The School of Law at Santa Clara University

Law School Admissions

Application

Director of admissions Jeanette Leach
Application deadline February 1
Full-time program application fee $75
Part-time program application fee $75
Besides the fall semester, can enter in N/A

The School of Law at Santa Clara University

Admissions & Enrollment (Overall)

Acceptance rate 36.3% – Medium
Median undergraduate GPA for all program entrants 3.24
Median LSAT score for all program entrants 160

Admissions & Enrollment (Full-time)

Acceptance rate 36.0%
LSAT scores (25th-75th percentile) 158-162
Undergraduate GPA (25th-75th percentile) 3.07-3.48
Median undergraduate GPA for full-time program entrants 3.25
Median LSAT score for full-time program entrants 160

Admissions & Enrollment (Part-time)

Acceptance rate 38.9%
LSAT scores (25th-75th percentile) 157-160
Undergraduate GPA (25th-75th percentile) 2.73-3.43
Median undergraduate GPA for part-time program entrants 3.22
Median LSAT score for part-time program entrants 157

Law School Academics

Academic Program Details

Academic calendar Semester
Joint degrees offered
J.D./M.B.A.
J.D./M.S.I.S.
Special programs offered to J.D. students (as provided by the school)
The Center for Social Justice and Public Interest, the Northern California Innocence Project, and the Alexander Community Law Center offer innovative courses and clinics under the supervision of experienced attorneys. The High Tech Law curriculum is one of the richest in the nation. The Center for Global Law and Policy offers 13 summer study abroad programs, most of which include field placement.
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 170
Seminars 102
Positions available in seminars 1,879
Positions available in simulation courses 329
Positions available in faculty-supervised clinical courses 266
Student activities (as provided by the school)
Student-run law journals include the Santa Clara Review, the Computer & High Technology Law Journal and the Journal of International Law, each holding annual symposiums on emerging legal issues. The internal Galloway Criminal Law Moot Court Competition is open to all Santa Clara Law Students, with the Law School sponsoring 8 to 12 teams to compete in external moot courts around the country.

Curricular Offerings (Full-time)

Typical first-year full-time section size taught by full-time faculty (excludes small sections) 76
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” 39
Positions filled in full-time program seminars 1,530
Positions filled in full-time program simulation courses 301
Positions filled in faculty-supervised full-time program clinical courses 238
Full-time students involved in field placements 382
Full-time students involved in law journals 104
Full-time students involved in advanced moot court or trial competitions 42
Full-time students enrolled in independent study 43

Curricular Offerings (Part-time)

Typical first-year part-time section size taught by full-time faculty (excludes small sections) 78
Is there typically a part-time “small section” of the first-year class taught by full-time faculty (excluding Legal Writing)? Yes
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 11.9:1 – Low
Full- and part-time faculty 99
Full-time minority faculty 21.3%
Part-time minority faculty 18.4%
Total faculty 113
Total faculty (men) 50.4%
Total faculty (women) 49.6%
Total faculty (minorities) 25.7%

Class Size

Law School Ranking

#96 Best Law Schools

(3) Ranking by Specialties

#6 in Intellectual Property Law
#96 in Law Firms Rank Schools
#48 in Part-time Law

Law Ranking Scores

Score 43
Peer assessment score (out of 5) 2.5
Assessment score by lawyers/judges (out of 5) 2.9
GPA (25th-75th percentile) 3.02-3.47
Median undergraduate GPA for all program entrants 3.24
LSAT scores (25th-75th percentile) 157-161
Median LSAT score for all program entrants 160
Acceptance rate 36.3% – Medium
Student-faculty ratio 11.9:1 – Low
Graduates known to be employed at graduation 65.7% – Medium
Graduates known to be employed nine months after graduation 78.4% – Low
Bar passage rate (first-time test takers) 71.5% – Low
State where the greatest number of first-time test takers took the bar CA
Statewide bar passage rate (first-time test takers) 64.8%

Law School Student Body

Student Body (Overall)

Total Enrolled 967

Student Body (Full-time)

Enrollment (full-time) 738

Student Body (Part-time)

Enrollment (part-time) 229

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

First-year students discontinuing law school 15.6%
Second-year students discontinuing law school 1.0%
Third-year students discontinuing law school N/A
Fourth-year students discontinuing law school N/A
Male students discontinuing law school 5.0%
Female students discontinuing law school 6.1%

Law School Cost

Financial Aid Contact Information

Financial aid director Elinore Burkhardt
Financial aid phone (408) 554-4447
Financial aid application deadline March 1

Expenses

Tuition and fees
Full-time: $1,393 per credit
Part-time: $1,393 per credit
Room and board $14,056
Books $1,244
Miscellaneous expenses $6,656
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 43.6%
Students receiving grants of one-half tuition or more but less than full 2.7%
Students receiving grants of full tuition 1.8%
Students receiving grants of more than full tuition 0.0%
Median grant amount $10,000
Grant range (25th–75th percentile) $7,000–$12,500
Full-time students receiving grants 48.1%

