The William S. Boyd School of Law at University of Nevada–Las Vegas

Law School Admissions

Application

Director of admissions Nathan Neely
Application deadline March 15
Full-time program application fee $50
Part-time program application fee $50
Besides the fall semester, can enter in N/A

The William S. Boyd School of Law at University of Nevada--Las Vegas

Admissions & Enrollment (Overall)

Acceptance rate 21.3% – Low
Median undergraduate GPA for all program entrants 3.39
Median LSAT score for all program entrants 159

Admissions & Enrollment (Full-time)

Acceptance rate 21.4%
LSAT scores (25th-75th percentile) 157-162
Undergraduate GPA (25th-75th percentile) 3.18-3.63
Median undergraduate GPA for full-time program entrants 3.43
Median LSAT score for full-time program entrants 159

Admissions & Enrollment (Part-time)

Acceptance rate 20.7%
LSAT scores (25th-75th percentile) 153-157
Undergraduate GPA (25th-75th percentile) 2.91-3.66
Median undergraduate GPA for part-time program entrants 3.29
Median LSAT score for part-time program entrants 156

Law School Academics

Academic Program Details

Academic calendar Semester
Joint degrees offered
J.D./M.B.A.
J.D./M.S.W.
J.D./Ph.D.
Special programs offered to J.D. students (as provided by the school)
Students have a variety of opportunities for “learning by doing”. Through clinical programs, externships, the Saltman Center for Conflict Resolution and service learning courses, all students may enroll for at least one service learning experience. For information about these programs and the Saltman Center see the law school website at: http://www.law.unlv.edu.
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 88
Seminars 16
Positions available in seminars 197
Positions available in simulation courses 337
Positions available in faculty-supervised clinical courses 52
Student activities (as provided by the school)
The Nevada LJ & Gaming LJ provide opportunities for students to develop research, writing and critical thinking skills. Students in Society of Advocates, the school’s advocacy program compete in competitions across the country and the school has an impressive record in national and regional competitions. There are over 20 student organizations. http://www.law.unlv.edu/academics.html

Curricular Offerings (Full-time)

Typical first-year full-time section size taught by full-time faculty (excludes small sections) 54
Is there typically a full-time “small section” of the first-year class taught by full-time faculty (excluding Legal Writing)? No
Typical size of first-year “small section” N/A
Positions filled in full-time program seminars 139
Positions filled in full-time program simulation courses 216
Positions filled in faculty-supervised full-time program clinical courses 52
Full-time students involved in field placements 142
Full-time students involved in law journals 58
Full-time students involved in advanced moot court or trial competitions 31
Full-time students enrolled in independent study 59

Curricular Offerings (Part-time)

Typical first-year part-time section size taught by full-time faculty (excludes small sections) 32
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 15
Positions filled in part-time program simulation courses 62
Positions filled in faculty-supervised part-time program clinical courses 5
Part-time students involved in field placements 10
Part-time students involved in law journals 16
Part-time students involved in advanced moot court or trial competitions 3
Part-time students enrolled in independent study 12

Faculty Profile (Fall 2011)

Student-faculty ratio 11.9:1 – Low
Full- and part-time faculty 52
Full-time minority faculty 21.9%
Part-time minority faculty 5.0%
Total faculty 61
Total faculty (men) 49.2%
Total faculty (women) 50.8%
Total faculty (minorities) 14.8%

Class Size

Law School Ranking

#76 Best Law Schools

(5) Ranking by Specialties

#32 in Clinical Training
#10 in Dispute Resolution
#116 in Law Firms Rank Schools
#3 in Legal Writing
#22 in Part-time Law

Law Ranking Scores

Score 47
Peer assessment score (out of 5) 2.3
Assessment score by lawyers/judges (out of 5) 2.6
GPA (25th-75th percentile) 3.12-3.64
Median undergraduate GPA for all program entrants 3.39
LSAT scores (25th-75th percentile) 157-161
Median LSAT score for all program entrants 159
Acceptance rate 21.3% – Low
Student-faculty ratio 11.9:1 – Low
Graduates known to be employed at graduation 75.3% – Medium
Graduates known to be employed nine months after graduation 93.2% – High
Bar passage rate (first-time test takers) 71.8% – Low
State where the greatest number of first-time test takers took the bar NV
Statewide bar passage rate (first-time test takers) 72.6%

Law School Student Body

Student Body (Overall)

Total Enrolled 465

Student Body (Full-time)

Enrollment (full-time) 324

Student Body (Part-time)

Enrollment (part-time) 141

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

First-year students discontinuing law school 8.9%
Second-year students discontinuing law school 1.3%
Third-year students discontinuing law school 0.7%
Fourth-year students discontinuing law school N/A
Male students discontinuing law school 4.1%
Female students discontinuing law school 2.4%

Law School Cost

Financial Aid Contact Information

Financial aid director Nathan Neely
Financial aid phone (702) 895-4107
Financial aid application deadline February 1

Expenses

Tuition and fees
Full-time: $24,752 per year (in-state)
Full-time: $35,752 per year (out-of-state)
Part-time: $16,126 per year (in-state)
Part-time: $23,182 per year (out-of-state)
Room and board $12,270
Books $1,700
Miscellaneous expenses $6,126
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? No
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 16.0%
Students receiving grants of one-half tuition or more but less than full 24.7%
Students receiving grants of full tuition 0.0%
Students receiving grants of more than full tuition 6.8%
Median grant amount $16,450
Grant range (25th–75th percentile) $8,225–$24,675
Full-time students receiving grants 47.5%

Grants (Part-time students)

