West Virginia University College of Law
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.
West Virginia University College of Law | |
---|---|
Established | 1878 |
School type | Public |
Dean | Gregory Bowman[1] |
Location | Morgantown, West Virginia, U.S. |
Enrollment | 410 |
Faculty | 34 |
USNWR ranking | 111 (2020)[2] |
Website | www |
The law school is a member of the Association of American Law Schools and is accredited by the American Bar Association.
Admissions
For the Class of 2022, the College of Law enrolled 115 students with an average LSAT of 154 and an average GPA of 3.46/4.00. The average age is 25, with a range of 21 to 44; 53% are female; 8% self-identify as minority. Out-of-state residents comprise 43% of the Class of 2022.
Rankings
- U.S. News & World Report listed WVU's full-time Juris Doctor program as 100th in the nation in 2019.[2]
- #74 Best Law School for Environmental Law, # 76 in Health Care Law, #96 in Tax Law[2]
- Top 25 Law School for Corporate Leadership – independent research by Professor Robert Anderson, Pepperdine University[3]
- #31 Law School for Federal Clerkships — independent research, ABA data (2018)[4]
- #2 Law School for Greatest Community Impact —The National Jurist (2017)[4]
- Top Law School for Public Interest Law (A) and Environment Law (A) — preLaw Magazine (2019)[5]
- Best Value Law School — preLaw Magazine/The National Jurist (2018, 2017, 2016, 2015)[5]
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.[6]
Bar passage rates
Until 1989 graduates of the Law School were granted "Diploma Privileges" in West Virginia. Meaning that Graduates of WVU Law did not have to take the West Virginia Bar Test. They were automatically licensed to practice law upon graduation.WVU Law History The most common bar exam for a graduate of the West Virginia University College of Law is the Uniform Bar Exam. The passing UBE score in West Virginia is 270.
- ABA Ultimate Bar Passage Rate - 2019: 85.57%
- ABA Ultimate Bar Passage Rate - 2018: 88%
- First-time Bar Passage Rate - 2017: 79.81%
Clinics
- General Practice Law Clinic[8]
- Child & Family Law Clinic with Medical-Legal Partnership[9]
- Immigration Law Clinic[10]
- West Virginia Innocence Project Law Clinic[11]
- Taxpayer Advocacy Law Clinic[12]
- Veterans Assistance Project Law Clinic[13]
- Entrepreneurship & Innovation Law Clinic[14]
- Land Use & Sustainable Development Law Clinic[15]
- U.S. Supreme Court Law Clinic[16]
Employment
For the Class of 2018, the employment rate for full-time/long-term Bar Passage Required jobs is 66.3%. It is 7.1% for J.D. Advantage jobs. The employment rate for private practice jobs is 54.7%; for judicial clerkships it is 13%; and for jobs in public interest law, it is 11.9%.[17]
Cost
The total cost of attendance (indicating the cost of tuition, fees, and living expenses) at West Virginia University for the 2019-2020 academic year is $39,598 for WV residents, and $56,118 for non-residents.[18] The Law School Transparency estimated debt-financed cost of attendance for three years is $152,702 for WV residents, and is $206,968 for non-residents.[19]
Notable alumni
Graduates of the West Virginia University College of Law practice in 46 US states, as well as every county of West Virginia.[20] The school has many notable alumni, which include former governors, judges, businessmen, congressmen, and diplomats:
- Tim Armstead (J.D. 1990), Justice, Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia[21]
- Carl George Bachmann (L 1915), U.S. Congressman from West Virginia and Minority Whip[22]
- William W. Barron (L 1934), 27th Attorney General of West Virginia, 26th Governor of West Virginia[23]
- Irene C. Berger (L 1979), Judge, United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia[24]
- Megan M. Carpenter (J.D. 1999), Dean, University of New Hampshire School of Law[25]
- John T. Chambers (J.D. 1974), CEO of Cisco[26]
- Robert Charles Chambers (L 1977), Judge, United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia[27]
- William G. Conley (L 1893), 18th Governor of West Virginia[28]
