University of Connecticut School of Law

Background

Founded in 1921, the Law School is accredited by the American Bar Association, and is a member of the Association of American Law Schools. The campus is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Its gothic-style buildings, constructed in 1925 (except for the new library, which was completed in 1996), housed the Hartford Seminary until 1981, and are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. UConn Law has repeatedly been ranked the top public law school in New England by U.S. News and World Report, and the University of Connecticut is also ranked among the top 20 public research universities nationally.

Academics

In addition to the Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree, the law school offers several joint degrees, including the J.D./LL.M. (Juris Doctor/Master of Laws, Insurance Law), J.D./M.B.A. (Juris Doctor/Master of Business Administration), J.D./M.L.S. (Juris Doctor/Master of Library Science), J.D./M.P.A. (Juris Doctor/Master of Public Affairs Administration), J.D./M.P.H. (Juris Doctor/Master of Public Health), and J.D./M.S.W. (Juris Doctor/Master of Social Work). UConn Law offers the only LL.M in insurance law in the United States. The faculty are known particularly for their strength in insurance law and intellectual property law.

The law school has approximately 620 students and a student:faculty ratio of 11:1. Entering first-year students join small discussion-based courses of only 20-30 students. Students may pursue concentrations in corporate law, criminal law, environmental law, family law, intellectual property law, international law, juvenile law, labor law, litigation, tax law, torts and insurance, legal theory, information technology law, property and land, child advocacy, and policy.

In addition, clinics provide hands-on, practical training to upper-level students who earn up to 10 credits for their work; strong and widely recognized asylum and human rights, criminal law, appellate, child advocacy, immigration, intellectual property, and tax clinics are available. Seminars in a multitude of different substantive areas are available to upper-level students for about 3 credits. Internships, and field work are available to upper-level students. Research positions are open to upper-level students under the direction of a faculty adviser.

Library

The Law Library contains 645,754 hard-copy volumes and 222,856 microform volume equivalents, and subscribes to 5,704 serial publications. The facility, 120,000-square-foot (11,000 m²), is one of the largest law libraries in the country. There are 400 individual study carrels, 14 study rooms, computer laboratories, a rare book and manuscript center, a student lounge, periodical reading rooms and more than 70,000 feet (21,000 m) of shelving. Collections include federal and state statutes as well as judicial opinions, treatises and other primary sources. There are substantial collections of international legal materials, U.S. government publications, and insurance law materials. The library recently underwent a $21 million renovation, and reopened in June 2009. Recently, the library was named as one of "The 50 Most Amazing University Libraries in the World."

The Law Library works closely with the University of Connecticut Libraries, which form the largest public research collection in the state of Connecticut. The main library is the Homer D. Babbidge Library, formerly the Nathan Hale Library, at the Storrs campus, which underwent a $3 million renovation that was completed in 1998, making it then the largest public research library in New England. The Storrs campus is also home to the university's Music and Pharmacy libraries, as well as the Thomas J. Dodd Research Center, home to the university's archives and special collections, including university records, rare books, and manuscript collections. Each of the regional campuses also have their own libraries, including the Jeremy Richard Library at UConn-Stamford and the Trecker Library in West Hartford. These libraries are tied into the Babbidge library through a shared catalogue.

The Babbidge-based collection, which places UConn among the top 30 universities in the nation for both library holdings and funding, contains more than 2.5 million print volumes; approximately 2,500 current print periodicals; more than 35,000 unique electronic journals available through the eJournal locator; 2.8 million units of microform; 180,000 maps at the Map and Geographic Information Center (New England's largest public map collection); thousands of electronic books; and an array of free electronic information sources. The UCL also license approximately 265 electronic search databases, many of which contain the full-text of research journals, monographs, and historic documents. Additionally, UConn is the home of the Roper Center for Public Opinion Research, which is the world's most comprehensive survey and public opinion data library.

Law Journals and Publications

There are four scholarly journals edited on campus: the Connecticut Law Review, the Connecticut Public Interest Law Journal, the Connecticut Insurance Law Journal, and the Connecticut Journal of International Law. The Connecticut Law Review is the oldest, largest, and most active student-run publication at the School of Law. Five times per year, the organization publishes a high quality journal of interest to the general legal community. The journal has a circulation that spans all 50 states as well as 19 foreign countries. Members of Connecticut Law Review are responsible for the entire production process from article selection and editing through the layout of the final copy.

