2018 LAW SCHOOL VIEW BOOK

M EM PHIS LAW THE UNIVERSITY OF MEMPHIS CECIL C. HUMPHREYS SCHOOL OF LAW 2018-19

M EM P H I S LAW

EDUCATION. COMMUNITY. OPPORTUNITY.

The University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law is uniquely exceptional in many ways, all of which prepare you for success at every level and stage of your career. We provide you with a strong foundation built on EDUCATION, with a strong core curriculum that is set up to help you excel in a particular specialty or interest, or gain excellent general legal expertise. Our faculty is brilliant and approachable, with their dedication to students made clear at every turn. They are adept at not only teaching students the legal skills needed to succeed in an enjoyable manner, but are also dedicated to guiding and supporting our students as they pursue their J.D. degree.

Your education at Memphis Law will inevitably lead you into the COMMUNITY. Our location in the community is undeniably beneficial to you as a student. We are not only in the heart of the legal community, within walking distance to courts, government offices and law firms, but we are also situated in the middle of our downtown community, which has become one of the fastestgrowing and most desirable downtowns in the country. With affordable costs of living, as well as a vibrant social and recreational scene, Memphis is a destination for those looking to have fun, experience some unblemished culture, and grow into their new life. You will also become a part of the larger Memphis Law network with access to our wide-ranging alumni community throughout the city, state, and country. Being the only law school in the MidSouth, as well as the only public law school in a large metropolitan city in the area, we have alumni in the majority of major corporations, law firms, business sectors and areas of government that, which is always a strong advantage for any young graduate looking for connections.

The OPPORTUNITIES you gain via our educational program and community connections allow you to be prepared for real-world success, where your legal skills will be applied directly and in a practical manner, helping further your education with real-world scenarios but also making a direct impact on the Memphis community and its residents in need of legal help and services through our unique partnerships and programming. Our Externship Program, Legal Clinics, and variety of unique partnerships with organizations throughout Memphis utilize our strong connections in the Mid-South community to help our students become practiceready before leaving law school.

1 | MEMPHIS LAW

Letter from the Interim Dean Welcome to the University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law! We are proud to introduce you to our outstanding institution. Memphis Law is housed in the finest law school facility in the nation, but what truly stands out here are the people inside that building and the legal community just outside its doors.

At the University of Memphis, you will learn from and beside extraordinary teachers and scholars committed to helping all students achieve a broad understanding of the law. Our devoted faculty, with countless years of experience working closely with students, provides the strong foundation needed to practice law in any setting. Whether you want to prepare yourself to provide general legal services or develop expertise in a specialized area of the law, Memphis Law faculty will prepare you for where you want to go.

Building from such a firmament, upper-level students at Memphis Law partake in unparalleled experiential learning opportunities in the legal and economic hub of the Mid-South. Our location as the only law school in downtown Memphis allows students to participate in numerous unique clinics and externships in law offices, businesses and courtrooms available nowhere else.

At Memphis Law, real-world experiences are just steps from the classroom. Our students are able to integrate these numerous and varied experiences into their class schedules without even moving their cars.

With countless opportunities for practical training in the field, students graduate from Memphis Law not just with expanded resumes, but with solid references. Networking opportunities abound through experiential learning, but also through the many highly specialized courses offered by the foremost legal experts in the community. The strong support of Memphis alumni attracts seasoned law graduates to return to the Law School frequently to meet and interact with our students. This exposure of our well-trained law students to the legal community promotes an employment network where our graduates can boast of amazing clerkships and high employment rates.

Great things are happening on the bluffs of the Mississippi River. With a newly created faculty position focused on success on the bar examination, our students receive guidance, education and assistance through graduation and all the way to the testing date. Legal education at Memphis guides students through orientation, coursework, practical training, bar testing and gainful legal employment. We look forward to meeting you here!

Katharine Traylor Schaffzin Interim Dean & Professor of Law

MEMPHIS.EDU/LAW | 2

TOP 25 (#4) CITY WHERE

MILLENIALS ARE MOVING

- TIME MAGAZINE

INCLUDED IN THE 2018

“HEALTH LAW HONOR ROLL”

RANKED AS A

“BEST VALUE”

-PRELAW MAGAZINE & NATIONAL JURIST

88%

ONE OF THE

LAW SCHOOL

MEMPHIS: 2ND

MOST AFFORDABLE

MOST AFFORDABLE CITY IN THE U.S. -FORBES

IN THE COUNTRY

-PRELAW MAGAZINE

OVERALL EMPLOYMENT

-PRELAW MAGAZINE

“THE BEST LAW SCHOOL BUILDING”

