LAWYERS ARE LEADERS. CHANGE AGENTS. VITAL TO A FUNCTIONING AND JUST SOCIETY. ARE YOU READY FOR THE CHALLENGE? At the West Virginia University College of Law we are passionate about leadership. We understand the importance of service. And of excelling in all you do. We’re ready to teach you what you need to know. We will prepare you to succeed in a complex world. So get ready to lead the way.
KATHERINE WILSON Class of 2014 Katherine is director of Global Regulatory Affairs policy at Mylan, Inc., where she works to shape policy initiatives affecting the development and approval of the firm’s portfolio of medicines around the world. She previously worked for the United Nations International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia in The Hague, Netherlands. She was also a summer clerk for the Honorable Eugene B. Strassburger of the Superior Court of Pennsylvania. “The foundation and skill set I acquired at WVU Law were instrumental in shaping the attorney I am today. In the Immigration Law Clinic, I learned how to work with clients, representing individuals in hearings in Philadelphia and helping to reunite clients with their loved ones. I fell in love with oral advocacy, arguing nuanced points of international law in the top round of the Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition. Most importantly, I learned how to critically assess legal issues across jurisdictions.”
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JUSTICE, ETHICS AND EXPERTISE.
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We prepare 21st-century lawyers and leaders to serve the public, government and business. Our graduates are practice-ready on the day they graduate. Our vibrant culture of excellence fosters diversity and respect, creating a balanced and supportive academic community within one of the nation’s leading public research universities.
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THE WVU LAW EXPERIENCE. Our graduates excel. After building the essential foundation of core legal knowledge in your first year, you will discover and develop interests through specialized courses in your second and third years. Your classroom knowledge will be enhanced by actual experience.
law.wvu.edu/academics
What You’ll Learn
After your first year, you will complete Appellate Advocacy (preparing an appellate brief and arguing in front of a panel of local attorneys), a research seminar, a professional responsibility course and a perspective course. Research seminars cover topics from environmental law and healthcare regulations to gender and the law and constitutional litigation. Perspective courses connect your studies to the traditions of the liberal arts (humanities, social sciences, natural sciences). You also will fulfill a capstone requirement such as Trial Advocacy, clinical law practice, a federal judicial externship or Business Transactions Drafting practicum.
Hands-on Experiences
You can enhance your training with hands-on experiences in a law clinic (we have nine), engaging in moot court, delving into research, studying abroad, serving in a judicial externship or working on the West Virginia Law Review (the fourth-oldest in the U.S.). You will be prepared to understand your future clients and work environment and ready to provide clinical legal services.
Focused J.D. Concentrations
A concentration is a course of study that enables you to develop skills and competency in a particular area of the law. It’s a signal to employers that you have placed an emphasis — and strong professional interest — in a certain legal field. To earn a concentration, you must complete a set of core courses followed by a number of relevant electives. We offer four concentrations: nergy and Sustainable E Development Law Labor and Employment Law Public Interest Law International Law
Professor Priya Baskaran
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Calvin Thomas '19, Lora Walker '19 and Alexis Jones '19
Distinctive Dual Degrees
A cross-disciplinary law degree means great professional and networking opportunities and is a valuable career advantage. At WVU, you can complete a dual degree in less time than if you pursued both degrees independently. We offer two dual degrees: J.D./Online MBA; usually completed in three years .D./Master’s in Public Administration (M.P.A); usually J completed in four years J.D./LL.M. in Energy and Sustainable Development Law; usually completed in three-and-a-half years
Pioneering Postgraduate Law Degrees
A postgraduate law degree, known as a Master of Laws (LL.M.), is one way J.D. graduates can continue their education and enhance their careers. The Energy and Sustainable Development LL.M. educates the next generation of lawyers who will help shape the future of energy and environmental law. West Virginia is a leading energy state, so there’s no better place to pursue an energy LL.M. WVU is a pioneer in forensic science, and the Forensic Justice LL.M. is the first of its kind in the nation. It is designed for new and practicing attorneys in the criminal justice system whose work hinges on forensic evidence. The energy LL.M. is offered on campus and the forensic LL.M. is offered online. 6
YOUR GUIDES. Our distinguished faculty are the backbone of WVU Law. You’ll learn from a diverse group of accomplished attorneys and practitioners, outstanding teachers and scholars, and well-connected mentors. They are respected leaders in legal education who share a common mission: preparing competent and ethical lawyers for a wide range of careers and service to the citizens and communities of West Virginia, the nation and the world.
