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University of Connecticut UCONN - School of Law

University of Connecticut UCONN - School of Law

University of Connecticut UCONN - School of Law

Introduction

The University of Connecticut School of Law is the top-ranked public law school in the Northeast, offering JD (Juris Doctor), LLM (Master of Laws), and SJD (Doctor of the Science of Laws) degrees. The JD program offers Day and Evening divisions, as well as 5 on-campus LLM programs and an Executive LLM in Seoul, Korea. The UConn School of Law is accredited by the American Bar Association and is a member of the Association of American Law Schools.

The 17-acre UConn Law campus, consisting of five Collegiate Gothic buildings in the West End of Hartford, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The five-story Thomas J. Meskill Law Library is one of the largest law libraries in the world. The campus lies 25 miles from the University's main campus in Storrs and just a few miles from the University's Hartford Campus, as well as the state Capitol, state courts, and the headquarters of leading insurance companies and other major corporations.

The faculty includes leading scholars, experienced practitioners, and internationally known experts in a wide range of fields. The school also draws dozens of adjunct faculty members from the judiciary, area corporations, and private practice. At 5:1, the student-faculty ratio is among the lowest in the nation, and academic offerings include more than 150 courses each calendar year. The law school also has 12 clinical programs and six field placement programs.

Big School Reputation, Small School Feel

Experience the best public law school in the Northeast, where the broad opportunities and flexibility of a large law school merge with the warmth and support of a small one. At UConn School of Law, a 5:1 student-faculty ratio and small classes foster individual attention from the faculty and cultivate engagement in the classroom, complementing a culture that emphasizes diversity and wellness. Students may design a unique and individual course of study from a wide array of courses and enrich it with certificates, clinics, and field placements to meet their own personal and professional goals. The powerful combination of UConn Law’s flexible curriculum and its commitment to each student’s well-being provides a dynamic education and a pathway to a successful and meaningful legal career.

Statistics

At the UConn School of Law, students find a spirit of collaboration in the classroom, practical experience and opportunities in clinics and field placements, and the flexibility to design their own courses of study to meet their professional goals. A low student-faculty ratio invites interaction with professors and engagement with classmates in an environment that supports the development of intellectual discipline and analytical skills.

150 courses

More than 150 upper-level courses every academic year.

5 Specialized LLM Programs

Five ways to combine a JD with another degree.

12 clinics

Six on-campus limited enrollment clinics, six off-campus partnership clinics, and numerous field placements in government, private, and non-profit legal organizations.

7 certificates

Eight certificates for JD students and seven for LLM students.

    Campus Features

    UConn Law Campus

    The 17-acre UConn Law campus in the West End of Hartford consists of five granite buildings in Collegiate Gothic style with a central quadrangle graced by the U-shaped “Middle Path” sculpture by Robert Sindorf. Four of the buildings were constructed in the 1920s and the fifth, the Thomas J. Meskill Law Library, was completed in 1996 with stone cut from the same quarry. The campus is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The campus grounds and library are open to the public. The five buildings are:

    • Cheryl A. Chase Hall, which houses the dean’s office, several other administrative offices, and the two largest lecture rooms on campus.
    • William F. Starr Hall, which contains the Reading Room, site of the law school’s largest events, several classrooms, and the offices of student journals.
    • Hosmer Hall, site of faculty offices, the Insurance Law Center, the Center for Energy and Environmental Law, our new Center for Community Safety, Policing and Inequality, plus a student lounge and Janet M. Blumberg Hall, where many law school events are held.
    • Knight Hall, which contains classrooms, a student lounge, and a fitness center.
    • The Thomas J. Meskill Law Library, which has a multitude of study spaces, several classrooms, and a cafe.

    History

    From a six-student night school in rented rooms in downtown Hartford to the magnificent Gothic halls of the Elizabeth Street campus, the evolution of UConn School of Law is an example of why “change is good.” Since its founding in 1921 as the private Hartford College of Law, the Law School has changed—many times and with the times. It has occupied eight locations in 85 years. Each change of location reflects the institution’s ever-widening horizons.

    Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

    At UConn School of Law, we strive to celebrate each member of our community. Although individuals identify along with gender, race, ethnic, socio-political, and religious lines, we are all members of the UConn Law community. Members of our community will find student organizations, affinity student groups, classes, clinics, and community opportunities to welcome and support them, as well as safe space in the Student Affairs Office, to discuss issues affecting identity, diversity, and inclusion. Students are encouraged to talk with colleagues about how their perspectives shape them, how their privileges and disadvantages affect their views of a particular case, and how their personal journeys will influence the types of lawyers they will become. Each contribution builds the culture of the law school, and our individual narratives guide us in how we look at and learn the law.

      Scholarships and Funding

      As a public institution program fees at UConn Law are among the lowest of any top-tier law schools in the United States and yet the student-faculty ratio is one of the best at 5:1. There are three types of merit scholarships available for students upon application: (1) a Dean's Scholarship for students in any program and (2) the Anthony Smits Scholarship for students in U.S. Legal Studies and (3) The Martin Flynn Global Law Fellowship to support highly qualified LLM applicants who show proof of a Fulbright or other government-sponsored scholarship. Students may also apply for Academic Merit Scholarships after completing one semester.

      Alumni Statistics

      English Language Requirements

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      Locations

      • Hartford

        55 Elizabeth Street, 06105, Hartford

        Questions