Getting Into the University of Louisville Law School

University of Louisville Law School Overview

The University of Louisville Law School was founded in 1846, making it one of the oldest public law schools in the U.S. and the oldest in Kentucky. Because of its longstanding reputation for excellence, many of the school's graduates get jobs soon after graduation. In fact, according to a 2018 ABA-required disclosure, 92% of 2018 graduates had employment within 10 months of graduating.

In 1997, the school changed its name to Louis D. Brandeis School of Law in honor of Justice Louis Dembitz Brandeis. He was a U.S. Supreme Court justice who also served as the school's patron.

In addition to being its patron, Brandeis bequeathed his papers to the university, which turned the law school into one of 13 U.S. Supreme Court repositories. Marshall Harlan, another Kentucky Supreme Court justice, also contributed his papers to the school's library, making Brandeis School of Law a mecca for legal research.

Another unique feature of the school is that its law students must complete 30 hours of law-related public service before graduation. It's a rewarding opportunity for students to gain real-life legal experience before graduating.

Other opportunities for real-world legal experience include the school's downtown law clinic, entrepreneur clinic, externship opportunities, moot courts, professional skills competitions, and student-run law journals.

The University of Louisville Law School also offers six dual-degree programs, which enables students to earn a JD alongside another degree. You can earn an MBA, M.Div., MSW, MA in political science, MA in humanities, or MUP in urban planning concurrently with a JD.

As one of the smallest law schools in Kentucky, the University of Louisville Law School has a student capacity of about 360. That's not a bad thing because it creates a conducive environment for one-on-one interactions between students and lecturers. This, along with its high bar passage rate and reasonable tuition fees, help make the institute one of the best value law schools in the US.

Notable personalities who graduated from the school include:

• Louie B. Nunn: Graduated in 1950 to become the 52nd governor of Kentucky
• Diane Sawyer: ABC World News anchor and co-anchor of Good Morning America
• Howard Fineman: Graduated in 1979 to become a Newsweek magazine editor and Huffington Post's chief Washington correspondent
• Gerald Neal: Graduated in 1972 to become a member of the Kentucky Senate and the first Black Kentucky Senate party leader

Besides offering quality legal education that makes graduates highly employable, the University of Louisville Law School has an active social life. Students can join social fraternities, as well as various student-run social and political organizations, such as:

• Lambda Law Caucus
• Black Students Association
• Women's Law Caucus
• American Constitution Society
• Asian-Pacific Law Students Association
• Jewish Law Students Association

University of Louisville Law School Rankings

A law school's ranking is a crucial indicator of its quality. Quality in this context means how good the school's infrastructure, education, and reputation are. Several organizations put out various law school rankings every year, and each organization uses a different set of indicators to measure school quality.

On its 2021 list of best law schools, US News and World Report ranked the University of Louisville Law School 99th among 198 schools.

Another organization, the Public Legal, in its 2020 Raw Data Law School Rankings, ranked the University of Louisville Law School 115th among 200 other schools.

While these rankings are not the best, the University of Louisville gets high scores where it matters:

• High student-faculty ratio (9:1)
• High employment rate (over 90% of graduates)
• High first-time bar pass rate (over 70%)

University of Louisville Law School Admissions

What is the University of Louisville Law School Acceptance Rate?

Knowing a school's acceptance rate helps you figure out your chances of getting admission.

The average acceptance rate among U.S. law schools is 45%. But the most prestigious schools have far lower acceptance rates — under 20%. A low acceptance rate means a school is difficult to get into, even if you meet its requirements.

At the University of Louisville Law School, the acceptance rate for 2017 was 68.96%. In 2020, the acceptance rate dropped to 65.1%, which is still more accommodating than the national average of 45%. These figures mean you have a good chance of getting admission into Brandeis, as long as you meet their minimum requirements.

For most law schools, the requirements for admission are LSAT scores and a GPA that meets their standards. To enroll at the University of Louisville Law School, the minimum acceptable GPA and LSAT score are 3.13 and 151, respectively.

But considering the school has a capacity of around 360, you need higher scores to set yourself apart from the hundreds of applicants the school receives each year. That's why most of the admitted students in 2020 had an average GPA of 3.37 and an LSAT score of 153. Simply put, the higher your LSAT and GPA, the higher your chances of getting in.

But if you are unable to score higher than the GPA and LSAT requirements, you can improve your admission chances by writing an attractive personal statement or application letter. The statement can reveal talents the LSAT or your GPA can't show, which may convince the school to give you a chance. Supporting the letter with recommendations from prominent persons will further boost your chances.

For a clearer picture of the University of Louisville Law School's acceptance rate, check out the below tables.

 

University of Louisville Law School LSAT Percentiles

 Want to get into the University of Louisville Law School? Sign up for LSATMax.

2023 Entering Class Profile

What Is The Tuition For the University of Louisville Law School?

What Are The Living Expenses At the University of Louisville Law School?

What Are The Housing Options At the University of Louisville Law School?

Bar Passage Rates at the University of Louisville Law School

Application Deadlines

When will the University of Louisville Law School application materials be available?

The application materials for Brandeis School of Law are available at any time. The required materials include:

• An application fee
• Application for admission submitted through the CAS
• A one- to three-page personal statement or application letter
• Two to four letters of recommendation
• Official transcripts
• Updated resume

You can submit the materials electronically via the LSAC.

When does the University of Louisville Law School begin accepting applications?

Brandeis School of Law accepts applications between October 1 and April 15. You must fill out and submit all materials by April 15. If you apply without completing the materials by April 15, the school will consider it a late application. Late applications are only acceptable if the Assistant Dean for Admissions approves.

How are applications to the University of Louisville Law School submitted?

You can submit applications and materials via the Law School Admission Council's Credential Assembly Service (CAS). To do so, you must first register on the CAS platform.

Does the University of Louisville Law School have an "early admission" or an "early decision" process?

Early admission is a program that lets law school applicants apply early and get a decision on their application earlier than they normally would. However, the University of Louisville Law School doesn't offer early admission opportunities.

How much is the application fee and when is the deadline?

Does the University of Louisville Law School grant interviews?

Many law schools use interviews during the admission process to determine an applicant's suitability for admission. Since Brandeis School of Law does not offer interviews, applicants must take full advantage of their personal statement to show they are a good fit.

Employment after the University of Louisville Law School

University of Louisville Law School graduates have impressive employment statistics. In 2021, 95.4% of graduates had a job within nine months of graduating. Among the graduates, more than 50% had jobs within a month of graduation. With numbers like these, it's safe to assume you won't have trouble finding work after graduating from the University of Louisville Law School.

Because of their employability, graduates from the school rarely pursue other degrees after graduation. According to 2021 figures, 48% of Brandeis graduates work in law firms, while 23% have a career in business. 16% of the graduates work in government, while the rest joined the academic and public interest sectors.

The majority — 82% — of the graduates found jobs within Kentucky, while a few others relocated to Georgia and Indiana.