Students receiving grants of less than one-half tuition 17.7%
Students receiving grants of one-half tuition or more but less than full 0.7%
Students receiving grants of full tuition 0.0%
Students receiving grants of more than full tuition 2.8%
Median grant amount $9,584
Grant range (25th–75th percentile) $4,792–$14,376
Part-time students receiving grants 21.3%

Indebtedness

Average indebtedness of 2011 graduates who incurred law school debt $55,910
Proportion who borrowed 80.5%
Does the school offer a loan repayment assistance program for 2011 J.D. graduates? No

Law School Library

Library Information Resources

Print titles (excluding nonbook titles) 36,104
Microform titles 146,039
Electronic titles 180,333
Other non-book titles 1,692
Total titles 364,168
Volumes (excluding microforms) 151,528
Volume equivalent microforms 206,127
Total volumes and volume equivalents 357,655
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 101
Number of hours per week professional staff are on duty on a regular schedule 70
Number of hours per week only full-time support staff are on duty on a regular schedule 24
Number of hours per week only students or other part-time staff are on duty on a regular schedule 10
Number of hours of reference service provided per week on a regular schedule 66
Number of weeks per year library operates on an abbreviated schedule 10
Number of hours per week library is open on an abbreviated schedule 73
Number of hours per week professional staff are on duty are on an abbreviated schedule 69
Number of hours per week only full-time support staff are on duty on an abbreviated schedule 8
Number of hours per week only students or other part-time staff are on duty on an abbreviated schedule 0
Number of hours of reference service provided per week on an abbreviated schedule 64
Number of weeks per year library operates on expanded schedule 8

Information Technology

Department(s) responsible for the law school information technology operations law school information technology department, university information technology department
Approximate number of full-time-equivalent information technology staff (excluding hourly students and other temporary staff) 2
Number of open, wired network connections available to students in the law library (excluding computer labs) 345
Number of open, wired network connections available to students in classrooms 0
Number of open, wired network connections available to students in computer labs 0
Number of open, wired network connections available to students elsewhere in the law school 0
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 53,632
Total seats available for library users 341
Details about the library and other facilities (as provided by the school) State of the art facilities house the law school, the law library and the Thomas & Mack Moot Court — a one-of-a kind reconfigurable courtroom/classroom. Classrooms are wireless and equipped with power and data, videoconferencing and distance learning capabilities. The Wiener-Rogers Law Library has the most substantial collection of legal materials in NV.

Law School Careers

Bar Statistics (Winter and Summer 2010 administrations)

State where the greatest number of first-time test takers took the bar NV
Bar passage rate (first-time test takers) 71.8% – Low
Statewide bar passage rate (first-time test takers) 72.6%

Class of 2010 Graduates

Total graduates 146
Graduates known to be employed at graduation 75.3%
Graduates known to be employed nine months after graduation 93.2%

Class of 2010 Graduates-Class Breakdown at Graduation

Graduates whose employment status is unknown 0.7%
Graduates whose employment status is known 99.3%
Graduates known to be employed at graduation 75.3%
Graduates known to be enrolled in a full-time degree program 0.7%
Graduates known to be unemployed and seeking work 17.8%
Graduates known to be unemployed and not seeking work 5.5%

Class of 2010 Graduates-Class Breakdown at Nine Months

Graduates whose employment status is unknown 0.0%
Graduates whose employment status is known 100.0%
Graduates known to be employed nine months after graduation 93.2%
Graduates known to be enrolled in a full-time degree program 0.7%
Graduates known to be unemployed and seeking work 1.4%
Graduates known to be unemployed and not seeking work 4.8%

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

25th percentile private sector starting salary $65,000
Median private sector starting salary $75,000
75th percentile private sector starting salary $100,000
Percent in the private sector who reported salary information 64%
Median public service starting salary $60,000

Areas of Legal Practice (Class of 2010)

Percent employed in academia 2.2%
Percent employed in business and industry 8.8%
Percent employed in government 8.8%
Percent employed in all judicial clerkships 19.9%
Percent employed in law firms 55.1%
Percent employed in public interest 5.1%
Percent employed in an unknown field 0.0%

Employment Location (Class of 2010)

Graduates employed in-state 88%
Graduates employed out-of-state 11.8%
Graduates employed in foreign countries 0%
Number of states where graduates are employed 8
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) 0.0%
West North Central (IA, KS, MN, MO, NE, ND, SD) 0.0%
South Atlantic (DE, DC, FL, GA, MD, NC, SC, VA, WV) 0.7%
East South Central (AL, KY, MS, TN) 0.0%
West South Central (AR, LA, OK, TX) 0.7%
Pacific (AK, CA, HI, OR, WA) 4.4%
Mountain (AZ, CO, ID, MT, NV, NM, UT, WY) 94.1%
Employment location unknown 0.0%

Career Services

(Data appear as originally submitted by this school)

Career services operations The Department of Career Services offers services to give students the tools to achieve their career goals, both during law school and after graduation. Through individual counseling, a wide variety of workshops and speakers, on-campus interviewing, networking opportunities, and an on-line career services database, we strive to meet the needs of students and alumni.

Job Type

Bar admission required/anticipated (e.g., attorney and corporate counsel positions, law clerks, judicial clerks) 79.5%
Bar admission required/anticipated – percent employed in full-time positions 94.0%
J.D. preferred, law degree enhances position (e.g., corporate contracts administrator, alternative dispute resolution specialist, government regulatory analyst, FBI special agent) 5.5%
J.D. preferred – percent employed in full-time positions 75.0%
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) 6.8%
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) 1.4%
Non-professional other – percent employed in full-time positions 50.0%