RATE FOR GRADUATES*

LAW SCHOOL IN TENNESSEE

TOP SCHOOLS FOR HEALTH LAW -PRELAW MAGAZINE

MOST DIVERSE

LAW SCHOOL IN TENNESSEE AND MOST DIVERSE IN THE FIVE-STATE MID-SOUTH REGION

*EMPLOYMENT DATA FROM CLASSES 2015-17

2018-2019 TUITION & FEES

ESTIMATED EXPENSES ROOM AND BOARD: $10,425

IN-STATE: $19,197

BOOKS/SUPPLIES: $1,969

OUT-OF-STATE: $26,402

TRANSPORTATION: $2,534 MISCELLANEOUS: $3,270 3 | MEMPHIS LAW

EDUCATION

Professor Kevin Smith

FIRST YEAR Fall Term

Spring Term

Contracts I

Contacts II

Torts I

Torts II

Legal Methods I

Legal Methods II

Civil Procedure I

Civil Procedure II

Property I

Property II Criminal Law

We provide you with a strong foundation built on EDUCATION, with a core curriculum that is set up to help you excel in a particular specialty or interest, or gain excellent general legal expertise. Our faculty is brilliant and approachable, with their dedication to students made clear at every turn. They are adept at not only teaching students the legal skills needed to succeed in an enjoyable manner, but are also dedicated to guiding and supporting our students as they pursue their J.D. degree.

Academic Program Memphis Law operates on the semester system and requires 90 semester hours for the J.D. degree. A full-time student is required to enroll in at least 12 hours each semester. Students in the full-time program normally graduate in three years. Summer classes are sometimes available and students can graduate after five semesters and two summer sessions of full-time study.

SECOND YEAR Constitutional Law Evidence

*A student is required to complete Evidence & Constitutional Law by the end of spring of his/her second year. If a student takes either or both courses in the summer term between the first and second year, this requirement will be satisfied."

SECOND OR THIRD YEAR

First-year students will enroll in a set of required core courses.

A. Professional Responsibility

Second- and third-year students may customize their curriculum with a range of recommended and elective courses, seminars, and externships.

B. Two Course in both the Statutory Menu and Practice Foundation Menu:

In addition to the required core courses, students must meet additional graduation requirements, including: • Professional Responsibility • Six credit hours of experiential • Upper division writing requirement learning • Pro Bono requirement

Corporate Tax

Practice Foundation Menu

Fair Employment

Administrative Law

Practice

Business Organizations

Income Taxation

Decedents’ Estates

Legislation

Family Law

Sales

Conflicts of Laws

Secured Transactions

Remedies

We also offer a number of dual- and joint-degree programs, as well as certificate programs: • JD/MBA • Certificate in Advocacy • JD/MA in Political Science • Certificate in Business Law • JD/MPH • Certificate in Health Law • Fast Track MPH • Certificate in Tax Law

Statutory Menu

Labor Law

C. Criminal Procedure I D. Bar Exam Preparation Course 5 | MEMPHIS LAW

E D U C AT I O N

10:1

Professor Alena Allen

STUDENT-TO-FACULTY RATIO

Faculty

110+ AREAS OF

EXPERTISE

REPRESENTED BY OUR

FACULTY

321

CUMULATIVE YEARS OF EXPERIENCE TEACHING AT MEMPHIS LAW BY OUR FACULTY THE AVERAGE AGE OF A MEMPHIS LAW

PROFESSOR IS 49 YEARS OLD, WITH

1/3 OF OUR FACULTY BEING UNDER 40

MEMPHIS.EDU/LAW | 6

Memphis Law faculty bring both distinguished scholarship and a depth of experience to their roles as your dedicated educators and legal mentors.

Faculty include experts in antitrust law, gun rights, healthcare, patent law, trademarks and copyrights, corporations, constitutional law, and many, many more areas of expertise.

Experience & Expertise Our professors have extensive real-world expertise that refines their classroom teaching abilities. Memphis Law faculty also includes: former federal law clerks, authors of leading legal scholarship, experienced trial and corporate attorneys, department of justice trial attorneys, authors of widely utilized casebooks and law school course materials, and former advisors to the U.S. Senate and government committees.

Dedication Our professors strong background in the law and their real-world experience are the foundation for our faculty’s excellence, but Memphis Law is also full of professors who have a true passion for teaching and instruction. Our professors are often found in discussions with students long after class has ended in order to walk through a lesson more clearly. Many of them have open office hours and encourage our students to drop by whenever they feel the need to ask more questions or are looking for guidance in their studies.

