OPPORTUNITY AWAITS JD Prospectus 2011-2012
OPPORTUNITY AWAITS
T
exas Wesleyan University School of Law is a wonderful place to begin your career as a lawyer. I appreciate this opportunity to tell you why I think you should consider attending this particular law school. At Texas Wesleyan School of Law, our focus is on you, the student. I would like to highlight four things that I think exemplify the student-centered focus of legal education at Texas Wesleyan. First, we have created a curriculum specifically designed to provide you with an excellent legal education. You will gain the theoretical insight and practical skills to prepare you for a successful and rewarding career in the legal profession. We are constantly developing new and innovative programs that will enhance your legal education and provide numerous experiential learning opportunities. Additionally, at Texas Wesleyan School of Law you will have the advantage of our flexible scheduling so that you can choose between full-time or part-time course loads on a day or evening basis. Second, we have a top-notch faculty of nationally recognized scholars who are committed to excellence in teaching and whose rich and varied professional experiences will provide you with an excellent educational experience. Our faculty is highly accessible and genuinely cares about each individual student. Third, we are very proud of our law building. It was designed with our students in mind – it features state-of-theart technology in classrooms and computer labs, and wireless internet access throughout the building. We are committed to incorporating technology to enhance your learning experience, as well as to prepare you to effectively use technology in the practice of law. In addition, our student-friendly building features roomy offices for student organizations, as well as a beautiful library facility that provides a comfortable environment for research and study. Finally, we are located in the heart of the Fort Worth-Dallas Metroplex and the Fort Worth legal community. Here, you will have numerous opportunities to enhance and expand your career possibilities by networking with lawyers and judges from Fort Worth and Dallas, to gain practical work experience with some of the nation’s most prestigious law firms, and to have enriched academic experiences by learning from vibrant and talented lawyers and judges who serve as adjunct faculty members. As you make your decision about law school, I hope you will take time to learn more about Texas Wesleyan School of Law. Please come by and visit us anytime. See for yourself what a great place Texas Wesleyan University School of Law is. Frederic White Dean Texas Wesleyan University School of Law
OPPORTUNITY AWAITS
HISTORY & MISSION Texas Wesleyan School of Law’s mission is to provide excellence in legal education, emphasizing service to our diverse student body, our profession, and our community. The law school continues to pursue excellence through outstanding teaching and scholarship, the development of innovative academic programs, a commitment to public service, and the promotion of the highest ethical standards in the practice of law. At Texas Wesleyan, you will find a law school committed to providing a strong theoretical foundation and the practical skills necessary to be an effective lawyer in the 21st century.
LOCATION Texas Wesleyan School of Law is located in downtown Fort Worth across from the Tarrant County Convention Center and the Fort Worth Water Gardens. The law school is part of the vibrant downtown community and the legal and judicial communities and is accessible to law students as part of the educational, work and networking experiences. The legal and judicial communities are close by, allowing students the chance to pursue additional educational and professional networking opportunities. Students are also able to take advantage of the opportunities available in the greater Metroplex as the law school sits only blocks from the TRE commuter rail station running between downtown Fort Worth and downtown Dallas.
CURRICULUM Texas Wesleyan School of Law confers the juris doctor (J.D.) degree on all students who satisfactorily complete the 90-credit hour program, including the professional skills requirement and the 30-hour pro bono requirement. Students may choose the three-year, full-time day program, or the four-year, part-time program offered on an evening or limited day schedule. The curriculum is divided among the required first-year courses, required upper-level courses, and a wide variety of elective courses. The law school curriculum provides both a theoretical and practical education, and offers a broad range of courses so that each student can choose to pursue a specific area of law or pursue a general course of study.
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LEARNING AWAITS
FIRST YEAR REQUIRED COURSES:
Upper-Level Required Courses:
Civil Procedure Contracts Criminal Law Legal Analysis, Research, & Writing I & II Legislation & Regulation Property Torts
Business Associations Constitutional Law Criminal Procedure Evidence Legal Analysis, Research, & Writing III Professional Responsibility Wills & Estates
A complete list of courses and descriptions can be found at www.law.txwes.edu.
