The School of Law at University of Missouri–Kansas City

March 2, 2019

Law School Rankings

Law School Admissions

Application

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

The School of Law at University of Missouri--Kansas City

Admissions & Enrollment (Overall)

Acceptance rate 40.0% – Medium
Median undergraduate GPA for all program entrants 3.35
Median LSAT score for all program entrants 155

Admissions & Enrollment (Full-time)

Acceptance rate 41.3%
LSAT scores (25th-75th percentile) 153-157
Undergraduate GPA (25th-75th percentile) 3-3.66
Median undergraduate GPA for full-time program entrants 3.35
Median LSAT score for full-time program entrants 155

Admissions & Enrollment (Part-time)

Acceptance rate 15.2%
LSAT scores (25th-75th percentile) 159-164
Undergraduate GPA (25th-75th percentile) 3.36-3.71
Median undergraduate GPA for part-time program entrants 3.53
Median LSAT score for part-time program entrants 163

Law School Academics

Academic Program Details

Academic calendar Semester
Joint degrees offered N/A
Special programs offered to J.D. students (as provided by the school)
The school’s location in a metropolitan area provides many opportunities for students to engage in real-life representation of clients in clinical programs that include UMKC’s Child and Family Services Clinic, Guardian Ad Litem Workshop, Tax Clinic, Entrepreneurial Law and Practice Clinic, and the school’s “Innocence Project.” Summer abroad programs in Ireland, China and Wales.
Programs/courses offered in
appellate advocacy intellectual property law
clinical training international law
dispute resolution tax law
environmental law trial advocacy

Curricular Offerings (Overall)

Classroom course titles, beyond the first-year curriculum, offered last year 134
Seminars 14
Positions available in seminars 232
Positions available in simulation courses 548
Positions available in faculty-supervised clinical courses 161
Student activities (as provided by the school)
Students work on the Law Review and are assistant editors of the Urban Lawyer (published by the ABA) and the Journal of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers. Significant skills training is provided in trial and appellate advocacy, client counseling and negotiation through sequenced courses and competition participation. Activities are provided by the Student Bar Assoc. and 30 organizations.

Curricular Offerings (Full-time)

Typical first-year full-time section size taught by full-time faculty (excludes small sections) 57
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 180
Positions filled in full-time program simulation courses 413
Positions filled in faculty-supervised full-time program clinical courses 99
Full-time students involved in field placements 113
Full-time students involved in law journals 127
Full-time students involved in advanced moot court or trial competitions 53
Full-time students enrolled in independent study 142

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 13.3:1 – Medium
Full- and part-time faculty 45
Full-time minority faculty 6.5%
Part-time minority faculty 0.0%
Total faculty 60
Total faculty (men) 65.0%
Total faculty (women) 35.0%
Total faculty (minorities) 5.0%

Class Size

Law School Ranking

#135 Best Law Schools

(2) Ranking by Specialties

#116 in Law Firms Rank Schools
#42 in Part-time Law

Law Ranking Scores

Score 33
Peer assessment score (out of 5) 2.3
Assessment score by lawyers/judges (out of 5) 2.6
GPA (25th-75th percentile) 3.01-3.66
Median undergraduate GPA for all program entrants 3.35
LSAT scores (25th-75th percentile) 153-157
Median LSAT score for all program entrants 155
Acceptance rate 40.0% – Medium
Student-faculty ratio 13.3:1 – Medium
Graduates known to be employed at graduation N/A
Graduates known to be employed nine months after graduation 72.9% – Low
Bar passage rate (first-time test takers) 87.9% – Medium
State where the greatest number of first-time test takers took the bar MO
Statewide bar passage rate (first-time test takers) 90.0%

Law School Student Body

Student Body (Overall)

Total Enrolled 466

Student Body (Full-time)

Enrollment (full-time) 438

Student Body (Part-time)

Enrollment (part-time) 28

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

First-year students discontinuing law school 5.5%
Second-year students discontinuing law school 5.2%
Third-year students discontinuing law school N/A
Fourth-year students discontinuing law school N/A
Male students discontinuing law school 3.4%
Female students discontinuing law school 4.2%

Law School Cost

Financial Aid Contact Information

Financial aid director Nancy Merz
Financial aid phone (816) 235-1154
Financial aid application deadline March 1

Expenses

Tuition and fees
Full-time: $16,730 per year (in-state)
Full-time: $31,772 per year (out-of-state)
Part-time: $10,199 per year (in-state)
Part-time: $19,224 per year (out-of-state)
Room and board $8,370
Books $4,474
Miscellaneous expenses $9,798
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? No

Grants (Full-time students)

