The Marshall-Wythe School of Law at College of William and Mary

By | March 2, 2019

Law School Admissions

Application

Director of admissions Faye F. Shealy
Application deadline March 1
Full-time program application fee $50
Part-time program application fee N/A
Besides the fall semester, can enter in N/A

The Marshall-Wythe School of Law at College of William and Mary

Admissions & Enrollment (Overall)

Acceptance rate 22.0% – Low
Median undergraduate GPA for all program entrants 3.73
Median LSAT score for all program entrants 165

Admissions & Enrollment (Full-time)

Acceptance rate 22.0%
LSAT scores (25th-75th percentile) 161-167
Undergraduate GPA (25th-75th percentile) 3.46-3.82
Median undergraduate GPA for full-time program entrants 3.73
Median LSAT score for full-time program entrants 165

Admissions & Enrollment (Part-time)

Applicants N/A
Acceptance rate N/A
LSAT scores (25th-75th percentile) N/A
Undergraduate GPA (25th-75th percentile) N/A
Median undergraduate GPA for part-time program entrants N/A
Median LSAT score for part-time program entrants N/A

Law School Academics

Academic Program Details

Academic calendar Semester
Joint degrees offered
J.D./M.B.A.
J.D./M.P.P.
J.D./M.A.
Special programs offered to J.D. students (as provided by the school)
Students have numerous externship and clinical opportunities. They actively participate in specialized centers such as: Institute of Bill of Rights Law; Center for Legal & Court Technology; and Post-Conflict Justice Program. We offer the joint degrees: JD/MBA, JD/MPP, JD/MA in American Studies. Students can do international study in Madrid, Spain or in semester exchange programs.
Programs/courses offered in
appellate advocacy intellectual property law
clinical training international law
dispute resolution tax law
environmental law trial advocacy
health care law

Curricular Offerings (Overall)

Classroom course titles, beyond the first-year curriculum, offered last year 128
Seminars 35
Positions available in seminars 548
Positions available in simulation courses 639
Positions available in faculty-supervised clinical courses 46
Student activities (as provided by the school)
Two of the most active student organizations are the Public Service Fund and Black Law Students Association. Students are selected to staff: Bill of Rights Journal, Business Law Review, Environmental Law & Policy Review, Journal of Women & the Law, Law Review. Through intra-school competition, students earn positions on Moot Court, National Trial or Negotiation & Client Counseling Teams.

Curricular Offerings (Full-time)

Typical first-year full-time section size taught by full-time faculty (excludes small sections) 75
Is there typically a full-time “small section” of the first-year class taught by full-time faculty (excluding Legal Writing)? Yes
Typical size of first-year “small section” 16
Positions filled in full-time program seminars 468
Positions filled in full-time program simulation courses 569
Positions filled in faculty-supervised full-time program clinical courses 43
Full-time students involved in field placements 169
Full-time students involved in law journals 322
Full-time students involved in advanced moot court or trial competitions 161
Full-time students enrolled in independent study 110

Curricular Offerings (Part-time)

Typical first-year part-time section size taught by full-time faculty (excludes small sections) N/A
Is there typically a part-time “small section” of the first-year class taught by full-time faculty (excluding Legal Writing)? N/A
Positions filled in part-time program seminars N/A
Positions filled in part-time program simulation courses N/A
Positions filled in faculty-supervised part-time program clinical courses N/A
Part-time students involved in field placements N/A
Part-time students involved in law journals N/A
Part-time students involved in advanced moot court or trial competitions N/A
Part-time students enrolled in independent study N/A

Faculty Profile (Fall 2011)

Student-faculty ratio 13.7:1 – Medium
Full- and part-time faculty 77
Full-time minority faculty 14.3%
Part-time minority faculty 8.2%
Total faculty 99
Total faculty (men) 69.7%
Total faculty (women) 30.3%
Total faculty (minorities) 12.1%