Grants (Part-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 5.2%
Students receiving grants of full tuition 3.5%
Students receiving grants of more than full tuition 0.0%
Median grant amount $8,000
Grant range (25th–75th percentile) $3,000–$11,800
Part-time students receiving grants 42.4%

Indebtedness

Average indebtedness of 2011 graduates who incurred law school debt $117,075
Proportion who borrowed 84.5%
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) 44,759
Microform titles 109,458
Electronic titles 455,159
Other non-book titles 654
Total titles 609,850
Volumes (excluding microforms) 195,067
Volume equivalent microforms 203,048
Total volumes and volume equivalents 398,115
Number of volumes in the collection that are stored off site and are systematically retrievable 50,000
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 106
Number of hours per week professional staff are on duty on a regular schedule 78
Number of hours per week only full-time support staff are on duty on a regular schedule 28
Number of hours per week only students or other part-time staff are on duty on a regular schedule 0
Number of hours of reference service provided per week on a regular schedule 78
Number of weeks per year library operates on an abbreviated schedule 2
Number of hours per week library is open on an abbreviated schedule 66
Number of hours per week professional staff are on duty are on an abbreviated schedule 50
Number of hours per week only full-time support staff are on duty on an abbreviated schedule 16
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 50
Number of weeks per year library operates on expanded schedule 6

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) 7
Number of open, wired network connections available to students in the law library (excluding computer labs) 325
Number of open, wired network connections available to students in classrooms 605
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 3
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 43,196
Total seats available for library users 504
Details about the library and other facilities (as provided by the school) The School of Law is on the 105-acre university campus in the vibrant Silicon Valley, highlighted by an extensive garden surrounding the Heafey Law Library. A traditional moot courtroom provides the setting for advocacy training. Other university facilities include a fitness center and swimming pool, student health center, student union, and the historic Mission Church.

Law School Careers

Bar Statistics (Winter and Summer 2010 administrations)

State where the greatest number of first-time test takers took the bar CA
Bar passage rate (first-time test takers) 71.5% – Low
Statewide bar passage rate (first-time test takers) 64.8%

Class of 2010 Graduates

Total graduates 306
Graduates known to be employed at graduation 65.7%
Graduates known to be employed nine months after graduation 78.4%

Class of 2010 Graduates-Class Breakdown at Graduation

Graduates whose employment status is unknown 10.1%
Graduates whose employment status is known 89.9%
Graduates known to be employed at graduation 65.7%
Graduates known to be enrolled in a full-time degree program 0.7%
Graduates known to be unemployed and seeking work 14.4%
Graduates known to be unemployed and not seeking work 9.2%

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 78.4%
Graduates known to be enrolled in a full-time degree program 1.0%
Graduates known to be unemployed and seeking work 2.0%
Graduates known to be unemployed and not seeking work 18.6%

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

25th percentile private sector starting salary $70,000
Median private sector starting salary $109,000
75th percentile private sector starting salary $160,000
Percent in the private sector who reported salary information 38%
Median public service starting salary N/A

Areas of Legal Practice (Class of 2010)

Percent employed in academia 6.2%
Percent employed in business and industry 22.8%
Percent employed in government 7.9%
Percent employed in all judicial clerkships 2.1%
Percent employed in law firms 44.0%
Percent employed in public interest 10.4%
Percent employed in an unknown field 6.6%

Employment Location (Class of 2010)

Graduates employed in-state 71%
Graduates employed out-of-state 5.8%
Graduates employed in foreign countries 1%
Number of states where graduates are employed 11
New England (CT, ME, MA, NH, RI, VT) 0.0%
Middle Atlantic (NY, NJ, PA) 0.4%
East North Central (IL, IN, MI, OH, WI) 0.0%
West North Central (IA, KS, MN, MO, NE, ND, SD) 0.4%
South Atlantic (DE, DC, FL, GA, MD, NC, SC, VA, WV) 0.8%
East South Central (AL, KY, MS, TN) 0.0%
West South Central (AR, LA, OK, TX) 0.8%
Pacific (AK, CA, HI, OR, WA) 73.0%
Mountain (AZ, CO, ID, MT, NV, NM, UT, WY) 1.4%
Employment location unknown 22.4%

Career Services

(Data appear as originally submitted by this school)

Career services operations The Career Services Office helps students identify and connect with prospective employers. Services include individual career counseling, workshops on job search strategies, an online alumni database for networking, an annual public interest career and information fair, on-campus interviews, and off-campus job fairs. Current employment statistics are on the school website: http://www.scu.edu/law

Job Type

Bar admission required/anticipated (e.g., attorney and corporate counsel positions, law clerks, judicial clerks) 71.0%
Bar admission required/anticipated – percent employed in full-time positions 24.6%
J.D. preferred, law degree enhances position (e.g., corporate contracts administrator, alternative dispute resolution specialist, government regulatory analyst, FBI special agent) 11.2%
J.D. preferred – percent employed in full-time positions 44.4%
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) 6.2%
Professional other – percent employed in full-time positions 20.0%
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) 11.6%
Non-professional other – percent employed in full-time positions N/A