Three-Hour Professional Skills Requirement To further enhance the theoretical learning and reinforce practical lawyering skills, Texas Wesleyan School of Law requires each of its students to complete three hours of professional skills learning prior to graduation. The requirement can be satisfied by completing three credit hours of coursework or participation in competitions that emphasize a student’s non-writing, oral skills. Examples of programming that will satisfy this requirement include Trial Advocacy, Mediation, Clinics, and moot court or mock trial competitions.
PRO BONO REQUIREMENT In keeping with its mission, Texas Wesleyan School of Law requires each of its students to perform 30 hours of lawrelated pro bono service through the Equal Justice Program. The pro bono requirement provides law students the opportunity to practice lawyering skills in a real-world setting and exemplifies Texas Wesleyan’s commitment to giving back to the community. Students must complete the pro bono requirement prior to their last semester of law school.
FACULTY The faculty at Texas Wesleyan School of Law consists of more than 30 full-time professors plus a cadre of legal writing and adjunct professors who provide a range of academic and professional experience. Our faculty provides students with strong theoretical and practical learning experiences while remaining accessible and focused on each [Continued on page 4] student’s success.
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learning A W A I T S
[Faculty continued] Faculty members know that one-on-one conversations are the best way to reinforce classroom
discussions. For that reason, each faculty member maintains regular office hours and strives to be readily available to meet with students. The faculty believes that effective interaction with the students is an important function in their roles as legal educators and they are committed to helping students become quality lawyers who will advance the legal profession. With law degrees from top law schools across the country and wide-reaching practical experience, the law school’s faculty members bring a wealth of academic strength and knowledge to Texas Wesleyan School of Law. In addition, many members of the faculty have served in diverse professional and community settings.
FACILITIES Texas Wesleyan School of Law’s building was designed and renovated to enable the students to receive excellent legal instruction. The trial and appellate courtrooms and the law clinic provide space for the daily routine of law students, and the conference center and lecture hall provide students with settings for learning from and networking with members of the legal community. Numerous areas are available for individual and group study, and the student lounge, computer lab and bookstore are easily accessible between classes. Offices were also created for active student life groups such as the Student Bar Association and the Texas Wesleyan Law Review. The law school is completely wired for technology in the classroom to enhance the learning experience, and the entire law school is wireless so that students can easily access technology from the classroom, the lecture hall or the law library. Multiple computer labs in the law school make it feasible for law students to work from a computer without having to carry a computer with them on a daily basis. Faculty members make use of the technological advancements in class by using classroom monitors and videotaping functions in the courtrooms, and students have the option of utilizing the Electronic Blue Book (EBB) testing format, eliminating the need for handwritten exams.
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DEE J. KELLY LAW LIBRARY
The Dee J. Kelly Law Library’s state-of-the art facilities offer exceptional resources and accommodations to Texas Wesleyan School of Law students. Fully equipped for individual and group study, the law library is where students will learn to find and use the legal resources that will be applied in their legal studies and future careers. The library’s extensive resources have made the facility a valuable commodity to the entire legal community, and practicing members of the legal profession often utilize the library’s materials for their professional research. The law library is staffed by a number of full-time, professional librarians who are available to assist students in using the law library’s resources effectively and efficiently. The majority of the law school’s librarians have their J.D. degree, and all full-time librarians have earned a master’s degree in library science.
RESEARCH RESOURCES
Legal information storage, access and delivery utilize various media, including paper, microform and electronic formats. The Dee J. Kelly Law Library’s collection includes these various formats so students may become familiar with each medium and better prepared for the practice of law. In addition to its law book collection, the library subscribes to major online legal research services. After completing training, law students have online access to these electronic services from their home. The library also permits authorized users access to various legal and nonlegal internet information services through its proxy server, expanding the access to information beyond the library walls. Finally, an extensive collection of congressional documents complement book and electronic sources and is available on microfiche. The primary mission of the Dee J. Kelly Law Library is to provide access to resources that support the educational, instructional, curricular and research needs of the students, faculty and staff of the law school.
