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Hofstra University School of Law, Hempstead, New York [By Jen Woods] In the early 1970s, Hofstra University School of Law became one of the first schools to open a law clinic, and today it has one of the largest programs in the country.
The clinical program is an integral
to help students improve their interviewing,
Hofstra University School of Law is ranked
component of the university’s curriculum.
counseling, negotiation, mediation, fact
in the third tier of law schools according to
“Our growing clinical and skills training
investigation, and trial techniques.
programs provide our students with
the U.S. News & World Report 2007 Graduate School Rankings. Each year, the school
invaluable experience that truly defines their
Hofstra University’s law school offers a
admits about 35% of applicants. Last year,
legal education,” said Aaron Twerski, the law
J.D. degree, as well as two joint degrees:
approximately 4,800 prospective students
school’s dean. Students who participate in
a J.D./M.B.A. and a J.D./M.S. in Taxation.
applied to fill the 425 first-year openings.
clinical programs provide legal services to
Part-time day and evening J.D. programs,
The average undergraduate GPA of admitted
low-income and disadvantaged clients in the
as well as graduate degree programs, are
students is 3.5, and the average LSAT score
surrounding communities of Nassau County.
also available. In addition, students can earn
ranges from 155 to 160.
LL.M. degrees in international law, American The experience students gain at the clinics
law (for foreign law school graduates), and
Currently, about 1,000 students are enrolled
prepares them to enter the workforce.
family law. In the fall of 2007, the school
in the law school, which has a 19:1 student to
According to the university’s website, about
plans to begin offering an LL.M. in Real
faculty ratio. The school has 33 full-time and
98% of Hofstra graduates are employed
Estate and Development Law.
45 part-time faculty members.
within six months of graduation, and 70% of graduates work in Manhattan.
The university publishes a scholarly journal entitled Hofstra Law Review. Established in th
In August, the school launched two new
1973, it is currently in its 34 volume. Every
clinical programs: the Securities Arbitration
year, students in the top 5% of the first-
Clinic and the Community and Economic
year class and five winners of the journal’s
Development Clinic.
annual writing competition are invited to join the Law Review. Additional members are
The Securities Arbitration Clinic provides
selected based on their GPAs and writing
students with hands-on experience with
competition scores.
securities-related claims that are subject to arbitration agreements. Since the clinic
Students also have opportunities to study in
is limited to 16 students, each participant
foreign countries during the summer and
receives individual supervision and mentoring.
winter months. In the summer, students can take classes in Nice, France; Sorrento,
Founded in 1970, Hofstra was accredited by the American Bar Association in 1971. The school is located in Hempstead, Long Island, just 25 miles east of Manhattan. The Long Island Railroad, which is two miles from campus, provides access to New York City. In addition, both the John F. Kennedy and LaGuardia airports are within 30 minutes of the campus. Notable Hofstra alumni include New York State Senate Minority Leader and 2006 Democratic nominee for Lieutenant Governor David Paterson; founder of the leading plaintiffs’ law firm Weitz & Luxenberg Perry Weitz; and United States Court of Appeals
Students involved in the Community
Italy; and Sydney, Australia. In the winter,
and Economic Development Clinic help
students can take classes in Curacao in the
nonprofits, community-based organizations,
Netherlands Antilles.
ON THE NET
Hofstra is also a founding member of the
Hofstra University School of Law
European American Consortium for Legal
www.hofstra.edu/Academics/Law/index_law.cfm
and micro-enterprises in low-income communities with legal transactions.
Judge Maryanne Trump Barry.
The school also offers clinics focusing on
Education (EACLE), which allows students
child advocacy, criminal justice, housing
to participate in semester-long exchange
Town of Hempstead, Long Island, NY
rights, mediation, and political asylum.
programs with any of the EACLE member
www.townofhempstead.org
The clinics are one-semester, six-credit
institutions. Member institutions are located
courses. Each clinic also includes a two-
in cities such as Helsinki, Finland; Rotterdam,
hour weekly classroom seminar designed
Netherlands; and Warsaw, Poland.
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Hofstra Law Review www.hofstra.edu/Academics/Law/LawRev/ index_LawRev.cfm