John Marshall Law School (Chicago)

Infobox Law School


name = The John Marshall Law School
established = 1899
type = Private
head = Dean John E. Corkery
city = Chicago
state = Illinois
country = USA
students = 1,407 (1,046 Full-Time, 361 Part-Time) "numbers are approximate"
faculty = 103
ranking = Tier 4
bar pass rate = 90%. [Crimmins, J: "Illinois grads fared well in July bar exam", "Chicago Daily Law Bulletin", 153(213)]
annual tuition = $1,210.00/Unit
homepage = [http://www.jmls.edu www.jmls.edu]
:"Not to be confused with the unrelated John Marshall Law School in Atlanta, Georgia"

The John Marshall Law School is a law school in Chicago, Illinois, that was founded in 1899 and accredited by the American Bar Association in 1951. The school was named for the influential nineteenth century U.S. Supreme Court chief justice John Marshall.

The John Marshall Law School offers programs for both part-time and full-time students, with both day and night classes available, and by offering January enrollment, choices most law schools no longer offer.

John Marshall is located in Chicago's central financial and legal district, most commonly known as The Loop. It is across the street from the Dirksen Federal Building, which houses the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit and the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, and about four blocks from the Daley Center, which houses the Cook County Courts. It is also next door to the Chicago Bar Association.

Background

The John Marshall Law School in Chicago is an independent law school located in the heart of Chicago’s legal, financial, and commercial districts. The federal courthouse is across the street and the nation’s largest circuit court — Cook County — is just a few blocks away, as are many government offices. This proximity offers John Marshall students educational and career opportunities.

The school has nationally-ranked trial advocacy (5th in nation, 2007), legal writing (6th in nation, 2007), and intellectual property programs (top 25 nationally). John Marshall also offers the nation’s only graduate program in employee benefits, one of the first ever in information technology and privacy law, and one of only two in the nation in real estate law. The John Marshall Law School is also the first independent law school established in the United States (1899).

Another, and unrelated, law school with the identical name has existed in Atlanta, Georgia since 1933.

Curriculum

John Marshall has day and evening divisions, with identical instruction, course content, and scholastic requirements. Lawyering Skills courses, which focus on writing, research, and oral argument, are an integral part of the core curriculum. These courses are taught in small groups, to maximize the individual attention given to each student. A student may specialize in a certain area of the law and receive a certificate, or focus more emphatically and earn a joint degree (J.D./LL.M.).

The school also offers Master of Science (M.S.) programs for working professionals and other individual students.

The law school's Global Legal Studies Program is primarily designed for lawyers and law students from other countries, and students enrolled in the program can receive a Master of Laws (LL.M.) degree.

Clinics, externships, and special programs

Practical legal experience plays a vital role in education at The John Marshall Law School. John Marshall is one of the few law schools in the nation with a training program in fair housing law and enforcement. Other clinical programs include: intellectual property law, immigration law, employee benefits law, tax law, prosecution, defense, and municipal and state government work.

The John Marshall Law School offers seven Master of Laws (LL.M.) programs for attorneys seeking specialized education in legal issues and for current J.D. students who would like the maximum concentration in particular areas of the law. As the largest graduate law school in the Midwest, John Marshall offers a comprehensive curriculum in the following areas: Employee Benefits Law, Information Technology and Privacy Law, Intellectual Property Law, Global Legal Studies, International Business and Trade Law, Real Estate Law, and Tax Law.

Interscholastic Competitions

In 2007, the school's Advocacy and Dispute Resolution teams placed second in the ABA National Negotiation competition regionals and second nationally. In both the ABA Dispute Resolution Mediation and the CBA Mediation competitions, they placed second and fourth. In the 1L Mock Trial Competition, the school placed first and second.

In 2007, The John Marshall Moot Court teams won Second Place Brief at the Illinois Appellate Lawyers Competition, First Place in the Frederick Douglass (Black Law Student Association) Competition Nationals, Second Place in the Hispanic National Bar Association Competition, Second Place (Petitioner's Brief) at the John J. Gibbons Criminal Procedure Competition, and competed in the Semifinals of the Thomas Tang Moot Court Competition (hosted by NAPABA), winning Third Best Brief in the nation against eighty teams.

In 2008, The John Marshall Moot Court program took first place in the Hispanic National Bar Association Moot Court competition. The school also took second place at the Cardozo/BMI Entertainment and Communications Law Moot Court Competition and at the 21st Annual August A. Rendigs, Jr. National Products Liability Moot Court Competition.

Library

The Louis L. Biro Law Library collection includes more than 375,000 volumes and 2000 audiovisual tapes and also serves as the library resource for the Chicago Bar Association, whose headquarters building is next door. The John Marshall Law School was the first law school in Chicago to teach legal research on computers. The library has more than 100 IBM-compatible computers available for student use. John Marshall has a school-wide computer network with a backbone of high-speed, digital fiber-optic cabling that allows students, faculty, and staff access to word processing software, LexisNexis, Westlaw, CALI, and the Internet. In addition, a wireless network has been added to the backbone, allowing laptop users, anywhere in the school, to connect to the Internet without being tethered by cords. Computerized research and reference resources are also available to students through the law school’s website.

tudent activities

There are five honors programs: The John Marshall Review of Intellectual Property Law ("RIPL"), The John Marshall Law Review, the Journal of Computer and Information Law, the Moot Court Honors Program, and the Trial Advocacy and Dispute Resolution Honors Program. John Marshall sends teams to more than 30 moot court and mock trial competitions annually.

The student community at The John Marshall Law School includes more than 50 student organizations engaging in social awareness, community service, legal discussions, and social activities.

Career opportunities

The Career Services Office (CSO) offers personal assistance to help students assess and refine their career goals. The CSO sponsors more than 60 career-related programs each year, many featuring alumni as panelists and speakers. The CSO also implements a robust Alumni Mentor Program, where mentors meet with students one-on-one to provide real-world advice on practice areas, law school courses, and the day-to-day practice of law. The CSO also aggressively promotes John Marshall students to employers. Despite the continuing tight job market, the number of John Marshall graduates entering large firms increased in 2002, as did the median salary of graduates entering private practice. John Marshall graduates are employed at 34 of Chicago’s 35 largest firms. Public service is another favored career path, with graduates serving as attorneys in the courts and government. Nearly one-fifth of all Illinois judges are John Marshall alumni (circuit, appellate, and state Supreme Court).

References

External links

* [http://www.jmls.edu Official website]
* [http://grad-schools.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/grad/law/search/c_final_tier+4 Ranking In U.S. News & World Report (2008)]