Students receiving grants of less than one-half tuition 31.1%
Students receiving grants of one-half tuition or more but less than full 7.5%
Students receiving grants of full tuition 1.8%
Students receiving grants of more than full tuition 1.8%
Median grant amount $7,500
Grant range (25th–75th percentile) $2,000–$16,235
Full-time students receiving grants 42.2%

Grants (Part-time students)

Students receiving grants of less than one-half tuition 7.1%
Students receiving grants of one-half tuition or more but less than full 0.0%
Students receiving grants of full tuition 0.0%
Students receiving grants of more than full tuition N/A
Median grant amount $2,025
Grant range (25th–75th percentile) $500–$2,025
Part-time students receiving grants 7.1%

Indebtedness

Average indebtedness of 2011 graduates who incurred law school debt $91,338
Proportion who borrowed 91.6%
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) 71,025
Microform titles 75,344
Electronic titles 31,872
Other non-book titles 684
Total titles 178,925
Volumes (excluding microforms) 230,215
Volume equivalent microforms 125,573
Total volumes and volume equivalents 355,788
Number of volumes in the collection that are stored off site and are systematically retrievable 13,795
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 100
Number of hours per week professional staff are on duty on a regular schedule 58
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 42
Number of hours of reference service provided per week on a regular schedule 49
Number of weeks per year library operates on an abbreviated schedule 16
Number of hours per week library is open on an abbreviated schedule 71
Number of hours per week professional staff are on duty are on an abbreviated schedule 40
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 31
Number of hours of reference service provided per week on an abbreviated schedule 40
Number of weeks per year library operates on expanded schedule 4

Information Technology

Department(s) responsible for the law school information technology operations law school information technology department, law school library
Approximate number of full-time-equivalent information technology staff (excluding hourly students and other temporary staff) 4
Number of open, wired network connections available to students in the law library (excluding computer labs) 14
Number of open, wired network connections available to students in classrooms 0
Number of open, wired network connections available to students in computer labs 8
Number of open, wired network connections available to students elsewhere in the law school 24
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 31,785
Total seats available for library users 399
Details about the library and other facilities (as provided by the school) The Law School contains office suites shared by faculty and students, wireless computer access, a comfortable student lounge with an attached outdoor courtyard, student offices and state-of-the-art courtrooms with viewing theater. The Library, with collaborative technology, combines the traditions of print with electronic media to prepare lawyers of the future and support the legal community.

Law School Careers

Bar Statistics (Winter and Summer 2010 administrations)

State where the greatest number of first-time test takers took the bar MO
Bar passage rate (first-time test takers) 87.9% – Medium
Statewide bar passage rate (first-time test takers) 90.0%

Class of 2010 Graduates

Total graduates 144
Graduates known to be employed at graduation N/A
Graduates known to be employed nine months after graduation 72.9%

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 0.0%
Graduates whose employment status is known 100.0%
Graduates known to be employed nine months after graduation 72.9%
Graduates known to be enrolled in a full-time degree program 0.0%
Graduates known to be unemployed and seeking work 27.1%
Graduates known to be unemployed and not seeking work 0.0%

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

25th percentile private sector starting salary $39,520
Median private sector starting salary $52,000
75th percentile private sector starting salary $70,000
Percent in the private sector who reported salary information 59%
Median public service starting salary $40,000

Areas of Legal Practice (Class of 2010)

Employment Location (Class of 2010)

Graduates employed in-state 77%
Graduates employed out-of-state 21.0%
Graduates employed in foreign countries 2%
Number of states where graduates are employed 11
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) 0.9%
West North Central (IA, KS, MN, MO, NE, ND, SD) 87.6%
South Atlantic (DE, DC, FL, GA, MD, NC, SC, VA, WV) 3.8%
East South Central (AL, KY, MS, TN) 0.0%
West South Central (AR, LA, OK, TX) 1.9%
Pacific (AK, CA, HI, OR, WA) 2.9%
Mountain (AZ, CO, ID, MT, NV, NM, UT, WY) 1.0%
Employment location unknown 0.0%

Career Services

(Data appear as originally submitted by this school)

Career services operations Career Services assists students in defining career options; provides assistance with resumes and interviewing skills; and sponsors programs on a variety of career opportunities, including private practice, government, corporate, and public interest law. The school also has a robust Solo and Small Firm program, including an Incubator providing facilities, staff and training to launch new firms.

Job Type

Bar admission required/anticipated (e.g., attorney and corporate counsel positions, law clerks, judicial clerks) 84.7%
Bar admission required/anticipated – percent employed in full-time positions 97.8%
J.D. preferred, law degree enhances position (e.g., corporate contracts administrator, alternative dispute resolution specialist, government regulatory analyst, FBI special agent) 10.5%
J.D. preferred – percent employed in full-time positions 100.0%
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) 3.8%
Professional other – percent employed in full-time positions 75.0%
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) 1.0%
Non-professional other – percent employed in full-time positions 100.0%

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