The Law School at University at Buffalo–SUNY
EDU
March 2, 2019
Law School Admissions
Application
| Director of admissions |
Lillie Wiley-Upshaw |
| Application deadline |
March 1 |
| Full-time program application fee |
$75 |
| Part-time program application fee |
N/A |
| Besides the fall semester, can enter in |
N/A |
Admissions & Enrollment (Overall)
| Acceptance rate |
38.7% – Medium |
| Median undergraduate GPA for all program entrants |
3.57 |
| Median LSAT score for all program entrants |
157 |
Admissions & Enrollment (Full-time)
| Acceptance rate |
38.7% |
| LSAT scores (25th-75th percentile) |
154-158 |
| Undergraduate GPA (25th-75th percentile) |
3.36-3.7 |
| Median undergraduate GPA for full-time program entrants |
3.57 |
| Median LSAT score for full-time program entrants |
157 |
Admissions & Enrollment (Part-time)
| 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 |
Semester |
| Joint degrees offered |
N/A |
| Special programs offered to J.D. students (as provided by the school) |
| A total of 9 curricular concentrations and curricular programs; 7 nationally renowned clinics (including affordable housing and family violence); numerous joint degrees (JD/MBA, JD/PharmD, JD/MPH,…); a New York City-based semester studying finance (includes projects with international banking, investment and law firms); and international bridge (winter-break) courses. |
| 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 |
195 |
| Seminars |
45 |
| Positions available in seminars |
732 |
| Positions available in simulation courses |
1,928 |
| Positions available in faculty-supervised clinical courses |
149 |
| Student activities (as provided by the school) |
| Many scholarly journals (Buffalo Law Review, ABA Affordable Housing Journal, Environmental Law Journal, Women’s Law Journal, etc.); moot court and mock trial teams win honors throughout the U.S.; over 35 student groups (such as Buffalo Public Interest Law Program, Entertainment and Sports Law Society, Environmental Law Society, and Parent Law Student Association); 1L Mentoring Program |
Curricular Offerings (Full-time)
| Typical first-year full-time section size taught by full-time faculty (excludes small sections) |
60 |
| 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 |
496 |
| Positions filled in full-time program simulation courses |
1,494 |
| Positions filled in faculty-supervised full-time program clinical courses |
114 |
| Full-time students involved in field placements |
166 |
| Full-time students involved in law journals |
323 |
| Full-time students involved in advanced moot court or trial competitions |
86 |
| Full-time students enrolled in independent study |
33 |
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)? |
N/A |
| 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 |
12.5:1 – Medium |
| Full- and part-time faculty |
81 |
| Full-time minority faculty |
6.7% |
| Part-time minority faculty |
11.1% |
| Total faculty |
99 |
| Total faculty (men) |
56.6% |
| Total faculty (women) |
43.4% |
| Total faculty (minorities) |
8.1% |
Class Size
Law School Ranking
Law Ranking Scores
| Score |
45 |
| Peer assessment score (out of 5) |
2.3 |
| Assessment score by lawyers/judges (out of 5) |
2.7 |
| GPA (25th-75th percentile) |
3.36-3.7 |
| Median undergraduate GPA for all program entrants |
3.57 |
| LSAT scores (25th-75th percentile) |
154-158 |
| Median LSAT score for all program entrants |
157 |
| Acceptance rate |
38.7% – Medium |
| Student-faculty ratio |
12.5:1 – Medium |
| Graduates known to be employed at graduation |
47.2% – Medium |
| Graduates known to be employed nine months after graduation |
86.8% – Medium |
| Bar passage rate (first-time test takers) |
83.7% – Medium |
| State where the greatest number of first-time test takers took the bar |
NY |
| Statewide bar passage rate (first-time test takers) |
76.4% |
Law School Student Body
Student Body (Overall)
Student Body (Full-time)
| Enrollment (full-time) |
637 |
Student Body (Part-time)
Attrition Rates for Full- and Part-time Students (2010-2011)
| First-year students discontinuing law school |
N/A |
| Second-year students discontinuing law school |
5.6% |
| Third-year students discontinuing law school |
0.4% |
| Fourth-year students discontinuing law school |
N/A |
| Male students discontinuing law school |
2.2% |
| Female students discontinuing law school |
1.8% |
Law School Cost
Financial Aid Contact Information
Expenses
| Tuition and fees |
Full-time: $20,718 per year (in-state)
Full-time: $33,718 per year (out-of-state) |
| Room and board |
$12,304 |
| Books |
$1,161 |
| Miscellaneous expenses |
$4,749 |
| Is the tuition the same for first-, second-, and third-year students? |
Yes |
| Does the university offer housing restricted to law students? |
Yes |
| 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 |
42.5% |
| Students receiving grants of one-half tuition or more but less than full |
0.0% |
| Students receiving grants of full tuition |
3.5% |
| Students receiving grants of more than full tuition |
0.6% |
| Median grant amount |
$5,000 |
| Grant range (25th–75th percentile) |
$4,000–$5,000 |
| Full-time students receiving grants |
46.6% |
Grants (Part-time students)
| Students receiving grants of less than one-half tuition |
0.0% |
| 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 |
0.0% |
| Median grant amount |
$0 |
| Grant range (25th–75th percentile) |
$0–$0 |
| Part-time students receiving grants |
0.0% |
Indebtedness
| Average indebtedness of 2011 graduates who incurred law school debt |
$52,447 |
| Proportion who borrowed |
86.9% |
