Program Overview
Boston University (BU) Law School enjoys its location in the heart of Boston, with the vast resources of the city at its doorstep. Notable alumni include U.S. Secretary of Defense William S. Cohen, Governor of Massachusetts William Russell, and Maria Lopez, the first Hispanic appointed judge in Massachusetts.
As the state capital, Boston is a major center of law, business, technology and government, allowing BU Law students hands-on legal experience and easy access to professional networking. Law students also enjoy free membership to the Boston Bar Association and connections to numerous law firms and several levels of the judiciary, from local to the federal First Circuit. Clinics, externships and practicums also tap into the wide array of local organizations, allowing students to represent clients in a variety of real-life settings.
Most BU Law students choose to live in Boston, Brookline, Cambridge, and Somerville, neighborhoods that are easily accessible to the school via public transportation. Students spend much of their free time enjoying the vibrant cultural and entertainment scene, as well as the wildly enthusiastic pro sports scene. With around 100 colleges and 250,000 students, Boston also provides a great opportunity to meet others from around the country and the world.
Curriculum
Each entering class at BU is approximately 230 students, divided into three first-year sections. Students in each section take all classes together and at least one of the required first-year courses is taken in a small section of about 40 students. The first-year curriculum is composed of a foundational courseload, which includes a lawyering lab that introduces transactional skills. Upper-class students have the option to concentrate in a specific area of law, such as Health Law and Intellectual Property. Upper-class students are also required to complete Introduction to Business Fundamentals, an online, self-paced, program covering business basics, corporate finance and financial accounting.
BU Law offers 17 dual degree programs in connection with other graduate schools at Boston University and with several international universities. Most dual degrees can be completed in six or seven semesters, saving time and money. Of the more unusual dual degrees are a J.D./M.A. in Preservation Studies, J.D./M.A. in International Relations, and a J.D./M.S. in Mass Communications.
The BU Law study abroad program consists of 21 foreign study opportunities with universities in Asia, Europe, South America, and the Middle East. Most are single-semester study abroad programs offered in English, but several of these programs are taught in the country’s native language.
BU tracks student rank in percentage groups: top 5%, 10%, 15%, 20%, 25% and top one-third.
Clinical and Experiential Learning
BU requires students to complete six experiential credits through clinics, externships or simulation classes. BU’s numerous clinics include an Entrepreneurship & IP Clinic, Immigrants’ Rights & Human Trafficking Clinic, Legislative Policy & Drafting Clinic, Technology & Cyberlaw Clinic, and Wrongful Convictions Clinic. Externships and practicums allow students to complete fieldwork in housing law, health law, and legislative policy, among others. Simulation classes provide students a chance to practice skills in contract drafting, mediation, the taking of depositions, and appellate advocacy.
Statistics
Class Profile
Class Size: 236
Average Age: 24
Women: 55.6%
Students of color: 28%
Median LSAT: 165
Median GPA: 3.73
Career Placement
- Law Firms: 57.4%
- Judicial Clerkships: 7.2%
- Business & Industry: 14.4%
- Government/Public Interest: 12.8%
- Education: 0%
Geographies
- Northeast/Mid-Atlantic: 78.5%
- Central: 1.5%
- South Atlantic/Central: 8.7%
- Mountain/Pacific: 8.2%
- U.S. Territories/Foreign: 3.1%