Employment

According to University of Connecticut's official 2013 ABA-required disclosures, 41.2% of the Class of 2013 obtained full-time, long-term, JD-required employment nine months after graduation, excluding solo practitioners. University of Connecticut's Law School Transparency under-employment score is 23.5%, indicating the percentage of the Class of 2013 unemployed, pursuing an additional degree, or working in a non-professional, short-term, or part-time job nine months after graduation.

Costs

The total cost of attendance (indicating the cost of tuition, fees, and living expenses) at University of Connecticut School of Law:

Juris Doctorate:

In State = $45,444

Northeast Compact = $65,752

Out of State = $75, 362

After one year of residency, students are able to apply for in-state tuition to help reduce costs of tuition.

Master of Laws:

Insurance Law = $50, 128

U.S. Legal Studies = $48, 424

Human Rights and Social Justice = $48, 424

Energy and Environmental Law = $48, 424

Doctor of Law = $34, 512

Tuition costs for Master of Laws and Doctor of Law programs is for all students (in state, northeast compact, and out of state).

The Law School Transparency estimated debt-financed cost of attendance for three years is at maximum $226, 086 for out-of-state residents, but there is the opportunity to apply for in-state tuition after one year of residency in Connecticut, so this cost is dramatically reduced to $166, 250.

Professors

Sara Bronin
Peter Lindseth, Olimpiad S. Ioffe Professor of International and Comparative Law

Alumni

Bethany J. Alvord, 1982, Judge of the Connecticut Appellate Court

Elizabeth B. Amato, 1982, Senior Vice President at United Technologies Corporation

Leonard C. Boyle, 1983, Deputy Chief State's Attorney (Operations) for the State of Connecticut; Chief, Criminal Division at the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Connecticut (1999-2004); Commissioner of the State of Connecticut Department of Public Safety (2004-2007); Director of the FBI's Terrorist Screening Center (2007-2009)

Vanessa Lynne Bryant, 1978, U.S. District Judge for the United States District Court for the District of Connecticut

Eric D. Coleman, 1977, Deputy President pro tempore in the Connecticut Senate.

Joe Courtney, 1978, U.S. Representative for Connecticut's Second District

Alfred V. Covello, 1960, Senior U.S. District Judge for the United States District Court for the District of Connecticut

Bill Curry, 1977, political analyst and journalist; two-time Democratic nominee for Governor of Connecticut; White House advisor in the administration of Bill Clinton

Emilio Q. Daddario, 1942, U.S. Representative for Connecticut's First Congressional District (1959-1971)

John A. Danaher III, 1980, Judge of the Connecticut Superior Court; Commissioner, Connecticut Department of Public Safety (2007-2010); U.S. Attorney for the District of Connecticut (2001-2002)

Robert M. DeCrescenzo, 1988, Shareholder at Updike, Kelly & Spellacy, P.C.; Mayor of East Hartford, Connecticut (1993-1997)

Alexandra Davis DiPentima, 1979, Chief Judge of the Connecticut Appellate Court

Christopher F. Droney, 1979, U.S. Circuit Judge for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit

Dennis G. Eveleigh, 1972, Associate Justice of the Connecticut Supreme Court

J. Michael Farren, 1982, Deputy White House Counsel to President George W. Bush

C. Frank Figliuzzi, 1987, Assistant Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation Counterintelligence Division (2011-2012)

Robert Giaimo, 1943, U.S. Representative for Connecticut's Third Congressional District (1959-1981)

Mary Glassman, 1986, First Selectman of Simsbury, Connecticut

Bernard F. Grabowski, 1952, U.S. Representative from Connecticut (1963-1967)

F. Herbert Gruendel, 1984, Judge of the Connecticut Appellate Court

Wesley W. Horton, 1970, appellate attorney who argued Kelo v. New London on behalf of the New London before the U.S. Supreme Court and partner at Horton, Shields & Knox, P.C.