- John Thomas Copenhaver Jr. (L 1950), Judge, United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia[29]
- Robin Davis (J.D. 1982), Former Justice, Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia
- Joseph S. Farland (L 1938), career diplomat, U.S. Ambassador to Iran, Pakistan, Panama, Dominican Republic[30]
- Mike Florio (J.D. 1991), founder of ProFootballTalk.com[31]
- Gina Marie Groh (J.D.), Judge, United States District Court for the Northern District of West Virginia[32]
- Charles Harold Haden II (L 1961), Judge, United States District Court for the Northern District of West Virginia and United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia (1975-2004)[33]
- 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)
- John A. Hutchison (J.D. 1980), Justice, Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia[34]
- William J. Ihlenfeld II (J.D. 1997), U.S. Attorney, United States District Court for the Northern District of West Virginia (2010-2016)[35]
- H. Marshall Jarrett (J.D.), Director for the Executive Office for United States Attorneys, U.S. Department of Justice [36]
- Irene Patricia Murphy Keeley (J.D. 1980), Judge, United States District Court for the Northern District of West Virginia
- Jeffrey V. Kessler (J.D.), President, West Virginia State Senate[37]
- Menis E. Ketchum (J.D. 1967), Former Justice, Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia
- Harley M. Kilgore (L 1914), United States Senator[38]
- Robert Bruce King (L 1968), Judge, United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit[39]
- Jon D. Levy (J.D.), Justice, Maine Supreme Judicial Court[40]
- William C. Marland (L 1947), 24th Attorney General of West Virginia, 24th Governor of West Virginia[41]
- Spike Maynard (J.D. 1974), Former Justice, Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia[42]
- Darrell McGraw (J.D.), 33rd Attorney General of West Virginia and Former Justice, Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia[43]
- Alan Mollohan (L 1951), U.S. Congressman from West Virginia[44]
- Arch A. Moore, Jr. (L 1951), 28th and 30th Governor of West Virginia[45]
- Ephraim F. Morgan (L. 1897), 16th Governor of West Virginia[46]
- Matthew M. Neely (L 1902), U.S. Congressman, 21st Governor of West Virginia, U.S. Senator from West Virginia[47]
- Mario Palumbo (L 1957), 32nd Attorney General of West Virginia
- Robert L. Ramsay (L 1901), U.S. Congressman from West Virginia[48]
- Richard A. Robinson (J.D. 1984), Chief Justice of Connecticut Supreme Court[49]
- Harley O. Staggers, Jr. (L 1977), U.S. Congressman from West Virginia[50]
- Larry Starcher (J.D. 1967), Former Justice, Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia[51]
- Stephanie Thacker (J.D. 1990), Judge, United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
- Margaret Workman (J.D. 1974), Justice, Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia[52]
References
- "Expert in international trade law named dean of WVU College of Law". WVU Today. West Virginia University. 2015-04-30. Retrieved 2015-06-12.
- "West Virginia University". U.S. News & World Report – Best Law Schools. Retrieved 15 January 2019.
- "Legal pedigree from the courtroom to the boardroom". W I T N E S S E T H. Retrieved 2015-06-07.
- "Rankings | College of Law | West Virginia University". www.law.wvu.edu. Retrieved May 18, 2020.
- "West Virginia University College of Law | the National Jurist". nationaljurist.com. Retrieved May 18, 2020.
- "Home | West Virginia Law Review Online | West Virginia University". wvlawreview.wvu.edu. Retrieved May 18, 2020.
- "Consumer Information (ABA Required Disclosures) | College of Law | West Virginia University". www.law.wvu.edu. Retrieved May 18, 2020.
- "General Practice | College of Law | West Virginia University". www.law.wvu.edu. Retrieved May 18, 2020.
- "Child and Family Advocacy with Medical-Legal Partnership | College of Law | West Virginia University". www.law.wvu.edu. Retrieved May 18, 2020.
- "Immigration | College of Law | West Virginia University". www.law.wvu.edu. Retrieved May 18, 2020.
- "Innocence Project | College of Law | West Virginia University". www.law.wvu.edu. Retrieved May 18, 2020.