Class Size

Law School Ranking

#35 Best Law Schools

(1) Ranking by Specialties

#28 in Law Firms Rank Schools

Law Ranking Scores

Score 64
Peer assessment score (out of 5) 3.3
Assessment score by lawyers/judges (out of 5) 3.9
GPA (25th-75th percentile) 3.46-3.82
Median undergraduate GPA for all program entrants 3.73
LSAT scores (25th-75th percentile) 161-167
Median LSAT score for all program entrants 165
Acceptance rate 22.0% – Low
Student-faculty ratio 13.7:1 – Medium
Graduates known to be employed at graduation 73.8% – Medium
Graduates known to be employed nine months after graduation 86.9% – Medium
Bar passage rate (first-time test takers) 91.7% – High
State where the greatest number of first-time test takers took the bar VA
Statewide bar passage rate (first-time test takers) 77.4%

Law School Student Body

Student Body (Overall)

Total Enrolled 637

Student Body (Full-time)

Enrollment (full-time) 637

Student Body (Part-time)

Enrollment (part-time) N/A
Gender distribution (part-time) N/A

Attrition Rates for Full- and Part-time Students (2010-2011)

First-year students discontinuing law school 0.5%
Second-year students discontinuing law school 3.8%
Third-year students discontinuing law school 0.5%
Fourth-year students discontinuing law school N/A
Male students discontinuing law school 1.3%
Female students discontinuing law school 1.9%

Law School Cost

Financial Aid Contact Information

Financial aid director Edward P. Irish
Financial aid phone (757) 221-2420
Financial aid application deadline February 15

Expenses

Tuition and fees
Full-time: $26,200 per year (in-state)
Full-time: $35,200 per year (out-of-state)
Room and board $9,272
Books $1,400
Miscellaneous expenses $5,128
Is the tuition the same for first-, second-, and third-year students? Yes
Does the university offer housing restricted to law students? No
Does the university offer graduate student housing for which law students are eligible? Yes
Does the university offer a public-interest scholarship program to current J.D. students? No

Grants (Full-time students)

Students receiving grants of less than one-half tuition 35.9%
Students receiving grants of one-half tuition or more but less than full 1.3%
Students receiving grants of full tuition 0.0%
Students receiving grants of more than full tuition 0.0%
Median grant amount $8,000
Grant range (25th–75th percentile) $5,000–$10,000
Full-time students receiving grants 37.2%

Grants (Part-time students)

Students receiving grants of less than one-half tuition N/A
Students receiving grants of one-half tuition or more but less than full N/A
Students receiving grants of full tuition N/A
Students receiving grants of more than full tuition N/A
Median grant amount N/A
Grant range (25th–75th percentile) N/A
Part-time students receiving grants N/A

Indebtedness

Average indebtedness of 2011 graduates who incurred law school debt $91,797
Proportion who borrowed 87.3%
Does the school offer a loan repayment assistance program for 2011 J.D. graduates? Yes

Law School Library

Library Information Resources

Print titles (excluding nonbook titles) 99,591
Microform titles 90,686
Electronic titles 43,638
Other non-book titles 2,859
Total titles 236,774
Volumes (excluding microforms) 248,359
Volume equivalent microforms 172,479
Total volumes and volume equivalents 420,838
Number of volumes in the collection that are stored off site and are systematically retrievable 0
Library’s online catalog or website includes links to electronic titles or databases made available by another campus library or consortia Yes

Library Schedule of Operation

Number of hours per week library is open on a regular schedule 168
Number of hours per week professional staff are on duty on a regular schedule 66
Number of hours per week only full-time support staff are on duty on a regular schedule 1
Number of hours per week only students or other part-time staff are on duty on a regular schedule 24
Number of hours of reference service provided per week on a regular schedule 66
Number of weeks per year library operates on an abbreviated schedule 17
Number of hours per week library is open on an abbreviated schedule 168
Number of hours per week professional staff are on duty are on an abbreviated schedule 45
Number of hours per week only full-time support staff are on duty on an abbreviated schedule 5
Number of hours per week only students or other part-time staff are on duty on an abbreviated schedule 10
Number of hours of reference service provided per week on an abbreviated schedule 45
Number of weeks per year library operates on expanded schedule 0

Information Technology

Department(s) responsible for the law school information technology operations law school information technology department, law school library, university information technology department
Approximate number of full-time-equivalent information technology staff (excluding hourly students and other temporary staff) 7
Number of open, wired network connections available to students in the law library (excluding computer labs) 12
Number of open, wired network connections available to students in classrooms 0
Number of open, wired network connections available to students in computer labs 29
Number of open, wired network connections available to students elsewhere in the law school 0
Does the law school have a wireless network? Yes
Wireless network is available in the law library, in classrooms, in computer labs, in administrative/faculty offices and work areas, elsewhere in the law school
Does the school require entering students to own a computer? No

Physical Library Facilities

Net square feet of space assigned for library purposes 53,400
Total seats available for library users 568
Details about the library and other facilities (as provided by the school) The Law School physical plant lies between the Graduate Housing Complex and Tennis Center and the National Center for State Courts. We are a short walk from historic Colonial Williamsburg and an easy drive to the metropolitan areas of Norfolk, Virginia Beach, Richmond and Washington, DC.