law.wvu.edu/faculty-staff
Valarie Blake Professor Valarie Blake joined the WVU Law faculty in fall 2015 to teach issues related to health care law. Her scholarship includes how increasing state and federal regulation of health care financing and delivery will impact chronic disease, health insurance and professionalism in medicine. Before teaching, Professor Blake served as an ethics senior research associate for the American Medical Association (AMA) and was involved in efforts related to the AMA’s Code of Medical Ethics. She has also worked at the Cleveland Clinic providing bedside ethics consultation, research teaching, and service in the areas of law, ethics and professionalism. Professor Blake earned her J.D. and bachelor’s degree from the University of Pittsburgh. She also earned a master’s degree in medical ethics from Case Western Reserve University. COURSES TAUGHT: Health Care Law, Health Care Fraud and Abuse; Comparative Health Law and Ethics; Science and the Law
Atiba Ellis Professor Ellis is a renowned voting rights expert. His research focuses on voting rights law with specific attention to how varying conceptions of the right to vote exclude voters on the margins of society. He has written about the economic entry barriers posed by voter ID laws, the theoretical effects of the Citizens United Supreme Court decision, and related topics. His current research focuses on voting rights theory and how ideology affects the scope of the right to vote. He has also written on critical legal theory and legal history. Professor Ellis is a frequent speaker at academic conferences, university and law school lectures, and community events about voting rights law, how race and gender affect the law of politics, diversity issues, and other matters related to the law of politics. He holds a J.D., M.A. and A.B. from Duke University. COURSES TAUGHT: Election Law; Civil Rights Law; Race, Racism, and American Law; Wealth Transfers (Trusts and Estates); Property Law
Priya Baskaran Professor Baskaran is director of the Entrepreneurship and Innovation Law Clinic (EILC). Under her leadership, the clinic has greatly expanded its work to support economic development throughout West Virginia, particularly in underserved communities. Professor Baskaran's scholarship and research focuses on the nexus between public interest law and social justice principles and transactional legal work, both in practice and in experiential education. She was previously a supervising attorney in the Social Enterprise & Nonprofit Law Clinic at Georgetown University Law Center. Prior to that , she was a staff attorney with the Community and Economic Development Clinic at the University of Michigan Law School. Professor Baskaran has also worked on international land use issues as a research fellow for the East West Management Institute, focusing on vulnerable populations in Cambodia. She earned her J.D. from the University of Michigan and an LL.M. from Georgetown University Law Center. COURSE TAUGHT: Entrepreneurship and Innovation Law Clinic 7
LEARNING LEADERSHIP The WVU Law faculty includes David C. Hardesty, president emeritus of West Virginia University, Rhodes Scholar and experienced attorney. He developed the popular Lawyers as Leaders class. Professor Hardesty doesn’t just give theoretical instruction in leadership, he shares his experiences and own brand of leadership. The course helps you develop effective leadership skills. Lawyers lead private practice firms, public interest law organizations, government and corporate law departments, law schools and reform movements.
WVU Law professors will challenge your assumptions, demand well-reasoned positions and insist that you achieve more than you ever imagined.
John Taylor, the Jackson Kelly Professor of Law
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SUPPORT. WVU Law supports your every step — from the time you arrive on Law School Hill until you graduate into a successful career.
law.wvu.edu/academics/ academic-excellence-center law.wvu.edu/lrrw
Just for You
All first-year (1L) students are assigned to small groups before classes start. Your group takes every class together and is mixed in with the other 1L groups. The result? You end up having a class with every other new student by the end of the first week.
Learn to Thrive
The Academic Excellence Center offers all law students opportunities to enhance their academic performance through for-credit courses, workshops, study groups, tutoring and individual counseling. As a 1L, the Center will help you integrate “how to learn” with “what to learn” so you thrive, not just survive, in law school.
Make Your Words Count
The Legal Reasoning, Research and Writing program helps you master a variety of written and oral communication tasks, while the WVU Law Writing Center will help you become a better writer. The Center provides an encouraging atmosphere in which to discuss, refine and experiment with writing and the teaching of writing.
The George R. Farmer, Jr. Law Library is the largest law library in the state, making it an invaluable resource for our students and attorneys. 9
Karissa Blackburn '19 and Mark Baker '19
CLIFTONSTRENGTHS WVU Law uses CliftonStrengths to help students succeed in law school. The skills-assessment program, introduced at Orientation, helps student identify and use their individual top talents to achieve academic, professional, and personal goals. As Stephen Scott '19, Vice President of the Student Bar Association, puts it: “CliftonStrengths provides reflective insight into your personal strengths and how they can be maximized to their fullest potential. Also, StrengthsQuest shifts your thinking away from dedicating energy to improve your weaknesses to dedicating energy to capitalize on your strengths. I have used it to effectively communicate my strengths during job interviews and to efficiently collaborate with others." in group settings.
THE GEORGE R. FARMER, JR. LAW LIBRARY Associate Dean Kendra H. Fershee
Esha Sharma '17
Research is a core tenet of legal education, and law students spend a lot of time in the library. The George R. Farmer Jr. Library is a hub of activity, day and night. The Farmer Library is the largest public law library in the state, with more than 169,000 volumes. It offers access to more than 20 legal databases, including Bloomberg Law, Environmental Law Reporter, FastCase, Foreign Law Guide, LexisNexis and Westlaw. Five of our librarians have law degrees, and they are happy to help in any way they can. law.wvu.edu/library
Our rigorous curriculum is balanced by our collegial and supportive community. 10
TAKE THE LEAD. Make the most of your time at WVU Law. Seize life-changing opportunities. Forge connections that will shape your career and learn from outstanding mentors.
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Brad Wright '17, Assistant Public Defender, Berkeley County, West Virginia
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STUDY ABROAD OPPORTUNITIES. Comparative law — the study of laws of other countries — leads to a deeper understanding of the global community and provides a valuable perspective on U.S. laws. What better way to understand another country’s laws and culture than by studying there? It’s also a great way to make friends and professional contacts. All our courses are taught in English by WVU and local faculty.
law.wvu.edu/academics/study-abroad
Switzerland
WVU has an educational exchange agreement with Lomonosov Moscow State University, the oldest and largest university in Russia. As part of the agreement, students can travel to Geneva, Switzerland, to study international trade law, including behind-the-scenes visits to the United Nations and the World Trade Organization (photo right).
Mexico
In Mexico, you can visit legal institutions and take classes at the University of Guanajuato, one of the oldest universities in one of the oldest cities in Latin America.
