- Dedman School of Law
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Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law Established 1925 Type Private School Dean John Attanasio Admin. staff 50 Students 900 Location Dallas, Texas Campus Urban/Residential The Southern Methodist University School of Law, commonly referred to as SMU Law School or Dedman School of Law is a prominent professional graduate law school located in Dallas, Texas. Founded in February 1925, the school remains the only law school in Dallas. SMU Law School is located on the picturesque campus of Southern Methodist University, renowned for its classic Collegiate Georgian architecture. The school was renamed Dedman School of Law in February 2001 in honor of its benefactors, the late Robert H. Dedman Sr. and his wife, Nancy. The Dedman School of Law boasts one of the largest legal libraries in the American Southwest and in the nation with over 750,000 volumes. Graduates of the school include numerous state supreme court justices, U.S. federal judges, academics, state and nationally elected officials, philanthropists and prominent business leaders, including more Fortune 500 CEOs than any other law school in the world, amongst its distinguished alumni.
Contents
Academic profile
SMU Dedman School of Law offers Juris Doctor, Master of Laws, and Doctor of Juridical Science degrees.[1] In addition to the full-time, three-year J.D. program, the law school also offers a part-time, four-year evening J.D. program.[2] The school offers two joint degree programs, a J.D./M.A. in Economics and a J.D./M.B.A. The J.D./M.A. in Economics is offered in connection with the SMU Department of Economics in Dedman College and the J.D./M.B.A. is offered in connection with the Cox School of Business.
The SMU Dedman School of Law is one of the most selective law schools in the United States.[3] The average undergraduate GPA among students admitted to the full-time day program in 2007 was 3.69, while the median LSAT score was 164. In terms of demographics, the law school sustains a balanced student body. For example, of the 2010 graduating class, about a quarter reported themselves as minorities and nearly half are women.
The SMU Dedman School of Law is one of the most expensive legal educations in the country yet over $5 million in scholarship aid was awarded during the 2007-2008 term and about 50% of incoming students received scholarship assistance.
Prominence
Recently, the SMU School of Law was ranked 49th in the nation by U.S. News & World Report.[4] Situated in Dallas, TX, many of its graduates are employed in the area. In a survey published by D Magazine in May 2003, about one-third of "leading lawyers" in Dallas are SMU Dedman School of Law graduates.
A sizeable number of its alumni work throughout the U.S. in every major city and abroad in over 100 countries.
Alumni include, both in the U.S. and abroad, three justices of the Supreme Court of Japan, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Indonesia, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines, and several justices on the highest courts of Egypt, Brazil, and Columbia. Recently, five of the alumni were justices of the Supreme Court of Texas and another was Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Missouri. Currently nine alumni serve on federal courts in addition to over 100 judges on various other courts in California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Missouri, Montana, Ohio, Oklahoma, and Texas, which includes the Presiding Judge for the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals and the Chief Judge for the Oklahoma State Court of Civil Appeals. Alumna Harriet Miers served as the White House Deputy Chief of Staff and (later) White House Counsel for then-President George W. Bush. In 2005, President George W. Bush nominated Harriet Miers for a position as Associate Justice for the United States Supreme Court. However, Miers later asked to be withdrawn from consideration when it became evident that neither side of the aisle would support her nomination. Former Texas State Senator O.H. "Ike" Harris of Dallas County and later Austin was the Dedman student president during the late 1950s.
Dedman School of Law alumni have held high government positions in the United States and abroad including Counsel to the President, Assistant Secretary of Education, Ambassador to Mexico, and Ambassador to Sweden. Eight alumni have served as U.S. Congressmen, five of which served at the same time. Alumni also have included the Chief of Staff for the Republic of Korea; the President of the Senate of Thailand; the Argentinean Ambassador to the U.S.; the Ministers of Justice for the Republic of Korea, Argentina, and Nepal; the Minister of Foreign Affairs for Georgia, Chief Minister of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly in India; Minister of the Environment and Energy of Costa Rica; a Member of the Parliament of Kuwait; and managing partners of some of the largest law firms in Brazil and Argentina. In addition the Dallas County Judge and Dallas County District Attorney are graduates of the Law School.
Programs and resources
Dedman Law publishes five law journals: The SMU Law Review, The International Lawyer, Journal of Air Law and Commerce, Law and Business Review of the Americas, and the SMU Science & Technology Law Review. Dedman Law offers a summer program at the University of Oxford in Oxford, England, five legal clinics, numerous international programs, and Underwood Law Library, which houses the Southwest's largest private law collection.
Notes
- ^ http://www.law.smu.edu/Default.aspx?DN=724ecf69-7fc0-4f58-956f-4640dd453d70
- ^ http://www.law.smu.edu/JDPrograms/Part-Time-Evening-JD-Curriculum
- ^ PRELAW HANDBOOK - 100 Most Selective Law Schools
- ^ Best Law School Rankings | Law Program Rankings | US News
External links
- SMU Dedman School of Law
- SMU Law Review
- SMU International Law Review
- SMU Science and Technology Law Review
Categories:- Southern Methodist University
- Law schools in Texas
- Educational institutions established in 1925
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