University of Miami School of Law
Encyclopedia
The University of Miami School of Law, founded in 1926, is the law school
of the University of Miami
, located in Coral Gables, Florida
, in the United States
. The school graduated its first class of 13 students in 1929.
In 2002, the school established the "Leonard and Jayne Abess Center for Ecosystem Science and Policy" (Abess Center) with the mission to bridge the gap that separates science from environmental policy and law, through innovative, inter-disciplinary initiatives.
The University of Miami School of Law also offers extensive "Public Interest Programs" and opportunities, including the "Center for Ethics and Public Service" that offers in-house clinics and educational programs including the "Children and Youth Law Clinic", "Health and Elder Law Clinic", and "Corporate & Professional Responsibility Program". The HOPE Public Interest Resource Center at the University of Miami School of Law gives students the opportunity to get involved in over 25 different projects each year, reaching various underserved and at-risk populations locally, nationally, and abroad.
The school also offers three official joint degree programs (in business, public health and marine affairs) and seven LL.M. programs for post-graduate-level law study. The "Academic Achievement Program" and the "James Weldon Johnson/Robert H. Waters Program" provide participating students additional tools to succeed in law school. Other special programs at the law school include four "Summer Abroad Programs", one each in London, England and Spain
and two involving multiple Europe
an nations (Greece
, Italy
, and London) and (Greece, Italy, and Barcelona, Spain).
The University of Miami School of Law is the host of the annual "Heckerling Institute on Estate Planning," a conference for estate planning professionals. The law school also hosts an annual symposium for psychology
, public policy
, and law.
, the 7th largest city in the nation. The School of Law is centered around a central courtyard called the "Bricks." The Law Library has a collection of over 600,000 volumes in print and microform, and subscribes to a large and ever-expanding list of electronic resources.
The University of Miami campus is served by the Miami Metrorail at the University Station
.
Law students at the University of Miami have the opportunity to combine their J.D. degrees with master's degrees in business administration, communications, music business, public health, or marine affairs. There is also a joint J.D./LL.M. program where students can complete both degrees in seven semesters in the areas of Taxation, International Law, Ocean and Coastal Law, and Real Property Development. The law school also offers programs leading to a master of laws (LL.M.) degree in taxation, estate planning, real property, comparative law, inter-American law, international law, and ocean and coastal law.
The International Moot Court Board offers student's who are interested in pursuing careers in International Law
the opportunity to compete in a range of both public and private law competitions held around the world. The law school hosts a pre-moot for the Willem C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot
each spring which attracts schools from Europe, Central and South America. In competition, the International Moot Court Board most recently took home a 2nd place finish at the International Criminal Court's Moot Court Competition in The Hague
, winning two of the top three oralist awards. The strength of the law school's International Arbitration
department has enabled the International Moot Court Board to achieve a string of successes in Arbitration competitions in the past few years. This past year, the International Moot Court Board was able to win 1st place in their first appearance in the Frankfurt Investment Arbitration Moot Court Competition held in Frankfurt
, Germany
. Moreover, the Board's team for the Willem C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot, held in Vienna
, Austria
, has consistently taken home "Honorable Mentions" for Best Oralist over the last four years and finished a personal best 14th out of 252 schools in 2010.
The University of Miami's School of Law offers participation in student activities. The Student Bar Association, ("S.B.A."), serves as the law school's student government and works closely with the faculty and administration to improve student life on the campus. The S.B.A. also acts as a conduit to the American Bar Association, and the school's SBA President and the elected A.B.A. Representative serve as delegates to the national convention of S.B.A. Presidents and A.B.A. Representatives at the A.B.A. annual meeting. The Law School also has a student-run Honor Council, which investigates and adjudicates alleged violations of the Honor Code of the School of Law. It is chaired by the Honor Council President.
The job placement rate for graduates of the University of Miami School of Law is greater than or equal to the average national job placement rate for the past six years. Within nine months of graduation, slightly more than 90% of the Class of 2006 was employed and nearly 4% of the class was enrolled in a full-time graduate degree program. Most of the 2006 graduates – 69.5% – are working in law firms. Other graduates are working in federal, state and local government agencies (12.5%); corporations, banks and other corporate entities (7%); public interest organizations (5.5%); and academia (1.5%). Four percent of the graduates are clerking with federal and state court judges. Furthermore, 78% of the Class of 2006 began their legal careers in the Southeast, 9% moved West, 8% moved to the Northeast, 5% moved to the Midwest, and South/Central area of the country.
