Washburn University School of Law has a long and proud history of training lawyers, judges, executive branch members, and business leaders who have made a deep and lasting impact in Kansas and the nation. For more than a century, Washburn Law has demonstrated its commitment to academic excellence, innovation, and diversity.

Mission

Washburn Law has a multi-faceted mission:

Teaching and Student Development – Washburn Law provides an outstanding legal education for future leaders in our society. We combine innovative teaching approaches with individualized and focused attention in a collegial and collaborative learning environment. We ensure that our graduates have acquired the knowledge, skills, and values necessary to serve their clients and provide leadership in their local, national, and global communities. Washburn Law proactively assists in placing students on the path to success in a wide range of possible careers.

Scholarship – Washburn Law is committed to the development of scholarship. We recognize that scholarship not only informs and enriches our teaching, but also influences academic, judicial, and professional discourse on a wide range of legal issues, thereby contributing to the world of ideas and the development of the law and a more just society.

Service – Washburn Law’s faculty, staff, and students build on a strong tradition of service, contributing in various ways to enhancing the strength, integrity, and dynamism of the legal system and the rule of law, at the local, national, and international levels.

Diversity – Washburn Law contributes to the development of a more diverse legal profession, and to the fostering of the principles of equality in our society more broadly, by striving to create a law school community that is itself diverse, inclusive, and sensitive to the diversity-related issues in law and society.

Program Requirements

Washburn Law offers a curriculum that combines breadth with depth and one that blends classroom instruction with real-world skills and experience. Students may commence their law studies in August or January and must take a minimum of nine credit hours each fall and spring semester. No student may enroll in more than sixteen hours in one semester without approval. Each summer, there are two six-week sessions, including a summer study-abroad program.

Student Learning Outcomes

Upon graduation from Washburn Law,

1. Graduates will demonstrate knowledge of the law and the legal system.
2. Graduates will demonstrate analytical and problem-solving skills.
3. Graduates will communicate effectively.
4. Graduates will demonstrate competency in legal practice skills.
5. Graduates will possess the requisite skills to recognize and resolve dilemmas in an ethical and professional manner.
6. Graduates will demonstrate knowledge of the importance of service to the profession and to the community at large, both nationally and internationally.

Transfer Credit

Students in good standing who have completed one semester of study at an American Bar Association accredited law school may be admitted to Washburn University School of Law with advanced standing on such terms and conditions as the faculty may impose. A maximum of 30 hours may be transferred. A grade equivalent of C or better is required in order for course credits to be eligible for transfer.

Other than our established dual degrees (i.e., J.D./MAcc, J.D./MBA, J.D./MSW, JD/M.C.J.), and our Study Abroad Programs with the University of Maastricht in the Netherlands, the University of the West Indies Cave Hill Campus in Barbados, we have no agreements between schools governing the transfer of credit (articulation agreements).

Bar Examination Subjects

Each state determines the subjects to be tested on its bar examination. Students should not feel compelled to enroll in every course tested on a bar examination, but for the student who plans to practice law, bar examination subjects should be an important factor in course selection. Information about subjects tested by each state is available in Washburn Law’s Professional Development Office, in the bar exam section of the Law School’s website, washburnlaw.edu/career/barexam/index.html, and online at www.barbri.com.

In addition to the bar examination, there are character, fitness and other qualifications for admission to the bar in every U.S. jurisdiction.

Centers for Excellence

washburnlaw.edu/students/centers/index.html

Since 2002, Washburn Law has built upon its tradition of excellence in teaching with the establishment of the Centers for Excellence. The Centers enhance the educational experience by providing opportunities for students to interact with exceptional legal practitioners through programming, lectures, and discussion.

Business and Transactional Law Center

The Business and Transactional Law Center provides students with many innovative opportunities to expand their knowledge on business law subjects while developing the essential skills of the transactional lawyer.

Children and Family Law Center

The Children and Family Law Center prepares lawyers to address the vexing problems that arise in the field of children and family law and is a collaborative effort involving Washburn Law students, alumni, and faculty.

Center for Excellence in Advocacy

The Center for Excellence in Advocacy prepares law students and lawyers to be effective advocates by training them in the skilled use of advocacy techniques. Many of the advocacy courses are modeled after those offered by the National Institute for Trial Advocacy.

Robert J. Dole Center for Law and Government

The Center for Law and Government offers law students unique and varied opportunities to learn about lawmaking, judicial decision-making, administrative law, and the regulatory process.

Oil and Gas Law Center

The Oil and Gas Law Center brings students and practicing attorneys together to prepare law students for the contemporary practice of oil and gas law.

International and Comparative Law Center

The International and Comparative Law Center provides students with an understanding of international law and familiarity with foreign legal systems.

Washburn Law Clinic

Students enrolled in the Washburn Law Clinic are not merely law clerks performing support work; the clinical program is structured so that interns have primary responsibility for their clients’ cases. The Kansas Supreme Court grants special permission to clinic interns to practice law and represent clients in court. This valuable opportunity gives clinic interns an advantage in the marketplace because by the time they graduate, they have already acquired real-world experience. While clinic interns are becoming effective lawyers, they are also providing free legal services to members of the community who cannot afford to hire private attorneys.

For more information about the Washburn Law Clinic, please see washburnlaw.edu/students/clinic/index.html.

Honors at Graduation

The following honors are given at graduation:

Summa Cum Laude: GPA of 3.9 or above.
Magna Cum Laude: The top 5% of the class, with the exception of those students who receive Summa Cum Laude honors.
Cum Laude: The top 10% of the class, with the exception of those students who receive Magna Cum Laude or Summa Cum Laude honors.
Dean’s Honors: The top 35% of the class, with the exception of those students who receive Cum Laude, Magna Cum Laude, or Summa Cum Laude honors.

Learn More

For more information about Washburn University School of Law, see washburnlaw.edu/. To apply, see washburnlaw.edu/admissions/.

Course Descriptions

For descriptions of all courses currently offered, see washburnlaw.edu/academics/courses/index.html.

Programs

Joint Degree Programs

Washburn Law currently offers two joint degree programs with the School of Business: the dual J.D./MBA program and the dual J.D./MAcc. The School of Law also offers a dual J.D./MSW with the Department of Social Work and a dual J.D./M.C.J. with the School of Applied Studies. These joint degree programs allow students to obtain the professional skills and knowledge to excel in their chosen professions in a shorter time and at a lower cost than if they pursued each degree separately. More information about these joint degree programs can be obtained at: http://washburnlaw.edu/academics/dualdegree/index.html.