2025-2026 Celebrating 125 years
CHART YOUR LEGAL CAREER
JD PROGRAMS
• Full-time
• Flex JD (Part-time)
DUAL AND JOINT DEGREES
• JD/LLM in Advocacy
• JD/MBA from Stetson University’s School of Business Administration
• JD/MINTEC in International Economic Law from the Université Toulouse 1 Capitole in Toulouse, France
• JD/M.I.E.B.L. in International and European Business Law from the Comillas Universidad Pontificia in Madrid, Spain
LLM DEGREES
• LLM in Advocacy (online)
• LLM in Elder Law (online)
• LLM in Environmental Law
- American Legal Studies
- Public and Private International Law
• LLM in International Law
- American Legal Studies (formerly General Studies)
- Public/Private International Law
ACADEMIC JOURNALS
• Stetson Law Review
• Stetson Business Law Review
• Journal of Aging Law & Policy
• Stetson Journal of Advocacy and the Law
INTERNATIONAL STUDY
• Summer abroad in Oxford, England; The Hague, The Netherlands; and Madrid, Spain
• Fall intersession in the Cayman Islands
• Spring Break (Location TBA)
• Foreign exchanges in Spain, France, and Ireland
EXTERNSHIPS AND CLINICS
• Over 300 opportunities available
• One of the few law schools that guarantees every student can participate in a clinic or externship during law school
• Any student with the proper prerequisites may participate in clinical education
Programs are subject to change.
Where are Stetson Law Alumni?
Rylie Pennell, Esq.
Hometown: Warrenton, Virginia
B.S. Virginia Tech
J.D., ’24 Stetson University College of Law
Former: Clerk, U.S. District Court, Middle District of Florida, Tampa Division
Current: Trial attorney, Mendes, Reins & Wilander
Stetson Law has 13,027 alumni in all 50 states, D.C., U.S.V.I., and Puerto Rico, +59 countries.
Stanton A. Fears, Esq.
Hometown: Buffalo, New York
BA Morehouse College, 2008
Master Certificate, George Washington University in Government Contracting, 2011
JD, ’15 Stetson University College of Law
Former: Attorney, Trenam Law
Current: Partner, Kovar Law Group
SPECIALIZE YOUR COURSEWORK
Areas of Distinction
The Center for Excellence in Higher Education Law and Policy
A platform for students to advance careers in higher education, the Center leads national discourse on higher education law and policy. Offering interdisciplinary conferences, webinars and special programs, the Center is a nationally respected resource for cutting-edge research.
Legal Research and Writing
Ranked #3 in Legal Writing by U.S. News & World Report (2025) , this program furthers Stetson’s commitment to leadership in legal communication education, research, and service. The first-year Research and Writing courses are taught by tenure and tenure-track faculty. And the number of credits students take are a testament to our commitment to this area.
Veterans Law
The Veterans Law Institute serves as a center for student veterans and their families and provides advocacy and advice on veterans’ issues through research, litigation, public and professional education, and testimony to governmental entities. The Veterans Advocacy Clinic provides legal help for veterans wounded in their service and their families to pursue benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Areas of Concentration
Advocacy
U.S. News & World Report ranks Stetson Law first in the nation for trial advocacy (2025), and has ranked the college at the top in this area for decades. Legal professionals know Stetson Law produces practice-ready lawyers who have honed their skills through innovative courses taught by dynamic and experienced faculty. To enrich the student experience, Stetson offers impactful programs like the Veterans Law Institute, the Institute for the Advancement of Legal Communications, and the Social Justice Advocacy Concentration.
Business Law
With intensive curriculum focusing on bankruptcy, in-house practice, intellectual property, and more, this concentration offers extensive practical experience in business law. Through courses led by nationally recognized faculty, it offers a sharp focus on areas including commercial law, taxation, and international business as well as first-hand experience and the opportunity to serve as an editor on the prestigious Business Law Review
Criminal Law
This newest Stetson Law concentration prepares students who plan to have a career in criminal practice by ensuring that they take appropriate coursework and receive mentoring from members of the faculty or alumni with experience and interest in this field. Students acquire a variety of skills in the theoretical and practical spects of modern criminal law.
Elder Law
Founded by elder-law pioneers, this nationally renowned program gives students hands-on experience in a growing area of law. Clinics and externship opportunities invite students to work on cases directly affecting elders. Students can be at the forefront of this emerging area as editors of The Journal of Aging, Law & Policy , which explores the legal complexities that stem from aging.
