The School of Law at University of Washington

Law School Admissions

Application

Director of admissions Mathiew Le
Application deadline February 15
Full-time program application fee $60
Part-time program application fee N/A
Besides the fall semester, can enter in N/A

The School of Law at University of Washington

Admissions & Enrollment (Overall)

Acceptance rate 22.1% – Low
Median undergraduate GPA for all program entrants 3.67
Median LSAT score for all program entrants 164

Admissions & Enrollment (Full-time)

Acceptance rate 22.1%
LSAT scores (25th-75th percentile) 161-166
Undergraduate GPA (25th-75th percentile) 3.44-3.82
Median undergraduate GPA for full-time program entrants 3.67
Median LSAT score for full-time program entrants 164

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 Quarter
Joint degrees offered
J.D./M.A. International Studies J.D./M.S.W
J.D./LL.M. Intellectual Property Law J.D./LL.M Asian Law
J.D./M.P.A. J.D./LL.M Taxation
J.D./M.P.H. J.D./M.H.A
J.D./M.U.P. J.D./M.S. (Forestry)
J.D./M.B.A. J.D./LL.M. Health Law
Special programs offered to J.D. students (as provided by the school)
Clinics:Innocence Project, Unemployment Compensation, Mediation, Immigration, Environmental, Child Ad, Tribal, Entrepreneurship, Tax, Tech Law & Public Policy Centers:Asian Law; Law, Technology & Arts (IP); Native American; Rural Development Institute (interna’l development); Global Health; Climate Change; Gates Public Service Law Program. Extern/Internships, & Summer Programs in Kenya & Italy.
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 121
Seminars 61
Positions available in seminars 915
Positions available in simulation courses 488
Positions available in faculty-supervised clinical courses 167
Student activities (as provided by the school)
Washington Law Review; Pacific Rim Law & Policy Journal; Law, Washington Journal of Law, Technology & Arts; Washington Journal of Environmental Law & Policy; Moot Court Honor Board; Student Bar Association; Public Interest Law Association; and more than 45 registered student organizations. Weekly programming includes Global Mondays and Social Justice Tuesdays.

Curricular Offerings (Full-time)

Typical first-year full-time section size taught by full-time faculty (excludes small sections) 52
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” 26
Positions filled in full-time program seminars 752
Positions filled in full-time program simulation courses 488
Positions filled in faculty-supervised full-time program clinical courses 152
Full-time students involved in field placements 169
Full-time students involved in law journals 133
Full-time students involved in advanced moot court or trial competitions 46
Full-time students enrolled in independent study 264

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 N/A
Part-time students involved in field placements N/A
Part-time students involved in law journals N/A
Part-time students involved in advanced moot court or trial competitions N/A
Part-time students enrolled in independent study N/A

Faculty Profile (Fall 2011)

Student-faculty ratio 9.0:1 – Low
Full- and part-time faculty 100
Full-time minority faculty 23.5%
Part-time minority faculty 8.2%
Total faculty 110
Total faculty (men) 56.4%
Total faculty (women) 43.6%
Total faculty (minorities) 15.5%

Class Size

Law School Ranking

#20 Best Law Schools

(4) Ranking by Specialties

#23 in Clinical Training
#19 in Environmental Law
#15 in Intellectual Property Law
#32 in Law Firms Rank Schools

Law Ranking Scores

Score 71
Peer assessment score (out of 5) 3.2
Assessment score by lawyers/judges (out of 5) 3.9
GPA (25th-75th percentile) 3.44-3.82
Median undergraduate GPA for all program entrants 3.67
LSAT scores (25th-75th percentile) 161-166
Median LSAT score for all program entrants 164
Acceptance rate 22.1% – Low
Student-faculty ratio 9.0:1 – Low
Graduates known to be employed at graduation 88.6% – High
Graduates known to be employed nine months after graduation 96.0% – High
Bar passage rate (first-time test takers) 85.0% – Medium
State where the greatest number of first-time test takers took the bar WA
Statewide bar passage rate (first-time test takers) 70.3%

Law School Student Body

Student Body (Overall)

Total Enrolled 545

Student Body (Full-time)

Enrollment (full-time) 545

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 2.2%
Second-year students discontinuing law school N/A
Third-year students discontinuing law school N/A
Fourth-year students discontinuing law school N/A
Male students discontinuing law school 0.7%
Female students discontinuing law school 0.7%

Law School Cost

Financial Aid Contact Information

Financial aid director Mathiew Le
Financial aid phone (206) 543-4078
Financial aid application deadline February 28

Expenses

Tuition and fees
Full-time: $25,780 per year (in-state)
Full-time: $39,850 per year (out-of-state)
Room and board $13,812
Books $1,206
Miscellaneous expenses $3,789
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 33.6%
Students receiving grants of one-half tuition or more but less than full 5.5%
Students receiving grants of full tuition 0.0%
Students receiving grants of more than full tuition 5.1%
Median grant amount $6,000
Grant range (25th–75th percentile) $5,500–$11,000
Full-time students receiving grants 44.2%