Brazil
The Brazil study abroad trip includes exploring the rainforest while learning about environmental law and property rights before attending lectures at the University of Vila Velha in Vitoria.
WVU Law students study migration issues from a Mexican legal, cultural, and social perspective in historic Guanajuato.
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"I learned about the differences between Mexican law and American law in areas such as finance, banking, property, and elections. Further, I learned about traveling abroad and how to adapt to different surroundings. At a more basic level, the experience showcased the common elements of humanity that exist despite the stark cultural and linguistic differences which we share. Overall, studying abroad helps to make one’s legal education more complete and worthwhile." – Imad Matini, Class of 2014 Clerk, the Honorable Stephanie D. Thacker, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit Study abroad in Mexico, Summer 2012
WVU Law students spend three weeks in Brazil, studying environmental and property law.
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A CULTURE OF EXCELLENCE. WVU Law students come from a variety of backgrounds and hold a variety of interests that contribute to a quality law school experience in and out of the classroom. Exemplary students and 30 student organizations show excellence in a number of ways, including volunteerism, random acts of kindness, and outstanding cocurricular or extracurricular performance. We recognize — and foster — that effort, which contributes to our culture of excellence.
law.wvu.edu/student-life
Student Bar Association
The Student Bar Association is affiliated with the American Law Student Association, the student division of the American Bar Association. As the student government of WVU Law, it furthers cooperation and maximizes student input into the academic and administrative processes as well as administers the honor system. The SBA hosts the annual Barrister’s Ball.
Public Interest Advocates
The Public Interest Advocates (PIA) raises awareness in public interest law. It sponsors an annual speaker series, promotes student awareness of public interest employment opportunities and funds summer public interest fellowships. The annual PIA Spring Auction is attended by students and faculty and regional judges and lawyers. Auction proceeds help underwrite fellowships granted by the West Virginia Fund for Law in the Public Interest.
Moot Court
Moot Court encourages the development of practice-ready skills in brief writing and oral advocacy. Moot Court hosts the annual George C. Baker Cup competition and sends a team to the National Moot Court Competition. The Moot Court Traveling Team has gone to competitions in New Orleans, Fort Lauderdale, Boston and New York. Founded in 1968, the Baker Cup competition is a highlight of the academic year. The final round is held each spring before the Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia, and the justices select the winner.
OUTlaw
OUTlaw fosters open communication and networking between the LGBTQ and straight communities. Recent OUTlaw guest speakers include marriage equality lawyers Evan Wolfson and Jaci Gonzales Martin '10, who was co-counsel in Obergefell v. Hodges, the U.S. Supreme Court case that legalized same-sex marriage.
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Jamie Crestfield '18 and Abbey Stafford '19
Black Law Student Association
The Black Law Student Association is dedicated to increasing the number of lawyers sensitive to the unique problems and needs of minority communities and is a forum for the discussion of issues and problems that confront law students of color.
Alternative Dispute Resolution Society
The Alternative Dispute Resolution Society hosts experts and participates in local mediation trainings and competitions. The group is instrumental in maintaining the Magistrate Court Mediation program in West Virginia by organizing and volunteering for monthly mediation.
Family Law Quarterly Sean Xing '18
West Virginia Law Review The West Virginia Law Review was founded in 1894 and is the fourth-oldest law review in the United States. Published three times a year by a student editorial board, it is a professional, student-governed legal journal. Each issue includes notes, comments and articles of scholarly and practical value.
Marlyn E. Lugar Trial Association
The Marlyn E. Lugar Trial Association furthers academic excellence and professional competence in trial advocacy and hosts the Lugar Cup, our annual in-house trial competition. Lugar members receive three credit hours by participating in two outside trial competitions and competing in the Lugar Cup.
Students have the opportunity to work on the American Bar Association’s Family Law Quarterly, a scholarly journal currently based at WVU Law.
Our culture of excellence includes students like Elizabeth Stryker, Class of 2017. Chief Justice, Moot Court Lugar Trial Association West Virginia Law Review Member, General Practice Law Clinic Pro Bono Distinction ABA Regional Mediation Competition Steptoe & Johnson National Moot Court Team
The personal and professional connections you make at WVU Law will last a lifetime.
Winner, Spring 2017 Exemplary Student Award
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LAW CLINICS. WVU Law’s award-winning Clinical Law program, founded in 1976, helps students develop practice-ready skills while providing an important legal service to clients in need.
law.wvu.edu/clinics
General Practice
The General Practice Law Clinic concentrates on legal services in family law (including violence protection, custody, support, divorce and adoption), social security and other public benefits, property issues, consumer debt relief, bankruptcy and cases taken by court appointment. Students often appear in state and federal courts throughout West Virginia. Students are representing a small business owner who had his assets misappropriated by his business partner. Another team is representing clients in special-case adoptions and with bankruptcy protection due to medical debt.
Entrepreneurship and Innovation
The Entrepreneurship and Innovation Law Clinic gives students the opportunity to provide legal services to start-up companies, small businesses, nonprofits and individuals. The Clinic works with clients in counseling for a product plan or business organization; licensing; employee and contractor agreements; intellectual property; financing and venture capital; planning and negotiation; dispute resolution; and generalized assistance in business formation, planning and strategy. Last year, students in the Clinic successfully provided advocacy on 24 trademark filings, oppositions and responses that helped West Virginia entrepreneurs and small businesses. WVU Law participates in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office’s Law School Clinic Certification program.
