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LAW SCHOOL PROFILE
The Boston University School of Law [by Carina Zaragoza] Ranked 23rd by U.S. News & World Report and the 2004 BCG Attorney Search Guide, the Boston University School of Law is not only a tier-one law school, but also a distinguished institution.
available. At BUSL, help, support, and guid-
The Boston University School of Law (BUSL)
ance are always accessible.
attracts a diverse student body of top stu-
BUSL’s world-class library, The Pappas
dents from across the nation and around the
Law Library, contains one of the largest law
world. Forty-three states, Washington, DC,
school research collections in the United
BUSL is home to respected centers for ad-
Puerto Rico, Guam, and 21 foreign countries
States. Students have access to the library’s
vanced research, scholarship, and service to
are represented. Alumni then take their
collection of more than 500,000 volumes and
the public and the legal profession. Profes-
BUSL educations across the country and
microform equivalents, as well as a wide
sors Robert and Ann Seidman developed
worldwide, with 18,700 alumni in 50 states,
range of law-related CD-ROM titles and
BUSL’s first distance (Internet) learning
Washington, DC, Puerto Rico, the Virgin
educational interactive materials from the
course, The International Distance Legisla-
Islands, and 73 countries worldwide. BUSL is
Center for Computer Assisted Legal Instruc-
tive Drafting Program. The program teaches
a community of top legal scholars, teachers,
tion (CALI). The library’s resources also
legislative drafting to third-world and
students, and alumni dedicated to provid-
include state and federal primary materials,
transitional countries who wish to research,
ing the finest legal education in the nation.
legal periodicals, and a major collection of
draft, and implement effective legislation for
Students learn all about the law in a rigorous
treatises, as well as specialized collections
their countries. The Morin Center for Bank-
but supportive environment. Since its found-
in international law, intellectual property
ing and Financial Law conducts specialized
ing in 1872, BUSL has welcomed qualified
law, health law, banking law, taxation, and
research and provides continuing education
men and women, without regard to back-
U.S. government publications.
in banking and financial services law. The center publishes the Annual Review of Bank-
ground or belief. BUSL’s founding principle is that legal education should emphasize not
BUSL understands the demands put on
ing & Financial Law, one of the six student-
just theory and analysis but practical applica-
students. Far from leaving them to their
run scholarly journals at BUSL. The other
tions. This idea still governs the curriculum
own devices, the Pappas Law Library has
journals run by J.D. students include the
today.
designed programs to assist students with
Boston University Law Review, the Ameri-
their classes, assignments, and writing. All
can Journal of Law & Medicine, the Boston
Since recent entering classes have usu-
first-year law students are required to attend
University International Law Journal, the
ally been slightly smaller than 300 people,
library-sponsored training. The First Year
Journal of Science & Technology Law, and
the student-faculty ratio is superb: 10 to 7.
Writing Program requires students to attend
the Public Interest Law Journal. As writing is
Classes are small, and the faculty’s attention
several training sessions which will prepare
an integral aspect in the field of law, journal
to students is renowned. In order to enjoy
them for their research assignments. This
membership fosters research, writing, and
such attention, students must meet the high
training includes an overview of the library
analytical skills.
standards that have been set by past classes.
collection, an introduction to online legal
The average GPA of the class of 2007 was
research, and Lexis Nexis and Westlaw
Although clinical programs are offered by
3.59; the average LSAT score, 164. Even if
hands-on training. The Pappas Law Library’s
most every law school, the clinics at BUSL
students do garner such high scores, the
website features tutorials to assist students
differ greatly. BUSL was one of the first
chances of their being accepted are still slim.
with their research projects. One tutorial,
law schools in the nation to staff its clinical
BUSL admits less than 20% of applicants on
“Research Road Map,” provides step-by-
programs with full-time faculty, and most
average. But the end result of a BUSL legal
step instructions on how to select a topic,
of the current clinical professors now
education is virtually unmatched: 100% of
conduct research, and write a final paper. If a
have more than 20 years of courtroom and
students are employed nine months after
student needs more personalized assistance,
teaching experience. In the clinics, students
graduation.
reference librarians and elective classes are
perform the work of professional attorneys,
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LAW SCHOOL PROFILE
representing real clients in real cases, from initial interview to final courtroom summation. These programs provide a rare opportunity to practice law while receiving close, personal supervision and training from highly qualified, full-time faculty. The student-faculty ratio here is 8 to 1, allowing faculty to closely supervise student work and serve simultaneously as mentors and as colleagues. The clinical experience for BUSL is a cut above other clinical programs. The Boston University School of Law has no need to toot its own horn. BUSL has received rave reviews from some top authorities. The Best Law Schools, a Princeton Review Guide, has named BUSL’s faculty “The Best Teaching Faculty in America” for five consecutive years. BUSL’s programs have consistently ranked among the top 10 in the nation. The training given to students in ethics and moral and political theory ranks among the top six in the country. The students themselves sing the praises of BUSL. The Princeton Review recently surveyed the opinions of more than 7,000 students at 117 law schools about the quality of their experiences. Based on the students’ responses, BUSL scored 6th in Best Overall Academic Experience and 4th in Best Career Prospects. The nationally recognized Boston University School of Law is an excellent choice for a superior legal education.
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