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 $88,642
Proportion who borrowed 76.0%
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) 135,678
Microform titles 42,463
Electronic titles 173
Other non-book titles 1,254
Total titles 179,568
Volumes (excluding microforms) 462,555
Volume equivalent microforms 200,955
Total volumes and volume equivalents 663,510
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 89
Number of hours per week professional staff are on duty on a regular schedule 52
Number of hours per week only full-time support staff are on duty on a regular schedule 22
Number of hours per week only students or other part-time staff are on duty on a regular schedule 15
Number of hours of reference service provided per week on a regular schedule 60
Number of weeks per year library operates on an abbreviated schedule 9
Number of hours per week library is open on an abbreviated schedule 67
Number of hours per week professional staff are on duty are on an abbreviated schedule 39
Number of hours per week only full-time support staff are on duty on an abbreviated schedule 14
Number of hours per week only students or other part-time staff are on duty on an abbreviated schedule 14
Number of hours of reference service provided per week on an abbreviated schedule 42
Number of weeks per year library operates on expanded schedule 3

Information Technology

Department(s) responsible for the law school information technology operations law school information technology department, law school library, university information technology department
Approximate number of full-time-equivalent information technology staff (excluding hourly students and other temporary staff) 9
Number of open, wired network connections available to students in the law library (excluding computer labs) 0
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 63,559
Total seats available for library users 414
Details about the library and other facilities (as provided by the school) Largest law library collection in the Pacific Northwest. Exceptional East Asian Law collection. Connects to the University’s extensive library system via integrated electronic campus information network. Opened in 2003, the School is housed in William H. Gates Hall, offering sophisticated classroom and library environments. Generous student workspaces in varied environments for study and research.

Law School Careers

Bar Statistics (Winter and Summer 2010 administrations)

State where the greatest number of first-time test takers took the bar WA
Bar passage rate (first-time test takers) 85.0% – Medium
Statewide bar passage rate (first-time test takers) 70.3%

Class of 2010 Graduates

Total graduates 176
Graduates known to be employed at graduation 88.6%
Graduates known to be employed nine months after graduation 96.0%

Class of 2010 Graduates-Class Breakdown at Graduation

Graduates whose employment status is unknown 0.0%
Graduates whose employment status is known 100.0%
Graduates known to be employed at graduation 88.6%
Graduates known to be enrolled in a full-time degree program 1.1%
Graduates known to be unemployed and seeking work 9.1%
Graduates known to be unemployed and not seeking work 1.1%

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 96.0%
Graduates known to be enrolled in a full-time degree program 1.1%
Graduates known to be unemployed and seeking work 1.7%
Graduates known to be unemployed and not seeking work 1.1%

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

25th percentile private sector starting salary $60,000
Median private sector starting salary $100,000
75th percentile private sector starting salary $120,000
Percent in the private sector who reported salary information 62%
Median public service starting salary $56,000

Areas of Legal Practice (Class of 2010)

Percent employed in academia 1.8%
Percent employed in business and industry 13.6%
Percent employed in government 16.0%
Percent employed in all judicial clerkships 15.4%
Percent employed in law firms 43.2%
Percent employed in public interest 8.9%
Percent employed in an unknown field 1.2%

Employment Location (Class of 2010)

Graduates employed in-state 69%
Graduates employed out-of-state 27.8%
Graduates employed in foreign countries 3%
Number of states where graduates are employed 16
New England (CT, ME, MA, NH, RI, VT) 0.0%
Middle Atlantic (NY, NJ, PA) 5.3%
East North Central (IL, IN, MI, OH, WI) 1.8%
West North Central (IA, KS, MN, MO, NE, ND, SD) 0.6%
South Atlantic (DE, DC, FL, GA, MD, NC, SC, VA, WV) 4.1%
East South Central (AL, KY, MS, TN) 2.4%
West South Central (AR, LA, OK, TX) 1.2%
Pacific (AK, CA, HI, OR, WA) 81.7%
Mountain (AZ, CO, ID, MT, NV, NM, UT, WY) 0.0%
Employment location unknown 0.0%

Career Services

(Data appear as originally submitted by this school)

Career services operations Personalized counseling and professional development for students and alumni. Programs include leadership development and extensive career planning and employment resources and program. Wide range of workshops, seminars and networking events, connecting with an extensive network of opportunities in law, business and public service. Coordinates on-campus interviews and judicial clerkship program.

Job Type

Bar admission required/anticipated (e.g., attorney and corporate counsel positions, law clerks, judicial clerks) 80.4%
Bar admission required/anticipated – percent employed in full-time positions 88.1%
J.D. preferred, law degree enhances position (e.g., corporate contracts administrator, alternative dispute resolution specialist, government regulatory analyst, FBI special agent) 10.7%
J.D. preferred – percent employed in full-time positions 61.1%
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) 3.6%
Professional other – percent employed in full-time positions 33.3%
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) 5.4%
Non-professional other – percent employed in full-time positions 0.0%