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College of Law

Purpose of the College

Admission to the Bar

Suggestions for Pre-legal Study

Application for Admission

Decision on Admission

Transfers from Other Schools

Non-degree Candidates

Fees

Grading System

Repeating Failed Courses:

Concurrent Degrees (M.S./Ph.D. in Water Resources, M.S. in Environmental Science and M.Acct. in Accounting) and other Graduate-Level Courses

Donald L. Burnett, Jr., Dean; Elizabeth B. Brandt, Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs; Helen Albertson-Ploucha, Associate Dean for Students and Administration (101 Law Bldg.; 208/885-4977).

The College of Law was organized in 1909 and is the only school devoted to the study of law in the state of Idaho. The college is a member of the Association of American Law Schools and is fully accredited by the American Bar Association.

Purpose of the College

The role of the College of Law is to educate students for the legal profession with its many facets and its involvement in the whole range of society and to prepare students to engage in law-related endeavors in business, government and non-governmental organizations. The curriculum is designed to provide instruction over three academic years in principles generally applicable in the United States and international courts. The responsibilities assumed by professionals are emphasized, as are solutions to ethical problems. The study of law is also an asset to those who wish to hold positions of leadership in government, business or non-profit organizations.

Methods of instruction are adapted to the development of each student's highest potential and vary with the professor and the course. Teaching and learning approaches that encourage individual initiative and develop perception and communication abilities are emphasized. Practical Skills education is emphasized throughout the curriculum. Students are also required to participate in volunteer, law-related service as a condition of graduation. Because law changes rapidly, mere accumulation of information is subordinated to the more important ends of individual development and training in critical habits of thought.

Admission to the Bar

The College of Law is fully accredited by the American Bar Association and is a member of the Association of American Law Schools, and its degree is accepted by all state bar associations. Educational prerequisites vary among states, and the secretary of the bar examiners in the state in which the applicant intends to practice should be contacted to determine the existence of special requirements.

Suggestions for Pre-legal Study

The subject matter of pre-legal education is less important than the quality of work performed. Although the most common pre-law majors are English, social sciences, or business, law students are drawn from a broad range of undergraduate programs from agriculture and engineering to English and philosophy. The study of law requires logical analysis and effective written and oral communication. Any rigorous course of study that develops these skills is good preparation for law school. Beyond this, a well-rounded education is best. American government and western political philosophy are important in public law; economic and accounting concepts are basic to much business and commercial law; history, literature, philosophy, and psychology all provide useful insights into cultural tradition and human motivation that are important to the interpretation and application of law.

Most universities have a pre-law advisor, often through the Political Science Department, to advise students in selecting appropriate pre-law courses. At Idaho, a pre-law advisor is available through the Political Science Department to guide students in selecting courses within the particular college or university that will meet these objectives. The Admissions Office at the College of Law is also available for general consultation in program planning.

Application for Admission

Admission Requirements. Applicants for admission must have a bachelor's degree from an accredited four-year college or university by the date of enrollment at the College of Law. In special cases, it may be possible to be admitted after three years of undergraduate study (contact the College of Law for more information). Applicants must also arrange for a complete Law School Data Assembly Service (LSDAS) report, which consists of a Law School Admission Test (LSAT) score, copies of transcripts, and other relevant information.

Arrangements for taking the LSAT must be made by the individual applicant directly with the Law School Admission Council (LSAC) well in advance of the dates set for the LSAT. The dates and places for the test, application forms, and a bulletin of information about the test may be obtained by writing directly to LSAC, 662 Penn St., Newtown, PA 18940, by calling LSAC at 215/968-1001, or on their web site at www.lsac.org. This information may also be obtained from the pre-law advisor of most colleges and universities.

Commercial materials on the LSAT are available at most bookstores, and LSAT preparation courses may be found in many locations. Applicants are advised to study for the test ahead of time. Old LSAT scores are acceptable as long as an LSDAS Report can be assembled by the testing service.

Registration with the LSDAS is required of all applicants. Instructions on registration for the LSDAS report and an application form for the purpose are contained in the same bulletin that describes the LSAT. Applicants should accomplish this registration at the same time they register for the LSAT. It is the applicant's responsibility to assure that LSDAS has all required information and that the applicant's LSDAS Report is complete for release to the College of Law. Be advised that it may take up to six weeks for an LSDAS Report to reach the College of Law.

