Creighton University School of Law
Encyclopedia
Creighton University School of Law is a part of Creighton University
. Founded in 1904, Creighton Law is one of 14 Jesuit Catholic law schools in the U.S. One out of every 10 American law students is enrolled in a Jesuit law school. Situated primarily in urban centers, these schools were traditionally among the first to provide women and minorities access to high-quality legal education. With a reputation for rigorous study, Jesuit law schools value the pursuit of academic excellence and preparation for public service.
Located in Omaha, Nebraska, in view of the Missouri River and the Loess Hills, Creighton University School of Law is a Jesuit Catholic institution educating aspiring attorneys in the theory, practice and ethics of lawyering for more than 100 years. Consistent with its mission, the Law School's motto is "educating for service and justice," and its goal is to produce attorneys who not only meticulously care for their clients' needs, but also recognize their own over-arching duty to the profession and society-at-large.
Three years after its founding, Creighton Law was granted full accreditation to the Association of American Law Schools
in 1907, becoming the second religiously-affiliated law school (along with Georgetown) to achieve accreditation in the AALS. In 1924, Creighton, St. Louis, and Georgetown became the first religiously-affiliated law schools to be accredited by the American Bar Association
.
Creighton Law was ranked number 127 among law schools in the 2011 edition of US News and World Report.
scores of the full-time Fall 2010 entering class was 157 (75%) - 151 (25%). The GPA range was 3.56 (75%) - 2.92 (25%). 49.5% of full-time applicants were admitted.
program, which takes three years to complete. A small portion of the student body is enrolled in a part-time JD program, which takes approximately four years to complete.
Creighton also offers five joint degrees:
In 2005, Creighton inaugurated the Werner Institute for Negotiation & Dispute Resolution which was funded by a $4 million donation from C.L. Werner, CEO of Werner Enterprises
.
Creighton's dispute resolution program was ranked 12th in the nation by U.S. News & World Report
in the 2009 edition of Best Graduate Schools.
The Moot Court
team at Creighton has received recognition for winning a number of regional and national moot court competitions.
co-teaches a course on Constitutional law. His last visit was in February 2011.
Once a year, the Nebraska Supreme Court
holds session at Creighton law school. The most recent session was on April 7, 2011.
The law school completed a $3.6 million renovation and expansion of the law library in 1998.
On June 20, 2011 the Omaha World Herald reported that Creighton Law School was reducing it's class size due to the poor condition of the legal market.
Creighton University
Creighton University is a private, coeducational, Jesuit, Roman Catholic university located in Omaha, Nebraska, United States. Founded by the Society of Jesus in 1878, the school is one of 28 member institutions of the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities. The university is accredited by...
. Founded in 1904, Creighton Law is one of 14 Jesuit Catholic law schools in the U.S. One out of every 10 American law students is enrolled in a Jesuit law school. Situated primarily in urban centers, these schools were traditionally among the first to provide women and minorities access to high-quality legal education. With a reputation for rigorous study, Jesuit law schools value the pursuit of academic excellence and preparation for public service.
Located in Omaha, Nebraska, in view of the Missouri River and the Loess Hills, Creighton University School of Law is a Jesuit Catholic institution educating aspiring attorneys in the theory, practice and ethics of lawyering for more than 100 years. Consistent with its mission, the Law School's motto is "educating for service and justice," and its goal is to produce attorneys who not only meticulously care for their clients' needs, but also recognize their own over-arching duty to the profession and society-at-large.
Three years after its founding, Creighton Law was granted full accreditation to the Association of American Law Schools
Association of American Law Schools
The Association of American Law Schools is a non-profit organization of 170 law schools in the United States. Another 25 schools are "non-member fee paid" schools, which are not members but choose to pay AALS dues. Its purpose is to improve the legal profession through the improvement of legal...
in 1907, becoming the second religiously-affiliated law school (along with Georgetown) to achieve accreditation in the AALS. In 1924, Creighton, St. Louis, and Georgetown became the first religiously-affiliated law schools to be accredited by the American Bar Association
American Bar Association
The American Bar Association , founded August 21, 1878, is a voluntary bar association of lawyers and law students, which is not specific to any jurisdiction in the United States. The ABA's most important stated activities are the setting of academic standards for law schools, and the formulation...
