Charleston School of Law is an ABA-accredited 501©(3) law school nationally recognized for its student-centric culture. Our faculty and staff are committed to preparing you for success both in the classroom and in the legal profession.

Our Mission - Charleston School of Law seeks to pursue:

Excellence as an institution that prioritizes rigorous classroom education and the practitioner’s craft by providing the curricular and extra-curricular support necessary for students to be successful both as students and ultimately as professionals;
Teaching the practice of law as a profession, having as its chief aim providing ethical legal services to communities;
Research and the production of influential scholarship that improves the legal profession and education, furthers the rule of law, and promotes inquiry of legal issues;
A safe, nondiscriminatory environment that honors academic independence, encourages varying perspectives, and fosters collegial, collaborative, professional relationships among students, alumni, faculty, staff, and the campus community;
Advancing and fostering relationships with peers and communities.

Your Education:

Charleston School of Law students learn in two distinct settings:

In the Classroom: The classroom is a special place. It's our version of a laboratory; a space where we learn, test, and challenge each other. Our faculty are experienced, passionate legal professionals with a heart for teaching. You will learn. You will serve. You will grow - personally and professionally.
Beyond the Classroom: We believe one of the cornerstones of successful learning outcomes is hands-on experience. Our clinics, Externship Program, and pro bono opportunities open new doors and inspire a deep passion for serving others through the legal profession.

Charleston, South Carolina:

Charleston, South Carolina is recognized for its rich history, culture, hospitality and unique Southern charm. For those of us who call Charleston “home,” we like to include the warm, sandy beaches, great Southern cuisine and a gentle summer breeze that typically lasts year-round. We invite you to come visit us and see for yourself why Charleston is considered second to none.

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JD Program

Charleston School of Law is dedicated to preparing students to provide public service while pursuing productive and responsible careers in the legal profession. Students study law in a collegial learning environment. The faculty is nationally renowned for its outstanding professors—a testament to the school’s student-centered focus.

The Charleston School of Law offers a course of study with full-time and part-time enrollment options leading to a Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree. It is expected that students enrolled in full-time credits will graduate in three years and students enrolled in part-time credits will graduate in four years.

In addition to fulfilling required courses, all students are required to perform a minimum of 50 hours of pro bono legal service, attend 18 of the Professional Identity Formation Series lectures, and complete the the experiential courses requirement prior to graduation.

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Clinics

The Charleston School of Law has partnered with community organizations to create clinics that support families in need of legal representation.

The Access to Justice Clinics - The Charleston Pro Bono Housing Clinic, the South Carolina Legal Services Domestic Violence Clinic, the Charleston Pro Bono Family Law Clinic, the Parole Clinic, and the Charleston Pro Bono Child Advocacy Clinic will involve students in the direct representation of homeless, indigent, poor, and disadvantaged persons. Students may assist in the representation of clients in the context of legal issues and litigation involving matters such as, landlord-tenant, eviction, housing, disability benefits of various types, family court, criminal charges in municipal and magistrate courts, drafting of wills, and the like. Students will learn first-hand what kinds of issues routinely face those persons at or near poverty or working-poor status. Students may assist professors in court or at agency hearings with the representation of clients. Students may also assist with the preparation of pleadings, motions, briefs, correspondence, and other memoranda necessary to the representation. Students may assist with client in-take and other interviews necessary to prepare the clients and witnesses for various hearings.

The Criminal Prosecution Clinic is designed to provide students with a practical, real-world experience in the challenging and rewarding field of criminal prosecution. Under the close supervision of an experienced attorney, students will be actively involved in each stage of the prosecution process, including interviewing witnesses, presenting plea agreements, identifying issues in cases, conducting research, preparing legal memoranda, and presenting witnesses during hearings and trials.

The Street Law Clinic will involve students in teaching a weekly law class to students in Title I schools in the Charleston area. The curriculum focuses on developing an understanding of the law, the legal process, the United States system of government, and effective citizenship.

The Mediation Clinic will involve students in assisting in mediating disputes in situations where at least one party falls into a specific category of the Federal Poverty Guidelines.

