from the
D
ear alumni and friends,
Thank you for the outpouring of support that you have offered to our great law school and to me as the new dean of Alabama Law. Though I’ve been a member of our faculty and called Tuscaloosa my home for more than 30 years, my understanding of the importance of your role in our success has never been clearer. In traveling to meet many of you over this past semester, I’ve been reminded time and time again what a privilege it is for me to be a part of the Alabama Law community. Our alumni are extremely generous, our students and faculty are outstanding, and our future as a premier public law school is bright. One of the things I’ve loved most about being a part of this community over the past three decades has been participating in an institutional transformation that has been nothing short of remarkable. We have blossomed into a nationally recognized law school that attracts talented students from our state and throughout the nation and world. Last year’s entering 1L class had the highest median undergraduate GPA of any incoming class in the country, and we most recently had the 7th highest percentage of federal clerkship placements among all ABA-accredited law schools. I would be remiss if I didn’t also mention that we have a thriving DC externship program, our moot court program is ranked 20th in the nation, and our public interest institute ranks among the Top 25 nationally. Much of our success stems from our ability—because of generous alumni and friends—to offer an outstanding legal education while ensuring our students enter the legal profession with one of the lowest average student debt-loads (#8) nation-wide.
While we continue to strengthen our national reputation, we haven’t forgotten our role as the only public law school in the state of Alabama. We don’t take this responsibility lightly. We are here to serve the students of Alabama and the people of this state. This year we’ve added a seventh law clinic—an appellate advocacy clinic—offering additional free legal services to our community and state. We are so grateful for the Finch Fellowship—allowing our students to work in several rural counties across Alabama. And we continue to recruit a strong class of in-state students. In the past two years, more than 75% of our admitted 1L students were either Alabama residents or students with significant ties to the state. Thank you for being a friend to our Law School. Your support is needed. Your experience is appreciated. And you are a part of the legacy that makes Alabama Law one of the best public law schools in the country. If I haven’t heard from you yet, I hope to do so soon. There are plenty of ways to engage with our institution, and my team and I are happy to help find the opportunity that best fits your interests. Thanks again for your support. Gratefully,
William S. Brewbaker III Dean and Professor of Law
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