Rutgers University Law School: A Comprehensive Overview
Rutgers Law School, a prominent institution with campuses in Newark and Camden, New Jersey, stands as the largest public law school and the 10th largest overall in the United States. With a rich history and a commitment to social justice, Rutgers Law has shaped legal education for over a century. Its motto, "Sol iustitiae et occidentem illustra," which translates to "The sun of justice illuminates even the West," reflects its dedication to providing education and opportunities.
Historical Roots and Evolution
Rutgers Law School's origins trace back to three distinct law schools. The New Jersey Law School, the first of these, was founded in Newark on October 5, 1908. Established as a for-profit institution by Richard D. Currier, a Yale and New York Law School graduate, and Charles M. Mason, who served as dean until 1928, the school initially had a small faculty of three and a student body of 30. Classes were held on the 4th floor of the Prudential Insurance Home Office in Newark.
In December 1908, the school relocated to a Victorian townhouse at 33 East Park Street, also in Newark. Following World War I, the New Jersey Law School experienced a surge in enrollment, reaching over 2,300 students by 1927, making it the second-largest law school in the country at the time.
The second root was the South Jersey Law School, founded in 1926 by Collingswood, New Jersey mayor and businessmen Arthur E. In 1946, the University of Newark merged with Rutgers University, and the law school was renamed the Rutgers University School of Law. In 1950, the South Jersey Law School in Camden also merged with Rutgers University. The school was then divided into the Newark Division and the South Jersey Division, based in Camden, with the dean and law school administration located in Newark.
During the 1950s and 1960s, the law school expanded significantly, creating the largest law library in New Jersey, and tripling its faculty size. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg joined the faculty as a law professor, serving until 1972. Ginsburg developed some of the concepts that led to the founding of the Women's Rights Litigation Clinic by Professor Nadine H. Taub.
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In 1967, the South Jersey Division was split, creating two separate law schools: Rutgers School of Law - Camden and Rutgers School of Law - Newark. In 2015, the ABA approved the unification of Rutgers’ two law schools to become one Rutgers Law School with locations in Camden and Newark.
Commitment to Diversity and Social Justice
Following the Newark riots of 1967, the faculty established the Minority Students Program (MSP) in 1968, one of the first law school affirmative action programs in the United States. The goal was to increase African American student enrollment. In 1978, in response to the Supreme Court's decision in Bakke, the law faculty voted to admit students regardless of race and revamped the Minority Students Program to focus on socio-economically disadvantaged students. The 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the MSP in Doherty V. Rutgers School Of Law-Newark, a lawsuit from a white student alleging discrimination.
Throughout the 1970s, the Newark campus became known as "The People's Electric Law School" due to its focus on activism. Graduates from this period include prominent figures such as United States Senators Elizabeth Warren and Bob Menendez.
Campus Locations and Facilities
From 1965 to 1978, the Newark division of the law school was located on Akerson Hall. In 1978, it moved to a skyscraper at 15 Washington Street, which was renamed in honor of Samuel I. Newhouse Sr., a 1916 graduate of the law school. In January 2000, the school moved to the Center for Law and Justice, a 225,000-square-foot, six-story building at 123 Washington Street in Newark.
A new law building opened in Camden in 2008 featuring innovative learning environments; the Clark Commons, a student lounge and café housed in a two-story glass bridge with an iconic art installation; and the Archer & Greiner Moot Courtroom, which is used by students and periodically by the New Jersey Superior Court, Appellate Division.
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Rutgers Law Library supports the research needs of the students and faculty of the law school with a combined collection of over 1.2 million volumes and an extensive array of online databases. Its professional staff of librarians provides instruction and assistance via individual counseling and advanced legal research courses.
On-campus housing is available on both campuses. Two blocks from the law school in Camden, 330 Cooper Street, a 12-story residential community for graduate students with panoramic views of Philadelphia and the Delaware River, opened in 2012. Fall 2015 saw the opening of Ruth Bader Ginsberg Graduate Resident Hall, located 15 Washington Street, an iconic Newark skyscraper. The building, which was the home of the Newark law school until 2000, was totally renovated and refurbished as a center for graduate housing with furnished apartments in various configurations.
Academics and Programs
Rutgers Law School offers a variety of programs, including the J.D., a foreign-lawyer J.D., and joint-degree programs. The J.D. program requires 84 credits to graduate. All required courses are graded on a standard 2.95 - 3.1 GPA curve. 1Ls are grouped in small sections of roughly 30 people, who take all of the same required classes together. Each student has a 'small section' class where their section of 30 or fewer people is taught a required subject by a tenured faculty member.
The school also offers certificate programs in Corporate and Business Law, Criminal Law, Immigration Law, and Family Law. These programs require a concentration of carefully selected upper-level courses, including skills-based classes, supervised research projects, and practical experience in the field.
Rutgers Law School leads clinical education, offering 21 clinics on our Newark and Camden campuses. Externships are open to students who have completed their first-year curriculum and offer valuable practical experience in various legal settings. With our extensive pro bono program, you'll have the opportunity to gain invaluable hands-on experience while offering crucial legal assistance to marginalized communities. As a student at Rutgers Law, you can sharpen your advocacy skills through participation in mock trials and moot courts, competing regionally, nationally, and internationally.
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Admissions and Rankings
In 2018, Rutgers had a 48% acceptance rate, with 2,535 applications for admission and 1,237 offers. For the 2018 admitted students, the LSAT 75% - 25% was 158-153 and the UGPA 75% - 25% was 3.61 - 3.08. Rutgers' admissions process offers applicants a choice between competing for admission based primarily on traditional measures such as LSAT scores and college GPAs, or, alternatively, on the basis of an applicant's life experience, with a lesser (though still significant) emphasis placed on traditional factors.
The National Law Journal ranked the law school 47th on its 2015 list of the Top 50 Go-To Law Schools.
Tuition and Financial Aid
The tuition at Rutgers Law School is expensive - from USD 28,370 to USD 43,003 each year for in-state and out-of-state students. However, Rutgers Law School provides financial assistance including scholarships like the Ralph Johnson Bunche Distinguished Graduate Award.
Career Development
The Center for Career Development (CCD) has offices in both Camden and Newark. It is comprised of a professional staff of attorney counselors to help you achieve your professional goals while you’re in law school and after you graduate. The 20,000+ Rutgers Law alumni network enthusiastically mentors current students, hiring them for summer jobs, externships, associate positions, and clerkships. Services provided to students include skills training programs, panels and workshops, assistance in arranging employer interviews, and a web-based job bank.
Graduates of Rutgers Law School Newark have practiced in private practice, federal service, public interest law, and corporate law. Numerous alumni have influential positions in law and modern society.
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