| Does the school offer a loan repayment assistance program for 2011 J.D. graduates? |
No |
Law School Library
Library Information Resources
Library Schedule of Operation
| Number of hours per week library is open on a regular schedule |
103 |
| Number of hours per week professional staff are on duty on a regular schedule |
76 |
| Number of hours per week only full-time support staff are on duty on a regular schedule |
21 |
| Number of hours per week only students or other part-time staff are on duty on a regular schedule |
21 |
| Number of hours of reference service provided per week on a regular schedule |
69 |
| Number of weeks per year library operates on an abbreviated schedule |
17 |
| Number of hours per week library is open on an abbreviated schedule |
40 |
| Number of hours per week professional staff are on duty are on an abbreviated schedule |
38 |
| 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 |
0 |
| Number of hours of reference service provided per week on an abbreviated schedule |
40 |
| Number of weeks per year library operates on expanded schedule |
35 |
Information Technology
Physical Library Facilities
| Net square feet of space assigned for library purposes |
74,014 |
| Total seats available for library users |
590 |
| Details about the library and other facilities (as provided by the school) |
A working courtroom located inside the school hosts trials, hearings, and appellate proceedings from numerous federal and state courts; our beautiful library occupies six floors in the center of the School and was recently recognized by the AALS for Best Use of Technology; the entire Law School is wireless; the Law School Village offers spacious apartments within walking distance. |
Law School Careers
Bar Statistics (Winter and Summer 2010 administrations)
| State where the greatest number of first-time test takers took the bar |
NY |
| Bar passage rate (first-time test takers) |
83.7% – Medium |
| Statewide bar passage rate (first-time test takers) |
76.4% |
Class of 2010 Graduates
| Total graduates |
265 |
| Graduates known to be employed at graduation |
47.2% |
| Graduates known to be employed nine months after graduation |
86.8% |
Class of 2010 Graduates-Class Breakdown at Graduation
| Graduates whose employment status is unknown |
9.8% |
| Graduates whose employment status is known |
90.2% |
| Graduates known to be employed at graduation |
47.2% |
| Graduates known to be enrolled in a full-time degree program |
6.4% |
| Graduates known to be unemployed and seeking work |
19.2% |
| Graduates known to be unemployed and not seeking work |
17.4% |
Class of 2010 Graduates-Class Breakdown at Nine Months
| Graduates whose employment status is unknown |
2.3% |
| Graduates whose employment status is known |
97.7% |
| Graduates known to be employed nine months after graduation |
86.8% |
| Graduates known to be enrolled in a full-time degree program |
6.4% |
| Graduates known to be unemployed and seeking work |
3.8% |
| Graduates known to be unemployed and not seeking work |
0.8% |
Starting Salaries of Graduates Employed Full-time (Class of 2010)
| 25th percentile private sector starting salary |
$46,000 |
| Median private sector starting salary |
$59,000 |
| 75th percentile private sector starting salary |
$85,000 |
| Percent in the private sector who reported salary information |
40% |
| Median public service starting salary |
$46,000 |
Areas of Legal Practice (Class of 2010)
| Percent employed in academia |
5.2% |
| Percent employed in business and industry |
15.2% |
| Percent employed in government |
15.7% |
| Percent employed in all judicial clerkships |
1.7% |
| Percent employed in law firms |
55.2% |
| Percent employed in public interest |
7.0% |
| Percent employed in an unknown field |
0.0% |
Employment Location (Class of 2010)
| Graduates employed in-state |
79% |
| Graduates employed out-of-state |
18.0% |
| Graduates employed in foreign countries |
1% |
| Number of states where graduates are employed |
19 |
| New England (CT, ME, MA, NH, RI, VT) |
2.0% |
| Middle Atlantic (NY, NJ, PA) |
79.0% |
| East North Central (IL, IN, MI, OH, WI) |
11.0% |
| West North Central (IA, KS, MN, MO, NE, ND, SD) |
0.0% |
| South Atlantic (DE, DC, FL, GA, MD, NC, SC, VA, WV) |
1.0% |
| East South Central (AL, KY, MS, TN) |
1.0% |
| West South Central (AR, LA, OK, TX) |
1.0% |
| Pacific (AK, CA, HI, OR, WA) |
1.0% |
| Mountain (AZ, CO, ID, MT, NV, NM, UT, WY) |
1.0% |
| Employment location unknown |
2.0% |
Career Services
(Data appear as originally submitted by this school)
| Career services operations |
Extensive individual counseling; on-campus, NYC and Washington recruiting programs; over 1,200 national and international jobs posted annually; national career network alumni program; summer public interest fellowships; first-rate career panels and training sessions (interviewing, networking, resume, etc.); judicial clerkship program; outstanding career library and on-line resources. |
Job Type
| Bar admission required/anticipated (e.g., attorney and corporate counsel positions, law clerks, judicial clerks) |
74.0% |
| Bar admission required/anticipated – percent employed in full-time positions |
95.2% |
| J.D. preferred, law degree enhances position (e.g., corporate contracts administrator, alternative dispute resolution specialist, government regulatory analyst, FBI special agent) |
17.0% |
| J.D. preferred – percent employed in full-time positions |
82.5% |
| 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) |
8.0% |
| Professional other – percent employed in full-time positions |
94.1% |
| 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 |
66.7% |
