Seattle University School of Law
Seattle University School of Law | |
---|---|
Established | 1972 |
School type | Private, Jesuit |
Parent endowment | $195 million (2016)[1] |
Dean | Annette Clark |
Location | Seattle, Washington, United States |
Enrollment | 489 full-time, 120 part-time |
Faculty | 59 full-time, 154 non-full-time |
USNWR ranking | 126th (2022)[2] |
Bar pass rate | 75.3% 2015 (WA state average is 79.9%)[3] |
Website | law |
Seattle University School of Law or Seattle Law School, or SU Law (formerly University of Puget Sound School of Law,) is a professional graduate school affiliated with Seattle University, the Northwest's largest independent university.
The School is accredited by the American Bar Association and is a member of the Association of American Law Schools. Alumni of Seattle University School of Law practice in all 50 U.S. states and 18 foreign countries.[4] The law school offers degree programs for Juris Doctor (JD), Master of Laws (LLM) and Master of Studies in Law (MLS).[5]
According to Seattle University School of Law's 2020 ABA-required disclosures, 86% of the class of 2020 obtained bar passage-required or JD-advantage employment nine months after graduation.[6]
History[]
The law school was founded as the University of Puget Sound Law School in Tacoma, in 1972.[7] The law school had a favorable admissions policy, and focused on large enrollments, despite the ensuing high attrition (failure) rate.[7] In the mid-1970s, when faced with declining admissions due to demographic changes, the law school responded by increasing enrollment.[7] Despite this, the ABA provided full accreditation to the law school in 1975.[7] In the 1974–75 academic year, the student bar association was established, the first edition of the law review was published, and the first law clinic was started.
In September 1980 the Norton Clapp Law Center was dedicated. This new law center helped to draw a class of 466 students—130 more than anticipated—into the entering class of 1980.
Move to Seattle[]
Dean Bond resigned to return to teaching in July 1993 and was succeeded by Professor Donald M. Carmichael, a faculty member at the law school since 1978, who had also served as the school's associate dean for academic affairs from 1987 to 1993.
Kellye Testy was appointed dean on February 15, 2005. During her tenure at the law school she co-founded the Law School's Access to Justice Institute, the Seattle Journal for Social Justice, and the Center on Corporations, Law & Society.[8][9] In 2009, Testy left Seattle University to be the new dean at the University of Washington School of Law. Mark Niles, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs at the American University Washington College of Law in Washington, D.C., served as dean of the School of Law from 2010 to 2013 before returning to American University.
In 2013, the School of Law welcomed its current dean, Annette Clark. Dean Clark is the first alumna of the law school to serve as its dean. She earned her J.D. in 1989 and served as a member of the faculty for many years. Her areas of expertise include civil procedure, medical liability, bioethics, and legal education.[10]
Location, Institutes, and Centers[]
Seattle University's 42-acre (17 ha) campus is located in the First Hill area of Seattle.
Sullivan Hall[]
Sullivan Hall, home to the School of Law, is a five-story building housing the law school and law library on the eastern boundary of Seattle University campus. It features a street-front law clinic, media-equipped classrooms, law library, full courtroom, and activity areas. The court room is used for class, mock trials and actual court proceedings administrated by local judges.
Law Library[]
The Seattle University School of Law Library was founded in 1972 . Located in Sullivan Hall, the library occupies four floors with ample spaces for either individual or group study. The law library provides information resources and services to support the instructional, research and scholarship endeavors of the Law School.[11]
Access to Justice Institute[]
The Access to Justice Institute (ATJI) is home to the law school's pro bono, public interest, and social justice activities.[12] The ATJI is also home to the Incubator Program, which trains and provides resources to lawyers that want to start their own law firms that serve moderate-income clients.[13]
The Adolf A. Berle Jr. Center on Corporations, Law and Society[]
The Center promotes and hosts legal research, education, and events on the role of the rule of law to govern and mediate the relationship between governments, corporations, individuals, and society.[14]
Fred T. Korematsu Center for Law and Equality[]
The center is the civil rights arm of the law school and it aims to advance justice and equality through research, advocacy, and education. According to their website, the Center seeks to combat discrimination, train the next generation of social justice advocates, and helps underrepresented communities learn to advocate for themselves. The center is named after dissident Fred T. Korematsu, who was incarcerated by the U.S. government during the Japanese internment camps of World War II.[15]
Rankings[]
Law school rankings of Seattle University School of Law include:
- U.S. News & World Report 2021 – #126 overall among law schools in the United States; #7 among legal writing programs; #26 overall among part-time law school programs; #15 among clinical law programs.[16]
- preLaw – "The best schools for doing good" (Fall 2018) – A+ among law schools for public interest law.[17]
- The National Jurist – A for "business, corporate, and banking."[18]
Juris Doctor program[]
Admissions[]
Admission to the law school is competitive with an acceptance rate of 59%. In admission decisions, the law school places equal emphasis on three factors: (1) LSAT performance; (2) the undergraduate academic record; and (3) personal achievements. Admission is made to either the full-time day or part-time evening program. The mean LSAT score for admitted students is 154, and the median undergraduate GPA is 3.24.