They are engaged in making not only Memphis Law a better place, but many are in active leadership roles in helping make Memphis an even more remarkable city, through their extensive community work with local nonprofits, activism and cause-related efforts, and legal public service.

Connection These are the types of professors you’ll remember long after you leave law school. Our faculty are the ones invited to former student’s weddings or swearing-in ceremonies for courts. They are the type of mentor that former students call for opinions once they are practicing. You’ll want to drop by to visit them when you’re nearby. This is the sort of relationship our faculty fosters amongst our students, and it’s what puts your EDUCATION over the top.

Professor Ralph Brashier

Extended Educational Opportunities Alternative Spring Break Nearing it’s 10-year anniversary as the first student-led spring break program in the country to recruit from law schools nationwide, this week-long program, run by our Public Action Law Society, seeks to help low income individuals needing legal representation, while also providing law students the opportunity to gain legal experience.

Pro Bono Memphis Law is one of a select group of law schools in the country that requires students to engage in pro bono work.

Students are required to complete 40 hours of supervised pro bono work in order to graduate, giving them unique opportunities throughout Memphis while strengthening their ties to the community.

Law Review Our prestigious, student-run journal of legal scholarship is published four times a year, with student editors making all editorial decisions, along with a faculty advisor, and drawing submissions from prominent academics from across the country.

Legal Methods Our rigorous, required first-year legal research, writing, and analysis course gives students excellent preparation for the increasing complexity of practice in today’s legal environment.

Professor Lynda Black

Mediation Under the guidance of one of the Mid-South’s highlyregarded Rule 31 Listed Mediators, students get real world experience being co-mediators in General Sessions Court, as well as actual Tennessee Supreme Court Rule 31 Mediator training and ongoing observations of mediations in various courts and administrative proceedings.

Mock Trial Memphis Law gives students the opportunity to take their advocacy skills to the next level with both an in-school mock trial competition and a historically-successful National Mock Trial Competition travel team.

Moot Court Our Moot Court program excels in both appellate and trial advocacy, with many in-school and travel-team competitions under its purview.

Research Fellowships We support over 30 students with research fellowships, where they undertake various research tasks related to legal scholarship and study.

Tax Workshops Over 100 federal tax returns were filed by students in our Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program last year.

7 | MEMPHIS LAW

E D U C AT I O N

MEMPHIS.EDU/LAW | 8

Bar Prep In addition to what you learn in your law school classes and the commercial bar review courses, The University of Memphis School of Law also offers workshops and programs designed to help you assess and practice the skills necessary for passing the bar. These workshops cover each part of the bar exam - the essay, multiple choice and performance test portions. Thus, you have the opportunity to not only learn the appropriate substance but to also hone the necessary skills related to each portion of the bar exam.

Our curriculum also includes a required upper-level bar preparation course for graduation. This is a course to help graduating students prepare for the bar exam both by reviewing some substantive law and instructing on how to successfully navigate multiple choice, essay, and Multistate Performance Test questions. The class reviews substantive criminal law, constitutional law, and tort law. Students answer simulated multistate and essay questions and receive regular feedback on their performance. There will be graded mid-term and final examinations and a graded Multistate Performance Test. It’s important to remember that this course is in addition to, not a substitute for, a summer bar exam preparation course.

Value Memphis Law has been a tremendous value in legal education for years, but with consistent “Best Value” rankings from preLaw magazine and National Jurist ever since they started compiling the rankings, the secret is getting out. Combine that with the very affordable, low-cost of living in Memphis, with all of the incentives and advantages of living in a big city, and you can see why it quickly becomes the perfect combination of value for your money.

From the price of a night out on Beale Street to the low cost of a downtown apartment, daily life in Memphis simply takes a smaller bite out of your wallet.