Law School Careers

Bar Statistics (Winter and Summer 2010 administrations)

State where the greatest number of first-time test takers took the bar VA
Bar passage rate (first-time test takers) 91.7% – High
Statewide bar passage rate (first-time test takers) 77.4%

Class of 2010 Graduates

Total graduates 214
Graduates known to be employed at graduation 73.8%
Graduates known to be employed nine months after graduation 86.9%

Class of 2010 Graduates-Class Breakdown at Graduation

Graduates whose employment status is unknown 1.9%
Graduates whose employment status is known 98.1%
Graduates known to be employed at graduation 73.8%
Graduates known to be enrolled in a full-time degree program 3.7%
Graduates known to be unemployed and seeking work 19.2%
Graduates known to be unemployed and not seeking work 1.4%

Class of 2010 Graduates-Class Breakdown at Nine Months

Graduates whose employment status is unknown 3.7%
Graduates whose employment status is known 96.3%
Graduates known to be employed nine months after graduation 86.9%
Graduates known to be enrolled in a full-time degree program 3.7%
Graduates known to be unemployed and seeking work 4.2%
Graduates known to be unemployed and not seeking work 1.4%

Starting Salaries of Graduates Employed Full-time (Class of 2010)

25th percentile private sector starting salary $66,000
Median private sector starting salary $105,000
75th percentile private sector starting salary $140,000
Percent in the private sector who reported salary information 68%
Median public service starting salary $50,093

Areas of Legal Practice (Class of 2010)

Percent employed in academia 1.6%
Percent employed in business and industry 9.7%
Percent employed in government 22.0%
Percent employed in all judicial clerkships 21.0%
Percent employed in law firms 40.9%
Percent employed in public interest 4.8%
Percent employed in an unknown field 0.0%

Employment Location (Class of 2010)

Graduates employed in-state 46%
Graduates employed out-of-state 52.0%
Graduates employed in foreign countries 1%
Number of states where graduates are employed 29
New England (CT, ME, MA, NH, RI, VT) 2.0%
Middle Atlantic (NY, NJ, PA) 10.0%
East North Central (IL, IN, MI, OH, WI) 4.0%
West North Central (IA, KS, MN, MO, NE, ND, SD) 2.0%
South Atlantic (DE, DC, FL, GA, MD, NC, SC, VA, WV) 68.0%
East South Central (AL, KY, MS, TN) 2.0%
West South Central (AR, LA, OK, TX) 4.0%
Pacific (AK, CA, HI, OR, WA) 4.0%
Mountain (AZ, CO, ID, MT, NV, NM, UT, WY) 2.0%
Employment location unknown 1.0%

Career Services

(Data appear as originally submitted by this school)

Career services operations Our core missions are to: *partner with students and alumni to help them explore career options, learn about and obtain employment opportunities, further long-term professional development, and achieve career satisfaction; *cultivate constructive, mutually beneficial relationships with employers.

Job Type

Bar admission required/anticipated (e.g., attorney and corporate counsel positions, law clerks, judicial clerks) 88.0%
Bar admission required/anticipated – percent employed in full-time positions 98.8%
J.D. preferred, law degree enhances position (e.g., corporate contracts administrator, alternative dispute resolution specialist, government regulatory analyst, FBI special agent) 6.0%
J.D. preferred – percent employed in full-time positions 81.8%
Professional other (jobs that require professional skills or training but for which a J.D. is neither preferred nor particularly applicable; e.g., accountant, teacher, business manager, nurse) 5.0%
Professional other – percent employed in full-time positions 90.0%
Non-professional other (job that does not require any professional skills or training or is taken on a temporary basis and not viewed as part of a career path) 1.0%
Non-professional other – percent employed in full-time positions 100.0%