Taxpayer Advocacy
Taxpayer Advocacy provides free legal representation in federal tax matters. Students appear before the U.S. Tax Court when it sits in Charleston, West Virginia, and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They represent clients in a wide range of tax matters.
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“I had the privilege and honor of representing a client in the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals. Being in that situation was one of the greatest thrills of my life. I knew that when I came to WVU Law I would have experiences that no other law school could provide. What I couldn’t have imagined was that I would help to define the law in a real-world way.”
— Richard Morris ’15 Veterans Attorney Legal Aid of West Virginia
CLINICS Students, under faculty supervision, provide more than 40,000 hours of free legal aid a year through our clinics. This effort helped WVU Law recently earn the #2 spot on The National Jurist's Honor Roll of Law Schools with the Greatest Community Impact. The Clinical Law Program is structured by practice, like an actual law firm, and operates out of a 5,500 square foot office suite. Clinic students assist, pro bono, more than 200 clients a year on the domestic violence docket in the Monongalia County Family Court. In 2016, four clients of the Clinical Law Program were granted clemency by President Barack Obama as part of the national Clemency Project 2014.
“I was going to try to go to court myself and represent us, but then we found out about the Veterans Assistance Project. I’m glad we did. The students have been a lot of help and have done a great job. We’d have never been able to represent ourselves or hire someone.” — former U.S. Marine
Veterans Advocacy The Veterans Advocacy Law Clinic provides civil legal services to qualified veterans in family law (including violence protection, custody, support, divorce and adoption), estate planning, property issues, and consumer debt relief. It is the first-of-its-kind initiative in the nation between a law school and a VA hospital. Clinic students won an appeal in 2017 for a veteran who had been denied edcuation benefits. A former combat medic, he is now pursing a medical degree at Georgetown University. 18
LAW CLINICS. West Virginia Innocence Project
The West Virginia Innocence Project serves to free people who are in prison for crimes they did not commit. It’s affiliated with the national Innocence Network. It also works to reform faulty practices that lead to wrongful convictions, including eyewitness identification procedures. Clinic students successfully filed an appeal in the West Virginia Supreme Court on behalf of a client convicted of murder by arson, arguing that the evidence consisted of discredited investigation techniques. Another client, serving a 40-year sentence for the death of his stepdaughter, was freed from prison after the WVIP was able to prove “an alternative cause of death.”
Land Use and Sustainable Development
The Land Use and Sustainable Development Law Clinic provides legal services to local governments, landowners and nonprofits to develop land conservation strategies and practices. This clinic provides an opportunity to gain practical experience in land use law and policy. In this transactional and policy-based clinic, students develop research, drafting, negotiation and client counseling skills. Under the guidance of experienced attorneys and professionals, students contribute to land and water conservation efforts. The clinic is part of an award-winning team of WVU experts that is working to help historic Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, rebuild and recover following a devastating fire.
Immigration
The Immigration Law Clinic has served scores of clients facing deportation, asylum and other immigration proceedings for almost two decades. It has won political asylum for clients from Syria, Afghanistan, Iraq, Egypt, Guinea and Russia. Clinic students often have to push the law creatively in circumstances related to today’s most pressing issues, such as gender persecution, social turmoil during democratic transition and conflict in the Middle East. The Immigration Law Clinic is co-directed by Robert S. Whitehill, a partner with Fox Rothschild, LLP, in Pittsburgh. Students recently argued before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit in Chicago on behalf of a Honduran client threatened with deportation. They won when the judge remanded the case back to the Bureau of Immigration Appeals.
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JENNY THOMA Class of 2016 Law Clerk, Judge Michael Aloi U.S. District Court for the Northern District of West Virginia West Virginia Innocence Project “ Standing up for the rights of the wrongfully convicted and wrongfully imprisoned was incredibly meaningful and fulfilling. After working relentlessly all year on a client's habeas case and representing him in an omnibus hearing, we prevailed and his conviction was vacated by the Court. The absolute highlight of my year was witnessing our client's release from prison, after serving almost 11 years for a crime he did not commit, and his long-awaited reunion with his family.”
“The Land Use and Sustainable Development Law Clinic provided me with the invaluable opportunity to work on important real-world projects. I was able to help local Fayetteville (West Virginia) develop legal solutions, such as local ordinances and zoning plans, to address issues unique to its community's needs.” — Susan Waldie '16 Attorney Appalachian Mountain Advocates Lewisburg, West Virginia
U.S. Supreme Court
The United States Supreme Court Law Clinic is one of a handful of SCOTUS law clinics in the nation. Students research and draft briefs for clients, working primarily on criminal, immigration, prisoner and civil liberties appeals. It provides practical experience on some of the most significant legal cases facing the nation. The Clinic is directed by Lawrence D. Rosenberg, a partner in the firm Jones Day, who has been lead counsel for numerous matters before the U.S. Supreme Court. In 2017, a student in the clinic argued a case in the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. The client, who is incarcerated, brought First Amendment retaliation, equal protection and due process claims against an official in the South Carolina Department of Corrections.
Child and Family Advocacy Clinic with Medical-Legal Partnership
The Child and Family Advocacy Clinic with Medical-Legal Partnership works with children and families of limited income in order to promote their health, security and future success. The Medical-Legal Partnership operates in cooperation with WVU Medicine Children’s and WVU Medicine Chestnut Ridge Center. During visits, clinicians identify potential legal issues, such as lack of health insurance, inadequate housing, unemployment or child custody. If a legal problem is identified, the families are given the opportunity to consult with WVU Law students. Students from these clinics have been appointed by the Family Courts in Monongalia and Preston counties to serve as guardians ad litem in a number of cases. They also wrote a successful amicus brief at the request of the West Virginia Supreme Court concerning protective orders in a divorce action.
