Part-Time Weekend Program
www.hamline.edu/law
Part-Time Program; Full-Time Opportunities Achieving your dream of becoming a lawyer is possible, even if you are: • A working professional • Currently managing multiple responsibilities • Living in an area without a law school
“I was accepted at several schools, but Hamline was the only program to offer a weekend option. I knew I needed to be there for my teenage son and the weekend program gave me that flexibility.” — Kristi LeMieux ’07 Regions Hospital
Hamline University School of Law has enabled hundreds of people in these very circumstances to earn juris doctor (JD) degrees and launch satisfying legal careers. Not only do our part-time students appreciate our flexible weekend format, they learn from among the best law faculty in the country who are leading experts in their fields, such as Alternative Dispute Resolution, Business Law, Health Law, Intellectual Property and Child Advocacy. Students choosing Hamline’s part-time weekend option are able to balance the rigor and challenge of law school with the real-world demands of full-time work and personal obligations. Many choose our weekend program over evening programs to avoid long drives in rush hour and lengthy night classes after working all day. Hamline’s weekend format is also a better option for those who travel for work during the week or are actively caring for children or aging parents. Our part-time students embrace the challenge of law school while being supported by accessible professors (our low student faculty ratio is 1 5 : 1 ). Hamline students learn the law in small classroom settings while enjoying a friendly, supportive environment that exceeds expectations. Hear students and alumni describe why they chose Hamline’s weekend program at:
www.hamline.edu/law/weekend
Rigorous Education that Accommodates Real Life Hamline University School of Law’s part-time weekend program offers a rigorous legal education taught by the same tenured and tenure-track faculty members who teach our full-time students. Part-time weekend students earn their JD in four years by taking classes on Saturday and Sunday, with the option of taking summer, day or evening classes after completing the first-year curriculum. Part-time students at Hamline receive the same rich academic and experiential opportunities as our full-time students. From earning a certificate in one of our respected Institutes to specializing in one of 1 2 focus areas, students learn the law in a variety of ways that have direct application to real practice. “It’s supposed to be hard. If it wasn’t hard, everyone would be doing it. The ‘hard’ is what makes it great ... but Hamline’s weekend program allowed me to fulfill my dream of becoming a lawyer even while working full-time.” — Kristi Stanislawski ’05 Associate Attorney at Rajkowksi Hansmeier
Many students find time to participate in curricular and co-curricular activities, such as working on one of Hamline’s law journals, representing clients as a student practitioner in one of 1 1 law clinics, or participating on an award-winning moot court team. Still others manage to find time to travel for a study abroad opportunity in locales such as Rome or London. Each student determines the level of involvement that best fits his or her circumstances. Hamline’s faculty and staff accommodate part-time students’ busy schedules by offering programs and office hours on the weekends. For example, it is common for Career Services workshops and student organization meetings to be held on Saturdays so weekend students can participate.
“Weekend students are a joy to work with. They bring energy, practical experience, and a willingness to fully engage in creating an active community of learners that is ideal for mastering the practice of law.” — Professor James Coben
Experienced Students Becoming Respected Lawyers Students in Hamline’s part-time weekend program enjoy a depth of experience that is more meaningful than may be possible in a traditional law school setting. Most part-time Hamline law students are slightly older than their full-time counterparts. Many have ongoing professional lives, spouses and children. Not surprisingly, they bring vast experience and varied outlooks on life and law to the classroom — and to their new legal careers after graduation. Students learn from each other, even as they learn from their experienced and respected faculty members.
“We’re a bit older than a traditional law class. Many of us have ongoing professional lives, spouses and children. The cumulative life experience of the Hamline weekend class fosters an academic environment I don’t believe I would have found elsewhere. We are a family here.” — Ryan Stutzman Weekend law student commuting from Duluth, MN
Studying law later in life offers unique advantages. Many students use their JD to further a career in progress, while others launch an exciting new path in law. For many adults, returning to school to earn an advanced degree allows them to finally realize a long-held dream to expand their knowledge of themselves and the world. No matter where a JD leads, weekend students at Hamline gain knowledge, develop skills and enjoy opportunities that enrich their lives, both personally and professionally. Listen to student stories at:
www.hamline.edu/law/weekend
“The weekend program has proved to be a perfect fit for Hamline Law School in so many ways. First, it has opened an exciting door for students who could not otherwise obtain a JD. In addition, our weekend students tend to be more mature, bringing greater breadth of experience and clarity of purpose to their studies. As a result, they heighten classroom engagement with their enthusiastic focus, thirst for learning, and practical realworld perspectives. Finally, because weekend program participants must master a demanding and delicate balancing act, their ability to coordinate full-time employment, personal commitments, and a rigorous academic schedule well prepares them to become successful legal professionals.� — Professor Carol Swanson
Robins Kaplan Miller & Ciresi is a leading Minneapolis law firm. Many Hamline alumni serve in leadership roles at the firm as partners and associates.
Part-Time Weekend Program “Hamline is producing better trial lawyers, because they have people who are experiencing more of life than just simply academics.” — District Court Judge John McBride ’77
Presorted First Class Mail U.S. Postage
PAID Hamline University
Office of Admissions 1536 Hewitt Avenue Saint Paul, MN 55104-1237
www.hamline.edu/law/weekend