2018-2019 TUITION & FEES

ESTIMATED EXPENSES

IN-STATE: $19,197

ROOM AND BOARD: $10,425

OUT-OF-STATE: $26,402

BOOKS/SUPPLIES: $1,969 TRANSPORTATION: $2,534

MEMPHIS COST OF LIVING =

14% BELOW THE NATIONAL AVERAGE

MOST AFFORDABLE

LAW SCHOOL IN TENNESSEE

2ND MOST AFFORDABLE CITY IN AMERICA - FORBES

LOW DEBT

MEMPHIS LAW AVERAGE DEBT PER STUDENT IS 38TH LOWEST OUT OF 200+ LAW SCHOOLS*

35+

ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE FOR STUDENTS

BEST VALUE LAW SCHOOL - PRELAW MAGAZINE

*PER 2017-18 STATISTICS

MISCELLANEOUS: $3,270

9 | MEMPHIS LAW

COMMUNITY

TOP 15

ON THE TOP U.S. CITIES WITH EMERGING DOWNTOWNS LIST -FORBES MAGAZINE

4TH HAPPIEST Whether you’re talking about our many community partnerships that enhance your education, the incredibly affordable cost of living in Memphis, the resurgence of downtown and our core neighborhoods that are filling with residents flocking from cities like Nashville and Austin looking for more affordability and authentic vibes, the increasingly visible park and outdoor recreation scene happening in our community, or our vast alumni network throughout the country, our Memphis Law community is one of our most important assets. You’ll find that it can take you anywhere and that it’s also right where you want to be.

CITY FOR JOB SEEKING COLLEGE GRADS -FORBES MAGAZINE

TOP 4

MARKET FOR MILLENNIALS WITH THE RIGHT “LIVE/WORK/PLAY” ENVIRONMENT -THE WALL STREET JOURNAL

The City Memphis is quickly being recognized by the rest of the country as the place to be. It’s a place where you can trace the roots of blues, soul and rock n’ roll – and then hear who’s making musical history here today. It’s a city where BBQ is a way of life – and innovative and award-winning culinary trends are developed daily. Memphis is a place where history was made – and where you can stand in the same spots where musical legends, civil rights leaders, and business entrepreneurs made their mark. Memphis is like nowhere else.

The city has over 167 parks totaling 3,219 acres. In Overton Park, in the center of the city, you can golf, walk through the Old Forest, play soccer or ultimate frisbee in the greensward, take your dog to the beloved dog park, or play with your kids on the innovative new playground. Shelby Farms Park, the second largest urban park in the nation, offers paved and unpaved hiking/ running/walking trails, horseback riding, expansive off-the-leash dog park areas with lakes and trails, kayaking, canoeing, and paddle boats, a gourmet restaurant, and more. And right on the law school’s back porch along the river, Tom Lee Park offers scenic views of the Mississippi River with running/ biking/walking paths along its length.

Memphis also has 60 miles of bike lanes across the city and newly installed Bike Share stations throughout the city’s neighborhoods, along with a fleet of electric scooters, all of which have turned the Bluff City into an accepting new model for efficient transit. Additionally, the new Big River Crossing is the world’s longest active rail/bicycle/pedestrian bridge, connecting downtown Memphis with the Big River Parkway, a series of beautiful trails along the Mississippi River delta and floodplain.

MOST IMPROVED CITY FOR CYCLING -BICYCLING MAGAZINE

MEMPHIS IS CONSISTENTLY RANKED AS ONE OF THE

MOST AFFORDABLE CITIES -THE HUFFINGTON POST AND KIPLINGER

1 BEALE STREET NAMED THE #1 MOST ICONIC AMERICAN STREET -USA TODAY

“NEXT HOT SOUTHERN CITY” -TRAVEL & LEISURE MAGAZINE

COMMUNIT Y

Location Located in the middle of the Memphis legal community, Memphis Law is within walking distance of state and federal courts and the majority of government offices. In an average year, we also host more than 50 conferences, professional networking receptions and continuing education seminars – not to mention additional legal forums, panels and job fairs – with our legal community, all of which are open and free for our students.

Methodist Le Bonheur 1.5 mi

Let’s not forget the many opportunities to watch real courts in action in our historic courtroom overlooking downtown Memphis. You might even get to catch one of your own professors in action, as several of our adjunct faculty members are state and federal judges. Our students have had the opportunity to attend court proceedings for the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, the Tennessee Supreme Court, the United States District Court for the Western District of Tennessee, the Tennessee Court of Appeals (civil and criminal), as well as many local court proceedings and trials.

Additionally, our location in downtown Memphis and our premier facilities have allowed our students to participate in unique and informal programs with former United States Attorney Generals, United States Supreme Court Justices, Tennessee Supreme Court Justices, United Nation Ambassadors, Civil Rights Leaders and numerous high-profile attorneys, businessmen and women, and state and federal politicians.

Our location also affords us the unique ability to form partnerships that help to expand our disciplines, such as our partnerships with the City of Memphis, Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital, the Memphis Bar Association, and many local non-profits. This location, within the legal community and in our exciting downtown, will impact your education and experience you receive during your time in law school; in turn, that education and experience will help you succeed wherever you go in your career.

