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Texas Tech University School of Law

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Texas Tech University
School of Law
File:Texas Tech University Coat of arms.png
Established1967
School typePublic School
DeanDarby Dickerson
LocationLubbock, Texas, USA
Enrollment640[1]
Faculty36
USNWR ranking105 [2] 20 National Jurist Ranking[3]
Bar pass rate90.51%[4]
Websitewww.law.ttu.edu
School of Law

The Texas Tech University School of Law is an ABA-accredited law school located on the campus of Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas. Known nationally for their continual success in trial advocacy competitions, the school focuses on forming practical lawyers who are ready to practice law upon graduation. Additionally, the school is known for its great value to students, with National Jurist Magazine rating the school in the top 20 best value law schools for the past three consecutive years.[5] The school was also ranked #3 for most accessible professors by the Princeton Review in 2011.[6] Additionally, the school historically ranks at or near the number one position in the Texas Bar Examination results, with a 90% average passage rate for the last 16 years. The student population is approximately 54% male and 46% female.[7]

According to Texas Tech's 2013 ABA-required disclosures, 59.2% of the Class of 2013 obtained full-time, long-term, JD-required employment nine months after graduation.[8]

Bar Exam Performance

In 2000, Texas Tech University School of Law had a 100% bar passage rate for first-time exam takers for the February 2000 Bar Examination.[9] Most recently, Texas Tech University School of Law placed first amongst Texas public law schools, second overall, on the February 2013 Bar Examination, with a first-time pass rate of 95.45 percent.[10]

Employment

According to Texas Tech's official 2013 ABA-required disclosures, 59.2% of the Class of 2013 obtained full-time, long-term, JD-required employment nine months after graduation.[8] Texas Tech's Law School Transparency under-employment score is 22.3%, indicating the percentage of the Class of 2013 unemployed, pursuing an additional degree, or working in a non-professional, short-term, or part-time job nine months after graduation.[11]

Costs

The total cost of attendance (indicating the cost of tuition, fees, and living expenses) at Texas Tech for the 2014–15 academic year is $38,942 for Texas residents and $48,902 for out-of-state students.[12] The Law School Transparency estimated debt-financed cost of attendance for three years is $152,492 for Texas residents.[13]

Curriculum

Below are the required courses for all students who attend Texas Tech School of Law:

A view inside the law school.

First-year courses

Civil Procedure: A general survey using federal court procedure as a model, including jurisdiction of courts, pleading, disposition without trial, joinder of claims and parties, effects of judgments, and appellate review.

Constitutional Law: A study of the federal judiciary’s doctrine and practice of judicial review, judicial power, and jurisdiction of the courts, the power of Congress to regulate commerce, the power of the states to regulate commerce, and the protection of private rights, privileges, and immunities under the Constitution, which includes the substantive rights of freedom of enterprise, freedom of expression, freedom of religion, and freedom from discrimination.

Contract Law: A study of the enforceability of promises, the creation of contractual obligations, performance and breach, the impact of the contract on the legal relationships of nonparties, and the examination of contract doctrine in three settings: personal service, sales of goods, and construction contracts.

Criminal Law: Inquiry into the sources and goals of the criminal law, limitations on the state’s power to define criminal liability, general principles of liability and defenses, and the characteristics of particular crimes.

Legal Practice I: An introduction to the legal system covering case briefing, case synthesis, and statutory analysis, as well as principles and practice of legal writing, client interviewing, client counseling, negotiations, and legal bibliography and research.

Legal Practice II: Instruction in legal method, including case and statutory analysis, through objective and persuasive legal writing and oral argument. Instruction in the sources and use of materials for legal research, including computer-assisted research, and in legal citation. Written assignments include letters, memoranda, and briefs. Introduction to dispute resolution processes including mediation, arbitration, settlement conferences, mini-trials, and summary jury trial. The Texas Tech School of Law is one of the only law schools in America where students negotiate and draft a contract in their first year.

Property Law: An introduction to the law of personal property and real property, including estates and other interests in land, real property marketing and conveyancing, and landlord and tenant problems.

Tort Law: Standards and principles governing legal liability for intentional and unintentional invasions of interests of person and property.

Advanced Required Courses

Business Entities: A study of business organizations (including partnership, limited partnership, and other unincorporated business forms) and business corporations; the factors affecting the selection of the form of a business enterprise; the nature of corporate entities; and the promotion, organization, activities, financing, management, and dissolution of business corporations.

Commercial Law: A study of the financing and distribution of goods from manufacturer to ultimate consumer, with special emphasis given to the financing of sales transactions (Article 9 of the Uniform Commercial Code) and to the processes for payment of sales-generated obligations (Articles 3, 4, and 5 of the Uniform Commercial Code).

Criminal Procedure: Survey of procedures applicable in the criminal justice system from arrest through post-conviction remedies.

Evidence Law: An examination of the problems of proof, including study of the admission and exclusion of information on the basis of relevancy, economy, policy and protection of the individual or the state, examination of witnesses, substitutes for evidence, and procedural considerations.

Income Taxation: A basic understanding of both the concepts related to the federal income taxation of individuals, and how those concepts are reflected in complex statutes and regulations.