Application Deadline. While the College of Law considers applications upon completion, all required admission credentials listed below should be postmarked no later than February 15 to be assured timely consideration for admission in the fall. The College of Law will request an LSDAS Report from LSAC on receipt of an application and application fee. The college is unable to consider the application until an LSDAS Report has been received. This requires applicants to take the LSAT no later than the preceding December. However, in order to assure timely application, the October LSAT, almost a year before admission, is recommended. The college cannot be responsible for delays in the mail or at the LSDAS.

Decision on Admission

Admissions decisions are made by a faculty committee. The college receives many more applications than it can accept. Consequently, the Admissions Committee must deny admission to many who are qualified to study law. In general, offers of admission are extended to those judged to present the greatest promise for success in law school. Matters relating to character are also considered in the admissions process.

Although undergraduate grade point average and LSAT scores are the most important factors used to arrive at this judgment, the committee will consider any additional information that an applicant believes is important in assessing his or her ability to perform law school work. A personal statement often provides insight into an applicant's motivation for attending law school, as well as functioning as a sample of writing ability, and is probably the most helpful additional item for most applicants. Graduate work and/or work experience may provide evidence of achievement and capabilities inadequately addressed by standard credentials. Letters of recommendation and prior written work may also help in assessing an applicant's relative promise. Letters of recommendation should be limited to three, and should address the applicant's ability to engage in critical analysis and to communicate orally and/or in writing. The cultural and socioeconomic background of applicants is also considered to ensure the College of Law remains open to all students, as well as provides an environment in which diverse viewpoints are represented.

As a state-supported institution, the College of Law extends a preference to timely applicants who are Idaho residents. It is possible to establish Idaho residency for tuition purposes either prior to or after enrolling at the College of Law. Residency determinations are made by the University of Idaho Registrar's Office; inquiries about residency should accordingly be directed to that office at 208/885-6731.

Admission to the College of Law is very competitive. The median undergraduate grade point average for enrolled students is typically around 3.40, and the median LSAT score has been 155 in recent years. Statistics for the current year can be found at www.law.uidaho.edu/admissions.

Every effort is made to notify timely applicants of a decision by early April. A small percentage of applicants may be placed in the "standby pool" and may not receive a final decision until late summer, subject to space available in the incoming class.

Upon acceptance, a $200 deposit is required to secure a place in the fall entering class. This deposit will be applied to student fees upon registration. In cases of special need, the deposit may be waived.

Transfers from Other Schools

Space in each law school class is limited. Therefore, only a few transfers into the second year class can be accommodated. Special standards apply, and within these standards, a degree of preference is extended to residents of Idaho. Students transferring into our program are expected to complete at least three semesters at Idaho. Students desiring to study here for a lesser period should arrange to have credits at Idaho accepted toward a degree from the law college in which they are currently enrolled. Before a transfer applicant is considered, we must have a final transcript of all work that will have been undertaken at other law schools on file by the time of transfer. We also require a letter from the dean or associate dean following the completion of all such work that states that the applicant remains in good standing, is eligible to continue without any condition or qualification, and ranks in the top 50 percent of his or her law school class. Consequently, for an applicant currently enrolled in a law school, no decision on transfer will be possible until June or later, when all grades from current work are available. If an applicant attends a summer session of a school of law, it will not be possible to process a final acceptance until the close of the summer session. If an applicant needs some guidance before results of his or her spring semester's work become available, a tentative opinion about probable admissibility may be given.

Non-degree Candidates

Students who are not degree candidates in the College of Law but are enrolled elsewhere at the UI are permitted to register for a course offered by the College of Law if the permissions of the dean or associate dean of the College of Law and the instructor of the course are both granted. Such courses cannot be credited toward a law degree even if the student is later admitted to the College of Law.

Fees

See the section on "Fees and Expenses".

Grading System

Grades for courses taken in the College of Law shall be awarded on the basis of A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C, C-, D+, D, D-, and F; provided, however, that by resolution the law faculty may designate any course, or courses, to be graded on a pass-fail or pass-no pass basis. Any approved course work taken at any other law school will be recorded on the transcript as a "P," if the student earned a "C" or better in that course. No credit will be awarded for work done at another law school if the student earned less than a grade of "C." Up to 6 credit hours of UI graduate level courses may be taken with special permission of the associate dean. Credits will be recorded as "P" for course work in which the student earns a "B" or better. Grades of "P" are not included in calculating a student's grade-point average or class ranking in the College of Law. Exceptions to the above may be made for UI graduate level courses used in the approved UI law/graduate concurrent degree programs.

