Located in the historic Memphis business district, the University of Memphis Law School is one of the best bargain law schools. Its 2007 acceptance rate was 34%.
Memphis Law School’s 3-year full-time Juris Doctor (J.D.) program operates from mid-August to mid-May; a part-time program is also available, but note that it is not an evening program. Housing information is available at the school’s website.
Contact Information
207 Humphreys Law School
Memphis, TN 38152-3140
(901) 678-5403
Email: lawadmissions@mail.law.memphis.edu
Website: http://www.law.memphis.edu
Fast Facts (Class of 2011)
- Enrollment Information
- GPA/LSAT Scores
- Costs and Fees (2008-2009)
First year enrollment: 148
Total enrollment: 418
Women: 41%
Minorities: 11%
Student to Faculty Ratio: 1: 17.7
LSAT Median: 155
LSAT 25/75 Percentile: 154-158
UGPA Median: 3.33
UGPA 25/75 Percentile: 3.05-3.62
Tuition: $12,304 plus $20 per credit hour law library fee (resident)
$34,176 plus $20 per credit hour law library fee (nonresident)
Application Procedures
Application fee: $25 ($40 for international students)
Application deadline: March 1, 2009 for Fall 2009 admission
Applicants can request a paper application, download a PDF version, or apply online through the Law School Admission Council (LSAC).
In addition to the application and fee, applicants must submit:
- Personal statement
- LSDAS report
- Transcripts
- Admonitory Action Section if applicable
Note that letters of recommendation are optional. For complete information on application procedures, see the school’s website.
Transfer Procedures
Transfer applicants must have attended and earned credit at an ABA-approved law school and must complete application procedures as described above; deadline is November 15.
Degrees and Curriculum
The first-year curriculum includes Civil Procedure, Contracts, Criminal Law, Property, Torts, and a Legal Method program that includes legal analysis, research, and writing. Second year required courses include Business Organizations, Constitutional Law, Criminal Procedure, Decedents' Estates, Evidence, Income Taxation, and Secured Transactions; the remaining courses for the second and third years, other than Professional Responsibility, are electives.
In conjunction with the Fogelman College of Business and Economics, Memphis Law students can earn a JD/MBA; applications to the programs must be filed separately, and students are encouraged to apply to both at the same time. Students may also pursue a joint JD/MA in Political Science at Memphis Law.
Law Journals and Other Activities
Memphis Law School operates the University of Memphis Law Review, and has various student organizations.Bar Exam Passage Rate
A majority of Memphis Law students take the Tennessee State Bar Exam and, in 2007, achieved a 91.1% pass rate. The overall pass rate for the Tennessee Bar Exam was 78%.
Post-Graduation Employment
From the 2006 graduating class, 36% were employed at graduation and 89.2% were employed nine months after graduation. Starting salaries in the private sector averaged $55,000, and $45,000 in the public sector.
