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« TLS Profiles - TLS Programs - TLS Stats - Rankings University of Chicago Law School
Admissions and Tuition Chicago Law's rigorous admissions process is comparable to that of any other top law school, with just under 5,000 candidates vying each year for less than 200 seats in each entering class. The median LSAT for the class of 2007 was reported at 171, and the median GPA fell at 3.64. Like Columbia, the Law School also offers a binding Early Decision option, in which decisions are rendered before the end of December; the option, which is not available to December LSAT takers, requires that a candidate submit a complete application and a confirmation that he or she is committed to attend the Law School if admitted. Borderline candidates may also be asked to come to Chicago Law for an evaluative interview, which cannot be requested by the candidate. The Law School is known for being generous with both merit-based and need-based aid. Legal Specialties
The heart of "law and economics," the Law School's faculty is also considered unparalleled in this area; many of its lecturers come from major firms (including Kirkland & Ellis and Skadden Arps), but the school also boasts many prominent faculty members who have served in public capacities. Abner Mikva, a former White House Counsel, member of Congress and D.C. Circuit judge, is one of the most prominent members of the faculty (and an alumnus of Chicago Law) and is renowned for his expertise in political science, constitutional law, and dispute resolution. Elena Kagan, former White House Counsel and current Dean of Harvard Law School, was also a prominent faculty member. Overall, the school's international law program is not comparable to that of many other top-tier institutions, although it has several prominent clinics dealing with the subject. As a whole, however, Chicago Law's faculty is considered one of the best in the country, with the law school setting very high bars for hiring professors and lecturers. Many faculty offices connect to the main library, and students find professors highly accessible. Quality of Life
The Law School also has a unique grading system, on a scale of 186, which allows a student's exact performance to be determined down to the point. As are awarded from 180-186, Bs from 174 to 179, Cs from 168 to 173, etc, with any cumulative performance above 179 earning Honors (or better). Chicago Law students are seen as highly focused and disciplined, and while the academic reputation of the school may be somewhat intimidating, its faculty is known for being highly approachable and helpful. Former Dean Douglas Baird has characterized the school as being demanding, but in the sense that it breeds continual innovation in its members. The small size of the school, with less than 200 students in each class, is comparable to that of Yale or Stanford and leads to a more intimate environment than that of many comparable institutions. Employment Prospects
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The University of Chicago Law School has long been venerated as one of the foremost law schools in the United States, ranking just below the very highest schools and sitting in one of the most attractive legal markets in the country. Many contrasts have been drawn between Chicago Law and Northwestern Law on the other side of the city, and the law school is certainly unique in a number of significant areas. Its students are particularly renowned as leaders in clerkships and private practice, and the distinguished faculty, one of the best in the country, includes a wide variety of prominent judges and even politicians, including Democratic presidential nominee Senator Barack Obama (now on a leave of absence). Others have earned fame in various other ways, including philosopher Martha Nussbaum, who has made numerous contributions to modern philosophy as well as a famed attack on Berkeley professor Judith Butler. Chicago Law has also built a reputation as a bastion of "practical" law teaching, and while it has done much to diversify its course offerings and promote a wide variety of career options for its students, this reputation looks likely to continue for the near future.
Chicago Law is known for its strengths in private practice, including corporate law and economics-related studies. Students should be prepared for a distinct tilt towards these areas, although the 1L experience is comparable to that of most other law schools: the usual classes in Criminal Law, Torts, Contracts, etc. are predetermined (except for an elective option at the end of the year). There are significant opportunities for students to try out litigation skills and even to gain courtroom experience through clinical programs; the compact nature of the law school makes utilizing all of its resources highly convenient for students.
Chicago Law has a reputation for being one of the most scholastic and rigorous law schools in the country. Although located in Chicago, it is situated in Hyde Park and occupies a separate area from the rest of the University of Chicago, which is walking distance from the Law School campus. The main offices, classrooms, and library of the Law School are situated in the famous "glass cube," which provides a central lounge for both students and faculty; the primary clinical facility, which houses most of the Law School's clinical programs, is actually located in an adjoining location to the main law school (as opposed to many other schools in which clinics are placed at neighborhoods far from the main campus). The Law School has been constructed in an ultra-modern style, with high-tech consoles in many classrooms for instructors and several large auditoriums and trial rooms.Housing for law students is regularly available in the surrounding area. 
Employers recognize that the Law School is one of the preeminent schools in law and economics, and unsurprisingly many top corporate and financial attorneys call Chicago their alma mater. Chicago Law alumni enjoy national recognition of their degree, and the school is excellent for placing newly minted graduates into the many large law firms of Chicago and New York, notably the aforementioned Kirkland & Ellis and Skadden, Arps. Those graduates seeking federal clerkships will not be disappointed, as Chicago has produced an impressive number of clerks on all levels, including in the Supreme Court. Although its reputation is naturally strongest in the Midwest and East Coast, Chicago alumni wield a name-brand advantage comparable to that of competitors in Columbia, NYU, Stanford, and Harvard. Despite these attractive career options, there has been a push at Chicago, as at other top-tier law schools, to encourage graduates to enter public service jobs.