Students admitted to the full-time program can choose to begin classes in June to reduce their first semester course-load in August. All part-time students begin in June.
2018 matriculating students were 63% women, 4% veterans, 32% students of color, 19% identify as LGBTQ, and average age of 27.[19]
Focus areas[]
Seattle University School of Law offers "pathways" as one way for students to decide which courses to take, though choosing a pathway is not required. These pathways demonstrate sequences within and connections across the curriculum. Current pathways include:[20]
- Business law
- Constitutional law
- Commercial law
- Criminal law
- Environmental law, natural resource, and land use
- Family law
- Health law
- Law and social inequality
- Intellectual property, innovation and technology
- Litigation
- Labor and employment law
- Real estate law
- Taxation law
Employment[]
According to the school's official 2017 ABA-required disclosures, 76.5% of the class of 2017 obtained bar passage-required employment nine months after graduation.[21] Seattle University School of Law's Law School Transparency under-employment score is 22.8%, indicating the percentage of the class of 2017 unemployed, pursuing an additional degree, or working in a non-professional, short-term, or part-time job nine months after graduation.[22]
Costs and financial aid[]
The total cost of attendance (indicating the cost of full-time tuition, fees, and living expenses) at Seattle University School of Law for the academic year is $70,564.[23]
The Law School Transparency estimated debt-financed cost of attendance for three years is $235,798.[24]
Publications[]
- Seattle University Law Review (flagship journal)[25]
- Seattle Journal for Social Justice
- Seattle Journal of Environmental Law
- The American Indian Law Journal
Notable alumni[]
- Greg Anton, musician, recording artist, writer, and practicing attorney[26]
- Ralph Beistline, Chief Judge, United States District Court for the District of Alaska.
- Anne Bremner, trial attorney and legal commentator[27]
- Desley Brooks, former member of the Oakland City Council, former Vice Mayor of Oakland, California, and lawyer[28]
- Annette Clark, Dean of Seattle University School of Law[29]
- Frank E. Cuthbertson, first African-American judge on the Pierce County Superior Court[30]
- Janet K.G. Dickson, law professor and legal writing expert
- Joe Fain, member of the Washington State Senate and lawyer[31]
- Tom Galligan, former college president and Dean of the Paul M. Hebert Law Center[32]
- Lorena González, politician, President of Seattle City Council
- Kristin Hannah, novelist, writer of The Nightingale (2015)
- John J. Burns, Attorney General of Alaska
- Nick Harper, member of the Washington State Senate and lawyer[33]
- Steve Haugaard, politician, Speaker of the South Dakota House of Representatives[34]
- Laurie Jinkins, politician, Speaker of the Washington House of Representatives.[35]
- Charles W. Johnson, Associate Chief Judge, Washington Supreme Court[36]
- Debora Juarez, member of the Seattle City Council and lawyer[37]
- Anne Kirkpatrick, first female police chief of Oakland[38]
- Richard Labunski, American columnist and journalism professor
- Lee Lambert, Chancellor of Pima Community College
- Paula Lustbader, law professor, renowned legal educator in professional civility[39]
- Rajeev Majumdar, lawyer and President of the Washington State Bar Association
- William Marler, food-borne illness attorney[40][41]
- Steve McAlpine, lawyer and 5th Lieutenant Governor of Alaska
- Mark D. McLaughlin, business executive and CEO of cybersecurity firm Palo Alto Networks, Inc.[42]
- Ron Meyers, trial attorney and former Speaker Pro Tempore of the Washington House of Representatives[43]
- Brian T. Moran, United States Attorney for the Western District of Washington
- Laurel Currie Oates, author, law professor, co-founder of the Legal Writing Institute, and pioneer in the academic field of legal writing
- Steve O'Ban, member of the Washington State Senate and lawyer[44]
- Patrick Oishi, prosecutor and current judge of the King County Superior Court[45]
- Sean Parnell, former Governor of Alaska and lawyer[46]
- Joe Paskvan, former member of the Alaskan House of Representatives[47]
- Linda Lau, former Judge, Washington Court of Appeals
- Benson Porter, banker, current president and CEO of BECU
- Michele Radosevich, Wisconsin State Senator and lawyer[48]
- Mary Robnett, first woman Pierce County Prosecuting Attorney.
