The University of Arizona James E. Rogers College of Law
The information on this page was provided by the law school.
Official Guide to ABA-Approved JD Programs
Introduction
The University of Arizona James E. Rogers College of Law has a long-standing national reputation for educational excellence and rigor. We value diversity of thought, background, experience, and culture in every dimension of the law school experience.
In the words of our students, University of Arizona Law 鈥渄efies all stereotypes鈥� when it comes to the experience you might expect at a top-tier law school. We pride ourselves on our famously collegial community, direct access to renowned faculty, a career development office with one of the best track records in the country, and a forward-thinking mindset that continuously seeks out new opportunities for our students.
But we鈥檙e more than just a law school.
Arizona Law is part of the University of Arizona, one of the country鈥檚 top research institutions, where you鈥檒l find people celebrating the successful launch of a UA-led NASA mission right alongside another win from the championship basketball team. UA鈥檚 programs in environmental science, astronomy, optics, and geology are among the world鈥檚 best. The Eller College of Management鈥攏ext door to the law school鈥攄elivers top-ranked programs available to law students seeking careers in law and business. Arizona Law faculty and students also work with many other highly regarded programs across campus, depending on their career and research interests.
The University of Arizona and Arizona Law have a strong history of serving military veterans, providing 鈥渙ne-stop鈥� assistance and additional support. International students will find a welcoming community and well-developed services such as the Center for English as a Second Language.
Beyond UA鈥檚 borders lies the metropolitan Tucson area of about one million people. We enjoy some 350 days each year of sunny weather, perfect for exploring outdoor activities and Tucson鈥檚 spectacular landscape. Here you will never run out of delicious food鈥擳ucson was recently named a United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World City of Gastronomy, the first city in the United States to receive the designation. And while Tucson is culturally rich, it remains the most affordable big city in the United States, so you can afford to enjoy all the city offers.
The College
Since its founding in 1915, Arizona Law has graduated more than 7,000 alumni who currently work in 49 states and 40 countries, constituting an international network that never fails to support our students.
With a diverse, international student body of about 450, students benefit from small class sizes (more than 140 upper-division classes with fewer than 25 students), individualized support, and close working relationships with faculty who are leaders in their respective fields. A distinguishing feature of Arizona Law is its emphasis on individualized, highly supportive legal education. The rich resources of the UA are accessible to students who want interdisciplinary study. The college is home to the Rehnquist Center and is affiliated with the National Law Center for Inter-American Free Trade. The college has program partnerships with the Eller College of Management/McGuire Center for Entrepreneurship and many other collaborations with colleges and departments at the UA.
Fourteen faculty members have been elected to the American Law Institute. There are some 100 to 150 speaker and workshop events held annually at the college, ranging from Supreme Court justices to high-profile practitioners and other lecturers, to accomplished alumni who return to work with students.
Arizona Law is accredited by the American Bar Association (ABA) and is one of 80 law schools nationwide to maintain a chapter of the Order of the Coif, the prestigious national law academic honor society.
Admission
Admission to Arizona Law is selective.
Arizona Law is the only law school in the country that .
Additional required application materials include academic record, personal statement, and letters of recommendation. Additional factors considered include the nature and rigor of the undergraduate experience; graduate education; work and travel experience; unique talents or accomplishments; significant extracurricular activities; leadership, strength of character, and integrity; substantial community service; significant challenges overcome; tribal affiliation of applicants who are enrolled members of federally recognized tribes; and other circumstances that have influenced the candidate鈥檚 life or given him or her direction. Arizona Law fosters a dynamic learning community and welcomes students who bring diverse perspectives, ideas, and varied life experiences to the educational process.
Applications will be accepted and reviewed on a rolling basis until July 1.
Library and Physical Facilities
Arizona Law鈥檚 state-of-the-art building and library, the Law Commons, is designed to enhance student learning and engagement. The Daniel F. Cracchiolo Law Library is one of the foremost legal research facilities in the Southwest. It is a fully networked, technologically sophisticated facility that is constantly evolving to meet research and student needs. Students also have access to the resources of the Arizona Health Sciences Library and university libraries, with collections exceeding 11 million volumes. Students have 24/7 access to the law library.
Curriculum
A rigorous curriculum focused on traditional areas of law and core skills鈥攃oupled with innovative, multidisciplinary programs in emerging areas of law鈥攁llows Arizona Law graduates to effectively compete in a fast-moving, increasingly global environment.
We offer a full-time JD program, typically completed in six consecutive semesters of study. International JD students who have completed a law degree outside the United States may receive a JD in two years or less, which qualifies them to sit for the bar examination in American jurisdictions. (See below for information on .)
During the first year, you are assigned to a small section鈥攗sually 28鈥�30 students鈥攁nd coursework is largely predetermined. First-year students may select one elective from an approved list in the second semester. You also enroll in a year-long course in Legal Analysis, Writing, and Research conducted in very small classes with intensive faculty support and mentoring.