Currently, the University of Miami School of Law is only able to place 56.1% of its 1,334 full-time students in jobs at graduation.
Law school in the United States
In the United States, a law school is an institution where students obtain a professional education in law after first obtaining an undergraduate degree.Law schools in the U.S...
of the University of Miami
University of Miami
The University of Miami is a private, non-sectarian university founded in 1925 with its main campus in Coral Gables, Florida, a medical campus in Miami city proper at Civic Center, and an oceanographic research facility on Virginia Key., the university currently enrolls 15,629 students in 12...
, located in Coral Gables, Florida
Coral Gables, Florida
Coral Gables is a city in Miami-Dade County, Florida, southwest of Downtown Miami, in the United States. The city is home to the University of Miami....
, in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The school graduated its first class of 13 students in 1929.
Academics
From 1948 to 2002, the law school had an evening division for part-time students. Starting in 1952, the school started offering an LL.M. degree in taxation. In 1957, UM began to offer an LL.M. in Inter-American Law, and the Masters of Comparative Law (now an LL.M.) was first offered in 1959. In 1998, the school decided to reduce the size of its entering JD classes by 15 percent.In 2002, the school established the "Leonard and Jayne Abess Center for Ecosystem Science and Policy" (Abess Center) with the mission to bridge the gap that separates science from environmental policy and law, through innovative, inter-disciplinary initiatives.
The University of Miami School of Law also offers extensive "Public Interest Programs" and opportunities, including the "Center for Ethics and Public Service" that offers in-house clinics and educational programs including the "Children and Youth Law Clinic", "Health and Elder Law Clinic", and "Corporate & Professional Responsibility Program". The HOPE Public Interest Resource Center at the University of Miami School of Law gives students the opportunity to get involved in over 25 different projects each year, reaching various underserved and at-risk populations locally, nationally, and abroad.
The school also offers three official joint degree programs (in business, public health and marine affairs) and seven LL.M. programs for post-graduate-level law study. The "Academic Achievement Program" and the "James Weldon Johnson/Robert H. Waters Program" provide participating students additional tools to succeed in law school. Other special programs at the law school include four "Summer Abroad Programs", one each in London, England and Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
and two involving multiple Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an nations (Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, and London) and (Greece, Italy, and Barcelona, Spain).
The University of Miami School of Law is the host of the annual "Heckerling Institute on Estate Planning," a conference for estate planning professionals. The law school also hosts an annual symposium for psychology
Psychology
Psychology is the study of the mind and behavior. Its immediate goal is to understand individuals and groups by both establishing general principles and researching specific cases. For many, the ultimate goal of psychology is to benefit society...
, public policy
Public policy
Public policy as government action is generally the principled guide to action taken by the administrative or executive branches of the state with regard to a class of issues in a manner consistent with law and institutional customs. In general, the foundation is the pertinent national and...
, and law.
Campus
The University of Miami School of Law is located on the main campus of the University of Miami in Coral Gables, just six miles southeast of MiamiMiami, Florida
Miami is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, the most populous county in Florida and the eighth-most populous county in the United States with a population of 2,500,625...
, the 7th largest city in the nation. The School of Law is centered around a central courtyard called the "Bricks." The Law Library has a collection of over 600,000 volumes in print and microform, and subscribes to a large and ever-expanding list of electronic resources.
The University of Miami campus is served by the Miami Metrorail at the University Station
University (Metrorail station)
University is a Metrorail station in the suburban city of Coral Gables, Florida at the University of Miami , seven miles southwest of Downtown Miami....
.
Curriculum
Due to the size of the faculty, the University of Miami School of Law is able to provide an extensive curriculum selection for second and third year students. First year students take a series of required courses covering the theory and substance of the law while exploring the political, commercial, and social dimensions of legal institutions. In addition to the required courses, first year students also are permitted to choose one elective in their second semester.Law students at the University of Miami have the opportunity to combine their J.D. degrees with master's degrees in business administration, communications, music business, public health, or marine affairs. There is also a joint J.D./LL.M. program where students can complete both degrees in seven semesters in the areas of Taxation, International Law, Ocean and Coastal Law, and Real Property Development. The law school also offers programs leading to a master of laws (LL.M.) degree in taxation, estate planning, real property, comparative law, inter-American law, international law, and ocean and coastal law.