MEMPHIS.EDU/LAW | 12

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital 1.0 mi

Shelby County Health Department 1.5 mi

Juvenile Court 1.0 mi

Memphis City Hall 0.4 mi

U.S. District Court 0.6 mi

Environmental Court 0.4 mi

Shelby County Government Services 0.4 mi

Memphis Bar Association 0.3 mi

Memphis Area Legal Services 100 ft

Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law

Memphis City Court 0.6 mi

Shelby County Courthouse

IRS Offices 0.6 mi

0.4 mi

Memphis Housing Authority 1.2 mi

COMMUNIT Y

2/5 JUSTICES OF THE

TENNESSEE SUPREME COURT ARE MEMPHIS LAW ALUMNI

Alumni Community Our alumni network spreads throughout the country, with successful graduates working in an astonishing number of fields, business sectors, concentrations, firms, and industries. This network of success is just one of the tools given to Memphis Law students and graduates. We’ve been successfully training new attorneys for over 50 years, and we’re excited to help you on your road to future legal success with the help of our alumni community along the way.

Here's a sample of our successful alumni:

48

STATES WITH

PRACTICING MEMPHIS LAW ALUMNI

Rep. Steve Cohen (JD ’73) United States Congressman, TN 9th Congressional District

Amber Floyd (JD ’10) Senior Associate at Wyatt, Tarrant & Combs LLP

Hon. Kathleen Gomes (JD ’80) Judge, Division 1 – Shelby County Probate Court

Marci Harris (JD ’06) CEO & Founder POPVOX

Edward Stanton, III (JD '97) Associate Practice Group Leader, Commercial Litigation Group; Butler Snow. Former United States Attorney, Western District of Tennessee.

Mayor Jim Strickland (JD ’89) Mayor – City of Memphis

44

PARTNERS/ SHAREHOLDERS AT 3 OF THE

LARGEST LAW FIRMS

IN MEMPHIS ARE MEMPHIS LAW ALUMNI

25%

(APPROXIMATELY) OF

TRIAL JUDGES

IN TENNESSEE ARE MEMPHIS LAW ALUMNI

MEMPHIS.EDU/LAW | 14

The Hon. Holly M. Kirby (J.D. '82) Tennessee Supreme Court Justice

15 | MEMPHIS LAW

COMMUNIT Y

MEMPHIS.EDU/LAW | 16

Professor Demetria Frank

Diversity Memphis Law has been nationally recognized for our diversity efforts, which is appropriate in a diverse city like Memphis, that has been recognized as having the MOST diverse workforce among U.S. cities in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and math.

We are also proudly the MOST diverse law school in Tennessee, as well as the most diverse public law school in the five-state Mid-South region.

We define diversity broadly to include several aspects of human differences that contribute to the intellectual discourse and inclusive environment at the University of Memphis School of Law. The Student Affairs Office of Diversity collaborates with a variety of law school offices and community groups to ensure a diverse and inclusive law school environment. These collaborations allow us to develop and implement initiatives that increase the access, admission, retention, and graduation of diverse students.

A Successful History of Diverse Alumni • The Hon. Bernice B. Donald (JD ’79) U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit

LAW SCHOOL IN TENNESSEE

MOST DIVERSE PUBLIC LAW SCHOOL

IN THE FIVE-STATE MID-SOUTH REGION

TOP 5

BEST REGIONAL LAW SCHOOLS FOR

BLACK STUDENTS - LAWYERS OF COLOR MAGAZINE

50%

OF OUR FACULTY MEMBERS ARE

•G regory Duckett (JD ’85) Senior Vice President & Corporate Counsel, Baptist Memorial Healthcare •A mber Floyd (JD ’10) Senior Associate, Wyatt, Tarrant & Combs LLP

FEMALE BEST BARGAIN

•E dward Stanton, III (JD '97) Associate Practice Group Leader, Commercial Litigation Group, Butler Snow.

Former United States Attorney, Western District of Tennessee.