Professional Responsibility: Provides a basic foundation for dealing with ethical and professional responsibility problems that practitioners encounter. Students examine the duties, roles, and responsibilities of practicing attorneys. Discussion focuses on applying ethics rules and avoiding grievances and professional malpractice claims.

Wills and Trusts: A study of the transfer of property by descent, wills, testamentary substitutes, and trusts, including a study of construction problems.

Grading Policy

Following the tradition of most American law schools, Texas Tech determines the grade for each course a student takes by administering one final exam which counts for the entirety of the student's grade. The professor may, however, manipulate the final grade for low attendance or class performance.

Texas Tech utilizes a grading distribution in their courses that compares each student's performance in relation to the other students in the same course. This means that while a grade may appear low on a transcript, it does not necessarily mean the student performed poorly, rather, the student did not out-perform his or her peers.

First Year Distribution Advanced Distribution
A 10% A 15%
B+ 15% B+ 20%
B 25% B 30%
C+ 25% C+ 20%
C 15% C 10%
D+, D, F 10% D+, D, F 5%
MEAN: 2.70 MEAN: 2.95
MEDIAN: C+ MEDIAN: B

Trial Advocacy Program

The Texas Tech School of Law has a widely recognized trial advocacy program. Throughout the years, the law school has won a plethora of awards. Some of the school's most recent awards include the following:

  • 2012 National Champion: National Moot Court Competition
  • 2012 National Champion: American Bar Association Arbitration Competition
  • 2012 National Finalist: Liberty University National Negotiations Competition
  • 2011 Regional Champion: Texas Young Lawyers Association's National Trial Competition
  • 2011 Regional Champion: Conrad Duberstein National Bankruptcy Moot Court Competition
  • 2011 National Champion: National Entertainment Law Moot Court Competition
  • 2011 National Champion: National Moot Court Competition
  • 2010 National Finalist: National Entertainment Law Moot Court Competition
  • 2010 and 2005 International Champion: International Negotiation Competition
  • 2009-10 and 2007-08 National Champion: American Bar Association Arbitration Competition
  • 2009 and 2008 National Champion: National Latino/a Law Student Association Moot Court Competition
  • 2009 and 2008 Texas Champion: Texas Young Lawyers Association State Moot Court Competition
  • 2009-10 National Finalist: American Bar Association Negotiation Competition
  • 2009-10 National Semifinalist and Regional Champion: National Moot Court Competition
  • 2010 National Semifinalist and Regional Champion: American Bar Association National Appellate Advocacy Competition
  • 2010 National Semifinalist: Conrad B. Duberstein National Bankruptcy Moot Court Competition
  • 2010 Regional Champion: Texas Young Lawyers Association National Trial Competition
  • 2009 National Finalist: National Entertainment Law Moot Court Competition
  • 2009 National Finalist: Illinois Appellate Lawyers National Moot Court Competition
  • 2008 Regional Champion: National Black Law Students Association Mock Trial Competition

Centers

  • Center for Biodefense, Law and Public Policy
  • Center for Military Law and Policy
  • Center for Water Law and Policy

Degree and certificate programs

Publications

Notable people

Alumni

Main article: List of Texas Tech University people

Faculty

Main article: List of Texas Tech University faculty

References

  1. ^ "Total Enrollment by College - Fall 2013". www.irim.ttu.edu. Texas Tech Institutional Research. Retrieved 2013-10-22.
  2. ^ a b http://grad-schools.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-law-schools/law-rankings/page+5
  3. ^ http://www.nationaljurist.com/law-schools/texas-tech-university
  4. ^ "JULY 2011 EXAMINATION STATISTICS". State of Texas. Retrieved 19 February 2012.
  5. ^ "Top 20 Best Value Law Schools".
  6. ^ "Most Accessible Professors".
  7. ^ "Law School Numbers". Retrieved 16 March 2014.
  8. ^ a b "Employment Statistics".
  9. ^ "Law Grads Best In Texas On Bar Exam". Texas Tech University System. Retrieved 2009-12-21.
  10. ^ http://www.ble.state.tx.us/pdfs/Statistics/2013Feb.pdf
  11. ^ "Texas Tech University Profile".
  12. ^ "Tuition and Expenses".
  13. ^ "Texas Tech University Profile".
  14. ^ "Jeff Wentworth". Project Vote Smart. Retrieved 20 February 2013.
  15. ^ "Phil Johnson". The Supreme Court of Texas. Retrieved 20 February 2013.
  16. ^ "Louis Conradt Bar Profile". Retrieved 20 November 2014.
  17. ^ "Conradt Lawsuit". Retrieved 20 November 2014.
  18. ^ "Robert A. Junell". Federal Judicial Center. Retrieved 20 February 2013.
  19. ^ "John T. Smithee". Project Vote Smart. Retrieved 20 February 2013.
  20. ^ "Walter B. Huffman". Notable Names Data Base. Retrieved 20 February 2013.
  21. ^ Lanier Professional Development Center
  22. ^ "Joseph P. Heflin". 2006 - 2013 Freedom Speaks, Inc. Retrieved 21 February 2013.
  23. ^ "Andrew Murr". andrewmurr.org. Retrieved December 5, 2014.

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