Environmental Law
From state-level wildlife protections to an international sea turtle treaty, this program fosters deep knowledge of environmental policy. Students will meet distinguished environmental professionals who visit campus for our Biodiversity Lecture Series and the International Environmental Moot Court Competition. Select students will have the opportunity to work on environmental matters in the Jacobs Public Interest Law Clinic and teach environmental law at the undergraduate level.
International Law
Designed for students who want to advance their studies in either private or public international law, this competitive program offers students the opportunity to learn from highly respected faculty in their field specializing in international human rights, international arbitration, and international business.
Social Justice Advocacy
Stetson Law leverages its strong advocacy core to prepare students to deal directly with significant social justice issues in civil or criminal law. Through coursework, mentorship from faculty with expertise in social justice advocacy, experiential learning through programs such as Stetson’s Innocence Initiative, and more, students will gain extensive first-hand experience advocating for a better world.
Our advocacy competition teams are consistently top in the nation.
WHY CHOOSE STETSON?
Award-Winning Advocates
Stetson Law students regularly emerge as champions in moot competitions, like the Willem C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot in Vienna, Austria, where the team was in the top two percent of law school competitors in the world.
Our competition teams have placed at the top for decades. In just the last two years, teams from the 2025 graduating class have won:
# 1 Trial Advocacy # 3 Legal Writing
Source: U.S. News & World Report (2025)
Diversity and Inclusion 94.8%
Overall Employment Rate*
One of the highest in the state *Visit Stetson.edu/law to see the full report.
Stetson Law is committed to cultivating an environment where all students feel safe and empowered to voice their opinions and exchange ideas. Our commitment is reflected in course offerings, campus initiatives, student groups, and events.
The moment I toured Stetson Law, I knew it was where I was meant to be. It was hard leaving home, but the kind people and rich history won my heart. And it doesn’t hurt that it’s by the beach!
– Taryn, JD candidate Corbin, Kentucky
91.5% of Entering Students
FALL 2025 ENTERING CLASS PROFILE
Represented in Fall 2025 JD entering class, plus 8 non-U.S. country represented
Undergraduate colleges and universities represented
Data as of August 2025
Tuition and Costs
The cost of a legal education includes tuition, fees, books and supplies, housing and food, transportation, and personal expenses. For more about tuition, fees, and estimated cost of attendance at Stetson, please visit stetson.edu/law/estimated-budget
About Tampa Bay and Gulfport
You’re going to love it here. Some of the country’s best beaches are just minutes away and Gulfport, with its great restaurants and shops, is right down the street. You’ll sense the welcoming culture and benefit from the accessible professional networks and great opportunities. Tampa Bay is a great place to be.
FALL OPEN HOUSE
November 15, 2025
SPRING OPEN HOUSE
February 7, 2026
APPLICATION DEADLINE FOR NEW STUDENTS
May 15, 2026
APPLICATION DEADLINE FOR FALL TRANSFERS
July 15, 2026
ADMITTED STUDENT OPEN HOUSES
April 11 and May 20, 2026
STETSON LAW ADMISSIONS
stetson.edu/law/admissions/home
727-562-7802
877-529-7838
lawadmit@law.stetson.edu
STETSON LAW STUDENT FINANCIAL PLANNING stetson.edu/law/financial-planning 727-562-7813 finaid@law.stetson.edu
Dates are subject to change
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Stetson University College of Law 1401 61st Street South Gulfport, Florida 33707
stetson.edu/law
We’re Celebrating 125 Years
As Stetson Law turns 125, so does legal education in Florida. As Florida’s first law school, our passion for the study of American jurisprudence endures. Our commitment to practical skills training dates to our founding. Our alumni and faculty have ascended to some of the most influential roles imaginable, while others have forged their own paths.
It began in DeLand, Florida, with a class of five who hailed from across the Sunshine State. Over the years, the College of Law has blossomed into the vibrant community it is now... in Gulfport, Florida, and our Tampa Law Center minutes from downtown Tampa. From the legal titans that have studied and taught here to the milestones we have achieved as a community, our history propels us toward even greater success.
It is the policy of Stetson University not to discriminate on the basis of sex, disability, race, age, religion, color, national or ethnic origin, ancestry, marital status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information, physical characteristics or any other category protected by federal, state or local law in its educational programs, admissions policies, financial aid, employment or other school-administered programs.
Florida’s First Law School Tampa Bay, Florida
. Stetson University DeLand, FL
Tampa Law Center . Gulfport, FL
Clearwater Beach
St.Pete Beach Tampa International Airport (TPA)
St. Pete - Clearwater International Airport (PIE)
Gulfport
Madeira Beach Bellair Beach