time students)

Students receiving grants of less than one-half tuition 48.9%
Students receiving grants of one-half tuition or more but less than full 17.3%
Students receiving grants of full tuition N/A
Students receiving grants of more than full tuition N/A
Median grant amount $11,000
Grant range (25th–75th percentile) $6,000–$16,000
Full-time students receiving grants 66.2%

Grants (Part-time students)

Students receiving grants of less than one-half tuition N/A
Students receiving grants of one-half tuition or more but less than full N/A
Students receiving grants of full tuition N/A
Students receiving grants of more than full tuition N/A
Median grant amount N/A
Grant range (25th–75th percentile) N/A
Part-time students receiving grants N/A

Indebtedness

Average indebtedness of 2011 graduates who incurred law school debt $97,566
Proportion who borrowed 92.3%
Does the school offer a loan repayment assistance program for 2011 J.D. graduates? Yes

Law School Library

Library Information Resources

Print titles (excluding nonbook titles) 37,262
Microform titles 939
Electronic titles 1
Other non-book titles 279
Total titles 38,481
Volumes (excluding microforms) 141,136
Volume equivalent microforms 156,872
Total volumes and volume equivalents 298,008
Number of volumes in the collection that are stored off site and are systematically retrievable 0
Library’s online catalog or website includes links to electronic titles or databases made available by another campus library or consortia Yes

Library Schedule of Operation

Number of hours per week library is open on a regular schedule 168
Number of hours per week professional staff are on duty on a regular schedule 76
Number of hours per week only full-time support staff are on duty on a regular schedule 0
Number of hours per week only students or other part-time staff are on duty on a regular schedule 34
Number of hours of reference service provided per week on a regular schedule 76
Number of weeks per year library operates on an abbreviated schedule 15
Number of hours per week library is open on an abbreviated schedule 168
Number of hours per week professional staff are on duty are on an abbreviated schedule 37
Number of hours per week only full-time support staff are on duty on an abbreviated schedule 0
Number of hours per week only students or other part-time staff are on duty on an abbreviated schedule 36
Number of hours of reference service provided per week on an abbreviated schedule 37
Number of weeks per year library operates on expanded schedule 0

Information Technology

Department(s) responsible for the law school information technology operations university information technology department
Approximate number of full-time-equivalent information technology staff (excluding hourly students and other temporary staff) 1
Number of open, wired network connections available to students in the law library (excluding computer labs) 80
Number of open, wired network connections available to students in classrooms 27
Number of open, wired network connections available to students in computer labs 4
Number of open, wired network connections available to students elsewhere in the law school 2
Does the law school have a wireless network? Yes
Wireless network is available in the law library, in classrooms, in computer labs, in administrative/faculty offices and work areas, elsewhere in the law school
Does the school require entering students to own a computer? No

Physical Library Facilities

Net square feet of space assigned for library purposes 38,500
Total seats available for library users 498
Details about the library and other facilities (as provided by the school) The law school has been cited as one of the three finest law school facilities in America; it boasts a state of the art wireless network, bright, modern classrooms, a contemporary courtroom, and a comfortable, spacious student area. The 3-story law library includes a main floor reading lounge, student conference rooms, and study carrels throughout. Students have 24-hour access to the building.

Law School Careers

Bar Statistics (Winter and Summer 2010 administrations)

State where the greatest number of first-time test takers took the bar OR
Bar passage rate (first-time test takers) 75.6% – Low
Statewide bar passage rate (first-time test takers) 75.0%

Class of 2010 Graduates

Total graduates 135
Graduates known to be employed at graduation N/A
Graduates known to be employed nine months after graduation 83.7%

Class of 2010 Graduates-Class Breakdown at Graduation

Graduates whose employment status is unknown N/A
Graduates whose employment status is known N/A
Graduates known to be employed at graduation N/A
Graduates known to be enrolled in a full-time degree program N/A
Graduates known to be unemployed and seeking work N/A
Graduates known to be unemployed and not seeking work N/A

Class of 2010 Graduates-Class Breakdown at Nine Months

Graduates whose employment status is unknown 1.5%
Graduates whose employment status is known 98.5%
Graduates known to be employed nine months after graduation 83.7%
Graduates known to be enrolled in a full-time degree program 1.5%
Graduates known to be unemployed and seeking work 1.5%
Graduates known to be unemployed and not seeking work 11.9%

Starting Salaries of Graduates Employed Full-time (Class of 2010)

25th percentile private sector starting salary $45,000
Median private sector starting salary $52,500
75th percentile private sector starting salary $60,000
Percent in the private sector who reported salary information 42%
Median public service starting salary $45,000

Areas of Legal Practice (Class of 2010)

Percent employed in academia 1.8%
Percent employed in business and industry 15.0%
Percent employed in government 10.6%
Percent employed in all judicial clerkships 4.4%
Percent employed in law firms 64.6%
Percent employed in public interest 3.5%
Percent employed in an unknown field 0.0%

Employment Location (Class of 2010)

Graduates employed in-state 69%
Graduates employed out-of-state 31.0%
Graduates employed in foreign countries 0%
Number of states where graduates are employed 12
New England (CT, ME, MA, NH, RI, VT) 0.0%
Middle Atlantic (NY, NJ, PA) 0.0%
East North Central (IL, IN, MI, OH, WI) 1.0%
West North Central (IA, KS, MN, MO, NE, ND, SD) 0.0%
South Atlantic (DE, DC, FL, GA, MD, NC, SC, VA, WV) 1.0%
East South Central (AL, KY, MS, TN) 0.0%
West South Central (AR, LA, OK, TX) 4.0%
Pacific (AK, CA, HI, OR, WA) 89.0%
Mountain (AZ, CO, ID, MT, NV, NM, UT, WY) 5.0%
Employment location unknown 0.0%

Career Services

(Data appear as originally submitted by this school)

Career services operations Career & Profess. Development partners with students to develop and achieve career goals. This includes individual counseling, attorney mentoring programs, specialty law information panels, law firm visits, networking events, online job applications, pro bono work, plus workshops on identifying skills, interviewing, networking, resumes, cover letters, job search strategies, life balance, and more.

Job Type

Bar admission required/anticipated (e.g., attorney and corporate counsel positions, law clerks, judicial clerks) 76.0%
Bar admission required/anticipated – percent employed in full-time positions 79.1%
J.D. preferred, law degree enhances position (e.g., corporate contracts administrator, alternative dispute resolution specialist, government regulatory analyst, FBI special agent) 9.0%
J.D. preferred – percent employed in full-time positions 90.0%
Professional other (jobs that require professional skills or training but for which a J.D. is neither preferred nor particularly applicable; e.g., accountant, teacher, business manager, nurse) 9.0%
Professional other – percent employed in full-time positions 80.0%
Non-professional other (job that does not require any professional skills or training or is taken on a temporary basis and not viewed as part of a career path) 6.0%
Non-professional other – percent employed in full-time positions 0.0%