The William S. Richardson School of Law at University of Hawaii–Manoa

Law School Admissions

Application

Director of admissions Elisabeth Steele Hutchison
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 William S. Richardson School of Law at University of Hawaii--Manoa

Admissions & Enrollment (Overall)

Acceptance rate 20.9% – Low
Median undergraduate GPA for all program entrants 3.36
Median LSAT score for all program entrants 156

Admissions & Enrollment (Full-time)

Acceptance rate 19.5%
LSAT scores (25th-75th percentile) 154-160
Undergraduate GPA (25th-75th percentile) 3.15-3.55
Median undergraduate GPA for full-time program entrants 3.37
Median LSAT score for full-time program entrants 157

Admissions & Enrollment (Part-time)

Acceptance rate 21.5%
LSAT scores (25th-75th percentile) 150-155
Undergraduate GPA (25th-75th percentile) 3.07-3.53
Median undergraduate GPA for part-time program entrants 3.32
Median LSAT score for part-time program entrants 153

Law School Academics

Academic Program Details

Academic calendar Semester
Joint degrees offered
J.D./M.B.A.
J.D./M.A.
J.D./M.S.W.
Special programs offered to J.D. students (as provided by the school)
Students have many opportunities to engage in real life learning through clinics in criminal law, Family Law, Immigration Law, and Small Business. Richardson also offers certificate programs in Environmental Law, Native Hawaiian Law, and Pacific Asian Legal Studies. Students engage in exciting legal issues through the Center for Excellence in Native Hawaiian Law and the Elder Law Program.
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 93
Seminars 79
Positions available in seminars 989
Positions available in simulation courses 222
Positions available in faculty-supervised clinical courses 158
Student activities (as provided by the school)
University of Hawaii Law Review, Asia Pacific Law and Policy Journal, Jessup, Environmental, International Environmental, Native American, Intellectual Property and Hispanic Moot Court Teams, Client Counseling Team.

Curricular Offerings (Full-time)

Typical first-year full-time section size taught by full-time faculty (excludes small sections) 88
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 821
Positions filled in full-time program simulation courses 163
Positions filled in faculty-supervised full-time program clinical courses 154
Full-time students involved in field placements 109
Full-time students involved in law journals 58
Full-time students involved in advanced moot court or trial competitions 41
Full-time students enrolled in independent study 32

Curricular Offerings (Part-time)

Typical first-year part-time section size taught by full-time faculty (excludes small sections) 53
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 91
Positions filled in part-time program simulation courses 0
Positions filled in faculty-supervised part-time program clinical courses 1
Part-time students involved in field placements 2
Part-time students involved in law journals 0
Part-time students involved in advanced moot court or trial competitions 0
Part-time students enrolled in independent study 0

Faculty Profile (Fall 2011)

Student-faculty ratio 8.1:1 – Low
Full- and part-time faculty 52
Full-time minority faculty 44.8%
Part-time minority faculty 56.5%
Total faculty 71
Total faculty (men) 40.8%
Total faculty (women) 59.2%
Total faculty (minorities) 52.1%

Class Size

Law School Ranking

#106 Best Law Schools

(2) Ranking by Specialties

#22 in Environmental Law
#23 in Part-time Law

Law Ranking Scores

Score 40
Peer assessment score (out of 5) 2.4
Assessment score by lawyers/judges (out of 5) 2.6
GPA (25th-75th percentile) 3.11-3.55
Median undergraduate GPA for all program entrants 3.36
LSAT scores (25th-75th percentile) 153-160
Median LSAT score for all program entrants 156
Acceptance rate 20.9% – Low
Student-faculty ratio 8.1:1 – Low
Graduates known to be employed at graduation 53.7% – Medium
Graduates known to be employed nine months after graduation 80.5% – Medium
Bar passage rate (first-time test takers) 75.4% – Low
State where the greatest number of first-time test takers took the bar HI
Statewide bar passage rate (first-time test takers) 77.2%

Law School Student Body

Student Body (Overall)

Total Enrolled 361

Student Body (Full-time)

Enrollment (full-time) 276

Student Body (Part-time)

Enrollment (part-time) 85

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

First-year students discontinuing law school 4.2%
Second-year students discontinuing law school 0.8%
Third-year students discontinuing law school N/A
Fourth-year students discontinuing law school N/A
Male students discontinuing law school 4.1%
Female students discontinuing law school 0.5%

Law School Cost

Financial Aid Contact Information

Financial aid director Melissa K. Skillings
Financial aid phone (808) 956-7966
Financial aid application deadline March 1

Expenses

Tuition and fees
Full-time: $17,378 per year (in-state)
Full-time: $32,522 per year (out-of-state)
Part-time: $697 per credit (in-state)
Part-time: $1,328 per credit (out-of-state)
Room and board $12,543
Books $1,170
Miscellaneous expenses $0
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 76.8%
Students receiving grants of one-half tuition or more but less than full 4.0%
Students receiving grants of full tuition 0.0%
Students receiving grants of more than full tuition 0.0%
Median grant amount $5,000
Grant range (25th–75th percentile) $2,000–$5,000
Full-time students receiving grants 80.8%

Grants (Part-time students)

