Capital Location

Tallahassee is the #1 MIDSIZE CITY and #3 OVERALL BEST CITY

in the nation for lawyers to pursue careers, according to a 2019 AdvisorSmith study. This translates into an abundance of job opportunities for law students.

CAPITAL LOCATION. WORLD OF OPPORTUNITIES.

Florida State University College of Law is located in the heart of downtown Tallahassee—the capital of the nation’s third largest state—across the street from the Florida Supreme Court and one block from the Florida Capitol. FSU Law is also a short walk or drive from all state agencies, The Florida Bar, hundreds of law firms, multiple courts, and hundreds of statewide associations and public interest groups. Few other law schools in the nation can compete in terms of location. The unique legal opportunities that accompany being located in a state capital are invaluable. Experiences that FSU Law students have in Tallahassee and around the globe translate into careers all over the world for our graduates in government, public interest organizations and law firms, both large and small.

Many students are interested in state government and the political process, and our location allows us to offer highly specialized classes taught by high-level officials in state politics and administrative law. These courses include Executive Power, Legislative Power, Separation of Powers, and Florida Legislative Practice: From Bill Drafting to the Governor’s Desk. Many of these classes also feature special guests who are engaged in sophisticated legal practice and policy-related work. According to preLaw magazine, Florida State is the nation’s fourth best law school for government careers and 17th best in the nation for public defender/prosecutor jobs. Because a large percentage of FSU Law students aspire to work in government and public interest positions, we devote ourselves to making a wide variety of clinical opportunities in these areas available to students. Our location also allows students to easily work at the Capitol and participate in the Gubernatorial Fellows and Legislative Intern programs—year after year, FSU Law students comprise a majority of the fellowship and internship seats.

Many of the experiences available exclusively to FSU Law students translate into opportunities to change the world and advocate for legal reform. We know a great number of our students want to pursue careers related to social justice, so we offer courses and clinical opportunities that position them to be agents of change in their legal careers.

“BECAUSE OF FSU LAW’S

unique placement in the state capital, I have enjoyed opportunities to work in both a wellrespected private law firm and for the state government at the Department of Environmental Protection. Being able to work in both the public and private sectors has given me a well-rounded knowledge of the areas in which I hope to focus my practice.”

Allison Barkett (’20) was an undergraduate at the University of Florida.

500+ Tallahassee offers a wide variety of clerking and internship opportunities in its more than 500 law firms, numerous state and federal courts, and the legislative and executive branches of government.