.
Creighton Law was ranked number 127 among law schools in the 2011 edition of US News and World Report.
Admissions
The range of LSATLaw School Admission Test
The Law School Admission Test is a half-day standardized test administered four times each year at designated testing centers throughout the world. Administered by the Law School Admission Council for prospective law school candidates, the LSAT is designed to assess Reading Comprehension,...
scores of the full-time Fall 2010 entering class was 157 (75%) - 151 (25%). The GPA range was 3.56 (75%) - 2.92 (25%). 49.5% of full-time applicants were admitted.
Scholarships
The law school offers multiple types of scholarships to incoming first-year law students, as well as scholarships to returning second- and third-year law students. Examples include the Dean's Academic Scholarship and the Frances M. Ryan Diversity Scholarship (for minority students), and the A.A. and Ethel Yossem Scholarship (for Jewish students) for entering first-years. These scholarships can range anywhere from $2,000 a year, to one that includes tuition plus expenses. The median amount granted for new full time students is $10,472. Approximately 50% of the entering class receives scholarships.Programs
The majority of Creighton Law students are enrolled in a full-time Juris DoctorJuris Doctor
Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...
program, which takes three years to complete. A small portion of the student body is enrolled in a part-time JD program, which takes approximately four years to complete.
Concentrations and Joint Degrees
Creighton Law offers four areas of concentration in:- Business Law
- Criminal LawCriminal lawCriminal law, is the body of law that relates to crime. It might be defined as the body of rules that defines conduct that is not allowed because it is held to threaten, harm or endanger the safety and welfare of people, and that sets out the punishment to be imposed on people who do not obey...
and Procedure - InternationalInternational lawPublic international law concerns the structure and conduct of sovereign states; analogous entities, such as the Holy See; and intergovernmental organizations. To a lesser degree, international law also may affect multinational corporations and individuals, an impact increasingly evolving beyond...
and Comparative LawComparative lawComparative law is the study of differences and similarities between the law of different countries. More specifically, it involves study of the different legal systems in existence in the world, including the common law, the civil law, socialist law, Islamic law, Hindu law, and Chinese law... - Litigation
Creighton also offers five joint degrees:
- JD/MBA
- JD/MSMaster of ScienceA Master of Science is a postgraduate academic master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The degree is typically studied for in the sciences including the social sciences.-Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay:...
in Information Technology ManagementInformation technology managementIT management is the discipline whereby all of the technology resources of a firm are managed in accordance with its needs and priorities. These resources may include tangible investments like computer hardware, software, data, networks and data centre facilities, as well as the staffs who are... - JD/MS in Negotiation and Dispute ResolutionConflict resolutionConflict resolution is conceptualized as the methods and processes involved in facilitating the peaceful ending of some social conflict. Often, committed group members attempt to resolve group conflicts by actively communicating information about their conflicting motives or ideologies to the rest...
- JD/Certificate in Health Services AdministrationAcademic certificateAn academic certificate is a document that certifies that a person has received specific education or has passed a test or series of tests.In many countries, certificate is a qualification attained in secondary education. For instance, students in the Republic of Ireland sit the Junior Certificate...
- JD/MAMaster of Arts (postgraduate)A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
in International RelationsInternational relationsInternational relations is the study of relationships between countries, including the roles of states, inter-governmental organizations , international nongovernmental organizations , non-governmental organizations and multinational corporations...
In 2005, Creighton inaugurated the Werner Institute for Negotiation & Dispute Resolution which was funded by a $4 million donation from C.L. Werner, CEO of Werner Enterprises
Werner Enterprises
Werner Enterprises, Inc. was founded in 1956 by Clarence L. Werner. It is a transportation and logistics company, headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, United States. It ships to the USA, Canada, Mexico, Asia, Europe and South America. Werner has regional offices throughout North America, in China...