Students
The University of Miami School of Law has a total student body of approximately 1,250. For the class of 2013, 42% are female, 29% are minorities, 50% come from out-of-state, 55% speak more than one language, and 50% enroll directly after graduating from college. Students range in age from 20 to 42. The 75th/25th percentiles for the LSAT are 160/156 and for undergraduate GPA are 3.60/3.16. Tuition for the 2011-2012 academic year is $37,418 for continuing students and $38,918 for new students.Student activities
The school offers students the opportunity to compete for membership on both the Charles C. Papy, Jr. Moot Court Board as well as the International Moot Court Board. Both boards make up Miami's Moot Court Board which is currently ranked 14th in the nation. The Charles C. Papy Moot Court Board hosts a Negotiation Competition, Mock Trial Competition, Fall and Spring C. Clyde Atkins Advanced Moot Court Competitions, and the John T. Gaubatz 1L Competition. Also, the board participates in numerous inter-school competitions across the country. Most recently, the Charles C. Papy Moot Court Board advanced to the finals of the ABA Law Student Division National Appellate Advocacy Competition, with one team member taking home the Best Oralist Award.The International Moot Court Board offers student's who are interested in pursuing careers in International Law
International law
Public 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...
the opportunity to compete in a range of both public and private law competitions held around the world. The law school hosts a pre-moot for the Willem C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot
Willem C. Vis Moot
The Willem C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot is a prestigious international moot court competition for law students. Since 1994, it is annually being held in Vienna, Austria....
each spring which attracts schools from Europe, Central and South America. In competition, the International Moot Court Board most recently took home a 2nd place finish at the International Criminal Court's Moot Court Competition in The Hague
The Hague
The Hague is the capital city of the province of South Holland in the Netherlands. With a population of 500,000 inhabitants , it is the third largest city of the Netherlands, after Amsterdam and Rotterdam...
, winning two of the top three oralist awards. The strength of the law school's International Arbitration
International arbitration
International arbitration is a leading method for resolving disputes arising from international commercial agreements and other international relationships...
department has enabled the International Moot Court Board to achieve a string of successes in Arbitration competitions in the past few years. This past year, the International Moot Court Board was able to win 1st place in their first appearance in the Frankfurt Investment Arbitration Moot Court Competition held in Frankfurt
Frankfurt
Frankfurt am Main , commonly known simply as Frankfurt, is the largest city in the German state of Hesse and the fifth-largest city in Germany, with a 2010 population of 688,249. The urban area had an estimated population of 2,300,000 in 2010...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. Moreover, the Board's team for the Willem C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot, held in Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
, Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
, has consistently taken home "Honorable Mentions" for Best Oralist over the last four years and finished a personal best 14th out of 252 schools in 2010.
The University of Miami's School of Law offers participation in student activities. The Student Bar Association, ("S.B.A."), serves as the law school's student government and works closely with the faculty and administration to improve student life on the campus. The S.B.A. also acts as a conduit to the American Bar Association, and the school's SBA President and the elected A.B.A. Representative serve as delegates to the national convention of S.B.A. Presidents and A.B.A. Representatives at the A.B.A. annual meeting. The Law School also has a student-run Honor Council, which investigates and adjudicates alleged violations of the Honor Code of the School of Law. It is chaired by the Honor Council President.
Journals/publications
The law school publishes five law reviews:- The of Miami Law Review
- The Law Review
- The Law Review (focusing on U.S.-Latin American legal issues)
- The International & Comparative Law Review
- The Psychology, Public Policy, and Law is an inter-disciplinary law journal that is published quarterly by the law school and the American Psychological AssociationAmerican Psychological AssociationThe American Psychological Association is the largest scientific and professional organization of psychologists in the United States. It is the world's largest association of psychologists with around 154,000 members including scientists, educators, clinicians, consultants and students. The APA...
.
Alumni and job placement
The University of Miami School of Law has more than 20,000 alumni practicing law throughout the United States and nearly eighty countries around the world.The job placement rate for graduates of the University of Miami School of Law is greater than or equal to the average national job placement rate for the past six years. Within nine months of graduation, slightly more than 90% of the Class of 2006 was employed and nearly 4% of the class was enrolled in a full-time graduate degree program. Most of the 2006 graduates – 69.5% – are working in law firms. Other graduates are working in federal, state and local government agencies (12.5%); corporations, banks and other corporate entities (7%); public interest organizations (5.5%); and academia (1.5%). Four percent of the graduates are clerking with federal and state court judges. Furthermore, 78% of the Class of 2006 began their legal careers in the Southeast, 9% moved West, 8% moved to the Northeast, 5% moved to the Midwest, and South/Central area of the country.
