The School of Law at Northeastern University

Law School Admissions

Application

Director of admissions Carrie Taubman
Application deadline January 3
Full-time program application fee $75
Part-time program application fee N/A
Besides the fall semester, can enter in N/A

The School of Law at Northeastern University

Admissions & Enrollment (Overall)

Acceptance rate 36.7% – Medium
Median undergraduate GPA for all program entrants 3.48
Median LSAT score for all program entrants 162

Admissions & Enrollment (Full-time)

Acceptance rate 36.7%
LSAT scores (25th-75th percentile) 154-163
Undergraduate GPA (25th-75th percentile) 3.24-3.64
Median undergraduate GPA for full-time program entrants 3.48
Median LSAT score for full-time program entrants 162

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.P.H. J.D./Masters Environmental Law & Policy
J.D./M.B.A. J.D./M.A. Sustainable International Dev.
J.D./M.S./M.B.A. Professional Accounting JD/MS/PHD in Law and Public Policy
Special programs offered to J.D. students (as provided by the school)
Our program is unique in its integration of classroom rigor and real-world experience. Every first year student undertakes a team social justice project through our Legal Skills in Social Context course. Each student graduates with a full year of legal experience through our co-op externship program with four 11-week full-time jobs in 54 countries and the US. 45% also complete at least one clinic.
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 96
Seminars 14
Positions available in seminars 215
Positions available in simulation courses 237
Positions available in faculty-supervised clinical courses 121
Student activities (as provided by the school)
Students play a central role in the NUSL community through involvement in school governance, administrative committee work and SBA.They compete in a variety of regional and national moot court competitions. The NU Law Journal hosts an annual symposium and publishes online. A wide array of student organizations offers opportunities for socializing and supporting various political and social causes.

Curricular Offerings (Full-time)

Typical first-year full-time section size taught by full-time faculty (excludes small sections) 70
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” 14
Positions filled in full-time program seminars 194
Positions filled in full-time program simulation courses 237
Positions filled in faculty-supervised full-time program clinical courses 101
Full-time students involved in field placements 538
Full-time students involved in law journals 83
Full-time students involved in advanced moot court or trial competitions 39
Full-time students enrolled in independent study 206

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 15.2:1 – Medium
Full- and part-time faculty 81
Full-time minority faculty 25.0%
Part-time minority faculty 17.8%
Total faculty 91
Total faculty (men) 45.1%
Total faculty (women) 54.9%
Total faculty (minorities) 19.8%

Class Size

Law School Ranking

#76 Best Law Schools

(2) Ranking by Specialties

#18 in Clinical Training
#116 in Law Firms Rank Schools

Law Ranking Scores

Score 47
Peer assessment score (out of 5) 2.5
Assessment score by lawyers/judges (out of 5) 2.7
GPA (25th-75th percentile) 3.24-3.64
Median undergraduate GPA for all program entrants 3.48
LSAT scores (25th-75th percentile) 154-163
Median LSAT score for all program entrants 162
Acceptance rate 36.7% – Medium
Student-faculty ratio 15.2:1 – Medium
Graduates known to be employed at graduation N/A
Graduates known to be employed nine months after graduation 87.6% – Medium
Bar passage rate (first-time test takers) 89.1% – Medium
State where the greatest number of first-time test takers took the bar MA
Statewide bar passage rate (first-time test takers) 88.2%

Law School Student Body

Student Body (Overall)

Total Enrolled 656

Student Body (Full-time)

Enrollment (full-time) 656

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 2.3%
Second-year students discontinuing law school 1.8%
Third-year students discontinuing law school N/A
Fourth-year students discontinuing law school N/A
Male students discontinuing law school 2.0%
Female students discontinuing law school 1.1%

Law School Cost

Financial Aid Contact Information

Financial aid director Linda Schoendorf
Financial aid phone (617) 373-4620
Financial aid application deadline December 31

Expenses

Tuition and fees
Full-time: $42,296 per year
Room and board $17,100
Books $1,500
Miscellaneous expenses $4,089
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 78.2%
Students receiving grants of one-half tuition or more but less than full 1.4%
Students receiving grants of full tuition 2.0%
Students receiving grants of more than full tuition 0.0%
Median grant amount $8,500
Grant range (25th–75th percentile) $8,500–$10,000
Full-time students receiving grants 81.6%