.
Creighton's dispute resolution program was ranked 12th in the nation by U.S. News & World Report
U.S. News & World Report
U.S. News & World Report is an American news magazine published from Washington, D.C. Along with Time and Newsweek it was for many years a leading news weekly, focusing more than its counterparts on political, economic, health and education stories...
in the 2009 edition of Best Graduate Schools.
Clinics
Creighton operates two legal clinics. The Milton R. Abrahams civil law clinic offers free legal assistance on civil matters to low-income residents of Douglas County, Nebraska. The Civil Law Clinic offers free legal assistance on civil matters to low-income residents of Douglas County, Nebraska. The Community Economic Development (CED) Law Clinic has a goal of encouraging economic growth and stability .Activities
Creighton's Law Review is published four times each year. First-year law students are selected based on class standing or writing ability to work on the Law Review in their second and third years.The Moot Court
Moot court
A moot court is an extracurricular activity at many law schools in which participants take part in simulated court proceedings, usually to include drafting briefs and participating in oral argument. The term derives from Anglo Saxon times, when a moot was a gathering of prominent men in a...
team at Creighton has received recognition for winning a number of regional and national moot court competitions.
Notable events
On a bi-annual basis, Supreme Court Justice Clarence ThomasClarence Thomas
Clarence Thomas is an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. Succeeding Thurgood Marshall, Thomas is the second African American to serve on the Court....
co-teaches a course on Constitutional law. His last visit was in February 2011.
Once a year, the Nebraska Supreme Court
Nebraska Supreme Court
The Nebraska Supreme Court is the highest court in the U.S. state of Nebraska. The Court consists of a Chief Justice and six Associate Justices. Each Justice is initially appointed by the Governor of Nebraska; using the Missouri Plan, each Justice is then subject to a retention vote for additional...
holds session at Creighton law school. The most recent session was on April 7, 2011.
The law school completed a $3.6 million renovation and expansion of the law library in 1998.
On June 20, 2011 the Omaha World Herald reported that Creighton Law School was reducing it's class size due to the poor condition of the legal market.
Notable alumni
- Brad AshfordBrad AshfordBrad Ashford is a member of the Nebraska Legislature.Born in Omaha, Nebraska, he attended Westside High School. He received his B.A. from Colgate University in 1971. He got his J.D. from Creighton University in 1974....
, member of the Nebraska LegislatureNebraska LegislatureThe Nebraska Legislature is the supreme legislative body of the State of Nebraska, in the Great Plains region of the United States. The Legislature meets at the Nebraska State Capitol in the City of Lincoln, Lancaster County.... - Steve LathropSteve LathropSteve Lathrop is a member of the Nebraska Legislature from Omaha, Nebraska.-Biography:Born in Omaha, Nebraska, Lathrop is the fifth of nine children born to David and Shirley Lathrop. He attended Holy Name Catholic Elementary School, and Archbishop Rummel High School in Omaha, which later became...
, member of the Nebraska Legislature - Tom WhiteTom White (Nebraska)Tom White is a member of the Nebraska Legislature from Omaha, Nebraska. He represents the 8th District, which consists of the Benson and Dundee neighborhoods in Omaha. It is widely speculated Mr. White may run for mayor of Omaha in the wake of Mayor Jim Suttle's recall.Born in Columbus, Nebraska,...
, member of the Nebraska Legislature - Patrick BournePatrick BournePatrick Bourne is a politician from the U.S. state of Nebraska. He is a former state senator in the Nebraska Legislature and an attorney in Omaha, Nebraska.Bourne was born in Omaha, Nebraska...
, former member of the Nebraska Legislature - Frank A. BarrettFrank A. BarrettFrank Aloysius Barrett was an American soldier, lawyer and politician. He is best known as a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives and the United States Senate, and as the 21st Governor of Wyoming....