Currently, the University of Miami School of Law is only able to place 56.1% of its 1,334 full-time students in jobs at graduation.
University of Miami School of Law Deans
- Richmond Rasco
- Russell Rasco
- Wesley A. Sturges
- M. Minnette Massey
- Soia MentschikoffSoia MentschikoffSoia Mentschikoff was an American lawyer, law professor, and legal scholar, best known for her work in the development and drafting of the Uniform Commercial Code. She was also the first woman to teach at Harvard Law School....
- Claude Sowle
- Mary E. Doyle
- Samuel C. Thompson
- Dennis O. Lynch
- Paul R. VerkuilPaul R. VerkuilPaul Robert Verkuil is an attorney, former dean of the Tulane University Law School, former president of the College of William and Mary, and former dean of Cardozo School of Law. He has also served as the CEO of the American Automobile Association from 1992 to 1995. He is currently on the...
- Patricia D. White
Notable faculty
- Susan HaackSusan HaackSusan Haack is an English professor of philosophy and law at the University of Miami in the United States. She has written on logic, the philosophy of language, epistemology, and metaphysics. Her pragmatism follows that of Charles Sanders Peirce.-Career:Haack is a graduate of the University of...
, law professor, logicLogicIn philosophy, Logic is the formal systematic study of the principles of valid inference and correct reasoning. Logic is used in most intellectual activities, but is studied primarily in the disciplines of philosophy, mathematics, semantics, and computer science...
expert. - Soia MentschikoffSoia MentschikoffSoia Mentschikoff was an American lawyer, law professor, and legal scholar, best known for her work in the development and drafting of the Uniform Commercial Code. She was also the first woman to teach at Harvard Law School....
, law professor, developed Uniform Commercial CodeUniform Commercial CodeThe Uniform Commercial Code , first published in 1952, is one of a number of uniform acts that have been promulgated in conjunction with efforts to harmonize the law of sales and other commercial transactions in all 50 states within the United States of America.The goal of harmonizing state law is...
. - Jan PaulssonJan PaulssonJan Paulsson is a pre-eminent scholar and practitioner in the area of international arbitration. Jan Paulsson is co-head of the international arbitration and public international law groups of Freshfields Brukhaus and Derringer. He received his A.B. from Harvard in 1971, his J.D...
, law professor, international arbitrationInternational arbitrationInternational arbitration is a leading method for resolving disputes arising from international commercial agreements and other international relationships...
expert. - Stephen UriceStephen UriceStephen K. Urice , Director of the Project for Cultural Heritage Law & Policy, is an internationally recognized expert in cultural property law and a former trusts and estates practitioner....
, law professor, cultural propertyCultural propertyCultural property are the physical constituents of the cultural heritage of a group or society.-Definition:Article 1 of the Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict of 1954 defines cultural property as follows:...
expert. - Bruce WinickBruce WinickBruce J. Winick was the Silvers-Rubenstein Distinguished Professor of Law and Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the University of Miami in Coral Gables, Florida, where he had taught since 1974. He was an internationally known scholar and lecturer in mental health law and in law and...
, law professor, mental health lawMental health lawMental health law is the area of the law that applies to persons with a diagnosis or possible diagnosis of mental illness, and to those involved in managing or treating such people.-Mental health law in general:...
expert.
Notable alumni
- Dean BarrowDean BarrowDean Oliver Barrow is Prime Minister of Belize and leader of the United Democratic Party. An attorney by trade, he served as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs from 1993 to 1998 and was then Leader of the Opposition until the UDP won the February 2008 election...
, Prime Minister of BelizeBelizeBelize is a constitutional monarchy and the northernmost country in Central America. Belize has a diverse society, comprising many cultures and languages. Even though Kriol and Spanish are spoken among the population, Belize is the only country in Central America where English is the official...
. - Roy BlackRoy Black (attorney)Roy Black is a civil and criminal defense trial attorney. He is best known for his gaining an acquittal, in 1991, of William Kennedy Smith on charges of rape and for his representation of conservative radio commentator Rush Limbaugh on charges related to Limbaugh's alleged misuse of the...
, criminal defense attorney. - Sue McCourt Cobb, former Florida Secretary of State, former U.S. Ambassador to JamaicaJamaicaJamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
. - Xavier CortadaXavier CortadaXavier Cortada is a Cuban-American painter residing in Miami, Florida. His work has been exhibited in museums, galleries and cultural venues across the Americas, Europe, and Africa....