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PRACTICAL & EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING To help students develop the necessary practical lawyering skills, Texas Wesleyan School of Law offers practicum courses in substantive areas of law and practice. These courses and opportunities engage students in the supervised practical application of previously studied theory. Whether a student chooses to participate in the law clinic, the Wesleyan Innocence Project, moot court and mock trial programs, or the externship and fellowship programs, Texas Wesleyan law students complete their legal education prepared to begin the real practice of law.
Law Clinic The law clinic is an in-house law office operated by Texas Wesleyan School of Law. Students in the law clinic represent real clients in real cases under direct supervision of experienced and licensed faculty members. The law clinic represents clients in Social Security Disability (SSI) cases and family law cases concerning domestic violence and children at risk of abuse or neglect. In all cases, students conduct interviews, investigate cases, build case theories, appear in court, and file appeals as counsel under the supervision of experienced attorneys.
Wesleyan Innocence Project The Wesleyan Innocence Project (WIP) provides pro bono legal assistance to prisoners claiming innocence who have been convicted of serious crimes in the state of Texas. WIP works in conjunction with a faculty sponsor and under the direction of a local criminal defense attorney. WIP also provides training for Texas Wesleyan law students in case investigation and analysis, and educates the student body about the realities of wrongful convictions in the Texas criminal justice system.
Advocacy Programs The moot court, mock trial and alternative dispute resolution (ADR) programs at the law school provide students with many opportunities to test their advocacy skills throughout their legal education. Beginning with the appellate argument required of each student, law students are able to build advocacy skills and develop legal writing competence. Texas Wesleyan School of Law offers a number of intramural competitions for upper-level students. Moreover, students who seek to become more involved in the moot court and mock trial program can pursue opportunities to compete on regional and national levels. 6
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Externships and Fellowships Texas Wesleyan School of Law enables students to work with practicing attorneys for academic credit or fellowship stipends and provides supervision for practice in trial and appellate courts, federal and state government entities, and public interest organizations. Externships and fellowships allow students to perform legal tasks while gaining valuable insight into the operation of legal institutions. Students gain significant legal experience in areas such as client interviewing and counseling, researching, drafting, negotiating and alternative dispute resolution.
TEXAS WESLEYAN LAW REVIEW The Texas Wesleyan Law Review was established to encourage legal scholarship on issues of interest to academics, practitioners and law students. Student editors are responsible for soliciting and selecting article submissions for each volume of the review. Additionally, members of the law review engage in the process for editing articles for publication, write and submit their own student notes, as well as host law review symposia.
STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS Beyond the classroom and academic settings, Texas Wesleyan School of Law provides students the opportunity to become involved in more than 30 organizations that support students’ personal and professional interests. Students are able to participate in a broad range of organizations that offer academic, practical, and social support in various areas of legal practice, academic interest, political and university affiliations, and gender, ethnic, religious and sexual orientation diversity. Student organizations also reflect the active participation of our students in student government and local and national bar associations.
See what life as a law student is really like by reading our student blogs.
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C o M M unity A W A I T S
FORT WORTH Photo Courtesy of the Fort Worth CVB
Texas Wesleyan School of Law is located in Fort Worth. As one of the 20 largest cities in the nation, Fort Worth has been voted one of “America’s Most Livable Communities,” and has a population of nearly 750,000. With attractions such as the Historic Stockyards, several world-famous museums, a diverse and exciting downtown, and multiple sporting venues, Fort Worth is an exciting place to live, work and study. The law school is situated less than a block away from the Tarrant County Bar Association, and a short distance from the legal and judicial communities of Fort Worth, making opportunities to network with legal professionals close at hand. Located in downtown Fort Worth, Texas Wesleyan School of Law has been one of the catalysts in the redevelopment of the downtown area. The school is convenient to several major interstates and highways as well as the Trinity Railway Express (TRE), which links downtown Fort Worth, downtown Dallas and D/FW International Airport. In addition to its western heritage, the Fort Worth area is home to many exciting restaurants and cultural attractions. During downtime, students have the opportunity to seek outdoor recreation or to attend and support one of the Metroplex’s many sports teams.