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 $122,369
Proportion who borrowed 83.5%
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) 49,012
Microform titles 99,519
Electronic titles 10
Other non-book titles 317
Total titles 148,858
Volumes (excluding microforms) 128,113
Volume equivalent microforms 211,145
Total volumes and volume equivalents 339,258
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 108
Number of hours per week professional staff are on duty on a regular schedule 48
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 80
Number of hours of reference service provided per week on a regular schedule 43
Number of weeks per year library operates on an abbreviated schedule 14
Number of hours per week library is open on an abbreviated schedule 84
Number of hours per week professional staff are on duty are on an abbreviated schedule 48
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 43
Number of weeks per year library operates on expanded schedule 15

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) 3
Number of open, wired network connections available to students in the law library (excluding computer labs) 35
Number of open, wired network connections available to students in classrooms 316
Number of open, wired network connections available to students in computer labs 3
Number of open, wired network connections available to students elsewhere in the law school 21
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 31,236
Total seats available for library users 369
Details about the library and other facilities (as provided by the school) NUSL is located in the heart of Boston. In 2007-08 the university spent almost $20 million to renovate Dockser Hall, which houses state-of-the-art classrooms, seminar rooms and moot courtroom, the law school clinics, and several student lounges and study rooms. Last year, the university renovated the law school’s Knowles Center, including expansion and upgrades for computer labs and the library.

Law School Careers

Bar Statistics (Winter and Summer 2010 administrations)

State where the greatest number of first-time test takers took the bar MA
Bar passage rate (first-time test takers) 89.1% – Medium
Statewide bar passage rate (first-time test takers) 88.2%

Class of 2010 Graduates

Total graduates 193
Graduates known to be employed at graduation N/A
Graduates known to be employed nine months after graduation 87.6%

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 3.1%
Graduates whose employment status is known 96.9%
Graduates known to be employed nine months after graduation 87.6%
Graduates known to be enrolled in a full-time degree program 2.6%
Graduates known to be unemployed and seeking work 4.1%
Graduates known to be unemployed and not seeking work 2.6%

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

25th percentile private sector starting salary $53,600
Median private sector starting salary $75,000
75th percentile private sector starting salary $160,000
Percent in the private sector who reported salary information 41%
Median public service starting salary $43,300

Areas of Legal Practice (Class of 2010)

Percent employed in academia 7.7%
Percent employed in business and industry 16.0%
Percent employed in government 11.2%
Percent employed in all judicial clerkships 6.5%
Percent employed in law firms 37.3%
Percent employed in public interest 21.3%
Percent employed in an unknown field 0.0%

Employment Location (Class of 2010)

Graduates employed in-state 73%
Graduates employed out-of-state 26.0%
Graduates employed in foreign countries 1%
Number of states where graduates are employed 16
New England (CT, ME, MA, NH, RI, VT) 78.0%
Middle Atlantic (NY, NJ, PA) 7.0%
East North Central (IL, IN, MI, OH, WI) 0.5%
West North Central (IA, KS, MN, MO, NE, ND, SD) 0.0%
South Atlantic (DE, DC, FL, GA, MD, NC, SC, VA, WV) 4.0%
East South Central (AL, KY, MS, TN) 0.5%
West South Central (AR, LA, OK, TX) 0.5%
Pacific (AK, CA, HI, OR, WA) 6.0%
Mountain (AZ, CO, ID, MT, NV, NM, UT, WY) 3.0%
Employment location unknown 0.0%

Career Services

(Data appear as originally submitted by this school)

Career services operations Practical experience is the cornerstone of a Northeastern law degree. Students work closely with career advisers every year throughout law school and graduate with one full year of legal work experience – developing skills, experience, confidence and contacts that greatly enhance job prospects. In fact, almost 40% of our students obtain their first post-graduate job with a former co-op employer.

Job Type

Bar admission required/anticipated (e.g., attorney and corporate counsel positions, law clerks, judicial clerks) 78.0%
Bar admission required/anticipated – percent employed in full-time positions 81.1%
J.D. preferred, law degree enhances position (e.g., corporate contracts administrator, alternative dispute resolution specialist, government regulatory analyst, FBI special agent) 14.0%
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) 5.0%
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) 3.0%
Non-professional other – percent employed in full-time positions 40.0%