Grade-point averages of students in the College of Law shall be computed by assigning the following numerical point values per semester hours: A = 4.00; A- = 3.67; B+ = 3.33; B = 3.00; B- = 2.67; C+ = 2.33; C = 2.00; C- = 1.67; D+ = 1.33; D = 1.00; D- = 0.67; F (or "fail" under the pass-fail basis) = 0.00. The cumulative grade-point average is the quotient of total points assigned, divided by total hours undertaken. Courses in which marks of I, W, P (pass) or NP (no pass) have been given shall be disregarded in the computation. All course grades shall be included on the transcript and (except for marks of I, W, P or NP) in the calculation of the grade-point average, even if courses have been repeated. (For further information about repeating courses, see below.)

This grading system applies in determining: (a) eligibility for continuing study in the College of Law; (b) compliance with requirements for the Juris Doctor degree; and (c) class ranking within the College of Law.

Grades in most courses offered by the College of Law are awarded on the basis of performance in a single written examination conducted at the end of the semester. In courses where it is so announced, grades on written projects or classroom participation may be included.

Unless arranged in advance by the professor, students receiving an "incomplete" grade for a course must remove that grade within six weeks after the first day of classes of the following fall or spring semester. Incompletes not made up before that date automatically revert to the grade indicated by the professor as the "permanent" grade, usually an "F." The grade ultimately given will be computed in the GPA for the semester in which the class was begun.

Repeating Courses for Credit: A student who has completed a law school course in which s/he has received a grade of C-, D+, D, or D- may repeat that law school course once (the "repeated course"), subject to the following conditions:

  1. The credit hours earned by the student upon completion of the repeated course shall appear on the law school transcript, but shall not be applied toward the total number of required credit hours for award of the Juris Doctor degree by the College of Law.
  2. The grade earned by the student upon completion of the repeated course shall appear on the student's law school transcript, but shall not be calculated as part of the student's law school grade point average.

Repeating Failed Courses:

  1. A student who has completed a law school course in which s/he has received a grade of F (the "failed course") shall receive no credit hours for application toward the total number of required credit hours for award of the Juris Doctor degree by the College of Law, but the grade shall be calculated as part of the student's law school grade point average.
  2. If the failed course is a course required for graduation the student must repeat the course and receive a grade above an F, in order to satisfy the graduation requirements. If the failed course is not required for graduation, the student may repeat the course one time only. If a student repeats a failed course and passes the course, the credit hours and grade received in the repeated course shall be treated as follows:
    1. The credit hours earned by the student upon completion of the repeated course shall appear on the law school transcript and shall be applied toward the total number of required credit hours for award of the Juris Doctor degree by the College of Law.
    2. The grade earned by the student upon completion of the repeated course shall appear on the student's law school transcript, but shall not be calculated as part of the student's law school grade point average.

Concurrent Degrees (M.S./Ph.D. in Water Resources, M.S. in Environmental Science and M.Acct. in Accounting) and other Graduate-Level Courses

Graduate-level courses used toward an approved concurrent law degree must be approved by the College of Law. Grades and credits earned in these approved graduate courses will not be calculated in the student's institutional College of Law GPA or College of Law class ranking.

For information on the concurrent J.D./M.Acct. see the Accounting section. For information on the concurrent J.D./M.S. and J.D./Ph.D. degrees, see the Program in Environmental Science sections and the Program in Water Resources, respectively. UI graduate-level courses will be recorded on the law student's academic record as a comment only.

For the concurrent J.D./M.Acct., J.D./M.S., and J.D./Ph.D. degrees, a student will be required to complete both degrees for the College of Law to count twelve credits towards the J.D. degree. If a student fails to receive the M.Acct., M.S. or Ph.D. degree a maximum of six semester credits earned in the M.Acct., M.S., or Ph.D. program may count towards the J.D. degree with the approval of the College of Law associate dean. Information on the JD/MBA Concurrent degree program offered in cooperation with Washington State University, please contact the College of Law.

Additional Information

For detailed information about the College of Law, see the College of Law Catalog or visit their website, www.uidaho.edu/law.