- "Taxpayer Advocacy | College of Law | West Virginia University". www.law.wvu.edu. Retrieved May 18, 2020.
- "Veterans Advocacy | College of Law | West Virginia University". www.law.wvu.edu. Retrieved May 18, 2020.
- "Entrepreneurship & Innovation | College of Law | West Virginia University". www.law.wvu.edu. Retrieved May 18, 2020.
- "Land Use and Sustainable Development | College of Law | West Virginia University". www.law.wvu.edu. Retrieved May 18, 2020.
- "United States Supreme Court | College of Law | West Virginia University". www.law.wvu.edu. Retrieved May 18, 2020.
- https://www.law.wvu.edu/files/d/c2e48793-c1f2-4f82-a57a-535b8335b3aa/west-virginia-employment-summary.pdf
- "Cost of Attendance". Retrieved May 18, 2020.
- "West Virginia University". www.lstreports.com. Retrieved May 18, 2020.
- http://law.wvu.edu/r/download/3188
- "Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia - Justice Tim Armstead". www.courtswv.gov. Retrieved May 18, 2020.
- "Carl George Bachmann". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved 10 January 2013.
- "William W. Barron". West Virginia Division of Culture and History. Retrieved 10 January 2013.
- "Irene C. Berger". Federal Judicial Center. Retrieved 10 January 2013.
- "Megan Carpenter to become UNH Law's first woman dean". Retrieved May 18, 2020.
- "John T. Chambers". NNDB. Retrieved 10 January 2013.
- "Robert Charles Chambers". Federal Judicial Center. Retrieved 10 January 2013.
- "William G. Conley". West Virginia Division of Culture and History. Retrieved 10 January 2013.
- https://www.fjc.gov/node/1379496
- "Joseph S. Farland". NNDB. Retrieved 10 January 2013.
- "Mike Florio". The West Virginia Record. Retrieved 25 February 2013.
- "Gina Marie Groh". Federal Judicial Center. Retrieved 10 January 2013.
- https://www.fjc.gov/node/1381606
- "Justice John A. Hutchison - Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia". www.courtswv.gov. Retrieved May 18, 2020.
- "President Obama Names Two as U.S. Attorneys, 5/27/10". whitehouse.gov. May 27, 2010. Retrieved May 18, 2020.
- "Notable Alumni | College of Law | West Virginia University". www.law.wvu.edu. Retrieved May 18, 2020.
- "Jeffrey V. Kessler". Project Vote Smart. Retrieved 10 January 2013.
- "Menis E. Ketchum". The West Virginia Judicial System. Retrieved 10 January 2013.
- "Robert Bruce King". Federal Judicial Center. Retrieved 10 January 2013.
- "Jon D. Levy". Maine Judicial Branch. Retrieved 10 January 2013.
- "William C. Marland". West Virginia Division of Culture and History. Archived from the original on 2012-11-27. Retrieved 10 January 2013.
- "The Voter's Self Defense System". Vote Smart. Retrieved May 18, 2020.
- "e-WV | Darrell McGraw". Retrieved May 18, 2020.
- "Alan Mollohan". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved 10 January 2013.
- "Arch A. Moore, Jr". West Virginia Division of Culture and History. Archived from the original on 2012-11-20. Retrieved 10 January 2013.
- "e-WV | Ephraim Franklin Morgan". Retrieved May 18, 2020.
- "Matthew Mansfield Neely". www.wvculture.org. Retrieved May 18, 2020.
- "Biographical Directory of the U.S. Congress - Retro Member details". bioguideretro.congress.gov. Retrieved May 18, 2020.
- "Justice Richard A. Robinson - CT Judicial Branch". Jud.ct.gov. Retrieved 2020-05-18.
- "Harley O. Staggers, Jr". NNDB. Retrieved 10 January 2013.
- "Faculty | College of Law | West Virginia University". www.law.wvu.edu. Retrieved May 18, 2020.
- "Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia - Chief Justice Margaret L. Workman". www.courtswv.gov. Retrieved May 18, 2020.