LAW SCHOOL FOR

BLACK STUDENTS - LAWYERS OF COLOR MAGAZINE

“MOST DIVERSE LAW SCHOOL”

DIVERSITY-RELATED STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS

-PRELAW MAGAZINE

• ASSOCIATION OF WOMEN ATTORNEYS (AWA)

TIP PROGRAM

• BLACK LAW STUDENTS ASSOCIATION (BLSA)

A UNIQUE ADMISSION

• CHRISTIAN LEGAL SOCIETY

BY PERFORMANCE PROGRAM FOR TN AND BORDER COUNTY RESIDENTS WHO ARE FROM

• HISPANIC LAW STUDENT ASSOCIATION (HLSA)

DIVERSE BACKGROUNDS AND CIRCUMSTANCES

• INTERNATIONAL LAW STUDENTS ASSOCIATION (ILSA) • OUTLAW

MOST DIVERSE

Professor Lee Harris

17 | MEMPHIS LAW

OPPORTUNITY

Real-world opportunities for learning and success exist at Memphis Law because of our strong place in the community and our partnerships within the Mid-South.

These connections help make Memphis an even better place, while giving our students hands-on experience in a variety of realworld settings. From students working with the city to remove blighted properties throughout Memphis, to partnerships that allow children and families to find legal solutions to medical problems, and even a policy lab designed to help students examine and influence the law itself, Memphis Law is invested in broadening our students educational experience in innovative new ways, many of which can only be found because of our Experiential Learning Program with externships and our legal clinics.

These real-world opportunities prepare students for success after law school like nothing else can.

Externship Opportunities

Judicial Externships: Federal Courts • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit • U.S. District Court for the Western District of Tennessee • U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Tennessee • U.S. Immigration Court Judicial Externships: Tennessee State Courts • Tennessee Supreme Court • Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals • Shelby County Circuit Court Criminal Justice • U.S. Attorney’s Office • Shelby County District Attorney General’s Office • Shelby County Public Defender’s Office • State of Tennessee Office of the Attorney General • University of Memphis Public Safety Institute Government • Memphis City Attorney’s Office

Litigation Unit

Transactional Unit • Shelby County Airport Authority • U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Office of Chief Counsel, Memphis office • Equal Employment Opportunity Commission – Hearings Unit

Health & Medical • St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital • Baptist Memorial Healthcare Corporation • Medtronic Corporation - Office of Ethics & Compliance • Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare • Regional One Health • Robert Wood Johnson, Neighborhood Preservation Inc./Urban Law • Youth Villages Community Legal Services • Community Legal Center – Immigrant Justice Program • Latino Memphis • Legal Aid of Arkansas • Memphis Area Legal Services

Consumer Unit

Education Law/Partnership for Educational

Advocacy and Parity

Family Law Unit

Low Income Taxpayer Unit

Mid-South Immigration Advocates In-House Externships • Ducks Unlimited • Orion Federal Credit Union • University of Memphis Office of University Counsel • U.S. Army Corps of Engineers • FedEx

“The skills, experience and people met through an externship are invaluable. The job market is brutal and employers know that a new lawyer will have a steep learning curve to overcome before adding any value to the position. I truly believe this experience goes a long way in the interview process and gives those with externships a large leap over those who have no real-world experience. I was not the smartest person in my class, but I tried to place myself in positions to gain experience and this has allowed me to obtain the goal I had prior to law school.”

-Tyler Parks ('13) Assistant District Attorney, Blount County District Attorney’s Office

19 | MEMPHIS LAW

OPPORTUNITY

1000+ CASES & 100+ NEW LAWSUITS: STUDENT ATTORNEYS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD PRESERVATION CLINIC FILED MORE THAN 100 LAWSUITS AND REPRESENTED THE CITY OF MEMPHIS IN MORE THAN 1000 CASES IN SHELBY COUNTY ENVIRONMENTAL COURT IN 2016-18

1,016 CASES: IN LESS THAN 3 YEARS, OUR

MEDICAL LEGAL PARTNERSHIP WITH LE BONHEUR CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL HAS RESULTED IN 1,016 REFERRALS TO OUR MLP CLINIC FROM OVER 20 DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS AT LE BONHEUR

60+ APPEALS: STUDENTS IN THE HOUSING ADJUDICATION CLINIC PRESIDED OVER 60+ APPEALS IN 2017-18

Clinics We know that hands-on experience is one of the keys to leaving law school ready to practice.

Memphis Law’s legal clinics help our students do more than just learn the law. They provide a unique blend of legal advocacy, hands-on training, and intensive learning. These clinics include: Neighborhood Preservation Clinic The University of Memphis Neighborhood Preservation Clinic represents the City of Memphis in public nuisance lawsuits seeking recourse against the owners of badly neglected, vacant and abandoned properties. Clinic students investigate property ownership and conditions; communicate with field code enforcement professionals; and research, prepare and file civil cases alleging claims arising under the Tennessee Neighborhood Preservation Act. Medical Legal Partnership Clinic Through a first-of-its-kind collaboration with Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital and Memphis Area Legal Services, our MedicalLegal Partnership Clinic allows Memphis Law students to represent low-income pediatric patients and their families at Le Bonheur. This gives them the unique opportunity to address the legal and social issues that impact child and family health through direct legal services, education and systemic advocacy.