DALLAS Just east of Fort Worth is the city of Dallas, the leading business and financial center of the Southwest. In addition to a thriving legal community, Dallas is the headquarters for a significant number of major national and international enterprises. Home to the largest urban arts district in the country, cultural activities are never hard to find in Dallas. Just 30 miles separate Fort Worth and Dallas, and the encompassing Metroplex area is joined by a number of communities, suburbs and small towns. The metropolitan area covers more than 12,000 square miles and has more than six million residents. As part of such a diverse and thriving area, Texas Wesleyan School of Law is a great place to earn your law degree and explore your path as a legal professional. 8
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Cultural Attractions:
Sports and Recreation:
Sundance Square
Fort Worth Zoo
Fort Worth Museum of Science and History
Fort Worth Botanic Garden
Amon Carter Museum
Dallas Cowboys
Kimbell Art Museum
Texas Rangers
Modern Art Museum
Dallas Mavericks
The Nasher Sculpture Center
Dallas Stars
The Dallas Museum of Art
FC Dallas
The Crow Collection of Asian Art
Fort Worth Cats
Bass Performance Hall
Texas Brahmas
Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra
Six Flags Over Texas
Texas Ballet Theater
Speedzone Texas
Fort Worth Opera
Trinity River
Cliburn Concerts
Joe Pool Lake
Van Cliburn International Piano Competition
White Rock Lake
National Cowboys of Color Museum
Lake Ray Hubbard
Dallas World Aquarium
Texas Motor Speedway
Photos Courtesy of the Fort Worth CVB
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T ra D ition A W A I T S
OFFICE OF CAREER SERVICES The office of career services at Texas Wesleyan School of Law provides students and alumni with career development resources from the first year of law school and throughout their careers. Career services specialists, all of whom hold a juris doctor degree, advise students in career preparation throughout their time in law school. Career services has many resources to assist students along their career paths. Seminars, personal counseling, a career resource library, an online job bank, on-campus interviews and job fairs are available to students throughout the year.
ALUMNI Texas Wesleyan School of Law has an alumni base of more than 3,300, all of whom come from diverse backgrounds and have pursued a variety of careers. Our distinguished alumni community is rich with experience and provides invaluable resources for our law students. From national to state government, from corporate boardrooms to small nonprofits, each Texas Wesleyan School of Law graduate has made his or her mark in the legal community. The alumni and advancement office exists to equip students and alumni with tools and skills to stay connected with each other and with the law school, cultivate a lifelong commitment to professionalism and community service, and to enhance regional and national awareness of the law school’s distinctive legal educational program. Our graduates are dedicated leaders who have been inspired to serve their respective communities and make an impact on society.
