The West Virginia University College of Law is the professional school for the study of law at West Virginia University in Morgantown, West Virginia, United States. The law school was established in 1878 as the first professional school in the state, and remains the only law school in the state.
The law school is a member of the Association of American Law Schools and is accredited by the American Bar Association.
Admissions
College of Law, May Commencement, 2014: West Virginia University - This 2014 Commencement Event at West Virginia University features a keynote address from Elaine Waterhouse Wilson, 2014 WVU Law Professor of the Year.
For the Class of 2016, the College of Law enrolled 118 students with an average age of 25. The age range was 21 to 44, 69% male and 31% female. 8.5% were minority students.
The average LSAT is 153 and average GPA is 3.47. There is no set minimum GPA or LSAT required for admission. The admissions committee considers the entire application to determine the applicant’s likelihood of success in law school.
Residents of West Virginia comprised 73% of the entering class, with 27% non-residents. The mission of West Virginia University, as a state land-grant institution, is to educate students in this state. Therefore, residents of West Virginia receive preference in the admission process. No additional preference is given to WVU students.
Rankings
- U.S. News & World Report listed WVU's full-time Juris Doctor program as 96th in the nation in 2017.
- Top 25 Law School for Corporate Leadership â€" independent research by Professor Robert Anderson, Pepperdine University
- #15 Best Law School for Public Interest Law â€" preLaw Magazine (2011)
West Virginia Law Review
Founded in 1894, the West Virginia Law Review is the fourth oldest law review in the United States and publishes three issues each year. The West Virginia Law Review is a professional, student-governed legal journal that publishes articles of interest to legal scholars, students, legislators, and members of the practicing bar. The publication, which includes notes, comments, and articles of scholarly and practical value to the legal community, is published by a student editorial board.
Bar passage rates
The most common bar for a student out of West Virginia University College of Law is the West Virginia Bar Exam.
- July 2013: WVU (79.30)
- July & February 2012: WVU 76.92; state average 81.57
- July & February 2011: WVU 78.95; state average 82.88
- July & February 2010: WVU 72.82; state average 76.44
Clinics
- General Practice Law Clinic
- Child & Family Law Clinic with Medical-Legal Partnership
- Immigration Law Clinic
- West Virginia Innocence Project Law Clinic
- Taxpayer Advocacy Law Clinic
- Veterans Assistance Project Law Clinic
- Entrepreneurship & Innovation Law Clinic
- Land Use & Sustainable Development Law Clinic
- U.S. Supreme Court Law Clinic
Employment
According to West Virginia University College of Law's official 2013 ABA-required disclosures, 56.9% of the Class of 2013 obtained full-time, long-term, JD-required employment nine months after graduation. West Virginia's Law School Transparency under-employment score is 16.9%, indicating the percentage of the Class of 2013 unemployed, pursuing an additional degree, or working in a non-professional, short-term, or part-time job nine months after graduation.
Cost
The total cost of attendance (indicating the cost of tuition, fees, and living expenses) at West Virginia University for the 2014-2015 academic year is $32,732 for WV residents, and $49,022 for non-residents. The Law School Transparency estimated debt-financed cost of attendance for three years is $129,033 for WV residents, and is $191,600 for non-residents.
Notable alumni
Graduates of the West Virginia University College of Law practice in 46 US states, as well as every county of West Virginia. The school has many notable alumni, which include former governors, judges, businessmen, congressmen, and diplomats:
- Carl George Bachmann (L 1915), U.S. Congressman from West Virginia and Minority Whip
- William W. Barron (L 1934), 26th Governor of West Virginia
- Irene C. Berger (L 1979), Judge, United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia
- John T. Chambers (J.D. 1974), CEO of Cisco
- Robert Charles Chambers (L 1977), Judge, United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia
- William G. Conley (L 1893), 18th Governor of West Virginia
- Joseph S. Farland (L 1938), career diplomat, U.S. Ambassador to Iran, Pakistan, Panama, Dominican Republic
- Mike Florio (J.D. 1991), founder of ProFootballTalk.com
- Gina Marie Groh (J.D. 1989), Judge, United States District Court for the Northern District of West Virginia
- Kenneth Keller Hall (J.D. 1948), Judge, United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia (1971-1976), United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit (1976-1999)
- Jeffrey V. Kessler (J.D.), President, West Virginia State Senate
- Menis E. Ketchum (J.D. 1967), Justice, Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia
- Harley M. Kilgore (L 1914), United States Senator
- Robert Bruce King (L 1968), Judge, United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
- Jon D. Levy (J.D.), Justice, Maine Supreme Judicial Court
- William C. Marland, 24th Governor of West Virginia
- Alan Mollohan (L 1951), U.S. Congressman from West Virginia
- Arch A. Moore, Jr. (L 1951), three separate terms as Governor of West Virginia
- Harley O. Staggers, Jr. (L 1977), U.S. Congressman from West Virginia
- Stephanie Thacker (J.D. 1990), Judge, United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
References
External links
- Official website