I have picked on the University of Houston Law Center recently, only because I think that some of their actions of late have been attempts to pander to the U.S. News ranking crowd, and I think it is unnecessary.
This said, it is an extremely good law school that needs to be considered by any prospective law student. In terms of the U.S. News rankings it is a first tier law school. And, only because it sit in Texas under the shadow of the University of Texas School of Law it tends to be under appreciated for the great asset it is in the field of law. (In my estimation, UT Law is as overrated as UH Law is underrated).
The law school sits on a great urban campus between the largest and most renowned medical center in the World and dynamic downtown Houston with all of its legal infrastructure, embassies and consulates, Fortune 500 companies, international business and Big Law. The opportunities at this law school are infinite and truly enormous.
Founded in 1947, the "Law Center" issues both J.D.s and LL.M.s and is known for its progressive and innovative teaching approach.
It probably should be known as the hurricane law school, although that is probably a designation the Law Center does not want. First, in 2001 Allison struck the school flooding the campus. The entire lower level of the law school was decimated and the library (since moved up) lost 174,000 books and its extensive microfiche collection.
More importantly, the Law Center should be known for its humanity in the face of Katrina, when it opened its facilities to Loyola University New Orleans College of Law. Loyola operated for a long time as a law school in exile from the Law Center. 320 of Loyola's students and 31 of Loyola's law professors moved to Houston and the Law Center to continue uninterrupted instructions.
The Law Center is only one of only 25 law schools in the nation with three or more nationally ranked specialty programs. Its Health Law concentration is currently ranked third in the nation. Its Intellectual Property concentration is in the top 10. The Law Center offers a number of joint degree programs, including a joint JD/MD program. And, it offers LL.M. programs in Energy, Health Law, Intellectual Property, International Law and Tax. It also has an LL.M. program for foreign scholars.
...And, from what I hear, the improvements are just starting.
Because it is a public law school. As a result, acceptance is a bit competitive. In 2007 they received 3009 applications for their full time program and 250 entered. The median LSAT was 162 in 2007, and the median GPA was 3.59.
Currently tuition and fees (and Texas law schools have a lot of fees) currently runs $16,997 per year for full time in-state students. It is $23,537 for out of state. But again, I state that you will only be out of state for one year.
I am a bit prejudice in regard to UH because my oldest daughter, Mary, and money, go to the school.
Just an FYI Chuck, I checked with UH and they have said that if you come from out of state for law school, you pay out of state tuition for all 3 yrs. Kinda bites :(
Posted by: DBB | December 20, 2007 at 01:28 PM