, former Governor of Wyoming - Mike JohannsMike JohannsMichael Owen "Mike" Johanns is an American Republican politician who has been the junior United States Senator from Nebraska since 2009. Previously he was the 38th Governor of Nebraska from 1999 to 2005 and was U.S. Secretary of Agriculture from 2005 to 2007, becoming the fourth Nebraskan to hold...
, former Governor of NebraskaGovernor of NebraskaThe Governor of Nebraska holds the "supreme executive power" of the State of Nebraska as provided by the fourth article of the Nebraska Constitution. The current Governor is Dave Heineman, a Republican, who assumed office on January 20, 2005 upon the resignation of Mike Johanns . He won a full...
and former United States Secretary of AgricultureUnited States Secretary of AgricultureThe United States Secretary of Agriculture is the head of the United States Department of Agriculture. The current secretary is Tom Vilsack, who was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on 20 January 2009. The position carries similar responsibilities to those of agriculture ministers in other... - Ernie ChambersErnie ChambersErnest W. Chambers is a former Nebraska State Senator who represented North Omaha's 11th District in the Nebraska State Legislature. He is also a civil rights activist and is considered by most citizens of Nebraska as the most prominent and outspoken African American leader in the state...
, former Nebraska Senator - Doug StruykDoug StruykDoug Struyk is a former Iowa State Representative from the 99th District. He served in the Iowa House of Representatives from 2003 to 2011 and was an assistant minority leader. He resigned from the Iowa House in 2011 to work for the Iowa Secretary of State's office. Struyk received his B.A. from...
, member of the Iowa House of RepresentativesIowa House of RepresentativesThe Iowa House of Representatives is the lower house of the Iowa General Assembly. There are 100 members of the House of Representatives, representing 100 single-member districts across the state with populations of approximately 29,750 for each constituency... - Mike ReasonerMike ReasonerMichael J. "Mike" Reasoner is a former the Iowa State Representative from the 95th District and a former assistant majority leader. He served in the Iowa House of Representatives from 2003 to 2011...
, member of the Iowa House of Representatives - Lee TerryLee TerryLee Raymond Terry is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1999. He is a member of the Republican Party.A lifelong Nebraskan, Congressman Lee Terry has worked continually to empower the people of the Second District. Terry has been a leader for Nebraska, advocating American energy...
, member of the United States House of RepresentativesUnited States House of RepresentativesThe United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution... - Eugene O'SullivanEugene D. O'SullivanEugene Daniel O'Sullivan was an American Democratic Party politician from Nebraska.He was born in on a cattle ranch near Kent, Kansas to John E. O'Sullivan and Josephine Kluh O'Sullivan on May 31, 1883. He was married to Ellen Katherine Lovely. He graduated from Christian Brothers College, in St....
, former member of the United States House of Representatives - John Cavanaugh III, former member of the United States House of Representatives
- Robert V. Denney, former member of the United States House of Representatives
- Ray Madden, former member of the United States House of Representatives
- Virginia Lamp ThomasVirginia Lamp ThomasVirginia "Ginni" Lamp Thomas is an American attorney who is the founder and president of the conservative advocacy group Liberty Central; and the head of Liberty Consulting, Inc. Thomas previously worked at The Heritage Foundation. She is the wife of U.S...
, director of Executive Branch relations for the Heritage FoundationHeritage FoundationThe Heritage Foundation is a conservative American think tank based in Washington, D.C. Heritage's stated mission is to "formulate and promote conservative public policies based on the principles of free enterprise, limited government, individual freedom, traditional American values, and a strong... - John Dale RyanJohn Dale RyanGeneral John Dale Ryan was the seventh Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force. As chief of staff of the U.S. Air Force, General Ryan served in a dual capacity...