Maggie Power ’17 and AJ Johnson ’17
You can make a real difference in people’s lives — before you graduate. 20
CENTER FOR LAW AND PUBLIC SERVICE. WVU Law has a distinguished history of public service. The Center helps students develop key professional skills and an understanding of public interest law. It also engages students by fostering a dialogue about current legal services and issues, and by encouraging students to become leaders who seek creative solutions toward achieving equal access to justice in society.
law.wvu.edu/public-service
Externships
The College offers a wide variety of externships in nonprofit, government and judicial settings, locally and around the country, to help students with valuable career-building experience while serving the community. Facilitated by the Center for Law and Public Service, externships are available during the school year and the summer. Qualified students may also apply for a Federal Judicial Externship with a U.S. District Court or Circuit Court Judge.
PIA Fellowships
The Center coordinates with the West Virginia Fund for Law in the Public Interest and the Public Interest Advocates (PIA) student organization to provide fellowships to students interested in full-time summer work at legal service agencies throughout West Virginia. The Fund and the Center also work together to provide a postgraduate fellowship program for students pursuing careers in public interest law.
Pro Bono Community Service
The Pro Bono program provides opportunities for students to dedicate time outside of the classroom to perform legal assistance to people in need. Pro bono opportunities include mediating cases in magistrate court, serving as a Court Appointed Special Advocate in circuit court on behalf of children and volunteering with the Appalachian Prison Book project.
Members of the Class of 2018 prepared breakfast for dinner at the Morgantown Ronald McDonald House during Orientation. 21
MICKI BIGGS Class of 2016 PIA Postgraduate Fellow West Virginia Senior Legal Aid Morgantown, WV “ When I can help people work their way through their legal problem and just make an effort to understand them better, it’s really rewarding.”
MAKING A DIFFERENCE Twenty WVU Law students were awarded fellowships in summer 2017 to serve in public interest law throughout West Virginia. They provided much-needed help in agencies such as Legal Aid of West Virginia, the Rural Legal Corporation, Equal Justice Works, Childlaw Services, and Mountain State Justice. Three graduates were awarded yearlong fellowships to work in public interest law.
Paige Diggs '17 gained valuable work experience in an externship with WVU Athletics. She now works in compliance for Louisian State University Athletics in Baton Rouge.
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CENTER FOR ENERGY AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT. Energy, environmental and sustainability law is an exciting and fast-developing field with a lot of opportunities. West Virginia is at the center of energy production for the country, and there is no better place to learn about the intersecting laws and policies governing energy resources.
energy.law.wvu.edu
Shaping Policies
Founded in 2011, WVU Law’s Center for Energy and Sustainable Development is committed to playing a prominent role in shaping the energy and environmental policies of the future for the state, the nation and the world.
Unbiased Research
The Center conducts objective, unbiased research and policy analyses, provides a forum for issues to be explored by various stakeholders and promotes policies that balance the demand for energy resources alongside the need to reduce environmental impacts.
Focusing on the Future
Training for the next generation of energy and environmental attorneys
Promotion of sustainable practices Training of local officials in sustainable land use policy practices Encouragement for the development of clean energy technologies Advancement for the role of utilities in pursuing clean energy
National Energy Conference
The Center hosts an annual energy conference that explores topics and policies with national experts from industry, government and environmental organizations. A recent conference, co-hosted with WVU's John D. Rockefeller IV School of Policy and Politics examined the future of coal communities in West Virginia and Appalachia.
Creating Firsts
The Center for Energy and Sustainable Development established and hosted the nation’s first Energy and Sustainability Moot Court Competition in 2011. The competition promotes development of appellate advocacy skills, with a particular emphasis on the convergence of energy, environmental and sustainability issues. It is coordinated by the student Moot Court Board.
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LL.M. OPPORTUNITY WVU Law's LL.M. in Energy and Sustainable Development Law focuses on the intersecting laws and policies governing the country's natural resources. Visit law.wvu.edu/energy-llm to find out more. WVU Law also offers a fasttrack dual degree J.D./LL.M. that can be completed in 3-1/2 years.
“West Virginia is at the center of energy production. As a result, the College of Law is able to play a significant role in the national dialogue on energy, the environment and sustainability.” — Joyce McConnell, WVU Provost
Law students from around the country compete in WVU Law's annual National Energy and Sustainability Moot Court Competition. The final round is held in the Marlyn E. Lugar Courtroom.
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CAREER SERVICES CENTER. A successful legal career — it’s why you’re going to law school. In and out of the classroom, WVU Law’s focus on the development of practice-ready skills provides solid preparation for a career.
law.wvu.edu/career-services
Your Options
The Meredith Career Services Center is committed to successful employment outcomes for graduates, which means helping you find the career of your dreams. We offer: Access to Symplicity, an online career services management system On-campus interviews and candidate-employer contacts Individual and group career counseling Mock interviews Individual résumé and cover letter review Professional attire and etiquette dinner workshops Workshops on traditional and nontraditional career opportunities Career resource library Job fairs Access to additional job search tools
Goals and Outcomes
The Center is committed to successful employment outcomes for graduates, which means helping students find a path to satisfying employment — not just a job. Students receive individual attention from the Career Services Center. Through a variety of resources and programs, the Center helps students assess their career goals, explore the many job opportunities a law degree makes available and make the transition from law school to the professional world seamless.