, artist. - Manny Diaz, former Mayor of the City of Miami.
- Lawrence J. Hoffman, Chairman, Greenberg TraurigGreenberg TraurigGreenberg Traurig LLP and Greenberg Traurig PA is an international law firm based in Miami, Florida.The firm has approximately 1,800 attorneys and governmental professionals in 32 locations in the United States, Europe and Asia. Its founding office is in Miami, Florida with its largest office in...
, LLP. - Daryl JonesDaryl JonesDaryl Jones is a politician from Miami, Florida, United States.- Early years :The son of public school teachers, Daryl Jones was born in Jackson, MS, the oldest of four children. He attended Lanier High School where he was elected President of the Mississippi State Association of Student Councils...
, former member, Florida SenateFlorida SenateThe Florida Senate is the upper house of the Florida Legislature, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Florida. The Senate is composed of 40 members representing an equal number of districts, with each district having an average population of 470,032....
, Florida House of RepresentativesFlorida House of RepresentativesThe Florida House of Representatives is the lower house of the Florida Legislature, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Florida. The House is composed of 120 members representing an equal number of districts, with each district having an average population of 156,677.The House convenes at...
. - Patricia IrelandPatricia IrelandPatricia Ireland is a U.S. administrator and feminist. She served as president of the National Organization for Women, from 1991 to 2001 and published an autobiography, What Women Want, in 1996....
, former president of the National Organization for WomenNational Organization for WomenThe National Organization for Women is the largest feminist organization in the United States. It was founded in 1966 and has a membership of 500,000 contributing members. The organization consists of 550 chapters in all 50 U.S...
. - Adalberto JordanAdalberto JordanAdalberto Jose Jordan is a Federal District Court Judge for the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida. He is also an adjunct professor at the University of Miami School of Law, his alma mater, and at Florida International University's College of Law.- Early life and...
, U.S. District Judge, Southern District of Florida. - R. Fred LewisR. Fred LewisR. Fred Lewis was appointed to the Supreme Court of Florida on December 7, 1998. While serving as Chief Justice, he founded Justice Teaching, an organization that now has over 3,900 volunteer lawyers and Judges placed with and active in all Florida public schools, which enhances civic and...
, Chief Justice, Florida Supreme CourtFlorida Supreme CourtThe Supreme Court of the State of Florida is the highest court in the U.S. state of Florida. The Supreme Court consists of seven judges: the Chief Justice and six Justices who are appointed by the Governor to 6-year terms and remain in office if retained in a general election near the end of each...
. - Federico A. MorenoFederico A. MorenoFederico A. Moreno is an American lawyer and judge. He is the current chief judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida.- Early life and education :...
, Chief U.S. District Judge, Southern District of Florida. - Alex PenelasAlex PenelasAlexander "Alex" Penelas is the former mayor of Miami-Dade County, Florida.-Schooling and personal life:Penelas, an American of Cuban descent, attended college at St. Thomas University...
, former Mayor of Dade County, Florida. - Reince PriebusReince PriebusReinhold Reince Priebus is the chairman of the Republican National Committee. He is also a previous chair of the Republican Party of Wisconsin....
, Chairman of the Republican National CommitteeRepublican National CommitteeThe Republican National Committee is an American political committee that provides national leadership for the Republican Party of the United States. It is responsible for developing and promoting the Republican political platform, as well as coordinating fundraising and election strategy. It is...
. - Tom RooneyTom Rooney (politician)Thomas J. "Tom" Rooney is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2009. He is a member of the Republican Party.-Early life:...
, member of the US House of Representatives representing Florida's 16th Congressional District. - Marco RubioMarco RubioMarco Antonio Rubio is the junior United States Senator from Florida . A member of the Republican Party, he previously served as Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives ....
, United States Senator. - Samuel SmithSamuel Smith-In politics:*Samuel Smith , British Member of Parliament for Leicester, Malmesbury, Midhurst, St Germans and Wendover*Samuel Smith , British Member of Parliament for Worcester, Ludgershall and Ilchester...
, former President of The Florida Bar. - Marc TrestmanMarc TrestmanMarc Trestman is the head coach of the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League.-Early life:Trestman is Jewish. He graduated in 1974 from Saint Louis Park High School in Minnesota. He played quarterback for the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers football team for three seasons...
, former UM Football Assistant Coach and current Head Coach of the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League.