, former Chief of Staff of the United States Air ForceChief of Staff of the United States Air ForceThe Chief of Staff of the Air Force is a statutory office held by a four-star general in the United States Air Force, and is the most senior uniformed officer assigned to serve in the Department of the Air Force, and as such is the principal military advisor and a deputy to the Secretary of the... - Francis P. MatthewsFrancis P. MatthewsFrancis Patrick Matthews served as 49th United States Secretary of the Navy, during the administration of President Harry Truman. Matthews served during most of Truman's second term, from May 25, 1949 to July 31, 1951...
, former United States Secretary of the NavyUnited States Secretary of the NavyThe Secretary of the Navy of the United States of America is the head of the Department of the Navy, a component organization of the Department of Defense... - John McKayJohn McKay (attorney)John Larkin McKay is a former United States Attorney for the Western District of Washington.John Larkin McKay, a member of a prominent Republican family in the state, attended the University of Washington, where he received a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science in 1978...
, former United States AttorneyUnited States AttorneyUnited States Attorneys represent the United States federal government in United States district court and United States court of appeals. There are 93 U.S. Attorneys stationed throughout the United States, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands... - Michael McCormack, Nebraska Supreme Court Justice
- William M. ConnollyWilliam M. ConnollyWilliam M. Connolly is a justice of the Nebraska Supreme Court, appointed by Governor Ben Nelson in 1994. He attended Creighton University for both his undergraduate studies and his law degree. He worked as the County Attorney of Adams County from 1967 to 1972, and was a Nebraska State Court of...
, Nebraska Supreme Court Justice - Robert E. DavisRobert E. DavisRobert E. Davis was the Chief Justice of the Kansas Supreme Court from 2009 to 2010. He was first appointed in 1993 and became chief justice on January 12, 2009.-Personal life:...
, Kansas Supreme CourtKansas Supreme CourtThe Kansas Supreme Court is the highest judicial authority in the state of Kansas. Composed of seven justices, led by Chief Justice Lawton Nuss, the Court supervises the legal profession, administers over the judicial branch, and serves as the state court of last resort in the appeals...
Justice - Matthew SchultzMatthew SchultzMatthew Schultz is an American musician, multi-media artist, film maker, graphic designer and sculptor...
, Council Bluffs, IowaIowaIowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
City CouncilCity councilA city council or town council is the legislative body that governs a city, town, municipality or local government area.-Australia & NZ:Because of the differences in legislation between the States, the exact definition of a City Council varies... - Brian L. Mizer, Lieutenant CommanderLieutenant CommanderLieutenant Commander is a commissioned officer rank in many navies. The rank is superior to a lieutenant and subordinate to a commander...
, USN, NavyNavyA navy is the branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake- or ocean-borne combat operations and related functions...
JAG Defense Lawyer for Salim Ahmed HamdanSalim Ahmed HamdanSalim Ahmed Hamdan is a Yemeni man, captured during the invasion of Afghanistan, and imprisoned at Guantanamo Bay. He admits to being Osama bin Laden's personal driver claiming he needed the $200 monthly salary that came with the job....
, Osama bin LadenOsama bin LadenOsama bin Mohammed bin Awad bin Laden was the founder of the militant Islamist organization Al-Qaeda, the jihadist organization responsible for the September 11 attacks on the United States and numerous other mass-casualty attacks against civilian and military targets...
's driverChauffeurA chauffeur is a person employed to drive a passenger motor vehicle, especially a luxury vehicle such as a large sedan or limousine.Originally such drivers were always personal servants of the vehicle owner, but now in many cases specialist chauffeur service companies, or individual drivers provide... - Walter SmithWalter SmithWalter Smith, OBE is a Scottish football manager. His most recent job was at Scottish Premier League club Rangers.Smith had a relatively modest playing career, consisting of two spells with Dundee United which was split by a short time at Dumbarton.A pelvic injury meant he moved in to coaching at...
, Managing Partner of Baker BottsBaker BottsBaker Botts L.L.P. is a major United States-based international law firm of around 800 attorneys, with a long, prominent history, significant political connections, boasting more than half of the Fortune 100 companies among its clients. Headquartered in One Shell Plaza in Downtown Houston, Texas,...