University of Florida Law School

One of the great bargain law schools especially for in-state students, the University of Florida Law School is located in Gainesville; note that most students gain Florida residency after one year of study.

Florida Law is currently ranked 41st among the country’s law schools by U.S. News and World Report, but had a rather high acceptance rate of 34% in 2007.

The University of Florida’s 3-year full-time Juris Doctor (J.D.) program operates from mid-August to mid-May; a summer session is also available. Find more information about residence options at Housing.

Contact Information

PO Box 117620
Gainesville, FL 32611-7620
(352) 273-0890

Email: admissions@law.ufl.edu
Website: http://www.law.ufl.edu

Fast Facts (Class of 2011)

• Enrollment Information
  

  Acceptance rate: 34%
  Enrolled: about 400 per class

  Women: 48%
  Minorities: 25.4%
  Florida residents: 80%
  

  Student to Faculty Ratio: 1: 15.7

• GPA/LSAT Scores
  

  LSAT Median: 160
  LSAT 25/75 Percentile: 156-162

  UGPA Median: 3.61
  UGPA 25/75 Percentile: 3.38-3.78

• Costs and Fees (2008-2009)
  

  Tuition:
  $12,339 (In-state residents)
  $31,704 (Nonresidents)
  

  *Note that most students gain residency status after the first year.

  Total estimated budget:
  $25,564 (In-state residents)
  $44,929 (Non-residents)

Application Procedures

Application fee: $30
Application deadline: January 15, 2009 for Fall 2009 admission

Applicants must submit an electronic application through the Law School Admission Council (LSAC). Note that the University of Florida uses a system with a “Priority Pool” and “Secondary Pool” of applicants with different deadlines and likelihood of admission. For more details, see Application Procedures.

Transfer Procedures

Students in good standing and in the upper third of their class after completion of the required first-year curriculum at an ABA-accredited law school may apply to transfer to the University of Florida.

Transfer applicants must submit a $30 application fee, complete the online application, and submit the following:

• Transfer certification forms
• Official LSDAS report
• Statement of reasons requesting transfer

Deadlines include: fall semester, July1; spring semester, October 1; and summer session March 1.

For more information on transferring to the University of Florida Law, see Admissions.

Degrees and Curriculum

In order to earn a Juris Doctor degree, a student must acquire 88 credits of law study. For more information, see .

The first-year curriculum includes Contracts, Torts, Criminal Law, Legal Research & Writing, Professional Responsibility, Civil Procedure, Property, Appellate Advocacy, Estates and Trusts, Evidence, Corporation, and Trial Practice. Legal Drafting is required in the second year of study, but students choose their remaining courses.

The University of Florida offers several joint degree programs in which students can earn a J.D. along with another professional degree from the university’s graduate school; applications to the programs must be filed separately.

The law school also offers several certificate programs, L.L.M. degrees in Taxation, International Taxation, Comparative Law, Environmental & Land Use Law and an S.J.D. in Taxation. More information on these opportunities can be found under Academic Programs on the school’s website.

Study Abroad

The University of Florida has study abroad and exchange programs in Costa Rica, England, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Poland, and South Africa.

Law Journals and Other Activities

The University of Florida has five student journals including: Florida Law Review, Florida Tax Review, and Florida Journal of International Law.

Along with many student organizations, the law school has specialized centers and clinics for specific legal interests including the Center for Study of Race and Race Relations, the Virgil Hawkins Civil Clinics, and the Conservation Clinic.

Bar Exam Passage Rate

A majority of University of Florida law students take the Florida State Bar Exam and, in 2007, achieved an 78% pass rate. The overall pass rate for the Florida Bar Exam was 74%.

Post-Graduation Employment

From the 2007 graduating class, 77.7% were employed at graduation and 96.8% were employed nine months after graduation. Starting salaries in the private sector averaged $80,000, and $39,000 in the public sector.