The Law School is a part of the College of William & Mary, one of Virginia's public institutions of higher learning. We offer a three-year J.D. degree program of full-time study and the joint degrees, combining Law and Master of Business Administration, Law and Master of Public Policy, and Law and Master of Arts in American Studies. The LL.M. program in the American Legal System is also offered for international students. The Law School's total enrollment is 635 students.

STUDENT BODY PROFILE: The 635 students enrolled in 2007-08 have origins from 46 states, the District of Columbia and 7 countries. They hold baccalaureate degrees from 239 institutions. Click here for a list of the undergraduate institutions represented by our students. Eighteen percent are self-identified as students of color and the male/female ratio is 50%/50%. Approximately 54 percent are recipients of a scholarship or fellowship. The average age is 25.

CLASS OF 2010 ADMISSION PROFILE: The number of applicants to the Class of 2010 was 4250. The entering class numbered 217 students and the median LSAT score was 164 (91st percentile) and the median undergraduate GPA was 3.68.   Please see the Entering Class Profile for more information.

LOCATION: In the heart of historic Williamsburg, Virginia, halfway between Richmond and Virginia Beach, and three hours south of Washington, D.C. Accessible by Interstate 64, AMTRAK or airlines serving Richmond, Norfolk or Williamsburg/Newport News International Airports.

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WILLIAM & MARY HISTORY: Chartered in 1693 by King William III and Queen Mary II as the second college in America. First Chair of Law in the United States, established in 1779. First Bachelor of Law degree in the United States awarded by William & Mary in 1793. Law continuously taught here until the College closed during the Civil War. The Law School reopened in 1920.

TUITION & FEES 2008-09: $20,146 (Virginia residents); $30,346 (out-of-state residents).

FINANCIAL AID: Graduate Fellowships (partial tuition waiver plus a $4,000 stipend) were awarded to 188 students and approximately $1,037,000 in scholarships were dispursed to 175 J.D. students for 2007-08.  The median scholarship amount was $5,000.

Merit Scholarships and Fellowships: Applicants selected for admission are automatically considered for merit scholarships awarded by the Law School using the criteria submitted to complete the application for admission. No additional information is required.

Need-Based Scholarships and Educational Loans: Applicants seeking need-based scholarships and/or educational loans must file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).  The FAFSA may be filed online at www.fafsa.ed.gov. (opens in new window).

FACULTY 2007-08: 36 full-time faculty and 65 practicing lawyers and judges teaching Legal Skills and other specialized courses. Faculty includes authors of leading texts and treatises in Administrative Law, Commercial Law, Constitutional Law, Criminal Law, Environmental Law, Legal Ethics, Military Law, and Taxation. To learn more about our faculty and their publications, please visit the faculty pages.

LEGAL SKILLS PROGRAM: Nationally-recognized program to develop practical lawyering skills and professional responsibility. Four semesters of practice in a simulated law firm. Training in legal research and writing, drafting, client and witness interviewing, negotiating, trial and appellate advocacy, and legal ethics. Winner of the inaugural ABA Gambrell Award for Professionalism.

THE McGLOTHLIN MOOT COURTROOM: The most technologically-advanced trial and appellate courtroom in the world and home of the Center for Legal and Court Technology and the Courtroom 21 Project. Includes real-time transcription; multi-frame voice-activated television cameras; remote video arraignment; teleconferencing; multiple video conferencing for judge, counsel and witness; facilities for the hearing-impaired and other assistive technology; computers for judge, counsel and jurors; LEXIS and WESTLAW; 143-language translation capability and much more!  For more information, click here.

LIBRARY AND RESEARCH FACILITIES: Total holdings approximately 400,000 volumes including the Thomas Jefferson Collection and other valuable works in the Rare Book Room. Twenty-four hour library access for law students, two computer labs, and more than 500 seats. Resources include extensive video and electronic collections, ready access to LexisNexis and Westlaw, and self-teaching programs from the Center for Computer-Assisted Legal Instruction (CALI). Online databases accessible over the Law School's wireless network or from home. For more information, click here.

THE INSTITUTE OF BILL OF RIGHTS LAW: Supports research and education on the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. Sponsors educational programs for various audiences. Annual Supreme Court Preview features prominent journalists and legal scholars. Recent symposia examined civil rights, drug testing in the workplace, and freedom of expression. Student Division programs have explored "Gays, Lesbians and the Meaning of Family," "Rock, Rap, and the First Amendment," "The Second Amendment: The Right to Bear Arms," and "Juvenile Justice." To learn more, please click here.