Opening Up Opportunities The staff provide career counseling, workshops for résumé preparation and cover letter writing, and individual practice interviews. The Center also brings recruiters to campus and reaches out to employers to encourage the hiring of WVU Law graduates.
Heather Spielmaker, assistant dean for Career Services, and John Weber '19
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Alan Wilson ’14, WilmerHale, LLP, Washington, D.C.
Jeffrey Skeens '17 and Alexandra Shulz '17
YOUR FUTURE The reality is that a law degree does not define you, you define it. You determine what your law degree will do for you. Where will it take you? 26
LIFE AT WVU LAW. It’s no secret that law school is a serious commitment. Classes, reading, studying, research, meetings and more reading; when you have free time, it has to make a difference.
Guest Speakers and More
Engaging guest speakers, usually during the noon hour, range from human rights lawyers and experts in patent law to lawyer-authors, federal attorneys and judges. There are also symposiums, films, luncheons, exhibits and informal nights out hosted by student organizations.
Take a Break
The student lounge is a convenient place to relax and eat. The lobby is a very popular stop between classes, and it is home to a Barnes & Noble bookstore and café. The rooftop garden offers picnic tables, benches and great views of the surrounding area. Throughout the year, programing addresses student well-being, inlcuding the stress-busting Puppy Day.
Former U.S. Senator John D. Rockefeller
Where You’ll Learn
In 2016, WVU Law completed a $26 million, 30,000-square foot expansion and renovation to benefit the student experience. The sweeping project included clinical law offices, classrooms, an additional courtroom, student organization offices, common areas, library improvements and conference rooms. We’ve raised the bar on law school facilities.
Morgan Switzer '17
The John W. Fisher II Courtroom. 27
“I chose WVU Law because I recognized the importance of building relationships with my future colleagues. All of my professors are very approachable and personable, and it's evident that their focus is ensuring students receive an excellent education.” Brittany Givens Class of 2018 West Virginia State University, 2013
SOME NOTABLE ALUMNI Irene C. Berger, Judge, U.S. District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia Stephanie D. Thacker, Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit Marty Becker, Chairman, QBE Insurance Group Robert B. King, Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
“It’s rewarding for me to be a part of WVU Law and its amazing professors and students and their talent and dedication. What really makes WVU Law stand out is the strong sense of community that exists alongside the healthy competitive nature of law school. When students come here, they are able to achieve more because they immediately have a strong support system, from the administration to their classmates and everyone in between. To me, that kind of atmosphere breeds success.” Anthony Gutta Class of 2018 President, Student Bar Association 2017-18 West Virginia University, 2015
John T. Chambers, former Chairman, CEO of Cisco Systems, Inc. William J. Ihlenfeld II, former U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of West Virginia Michael T. Escue, Partner, Sullivan & Cromwell LLP, NY Joseph Robert Goodwin, Judge, U.S. District Court for the Northern District of West Virginia Robert M. Steptoe Jr., Member, Steptoe and Johnson, PLLC Irene Keeley, Judge, U.S. District Court for the Northern District of West Virginia John Thomas Copenhaver Jr., Judge, U.S. District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia Robin Jean Davis, Justice, Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia
“I chose WVU Law because I love West Virginia and care deeply about its future. I knew I wanted to work here in the long run, so the decision was a personal and financial no-brainer for me. I absolutely made the right move. WVU has top-notch professors and a multitude of opportunities to get involved. Law school is like anything else in life — you get out of it what you put into it.” Rebecca Trump Class of 2018 Editor-in-Chief, West Virginia Law Rewview Pennsylvania State University, 2013
“From student organizations, to study abroad experiences, and networking events, WVU Law gives students a wide array of opportunities to choose from and empowers them to make the most of their time here. The faculty and staff will do whatever they can to help you out in doing so. Because of this support, I have been able to work hard, to achieve my goals, and to aspire towards excellence in the legal profession.” Stephen Scott Class of 2019 Vice President, Student Bar Association 2017-18 W.E.B DuBoise Fellow West Virginia University, 2016
Charles M. Love III, Partner, Bowles Rice Margaret L. Workman, Justice, Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia Menis E. Ketchum, Justice, Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia Dwane L. Tinsley, Magistrate Judge, U.S. District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia Thomas B. Bennett, former Chief Judge, U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Alabama Jon D. Levy, Judge, U.S. District Court of Maine Scott Segal, Partner, The Segal Law Firm Ellen S. Cappellanti, Managing Member, Jackson Kelly, PLLC Marvin Masters, The Masters Law Firm, L.C. R obert C. Skaggs Jr., former President and CEO, NiSource Inc. Joseph S. Farland (1914-2007), U.S. Ambassador to Iran, Pakistan, Panama, Dominican Republic Philander C. Knox (1853-1921), U.S. Attorney General, Secretary of State Gene Irisari, Director Government Relations, Texas Instruments Jeffrey Rockwell, Major General, Deputy Judge Advocate General for the U.S. Air Force Ola Adekunle, Patent Counsel, Google 28
DISCOVER THE MOUNTAIN STATE. Mountains are (literally) a big part of who we are. West Virginia’s incredible natural beauty attracts outdoor adventurers from around the world. Beautiful spots to enjoy camping, hiking, mountain biking, skiing and world-class whitewater are nearby.
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EXPLORE CAMPUS. Your New Hometown CollegeRanker named Morgantown #24 on its list of “50 Best College Towns to Live in Forever.” est College Reviews ranked Morgantown #20 on its B “50 Best College Towns in America” list.
