Pursue Justice
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At UMass Law, you will do more than study the law. You will learn to pursue justice in any legal field. UMass Law teaches you the principles and rules of law, as well as the theoretical frameworks that shape the structure and vocabulary of legal arguments. While a law student, you will apply that knowledge in the real-world practice of law, either through one of our many private or public sector field placements or in our Immigration, Criminal, Business, Human Rights, or Tribal Law clinics. In this way, every student at UMass Law learns to solve client problems and advance rights effectively and creatively. As Massachusetts’ only public law school, it is our mission to provide an excellent legal education to those with the desire and potential to be lawyers. We do this by offering a tuition rate that is substantially lower than most other law schools in the region.
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I wanted to attend a law school in the northeast, which would be a big change for me. When I got to UMass Law, I quickly became part of its community.”
Michael Dueñas Home: Ontario, CA
The UMass Law community Building a community of learners who will contribute to the legal profession is a core value and a genuine reality at UMass Law. You’ll form strong and lasting relationships with your classmates, your professors, our alumni, and members of the bench and bar. You will be challenged to develop your professional identity and be supported as you do so. Our student body is small, collegial, and highly collaborative. It is broadly diverse by age, gender, race, sexual orientation, background, and life/work experience. Approximately half of our students come from Massachusetts, and the rest come from across the country.
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Faculty scholars and mentors UMass Law faculty members are experienced lawyers, gifted teachers, supportive mentors, and respected scholars. They joined the UMass Law faculty because they love to teach and want to help shape the next generation of lawyers. Each student is assigned a faculty advisor to assist with academic and career planning throughout law school. You’ll receive guidance each semester from your advisor on registration, course selection, and curricular planning with a focus on career goals and experiential education. In addition, our faculty mentoring program offers coaching support as you prepare to take the bar examination.
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I have never been more comfortable about reaching out to professors. I have visited professors with a variety of questions, and if their office hours aren’t convenient for me, they always make a time that does work for me.”
Megan Beyer Home: West Bridgewater, MA
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Academic schedule options UMass Law offers traditional full-time study, and the flexibility of part-time options.
• Full-time day program
• Part-time day program
• Part-time evening/weekend program
Joint degree options with UMass Dartmouth You can complement your law degree by taking coursework on the main UMass Dartmouth campus to earn a joint degree. Coursework for both the MBA and MPP is offered throughout the year.
• JD/MBA – Master of Business Administration
• JD/MPP – Master of Public Policy
• JD/MSW – Master of Social Work
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Theoretical learning & experiential preparation You’ll learn the fundamentals of statutory and case law through our core curriculum, while elective courses will expose you to specialized and emerging areas of law. Hands-on experiences in our clinics and field placements put you in the middle of the practice of law with role models and mentors to learn from and observe. We are committed to fostering competent, ethical, and creative professionals who can thrive in a changing profession. Legal skills program UMass Law’s three-semester Legal Skills Program focuses on essential legal skills such as fact gathering, interviewing witnesses, legal research and writing, counseling, oral advocacy, and negotiation. Your work on pending legal matters and with simulation exercises will enhance those skills.
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My experiences at UMass Law helped sharpen the practical skills that I will need as a practicing attorney. UMass Law provided numerous opportunities to interact with clients and helped me begin to develop a professional identity.”
Phillip Rutahweire Home: Foxboro, MA
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UMass Law clinics
Bar preparation
•C ommunity Development (Business Law)
We understand the importance of bar preparation, and the Bar Director meets with students in their 1L, 2L, and 3L years to discuss course selection and devise an individualized bar study plan.
• Criminal Prosecution • Immigration Law • Human Rights at Home •M ashpee Wampanoag Tribal Legal Services
In your 3L year, UMass Law offers a graded, for-credit class focused on the doctrine and skills needed for bar exam success. In addition, we partner with commercial bar providers and partially subsidize bar review courses for students, including individual tutoring and essay workshops.
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UMass Law’s path to practice At UMass Law, developing your professional identity and finding your career path begin the moment you enter our doors. You are introduced to a variety of practice options in your classes, where professors speak from personal experiences about what lawyers do. Your skills courses, clinics, and internships help you discover your strengths and your career preferences.
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Our rich and diverse co-curricular programs include practice panels that expose you to lawyers from an array of specialties and give you the opportunity to network. The Career Services Office helps with résumé and cover letter writing, interviewing, and identifying job opportunities. Our experienced counselors will mentor you as you pursue your career goals.
Legal practice incubator The innovative Justice Bridge Legal Center is UMass Law’s legal-practice incubator with offices in Boston and New Bedford. Justice Bridge provides legal advice for people with modest incomes and, at the same time, UMass Law graduates learn how to develop and run their own law practices. Recent graduates share office space at a reduced rate and receive mentorship from highly experienced and committed lawyers and judges.
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I came to UMass Law to make a difference. I had an internship in New York City after my first year that allowed me to advocate for at-risk children, and it was an amazing experience.” Rebecca Lacoste Home: Queens, NY
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An affordable law school for the people Access to law school means access to power— the power to understand, interpret, enforce, and make the law. At UMass Law, we're committed to providing access to law school to individuals from diverse backgrounds and situations. We create a welcoming and supportive learning community, and embrace, respect, and celebrate the rich diversity of people and ideas. UMass Law offers the lowest tuition of any ABA-accredited law school in the Commonwealth and among the lowest non-resident tuition levels of any law school in New England. In fact, our tuition is half of what many private law schools charge.
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Choosing UMass Law made sense from a financial point of view. I’ll earn my law degree and be able to choose what type of law I want to practice.” Ethan Dazelle Home: Westfield, MA
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Financial aid & scholarships In addition to state and federal financial aid, UMass Law offers a variety of generous scholarships and fellowships. The financial aid staff are trained to help you make law school financially feasible.
Public Interest Law Fellowship Program UMass Law demonstrates its commitment to “pursuing justice” by awarding up to 20 first-year students with a Public Interest Law Fellowship. As a Fellow, you commit to serving under-represented populations and addressing social issues in exchange for a 50 percent reduction in tuition and fees. Throughout law school, you’ll perform pro bono service and have the opportunity to attend special programs focused on public interest issues. After graduation, you commit to serving the public through a government or public interest position for at least four years.
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Our location UMass Law is conveniently located 30 miles from Providence, RI and Cape Cod, MA, and 60 miles from Boston, MA, with easy highway access. Logan International Airport in Boston and T.F. Green Airport in RI offer you a variety of flight options. UMass Dartmouth offers graduate housing on the main campus, and there are numerous apartment options in nearby New Bedford and the surrounding area. There is free shuttle service from downtown New Bedford and from the main campus. Within a mile of campus, you'll find everything you need—from shopping, to restaurants, to entertainment. The area offers extensive beaches, running trails, cafés, art exhibits, and live music.
Join us at UMass Law For more information about applying, tuition and fees, and financial aid, visit:
20180612_SOL_Viewbook_KD
www.umassd.edu/pursuelaw or call 508.985.1110.
Thank you to the staff of Cohen Cleary, P.C., Taunton, Massachusetts for their participation in photos.
University of Massachusetts School of Law • Dartmouth 333 Faunce Corner Road • Dartmouth, MA 02747-1252 508.985.1110 • lawadmissions@umassd.edu
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