Students receiving grants of less than one-half tuition 20.0%
Students receiving grants of one-half tuition or more but less than full 2.4%
Students receiving grants of full tuition 0.0%
Students receiving grants of more than full tuition 0.0%
Median grant amount $2,500
Grant range (25th–75th percentile) $1,688–$3,750
Part-time students receiving grants 22.4%

Indebtedness

Average indebtedness of 2011 graduates who incurred law school debt $60,985
Proportion who borrowed 83.2%
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) 41,963
Microform titles 3,188
Electronic titles 4,544
Other non-book titles 750
Total titles 50,455
Volumes (excluding microforms) 119,827
Volume equivalent microforms 233,584
Total volumes and volume equivalents 353,411
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 96
Number of hours per week professional staff are on duty on a regular schedule 57
Number of hours per week only full-time support staff are on duty on a regular schedule 2
Number of hours per week only students or other part-time staff are on duty on a regular schedule 23
Number of hours of reference service provided per week on a regular schedule 57
Number of weeks per year library operates on an abbreviated schedule 18
Number of hours per week library is open on an abbreviated schedule 45
Number of hours per week professional staff are on duty are on an abbreviated schedule 45
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 45
Number of weeks per year library operates on expanded schedule 8

Information Technology

Department(s) responsible for the law school information technology operations law school information technology department, law school library, university information technology department, other
Approximate number of full-time-equivalent information technology staff (excluding hourly students and other temporary staff) 1
Number of open, wired network connections available to students in the law library (excluding computer labs) 230
Number of open, wired network connections available to students in classrooms 11
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 5
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? Yes

Physical Library Facilities

Net square feet of space assigned for library purposes 32,126
Total seats available for library users 431
Details about the library and other facilities (as provided by the school) Located at the foot of a beautiful valley, the law school is a part of the University of Hawaii at Manoa the flagship of the University of Hawaii system and a research I institution.

Law School Careers

Bar Statistics (Winter and Summer 2010 administrations)

State where the greatest number of first-time test takers took the bar HI
Bar passage rate (first-time test takers) 75.4% – Low
Statewide bar passage rate (first-time test takers) 77.2%

Class of 2010 Graduates

Total graduates 82
Graduates known to be employed at graduation 53.7%
Graduates known to be employed nine months after graduation 80.5%

Class of 2010 Graduates-Class Breakdown at Graduation

Graduates whose employment status is unknown 1.2%
Graduates whose employment status is known 98.8%
Graduates known to be employed at graduation 53.7%
Graduates known to be enrolled in a full-time degree program 1.2%
Graduates known to be unemployed and seeking work 41.5%
Graduates known to be unemployed and not seeking work 2.4%

Class of 2010 Graduates-Class Breakdown at Nine Months

Graduates whose employment status is unknown 1.2%
Graduates whose employment status is known 98.8%
Graduates known to be employed nine months after graduation 80.5%
Graduates known to be enrolled in a full-time degree program 1.2%
Graduates known to be unemployed and seeking work 14.6%
Graduates known to be unemployed and not seeking work 2.4%

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

25th percentile private sector starting salary $60,000
Median private sector starting salary $82,500
75th percentile private sector starting salary $87,500
Percent in the private sector who reported salary information 10%
Median public service starting salary $50,000

Areas of Legal Practice (Class of 2010)

Percent employed in academia 1.5%
Percent employed in business and industry 1.5%
Percent employed in government 21.5%
Percent employed in all judicial clerkships 29.2%
Percent employed in law firms 30.8%
Percent employed in public interest 15.4%
Percent employed in an unknown field 0.0%

Employment Location (Class of 2010)

Graduates employed in-state 77%
Graduates employed out-of-state 14.0%
Graduates employed in foreign countries 3%
Number of states where graduates are employed 8
New England (CT, ME, MA, NH, RI, VT) 0.0%
Middle Atlantic (NY, NJ, PA) 3.0%
East North Central (IL, IN, MI, OH, WI) 1.5%
West North Central (IA, KS, MN, MO, NE, ND, SD) 0.0%
South Atlantic (DE, DC, FL, GA, MD, NC, SC, VA, WV) 1.5%
East South Central (AL, KY, MS, TN) 0.0%
West South Central (AR, LA, OK, TX) 1.5%
Pacific (AK, CA, HI, OR, WA) 82.0%
Mountain (AZ, CO, ID, MT, NV, NM, UT, WY) 1.5%
Employment location unknown 6.0%

Career Services

(Data appear as originally submitted by this school)

Career services operations Director of Career services, programs include networking opportunities, panels on career choices, interviewing workshops. On campus interviews in the fall and spring, career and networking activities throughout the year. AP®EX (Advising for Professional Excellence) is a program offered to all students which provides additional opportunities for networking and skill development.

Job Type

Bar admission required/anticipated (e.g., attorney and corporate counsel positions, law clerks, judicial clerks) 59.0%
Bar admission required/anticipated – percent employed in full-time positions 95.9%
J.D. preferred, law degree enhances position (e.g., corporate contracts administrator, alternative dispute resolution specialist, government regulatory analyst, FBI special agent) 13.0%
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) 6.0%
Professional other – percent employed in full-time positions 100.0%
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) 2.0%
Non-professional other – percent employed in full-time positions 50.0%