- Cheryl Pflug, member of the Washington State Senate.
- Greg Gilday, member of the Washington State House of Representatives
- Angela Rye, former general counsel for the Congressional Black Caucus, political commentator, activist, and entrepreneur[49]
- Charles Swift, national security law and civil rights expert, defense counsel in Hamdan v. Rumsfeld[50]
- Linda Trujillo, politician, member of the New Mexico House of Representatives
- Christine Quinn-Brintnall, former Judge, Washington Court of Appeals
- Bill Walker, former Governor of Alaska and former mayor of Valdez, Alaska[51]
- Tracy Staab, Judge, Washington Court of Appeals
- Richard N.W. Wohns, renowned neurosurgeon and professor
- Homer Bone, former Circuit Judge, United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit and United States Senator
- Rufus Yerxa, former Deputy Director-General of the World Trade Organization and former Deputy U.S. Trade Representative[52]
- Eric Gibbs, consumer protection law expert and attorney
- Lisa L. Sutton, Judge, Washington Court of Appeals
- G. Helen Whitener, Associate Justice, Washington Supreme Court[53]
- Tarra Simmons, lawyer, politician, member of the Washington State House of Representatives
- Katrina Foley, Member, Orange County Board of Supervisors, former Mayor of Costa Mesa, and attorney
Notable Faculty[]
- Cyrus Vance, Jr., Manhattan District Attorney
- Dean Spade, founder of the Sylvia Rivera Law Project
- David Skover, constitutional law scholar
- Eduardo Peñalver, former Dean of Cornell Law School and property law scholar
- Jill Otake, Judge, United State District Court for the District of Hawaii
- Nikkita Oliver, political activist
- Courtney Milan, legal scholar and pioneer of the #MeToo movement in the federal judiciary
- Wallace Loh, former Seattle University Law School dean, legal scholar, and renowned academic administrator
- Lauren King, nominee for Judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington
- Mary Yu, Associate Justice, Supreme Court of Washington
- Laurel Currie Oates, pioneer of the legal writing academic field
- Randy Gordon, attorney and former member of the Washington State Senate
- Richard Delgado, legal scholar and pioneer of critical race theory in the law
- Annette Clark, legal scholar, bioethicist, and Dean of Seattle University Law School
- Joaquin Avila, renowned civil rights attorney, drafter of the California Voting Rights Act, and MacArthur Genius Fellow
- John McKay, former United States Attorney for the Western District of Washington
- Charles W. Johnson, Associate Chief Justice, Supreme Court of Washington
- Cyrus Habib, former Lieutenant Governor of Washington
References[]
- ^ "Seattle U endowment report 2016 by Seattle University". Issuu. February 2, 2017. Retrieved June 13, 2019.
- ^ "Seattle University". U.S. News & World Report – Best Law Schools. Retrieved April 5, 2021.
- ^ "Seattle University - 2020 Law School Profile". Ilrg.com. Retrieved June 13, 2019.
- ^ "Seattle University School of Law - Admission - Top Ten Reasons". Law.seattleu.edu. Archived from the original on June 26, 2008. Retrieved November 6, 2017.
- ^ "Graduate Law Programs : Seattle University School of Law : Seattle Washington". Law.seattleu.edu. Retrieved June 13, 2019.
- ^ "Graduate Employment Data for Seattle University School of Law : Seattle University School of Law : Seattle Washington". law.seattleu.edu. Retrieved August 11, 2021.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c d Anita M. Steele, "History of the University of Puget Sound School of Law," 12 Univ. of Puget Sound L. Rev. 309 (1989), https://digitalcommons.law.seattleu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1289&context=sulr
- ^ "Seattle University School of Law - History". Archived from the original on September 10, 2004. Retrieved November 6, 2017.
- ^ "Seattle University School of Law - Faculty Profiles". Archived from the original on December 20, 2007. Retrieved November 6, 2017.
- ^ Annette Clark Dean and Professor of Law (September 12, 2018). "Seattle University School of Law : Seattle Washington". Law.seattleu.edu. Retrieved June 13, 2019.
- ^ "The Law Library : Seattle University School of Law : Seattle Washington". Law.seattleu.edu. Retrieved June 13, 2019.
- ^ "Access to Justice Institute : Seattle University School of Law : Seattle Washington". law.seattleu.edu. Retrieved May 4, 2020.
- ^ "Incubator : Seattle University School of Law : Seattle Washington". law.seattleu.edu. Retrieved May 4, 2020.
- ^ "The Adolf A. Berle, Jr. Center on Corporations, Law & Society : Seattle University School of Law : Seattle Washington". law.seattleu.edu. Retrieved May 4, 2020.
- ^ "Fred T. Korematsu Center for Law and Equality : Seattle University School of Law : Seattle Washington". law.seattleu.edu. Retrieved May 4, 2020.