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S uccess A W A I T S
Admissions Texas Wesleyan School of Law seeks to admit students interested in obtaining a legal education that provides both theoretical and practical learning experiences in a dynamic institution. Our application process is designed to identify individual students who represent an academic foundation and aptitude to be successful in pursuing a legal education while still demonstrating the experiences and character that bring something new to our law school community. The admissions committee considers applications to determine whether objective indicators such as the LSAT score and undergraduate transcripts indicate the ability to be successful at Texas Wesleyan School of Law. The committee also reviews evidence of strong writing ability, leadership skills and potential, life and work experience that bodes success, and the motivation to attend our law school. The admissions committee’s analysis and understanding of an applicant will include a review of the personal statement, resumé, letters of recommendation and clarifying addenda. The committee expects that an applicant’s materials will reflect an honest record of each applicant’s goals and anticipated challenges. Texas Wesleyan School of Law does not require students to have completed a specific course of undergraduate study or major to apply to or enter our legal program. However, applicants must have completed their undergraduate degree prior to matriculation in the law program. Applicants must submit a completed application by the relevant deadlines: Applicants
AccepteD DeaDline
Fall Entering Class (full-time or part-time) September 1 March 31 Transfer & Visiting (fall) May 1 July 15 Transfer & Visiting (spring) October 1 November 15 The admissions committee considers the average of all LSAT scores on file during a five-year reportable period, but also takes into consideration any improvement in exam performance during that period. Scores older than five years will not be considered. Texas Wesleyan invites online applications from all students by visiting our website at www.law.txwes.edu or by visiting the LSAC website at www.lsac.org. Students with questions about any part of the application process or who would like to schedule a tour, campus visit, or sit in on a class should contact the office of admissions at 817-212-4040, toll-free at 800-733-9529 extension 4040, or by email at lawadmissions@law.txwes.edu.
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Seat Deposits Finally, all students admitted to our program will be required to secure their admission offer by paying two seat deposits. The amount of the seat deposit and the deadlines will be set forth in the admissions letter and offer packet. Seat deposits are non-refundable but will be credited toward tuition upon matriculation.
Application Checklist Complete and electronically signed application Personal statement Application fee of $55 or a fee waiver and supporting documents Resumé Complete LSDAS report that includes:
Apply now!
Æ A reportable LSAT score Æ A minimum of two letters of recommendation; a maximum of four letters will be accepted Æ A copy of all transcripts from post-secondary institutions (including foreign institutions) Æ LSAC evaluations are strongly encouraged; a maximum of four evaluations will be accepted.
Addenda as required (positive Character & Fitness answers or for clarification purposes)
Transfer & Visiting Applicants Students applying to Texas Wesleyan Law as visiting or transferring applicants must be currently enrolled at an ABAaccredited law school. Applicants seeking to transfer or visit should be competitively ranked in their originating institution, be in good academic standing, and have completed the first year of legal study. A current law school transcript must be submitted as part of the application for both transfer and visiting applicants along with a letter of good academic standing from the dean or registrar at the applicant’s current law school. Applicants must also submit at least one letter of recommendation from a law school professor and ensure that a reportable Credential Assembly Service Report (LSDAS) is available to the law school. Finally, both transfer and visiting applicants must complete a relevant application during the specified applicant cycle for the fall or spring semester. Transfer applicants should be aware that a maximum of 30 hours will be accepted toward transfer and that an evaluation of coursework must be completed after an admit decision is reached to determine the number of credits that are eligible for transfer. 12
S uccess A W A I T S
International Applicants Students who completed their studies outside the United States must have their transcripts evaluated through the LSDAS Credential Assembly Service (JD CAS). A TOEFL score is also required for any student whose course of study was not completed in English. The minimum TOEFL score accepted for the legal program at Texas Wesleyan Law is 100 on the internet-based test, 250 on the computer-based test, or 600 on the paper-based test. Information on the TOEFL exam can be found by contacting the Educational Testing Service at www.ets.org/toefl. The Texas Wesleyan School of Law TOEFL code is 2818.
Scholarships & Financial Aid Texas Wesleyan School of Law offers a low tuition relative to most private law schools. The law school is also committed to helping students finance their legal education by offering a range of scholarship and financial aid awards each year. Our scholarship awards range from our partial tuition Faculty Scholarship and Dean’s Scholarship to our full tuition President’s Scholarship. When making scholarship decisions, academic achievement, aptitude, professional promise and other factors are considered. All students are strongly encouraged to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) in planning to pursue a legal education. This will assist us in evaluating your eligibility for grants and loans. The FAFSA can be completed after January 1 by visiting www.fafsa.ed.gov. The Texas Wesleyan School of Law FAFSA code is 003645.