Denise R. Johnson, 1974, First woman appointed to the Vermont Supreme Court

Joette Katz, 1972, Associate Justice of the Connecticut Supreme Court (1992-2011)

Christine E. Keller, 1977, Judge of the Connecticut Appellate Court

Edward Kennedy, Jr., 1997, Member of the Connecticut Senate representing the 12th Senate District; Member at Epstein Becker & Green, P.C.

Robert M. Langer, 1973, head of Wiggin and Dana LLP's Antitrust and Consumer Protection Practice Group

Richard Lehr, 1984, veteran journalist, author, and Professor of Journalism at Boston University

Douglas S. Lavine, 1977, Judge of the Connecticut Appellate Court

Martin Looney, 1985, Majority Leader, Connecticut Senate

Konstantina Lukes, 1966, Mayor of Worcester, Massachusetts (2007-2010)

Robert J. Lynn, 1975, Associate Justice of the New Hampshire Supreme Court

Joan G. Margolis, 1978, U.S. Magistrate Judge for the United States District Court for the District of Connecticut

Donna F. Martinez, 1978, U.S. Magistrate Judge for the United States District Court for the District of Connecticut

Thomas Joseph Meskill, 1956, Chief Judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit (1992-1993); Governor of Connecticut (1971-1975); U.S. Representative for Connecticut's Sixth Congressional District (1967-1971)

Chris Murphy, 2002, U.S. Senator from Connecticut

Kathleen Murphy, 1987, President, Fidelity Personal Investing, a unit of Fidelity Investments; former Chief Executive Officer of ING U.S. Wealth Management; named to Fortune Magazine's 50 Most Powerful Women in Business List

Kevin J. O'Connor, 1992, Associate Attorney General of the United States (2008-2009); U.S. Attorney for District of Connecticut (2002-2006)

Richard N. Palmer, 1977, Associate Justice of the Connecticut Supreme Court

Randall Pinkston, 1980, CBS News Correspondent

Juan Ramirez, Jr., 1975, Judge of the Florida District Court of Appeals, Third District

Ronald A. Sarasin, 1963, U.S. Representative for Connecticut's Fifth Congressional District (1973-1979)

Pedro Segarra, 1985, Mayor of Hartford, Connecticut (2010-2015)

Mickey Sherman, 1971, criminal defense attorney who represented Michael Skakel

William St. Onge, 1948, U.S. Representative for Connecticut's Second Congressional District (1963-1970)

Kevin Sullivan, 1982, Connecticut's 86th Lieutenant Governor, served as Senate President Pro Tempore from 1997 - 2004 in the Connecticut Senate

Christine S. Vertefeuille, 1975, Senior Associate Justice of the Connecticut Supreme Court

Ariane D. Vuono, 1984, Associate Justice of the Massachusetts Appeals Court

Terence S. Ward, 1982, Federal Defender for the District of Connecticut

William A. Webb, 1974, U.S. Magistrate Judge for the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina

Deans of the School of Law

1. 1921—1933 George Lilliard
2. 1932—1933 Farrell Knapp
3. 1933—1934 Thomas A. Larremore
4. 1934—1942 Edward Graham Biard
5. 1942—1946 Laurence J. Ackerman
6. 1946—1966 Bert Earl Hopkins, J.S.D.
7. 1966—1967 Cornelius J. Scanlon (interim)
8. 1967—1972 Howard R. Sacks
9. 1972—1974 Francis C. Cady (interim)
10. 1974—1984 Phillip I. Blumberg
11. 1984—1990 George Schatzki
12. 1990—2000 Hugh C. MacGill
13. 2000—2006 Nell Jessup Newton
14. 2006—2007 Kurt A. Strasser (interim)
15. 2007—2012 Jeremy R. Paul
16. 2012—2013 Willajeanne F. McLean (interim)
17. 2013— Timothy S. Fisher

Statistics

Class of 2012 profile

Applications: 3,295

Acceptance Rate: 17%

First Year Students Enrolled: 187

Total J.D. Students Enrolled: 671

Women: 43%

Minorities: 21%

Median LSAT: 161

Median GPA: 3.38

Day Division 25th-75th percentiles LSAT: 158/163

Day Division 25th-75th percentiles GPA: 3.20/3.59

Average Age: 26