CLINICAL/EXTERNSHIP PROGRAMS: Opportunities for students to work for academic credit in law and law related offices. Placements have included work in federal and state courts, Virginia General Assembly, employee relations, attorney general practice, environmental law, international law, nonprofit law, domestic violence, federal tax and legal aid.

SUMMER ABROAD PROGRAM: Courses are taught by both William & Mary and host institution faculty in Madrid, Spain. To learn more, click here.

ALUMNI and CO-COUNSEL PROGRAM: Matches law students one-on-one with alumni residing in all 50 states, Washington, DC, Puerto Rico and approximately 36 other countries, for mentoring, career counseling and moral support.

HOUSING: Graduate housing complex directly adjacent to the Law School; includes 2-, 3- and 4-bedroom air-conditioned apartments with shared kitchen, bath and furnished living area. To learn more about the graduate housing complex, click here.

STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS: Students currently participate in approximately 30 student organizations outside the classroom. Competitive organizations, public service organizations, special interest groups and the Student Bar Association offer co-curricular activities for everyone.

STUDENT PUBLICATIONS:

• The William and Mary Law Review. First published in 1957, the Law Review is the Law School's oldest journal. Staff typically chose about 20 articles on a wide array of topics from between 900-1,000 articles submitted annually for its five volumes. It recently ranked as the 19th most cited of more than 900 law journals.
• The William & Mary Bill of Rights Journal. The Journal explores constitutional issues, such as individual and civil liberties, state and federal powers and the separation of those powers. It now ranks 3rd for consitutional law journals.
• The William and Mary Environmental Law and Policy Review. The Review provides a forum for the discussion of environmental law and policy. It recently ranked 10th in environmental, natural resources and land use journals.
• The William and Mary Journal of Women and the Law. The Journal focuses debate on gender-related issues and encourages discussion about the impact that gender bias in the law has on society and women's lives. It recently ranked 5th in gender, sexuality and the law journals.
• The Advocate. The Law School's student newspaper publishes feature articles, news, sports, editorials, humor and political commentary written by members of the Law School community. Opinion pieces are printed unedited to encourage dialogue among students, faculty and staff.

MOOT COURT PROGRAM: Teams compete annually in 17 national tournaments, including those sponsored by the New York City Bar and the ABA and others concerning medical ethics, evidence, products liability, and environmental, securities, and constitutional law. For more information please see the Moot Court team's Web page.

NATIONAL TRIAL TEAM PROGRAM:  Team members compete nationally against other top law schools.  Students selected to the team participate in a comprehensive development program that begins in the spring semester of their first year.  The program includes up to six academic credits of trial advocacy courses designed specifically for team members by the team’s advisor, Jeffrey Breit, a prominent trial attorney and past president of the Virginia Trial Lawyers Association.  In 2006-07, the team's many successes culminated in first place finishes at the ABA Employment Law Tournament in Washington D.C. and the prestigious Gourley Moot Court Tournament in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania.

HUMAN RIGHTS AND NATIONAL SECURITY LAW PROGRAM: This program focuses on the interplay between national defense and the protection of civil rights. The Program's Distinguished Lecture Series and co-sponsored symposia bring leading experts to campus each semester to foster discussion and debate about on-going and emerging issues. For more information click here.

ELECTION LAW PROGRAM: Created in 2005 as a joint venture of the National Center for State Courts and the Law School, the Election Law Program seeks to provide practical assistance to state court judges in the United States who are called upon to resolve difficult election law disputes.

PROPERTY RIGHTS PROJECT: The William & Mary Property Rights Project encourages legal scholarship on the role that property rights play in society. The Project's annual Brigham-Kanner Property Rights Conference explores recent developments in areas such as takings litigation and takings law.

THERAPEUTIC JURISPRUDENCE PROGRAM: Devoted to the study of law as a therapeutic agent, the Therapeutic Jurisprudence Program focuses on improving the administration of justice so that it has a positive effect on individuals, their families and the community.

WILLIAM & MARY TAX CONFERENCE: An annual two-day event featuring government officials and leading tax practitioners from around the country. For more information, please see the Tax Conference Web pages.

RANKINGS: The Law School recognizes that prospective students often want to look at law school rankings. We do not endorse such rankings, but for those who are interested, please visit the U.S. News & World Report website.

VISITORS ARE WELCOME: Candidates for admission and interested individuals are invited to visit the Law School. You can call the Admission Office to arrange an informational meeting with an admission dean and to schedule a tour of the Law School (phone numbers are available from our contacts page), or you can click here to arrange a visit.

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