Housing Adjudication Clinic The University of Memphis Housing Adjudication Clinic presents students with the unique opportunity to study law and lawyering from the standpoint of the administrative law judge

MEMPHIS.EDU/LAW | 20

rather than that of direct client representative. Students are assigned to investigate, research, hear, adjudicate, and issue written opinions ruling on administrative appeals involving participants in the Memphis Housing Authority's Housing Choice Voucher Program, while also being exposed to federal fair housing law and procedure.

Children’s Defense Clinic The Children’s Defense Clinic offers student attorneys the opportunity to provide legal representation to youth facing criminal charges in the Shelby County Juvenile Court. Students are given handson training in the handling of delinquency cases, to enhance the vital lawyering skills students use in their casework and in practice, and to expose them to the complex legal, policy, social, and economic issues that arise in the juvenile justice and criminal defense settings.

Elder Law Clinic This clinic gives student attorneys the unique opportunity to represent senior citizens across a broad range of areas, including: consumer protection, financial exploitation, conservatorship, real-world property issues, grandparent adoption, health care, social security, and wills and advanced directives.

Partnerships

iHelp Policy Lab To manifest the Institute for Health Law & Policy (iHeLP) mission and link its service and educational goals with unique possibilities for scholarship, the Institute launched the iHeLP Policy Lab to foster policy-based service work through interdisciplinary, community-focused engagement.

With support of the ACE Awareness Foundation, the Policy Lab's first initiative focused on supporting system-level health policy change in the Mid-South Community for the specific purpose of childhood trauma mitigation and reduction through policy research, policy advising, and drafting new policies. Additional support of the Urban Child Institute expands and deepens the work of the Policy Lab, now the policy core to the University's new iIMPACT initiative. Specifically, the Policy Lab: iIMPACT Initiative – through policy research, capacity-building, and as facilitator of community conversations – helps further the goals of building a "culture of health" for children and families in Memphis. In the short term, it will help connect data and case "stories" to policy, with a long-term goal to facilitate upstream change for systemic, collective impact benefiting children and families in Memphis.

Advanced Criminal Prosecution Intersession This course is offered for one week a year and is composed of veteran criminal prosecutors from across the state, with highly coveted, and limited, spots for Memphis Law students.

This intersession experiential course gives our students interested in advanced criminal prosecution a rare

opportunity to learn in a “master class” setting with experienced prosecutors from across the state of Tennessee presenting instruction on all aspects of criminal trial practice, including jury selection, pretrial motions, opening statements, direct and cross examinations, evidentiary objections, and closing argument. Students will even receive direct critique from experienced veteran prosecutors, giving them learning opportunities far ahead of normal standards.

Advocacy Program Partnerships Our local bar association and generous alumni and friends provide awards, scholarships and support to students involved in advocacy at Memphis Law. The Duberstein Bankruptcy Team is funded through a unique partnership with the Memphis Bar Association Bankruptcy Section, with veteran members of the section serving as coaches as the teams travel to annual competitions across the country.

Memphis Law also offers numerous advocacy-related scholarships, with many scholarships awarded to students who are interested in advocacy, excelling in advocacyrelated courses in law school, or in leadership positions within the Moot Court program.

Memphis Law alumni and local attorneys take an active role in the support of our advocacy program. Alumni and local attorneys coach our travel teams and act as judges for the many rounds of practice for our travel teams and for in-school competitions.

21 | MEMPHIS LAW

OPPORTUNITY CLASS OF 2017 AREAS OF EMPLOYMENT

58% LAW FIRMS

12%

BUSINESS & INDUSTRY

12%

JUDICIAL CLERKSHIP

9%

GOVERNMENT

9%

PUBLIC INTEREST

Opportunities for Success Real learning. Real success. That’s what Memphis Law offers our students and graduates.

Career Services Office With in-depth assistance from our Career Services Office (CSO), our students find the career that best suits them. The CSO helps students to develop their job search skills and assist with faculty and alumni relationships that can lead to real-world employment. The Memphis Law CSO offers a wide range of career development assistance and opportunities for our students, such as: Individual Counseling Our students can set up one-on-one counseling appointments with our qualified CSO staff to review resumes, cover letters, or to just talk about specific career goals. Our experienced staff of counselors will even review your materials and return them to you, critiqued and with notes, within approximately two days.