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he American Institute for Economic Research ranks T Morganton #18 among the Top 75 College Cities and Towns in America.
MORGANTOWN CAMPUSES 220 BUILDING 1,899 ACRES
HEALTH SCIENCES
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WVU LAW
Enjoy Nature
Our region’s natural beauty is famous, and people around the world sing “Take Me Home, Country Roads.” West Virginia has 37 state parks, 9 state forests and 2 national forests for you to explore.
Facilities
You can take advantage of WVU’s campuswide facilities and amenities — from the Student Recreation Center with its pools, courts and climbing wall to concerts, performances and the excitement of Big 12 Conference athletics.
EVANSDALE
DOWNTOWN
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FAST FACTS
WVU LAW AT-A-GLANCE
West Virginia University was founded in 1867 as a public, land-grant institution. Today, the Morgantown campus has over 28,000 students in 341 degree programs within 14 colleges and schools (including WVU Law).
The WVU College of Law was founded in 1878 and has been ABA accredited since 1923.
8:1
STUDENT-TOFACULTY RATIO
80+
FEDERAL AND STATE JUDGES ARE ALUMNI
72%
76.5%
76%
40,000
OF THE CLASS OF 2020 RECEIVED SCHOLARSHIPS
BAR PASSAGE RATE (July 2016, first-time takers)
WE’RE WORLDWIDE 5,800+ Law alumni worldwide 115 students studied law in Brazil, Mexico and Switzerland (2014 - 2017) 33
CLASS OF 2016 EMPLOYMENT RATE
HOURS PRO BONO SERVICE BY OUR LAW CLINICS
WVU LAW IS ON TOP #2
LAW SCHOOL FOR GREATEST COMMUNITY IMPACT (The National Jurist, 2017)
LAW PROFILE: CLASS OF 2019 Number of students: 106 Average age: 25
#96
TOP SCHOOLS OF LAW
(U.S. News & World Report, 2017)
Age range: 21-48
#34 A
BEST LAW SCHOOL FOR LOW STUDENT DEBT
Female: 41%
A, B+ TOP 25
(Student Loan Hero, 2017)
BEST VALUE LAW SCHOOLS
Male: 59% West Virginia Resident: 77%
(preLaw Magazine, 2016)
Diversity: 9%
TOP PROGRAMS: PUBLIC INTEREST LAW, CRIMINAL LAW
Median LSAT score: 153
(preLaw Magazine, 2016)
LAW SCHOOLS FOR CORPORATE LEADERSHIP
(SEC data, independent research, 2014)
RAISING THE BAR WVU Law students consistently find full-time/long-term Bar Passage Required and J.D. Advantage jobs at rates higher than the national average.
CLASS OF 2016 EMPLOYMENT DATA Bar Passage Required
62.6%
J.D. Advantage
13.9%
Other Professional
1.7%
Pursuing Degree F/T
1.7%
Unemployed Seeking
6.9%
Unemployed Not Seeking
0.8%
Status Unknown
3.4%
Median GPA: 3.32
UBE
West Virginia is one of 28 jurisdictions that have adopted the transferable Uniform Bar Exam.
$111,752
Average national law student debt
AREAS OF PRACTICE Private Practice
46%
Government
9%
Judicial Clerkship
9%
Business
20%
Public Interest
8%
Academic
2%
$82,683
Average WVU Law student debt
SALARY RANGE $30,000 – $145,000 * Ten months after graduation (March 2017) Class size: 115 (source: ABA, NALP)
* Class of 2016
$0 34
JOIN US ON LAW SCHOOL HILL. We’re ready to help you decide if WVU Law is the right fit for you. We hope you’ll join the WVU Law community on Law School Hill.
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WVU Law strives to bring the best and brightest students from a variety of backgrounds into our community. We view the admissions process holistically, so we consider your academic achievements along with your personal interests, contributions and experiences.
HOW TO APPLY Start your application process at lsac.org. After you apply, you will be able to monitor your status and even see your decision online. The following are essential requirements to apply: Bachelor’s degree from an accredited four-year institution Credential Assembly Service (CAS) report WVU Law Application for Admissions (available through LSAC) Please explore the many resources available on our website to help with the admissions and application process, including FAQs, How to Apply and more. Please contact the Admissions office with any questions. We look forward to the opportunity to assist you. law.wvu.edu
ADMISSIONS TIMELINE SEPTEMBER 1
First day applications accepted
OCTOBER 1
Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) available online at fafsa.ed.gov
MARCH 1
A dmissions and financial aid application deadlines
JULY 1
Transfer application deadline
FIRST-YEAR ESTIMATED COSTS TUITION AND FEES
$22,878 (WV residents/Loyalty Tuition Program) $37,818 (Non-WV residents) $29,286 (LL.M.)