In your second and third years, you have considerable flexibility in choosing your coursework, and may concentrate on a broad, general curriculum or focus your studies in a specific area of law. are available in Indigenous Peoples Law and Policy, Family and Juvenile Law, Environmental Law, International Economic Law and Policy, Criminal Law and Policy, Business Litigation, Transactional Business Law, Tax Law and Policy, Health Law, and Intellectual Property. Other strengths include Trial Advocacy, Global Programs, Civil Justice, Mining Law, and Data and Empirical Studies.
Every area of our curriculum is supported by faculty who are recognized scholars in their field and who uphold the college鈥檚 commitment to providing a highly individualized and supportive legal education.
The great majority of our students participate in meaningful experiential鈥攐r 鈥渉ands-on鈥濃攍earning through , workshops, and special projects. Arizona Law guarantees clinical placement for every student who wants it. Offerings include:
- Child and Family Law Clinic
- Immigration Law Clinic
- Indigenous Peoples Clinic
- Tribal Courts Clinic
- Criminal Prosecution Clinic
- International Human Rights Advocacy Workshop
- Veteran鈥檚 Clinic
- Arizona Attorney General Clinic
- Civil Rights Restoration Clinic
- Wrongful Conviction Clinic
- Intellectual Property & Entrepreneurship Clinic
(Please check for an updated list.)
Four provide forums for you to pursue scholarly writing and hone your editing skills.
Many of our students benefit from supervised, credit-bearing internships and externships that reflect their individual interests. In Washington, DC, students have worked in congressional offices, executive agencies, the White House, and a wide range of nonprofit organizations. In Arizona and other states, students have worked in governors鈥� offices, state legislatures, many state agencies, and tribal governments.
Under Arizona Law leadership, the Arizona Supreme Court approved an initiative allowing law students meeting certain criteria to sit for the Arizona Bar Exam in the spring of their 3L year, thus making it possible for you to be more competitive in entering the employment market, or to take another state bar exam in the summer. Students who elect this option will participate in an intensive 鈥減ost-bar curriculum鈥� after the bar and before graduation in May. Arizona is also a Uniform Bar Exam state, meaning that your score can be transferred to seek admission in more than 20 other UBE jurisdictions, including Colorado, Utah, New York, and Washington, DC. More details on your bar exam options are on .
Dual-Degree, LLM, and SJD Programs
As part of one of the strongest research universities in the nation, students interested in interdisciplinary study have a wealth of resources and options. Existing include JD/PhD programs in Philosophy, Psychology, or Economics; JD/MA programs in Indian Studies, Latin American Studies, Gender and Women鈥檚 Studies, or Information Resources and Library Science; both a three-year and a four-year JD/MBA, in conjunction with the Eller College of Management; a JD/MPA; a JD/MPH; a JD/MS in Economics, Law, and the Environment; and a JD/MMF in Management and Finance.
You need not pursue a dual degree in order to study in another area, however. Many of our students take courses in business, science, or the social sciences, with up to six credits countable toward the JD degree. As many UA faculty are involved in multidisciplinary or interdisciplinary work, students with strong interests may be involved in special faculty projects.
The college offers LLM programs in International Economic Law and Policy and Indigenous Peoples Law and Policy, as well as the SJD鈥攖he Doctor of Juridical Science degree.
Tuition and Financial Aid
Arizona Law offers one of the most affordable, high-quality legal educations in the country, thanks to low resident and nonresident tuition and our generous scholarship options. In the 2015-16 academic year, nearly 80 percent of students received a grant or scholarship. Please consult the for current tuition rates and detailed financial aid information.
Career Development
Arizona Law鈥檚 helps you develop the professional skills you need to launch a successful career in a wide range of practice areas and work settings. Innovative programs offered through the Career Development Office consistently produce outstanding results. Our students routinely maintain one of the highest rates of 1L summer legal clerkships and internships in the country. The office hosts more than 120 employers as part of the on- and off-campus interviewing programs, facilitating interviews with employers in major metropolitan areas, including Albuquerque, Atlanta, Chicago, Denver, Houston, Las Vegas, Miami, New York City, Phoenix, and Washington, DC. The annual on-campus Sonoran Desert Career Fair attracts a wide range of regional employers, and the office maintains an assistant dean for employer outreach in Phoenix to connect with employers and facilitate student opportunities with them. Finally, a well-developed judicial clerkship program helps students secure prestigious jobs in numbers that far outpace the national average. We are committed to transparency in employment information: details on year-specific employment are available on .
Student Activities
The Student Bar Association (SBA) is an autonomous organization that promotes a cohesive community and consults with the administration to ensure that student interests are well represented in college decision-making. The SBA also operates as an umbrella organization for recognized student groups, offers mentoring and support to students, and plans college-wide social events.
In a typical year, between 30 and 40 student organizations are active at Arizona Law, sponsoring social gatherings, lectures and learning opportunities, academic support and study sessions, and career networking. Other important student activities focus on career preparation through active moot court and trial skills competition teams. The Arizona Law Review, the Arizona Journal of International and Comparative Law, the Arizona Journal of Environmental Law & Policy, and the Arizona Law Journal of Emerging Technology provide substantial opportunities for scholarly writing.
In addition to a wide range of hands-on learning opportunities sponsored by the college, Arizona Law students frequently partner with outside groups for law-related activities, including the Volunteer Lawyers Program, local and state bar associations, and community-based nonprofit groups.