Mock Interview Training Mock interviews provide our students with the opportunity to practice their interview skills in a realistic setting and to receive feedback to improve performance. The CSO holds mock interviews before on-campus employer interviews at the beginning of each semester. Local attorneys conduct the mock interviews. Interview sessions typically last 30 minutes and include feedback from the participating attorneys at the end of the session. The attorneys who participate in our mock interviews are often the same attorneys who conduct on-campus interviews.

Seminars and Events CSO presents many events throughout the year to familiarize our students with basics such as writing resumes, and to expose students to a variety of practice areas. Panel discussions, career fairs, and other CSO events bring attorneys and students together to explore career possibilities.

CSO Resource Center The CSO library contains career books, interview guides, lists of Tennessee law firms broken down by city, and other helpful publications. There are also a number of CSO-created templates for resumes, cover letters, and more, available to our students. The CSO also contains a work area with computers and a laser printer that may be used by students and alumni for the exclusive purpose of preparing resumes, cover letters, and other correspondence related to their job search.

Job Postings Our CSO staff works tirelessly to help our students find open employment positions across the country. These positions are posted in Symplicity and shared between our counselors and students. The relationships created and nurtured by our staff and counselors result in many unique employment opportunities for our students and graduates.

Job Fairs Students at Memphis Law are annually invited, through our Career Services Office, to a number of different job fairs throughout the year.

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On Campus Recruiting The CSO coordinates numerous on-campus job interviews in both the fall and spring semesters for our students.

The Admission Process pplication (required) A The application may be accessed through LSAC. Be sure to complete all questions accurately. Include your name and LSAC account number on any addenda. The priority scholarship deadline is March 15. redential Assembly Service C (CAS) (required) Applicants for the next entering class must have an LSAT score that is current and taken within the last 64 months. LSAC will not release a CAS report until they receive an original transcript from every undergraduate institution you have attended including summer sessions and study abroad programs. It is the applicant’s responsibility to monitor the status of his/her LSAC account. ersonal Statement (required) P Each applicant is required to submit a personal statement. This statement provides the opportunity to describe your background and any unique experiences, characteristics, or circumstances you want the admissions committee to consider. You should explain your desire to study law, why you believe you will be a successful law student, and what you plan to do with your law degree. You are encouraged to explain your interest in attending our law school and may discuss any information not otherwise apparent from your application, including family members who are graduates of the University of Memphis School of Law. Limit your personal statement to no more than 1,000 words.

dmonitory Action Explanation A (if applicable) etters of Recommendation/ L Evaluations (optional) Applicants are encouraged to submit up to three letters of recommendation addressing their potential for academic success.

When possible, letters should come from professors if you are currently in college or have recently graduated. The letters should be sent to LSAC to be included with your CAS report. If a file is complete by March 15, file review will not be delayed if letters have not been received.

IP Statement (required for all TIP T applicants) If eligible, apply for the Tennessee Institute for Pre-Law (TIP), an “admission by performance” program for Tennessee and bordercounty residents from diverse backgrounds who are not admitted through the regular admissions process, but who show potential for success in the study of law. To found out more about TIP, visit memphis.edu/law/about/tip.php.

DECISION TIMELINE (DECEMBER - APRIL) Our online application is available through LSAC. Applicants to the University of Memphis School of Law will receive an email with a link to our website and a code to establish an account to check the status of their application.

Henceforth, the applicant can check their application status online. Applicants will also receive an email once the application is complete. Once a decision has been rendered, the online status will read: decision rendered. Final decisions are mailed to the applicant’s local address. Most decisions are made between January and April.

After being admitted, a seat deposit of $250 is due by mid-April or two weeks after notice of admission, whichever is the later date.

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CONTACT University of Memphis School of Law 1 North Front Street Memphis, TN 38103 901.678.5403 901.678.0741 (fax) Lawadmissions@memphis.edu

FINANCIAL AID AND SCHOLARSHIP CHECKLIST Apply for an FSA ID at fsaid.ed.gov. omplete the FAFSA at fafsa.ed.gov, available October 1 for the next C academic year. se prior year’s income tax. For example, the 2019-2020 FAFSA will require U the 2017 income tax information.

List the University of Memphis’ 6-digit federal school code: 003509

memphis.edu/law

Law School Admissions Council (LSAC) 215.968.1001 lsac.org

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Professor Danny Schaffzin

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