Admitted Student Scholarships Scholarship awards at the law school are awarded on a three-year basis and can be maintained each year by meeting the specific class rank criteria established for the award. There is no separate application for scholarships at the law school, and all applicants are considered for scholarship awards at the time they are admitted to our program. Students are notified of a scholarship award in their admissions letters. Texas Wesleyan School of Law also awards scholarships to students whose applications reflect a diversity that will add to the learning experience for all law students. The Diversity Scholarship is aimed specifically at students who will add to the diversity not only in the student body but also the legal community. Students must be able to show their ability and willingness to share the diversity of voice, viewpoint and experience with the broader law school community.
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Continuing Student Scholarships Students entering Texas Wesleyan School of Law without a scholarship may receive a scholarship award after the completion of their first academic year based solely on strong academic performance. Continuing student awards are maintainable for the remainder of the legal program as long as the specific class rank criteria established for the award is met. We encourage all applicants and students to investigate alternate sources of scholarship that may be available to them. Questions regarding Texas Wesleyan School of Law’s scholarship policies for newly admitted students and continuing law students should be directed to the assistant dean of admissions and scholarships.
Financial Aid Texas Wesleyan School of Law actively participates in federal and private loan programs to assist our students in meeting the financial costs of pursuing a legal education. Whether students are seeking work-study opportunities, state educational grants, federal loans or private loans, the law school’s financial aid officer is prepared to answer questions and guide students through the financial aid process. Students applying for financial aid while attending Texas Wesleyan School of Law may qualify for a variety of federal and private student loan programs. Loans are available for the duration of the law program and in preparation for the bar exam. These loans can include the federal Stafford loans (both subsidized and unsubsidized), the federal Graduate Plus loans, private lender loans, and bar exam preparation loans. Finally, a budget for the total cost of attendance is established each year that covers not only the cost of tuition and fees but also the costs of living during the nine months of the academic year. Students may be eligible for additional financial aid or an increased cost of attendance budget if they are enrolled during the summer for courses, participating in a study abroad program, or have unexpected financial costs subject to coverage under the federal regulations. Students are encouraged to borrow only the amount of money that will cover the real costs for their legal education each year as loans become repayable shortly after graduation from the law program. For more information on beginning and completing the financial aid process or on individual eligibility, please visit our website or contact the law school’s office of financial aid.
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Contact Admissions OR FINANCIAL AID For more information regarding the law school and its programs, contact Texas Wesleyan School of Law. ADMISSIONS: Phone: 817-212-4040 or 800-733-9529, ext. 4040 Fax: 817-212-4141 Email: lawadmissions@law.txwes.edu Website: www.law.txwes.edu Mail: Texas Wesleyan School of Law Office of Admissions 1515 Commerce St., Fort Worth, TX 76102-6509
FINANCIAL AID: Phone: 817-212-4090 or 800-733-9529, ext. 4090 Fax: 817-212-4091 Email: dakins@law.txwes.edu
The law school reserves the right to change policy, curricula, course of study, tuition and fees, and any other aspect of its programs described in this prospectus.
Accreditation The School of Law is fully accredited by the Council of the Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar of the American Bar Association, 321 N. Clark Street, Chicago, IL 60610, 800-285-2221, www.abanet.org. Texas Wesleyan University is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral level degrees. Contact the Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, Georgia 30033-4097 or call 404-679-4500 (website: www.sacscoc.org) only for questions, comments, or issues related to the accreditation of Texas Wesleyan University.
Non-Discrimination Statement Texas Wesleyan University and its School of Law do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, national or ethnic origin, gender, age, disability, veteran’s status, sexual orientation or any other reason prohibited by applicable federal, state, or local laws.
CLERY ACT REPORTING To review information consistent with our obligation to report under the Clery Act, please visit our website at www.law.txwes.edu.
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1515 Commerce Street, Fort Worth, Texas 76102 817-212-4040 • www.law.txwes.edu lawadmissions@law.txwes.edu