- ^ "Ranking". www.usnews.com. Retrieved October 20, 2019.
- ^ "preLaw magazine Back to School 2018". Bluetoad.com. Retrieved June 13, 2019.
- ^ "Why Seattle U School of Law?". Seattle U School of Law. Retrieved May 4, 2020.
- ^ "Unique stories to tell: Law school welcomes new students : Seattle University School of Law : Seattle Washington". Law.seattleu.edu. August 15, 2018. Retrieved June 13, 2019.
- ^ "Pathways : Seattle University School of Law : Seattle Washington". Law.seattleu.edu. Retrieved June 13, 2019.
- ^ "Graduate Employment Data for Seattle University School of Law". Retrieved September 17, 2018.
- ^ "Seattle University Profile". Law School Transparency. Retrieved July 19, 2014.
- ^ "ABA Required Disclosures : Seattle University School of Law : Seattle Washington". Law.seattleu.edu. March 15, 2019. Retrieved June 13, 2019.
- ^ "Seattle University Profile, Cost". Law School Transparency. Retrieved July 19, 2014.
- ^ "Student Publications : Seattle University School of Law : Seattle Washington". Law.seattleu.edu. Retrieved June 13, 2019.
- ^ "Greg Anton Music". Greg Anton Music. Retrieved May 3, 2020.
- ^ "Anne Bremner". www.annebremner.com. Retrieved May 3, 2020.
- ^ "Ballotpedia Bio". Retrieved September 16, 2018.
- ^ "University Bio". Retrieved September 16, 2018.
- ^ "ARC Alumni Pay it Forward" Check
|url=
value (help). Seattle University School of Law. Retrieved May 6, 2020. - ^ "Ballotpedia Bio". Retrieved September 16, 2018.
- ^ "Thomas C. Galligan". LSU. Retrieved March 3, 2016.
- ^ "Ballotpedia Bio". Retrieved September 16, 2018.
- ^ "SDLRC - Representative Steven G. Haugaard - 2020". sdlegislature.gov. Retrieved May 3, 2020.
- ^ "Ballotpedia Bio". Retrieved September 16, 2018.
- ^ "Associate Chief Justice Charles W. Johnson". Washington Courts. Retrieved February 2, 2013.
- ^ "Ballotpedia Bio". Retrieved September 16, 2018.
- ^ "Alumna aims to transform police culture : Seattle University School of Law : Seattle Washington". Law.seattleu.edu. Retrieved June 13, 2019.
- ^ "Seattle University School of Law : Seattle Washington". law.seattleu.edu. Retrieved May 6, 2020.
- ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on March 2, 2014. Retrieved February 22, 2014.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
- ^ "Lawyer" (PDF). Law.seattle.edu. 2007. p. 36. Retrieved November 6, 2017.
- ^ "Mark D McLaughlin, Palo Alto Networks Inc: Profile and Biography". www.bloomberg.com. Retrieved May 3, 2020.
- ^ "Ron Meyers". Ron Meyers & Associates PLLC. Retrieved May 3, 2020.
- ^ "Vote Smart Bio". Retrieved September 17, 2018.
- ^ "Judge Oishi: From the classroom to the bench : Seattle University School of Law : Seattle Washington". law.seattleu.edu. Retrieved May 3, 2020.
- ^ "Alaska Governor Sean Parnell". National Governors Association. Archived from the original on February 1, 2013. Retrieved February 2, 2013.
- ^ "Joe Paskvan". Ballotpedia. Retrieved May 3, 2020.
- ^ "Michele Radosevich - Professionals - Davis Wright Tremaine". Dwt.com. Retrieved November 6, 2017.
- ^ "AngelaRye.com | Empowermenteur + Advocate + Political Strategist". Retrieved May 3, 2020.
- ^ "Lawyer" (PDF). Law.seattle.edu. 2006. Retrieved November 6, 2017.
- ^ admin (July 2, 2014). "Walker says he's taking Hickel's advice, running as independent". Homer News. Retrieved November 6, 2017.
- ^ "Influential Voices with Rufus Yerxa '76 : Seattle University School of Law : Seattle, Washington". Law.seattleu.edu. Retrieved November 6, 2017.
- ^ "Washington State Courts - Supreme Court Bios - Justice Mary I. Yu". www.courts.wa.gov. Retrieved May 3, 2020.
External links[]
Coordinates: 47°36′35″N 122°19′03″W / 47.60972°N 122.31750°W
- Seattle University colleges and schools
- Catholic law schools in the United States
- Educational institutions established in 1972
- Law schools in Washington (state)
- Universities and colleges in Seattle
- 1972 establishments in Washington (state)