BOOKS AND SUPPLIES $3,400 LIVING EXPENSES
$11,970 (estimated)
COMPUTER PURCHASE
$1,500
*2017-18 figures
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WVU LAW COURSE LIST LAWYERING AND SKILLS TRAINING Appellate Advocacy Business Transactions Drafting Child and Family Advocacy Clinic General Practice Clinic Entrepreneurship and Innovation Clinic Family Law Quarterly Federal Agency Externship Federal Judicial Externship Immigration Law Clinic Innocence Project Jessup International Moot Court Land Use and Sustainable Development Clinic Law Review Lawyers and Legislation Legal Interviewing, Counseling and Negotiating Lugar Trial Advocacy Pretrial Litigation Professional Responsibility Taxpayer Advocacy Clinic Trial Advocacy U.S. Supreme Court Clinic Veterans Assistance Project
BUSINESS AND COMMERCIAL LAW Advanced Labor Law Analytical Methods for Lawyers Bankruptcy and Advanced Bankruptcy Business Organizations Business Torts Business Transactions Drafting Coal, Oil and Gas Commercial Law (seminar) Comparative/International Workplace Law (seminar) Contracts II Corporate Governance (seminar) Employment Discrimination Employment Law Entrepreneurship and Innovation Clinic Federal Income Taxation Health Care Law Insurance Law International Business Transactions Labor Law Nonprofit Organizations Payment Systems Sales and Secured Transactions Securities Law State and Local Tax Taxation of Business Entities Trade Regulation (anti-trust)
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ENVIRONMENTAL, ENERGY AND SUSTAINABILITY LAW Agriculture and Food Law Coal, Oil and Gas Energy Law Survey Energy Regulation, Markets and the Environment Environmental Justice Seminar Environmental Litigation Seminar Environmental Protection Law Hazardous Waste Law International Environment Law and Arbitration Land Use and Resilience Law Land Use and Sustainable Development Clinic Natural Resources Law Nuclear Law and Policy Permitting and Siting of Energy Facilities Renewable Energy and Alternative Fuels Sustainable Development Seminar The Energy Business: Law and Strategy The Science and Technology of Energy
FAMILY LAW Child and Family Advocacy Clinic Child Protection and Law Domestic Violence Law Elder Law Estate Planning Family Law Health Care Law Sexuality and the Law (seminar) Wealth Transfers
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY Art Law Business Torts Copyright Law Cultural Property Cyber Law Entrepreneurship and Innovation Clinic Genetic Property and Law (seminar) Intellectual Property Law Patent Prosecution Patent Law Trademark Law
INTERNATIONAL LAW Comparative Brazilian Law (study abroad) Comparative Law in Mexico (study abroad) Comparative Law in Geneva (study abroad)
Immigration Law International Business Transactions International Environmental Law International Human Rights International Law International Trade Law Jewish-Islamic Comparative Law
LABOR AND EMPLOYMENT Comparative and International Workplace Law (seminar) Employment Law Employment Discrimination Entertainment Law Labor Law Law and Socioeconomics (seminar) Sports Law Workers Compensation Law
LITIGATION AND DISPUTE RESOLUTION Advanced Torts (seminar) Alternative Dispute Resolution Appellate Advocacy Civil Rights Conflict of Laws Criminal Procedure I: Investigation Criminal Procedure II: Adjudication E-Discovery Evidence Federal Courts Health Care Torts Pretrial Litigation Post Conviction Remedies Property Law Remedies Trial Evidence
PUBLIC LAW/PUBLIC INTEREST LAW Administrative Law Civil Disobedience (seminar) Civil Rights Constitutional Law II Consumer Law Education Law Election Law Energy Law Environmental Justice (seminar) Environmental Protection Law Income Taxation I Natural Resources Law Privacy Law Public Service Externship State and Local Government Law Taxation Trade Regulation (anti-trust) West Virginia Constitutional Law
PERSPECTIVES Advanced Criminal Law: Case Studies Analytical Methods for Lawyers American Legal History Dying and the Law International Law Jurisprudence Law and Economics Law and Psychology Lawyer as Storyteller Lawyers and Film Lawyers and Literature Lawyers as Leaders Psychology for Lawyers
ADDITIONAL SEMINARS American Constitutional History Animal Law Comparative Constitutional Law Constitutional Litigation Constitutional History Corporate Governance Election Law Intellectual Property International Trade Regulation Issues in Energy Law Land Transactions Lawyers and Legislation Race/Racism and American Law Religion and the Constitution
FIRST-YEAR COURSES (REQUIRED) Civil Procedure Jurisdiction Contracts Criminal Law Civil Procedure Rules Constitutional Law Intro to Legal Research Legislation and Regulation Property Torts Legal Reasoning, Research and Writing (two semesters)
UPPER-LEVEL COURSES (REQUIRED) Appellate Advocacy One Perspective course Professional Responsibility Research seminar One of the following: Trial Advocacy Law Clinic Business Transactions Drafting Federal Externship Program Federal Agency Externship Federal Judicial Externship
Note: Some courses are not offered every year. This list includes principal courses only and is not a substitute for the College of Law Catalog. 38
101 Law School Drive P.O. Box 6130 Morgantown, WV 26506
law.wvu.edu Founded in 1878, the West Virginia University College of Law was accredited by the AALS in 1914 and the ABA in 1923.
air miles
m.
m.
QUESTIONS? Baltimore Washington, D.C.
The WVU Law Admissions Office is your first resource on the path to receiving a top legal education and achieving your dream of becoming a lawyer. Go to law.wvu.edu to learn more.
VISIT US. Visiting us is the best way to determine if WVU Law is right for you. Come to Law School Hill and sit in on a class, meet our current students, faculty and staff, and tour the College. We want to meet you! Go to law.wvu.edu/visitus for more information.
The WVU Board of Governors is the governing body of WVU. The Higher Education Policy Commission in West Virginia is responsible for developing, establishing and overseeing the implementation of a public policy agenda for the state’s four-year colleges and universities. WVU is an EEO/Affirmative Action Employer. Underrepresented class members are encouraged to apply. This includes: minorities, females, individuals with disabilities and veterans.