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University of Detroit Mercy
Location
The law school's campus is located in the heart of downtown Detroit across from the Renaissance Center (7 connected downtown skyscrapers with mixed shopping and hotels also housing General Motor's headquarters). The law school is also only .6 miles from the Third Judicial Circuit of Michigan civil division court house, .8 miles from the Third Judicial Circuit of Michigan criminal division court house, and 1.0 mile from the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan (federal trial court) and U.S. Bankruptcy Court.
Detroit has gone through some drastic changes as of late. In 2000, the population was estimated to be about 951,270 in 2008 the population was estimated to be about 916,000. Recently, the unemployment rate in Detroit is estimated at about 22 percent, almost 3 times the national average. Detroit does not have a very large legal community as there are about 3 large firms (250+ attorneys) and 16 medium sized law firms (50 - 249 attorneys). There are approximately over 320 alumni practicing in the Detroit as well as other parts of Michgian (e.g. there are 119 practicing in Bloomfield Hills, 60 practicing in Ann Arbor, 40 practicing in Bingham Farms, and 120 practicing in Farmington Hills). A substantial number of alumni also practice in other states for instance, 61 practice in California, 73 in Florida, 55 in New York, and 41 in Ohio.
Overall, the negative changes that have affected Detroit do not seem to have a significant impact on the recent graduates as 86% have earned positions within 9 months of graduation and at a relatively high salary for a fourth tier law school. It seems many graduates find positions outside of the Detroit area as well as within the city.
| |
University of Detroit Mercy |
|
Public or
Private
|
Private |
| Tuition |
$30,210 |
|
Acceptance
Rate
|
46.6% |
|
State
Bar
Pass Rate
|
Michigan, July 2008
70.9%
(Avg.
bar pass rate michigan, 70%)
|
|
Employment
Rate after
9 mos. from
Graduation
|
86%
|
|
Employment
Rate
at
Graduation
|
Not Available
|
|
Average Salary
for Graduates in
the Private
Sector
|
$62,500
|
|
Student
Body
Population
|
591 |
|
LSAT
score
bottom
25th percentile of
incoming class
|
146 |
|
LSAT
score
top
25th percentile of
incoming class
|
154 |
|
Median
LSAT
of incoming class
|
150 |
|
Bottom
25th
percentile of
incoming class
undergraduate
GPA (UGPA)
|
2.95 |
|
Top
25th
percentile of
incoming class
UGPA
|
3.36 |
| Median
UGPA |
3.16 |
The University of Detroit Mercy School of Law is fourth tier law school located at the school's Riverfront campus in the heart of downtown Detroit. The law school was founded in 1912 and sponsored by the Society of Jesus and the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas. In addition to a full time day program the law school has a part time evening program (4 years), a part time day program (4 years), and a extended evening program (5 years). The Law School has four clinics: the Immigration Law Clinic, Environmental Law Clinic, Urban Law Clinic (pro bono opportunities to help the less fortunate), Veterans Law Clinic (pro bono opportunities to help this nation's veterans). In 2006, the ABA recognized the Detroit Mercy School of Law as the top law school in the country for giving its students a wide array of public interest internships.
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Grading System
The grading system uses a normal 4.0 scale with a corresponding letter grade i.e. A=4.0, A-=3.67, B+=3.3, B=3.0, B-=2.67, C+=2.33, C=2.0, C-=1.67, D=1.0.
The grading curve is around a 2.8, which is about a B-. This curve does not seem as difficult as some of the other fourth tier law schools. Although, the curve seems a little less than favorable as most students would probably desire a B curve it not that bad and seems to give students the opportunity to work hard and earn a high GPA and an associate position at graduation; as seen by the relatively high employment rate for recent graduates.
Law Firm Program
The University of Detroit Mercy School of Law launched a practical skills law firm program in 2007 to help students get acquainted with law firm life. It seems too few law schools have practical programs such as this innovative course. The goal is to help students earn positions at large law firms as many lesser known law schools sometimes have diffiiculty placing their graduates in the top law firms.
The program teaches third year students (and fourth and fifth year part time students) to deal with the issues that arise in small boutique law firms to the largest firms. The program assists students with taking instruction from clients, draft legal documents, and work in various practice area departments found in large firms.
The law school even arranges private interviews with some of the most prominent and biggest law firms in the country for its graduating students.