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Externships

The Charleston School of Law Externship Program provides students with a unique, real world experience outside the classroom. Through the Externship Program, students gain practical experience in a variety of legal practice areas, while earning academic credit. Charleston Law students are able to find the perfect fit to learn and develop skills in the legal field of their interest, including public interest law, corporate law, criminal law, judicial clerkships, general litigation, family law, environmental law, intellectual property, and more. The externship experience:

assists students in exploring a particular area of interest of their choice at a field-placement site
exposes students to the operation of the legal system
enhances students’ practical skills, such as, communication, research and writing
enhances students’ personal skills such as poise and confidence

Additionally, externships provide students with the opportunity to meet and work with members of the legal bar and their staff, which may prove invaluable as the students pursue employment. Students have access to over a hundred pre-approved sites, but they are not limited to only those externships that are pre-approved.

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Pro Bono Program

We believe that being a great lawyer means providing relief for those in need. In fact, it’s our motto: Pro Bono Populi, which means “for the good of the people.” Charleston School of Law students must meet or exceed 50 hours of pro bono work as graduation requirement. The School works with law firms, organizations, individual attorneys, judges, and others to develop pro bono opportunities for students. These placements allow students to work with attorneys practicing in the public interest legal sector.

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Study Abroad

Students have the opportunity to discover new locales and meet foreign officials while earning credits from ABA-accredited law schools.

Charleston School of Law is currently co-sponsoring study abroad opportunities with Stetson Law in two locations:

The Hague, Netherlands
Madrid, Spain

Student Life

Experiential Learning

Charleston School of Law experiential learning opportunities sends students from the classroom to the front lines of the professional legal system. This experience provides the next generation of legal professionals with practical, hands-on experience. Our students participate in externships, internships, pro bono service, clinics, and community service projects. Students have access to hundreds of pre-approved sites and can work individually with the school to create new placements that are of particular interest to that individual student.

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Student Activities

Students have the opportunity to work on the publication of four law reviews or journals. A student board publishes the Charleston Law Review on a quarterly basis. Students may also work on MALABU: Maritime Law Bulletin, which is published for the maritime legal community, Resolved: Journal of Alternative Dispute Resolution, which is an e-publication published by the School of Law’s Center for Dispute Resolution; and the Journal for Law & Public Policy, which seeks to encourage debate and dialogue on important issues at the intersection of law and society.

Students also have the opportunity to compete and participate in three programs, Moot Court, Transactional Law Team, and Trial Advocacy Board.

The school has more than 35 active student organizations, including Black Law Students Association, Business Law Society, Criminal Law Society, Entertainment Arts & Sports Law Society, Immigration Law Association, Real Estate Society, Women in Law, and many others. Charleston School of Law students also have the opportunity to become members of the Charleston County Bar Association Student Division and Federal Bar Association Law Student Division.

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Life in Charleston

Charleston, South Carolina.

History. Culture. Hospitality. Southern charm.

Yes, it is all of those things – and more. For those of us who call Charleston “home,” we like to include the warm, sandy beaches, great Southern cuisine and a gentle summer breeze that typically lasts year-round.

We invite you to come visit us and see for yourself why Charleston is considered second to none.

With its diverse economy, rich cultural heritage, thriving tourist industry, and natural amenities, Charleston—home to one of the nation’s busiest ports—is a hub of activity. The city is attractive, fun, and consistently named one of the best places in the country to live, work, and learn. The city is home to other institutions of higher education, including the Medical University of South Carolina, The Citadel, and the College of Charleston. The more than 700,000 person metropolitan area is served by a strong program of cultural activities. Spoleto Festival USA, an internationally renowned arts festival of opera, dance, music, and theater, draws more than 70,000 people to the city each summer. Visitors and residents delight in Charleston’s nationally recognized restaurants, vibrant nightlife, walks along the historic Battery, tours of historic homes, boating, sailing, golf, and beachcombing on nearby Sullivan’s Island, Isle of Palms, Folly Beach, or Kiawah Island.

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Housing

The Charleston School of Law does not offer on-campus housing. Charleston offers many options for off-campus living. Whether students opt to live in the downtown historic district, at one of the nearby beaches, or in one of the many convenient neighborhoods and communities, they will find that carriage houses, apartments, or rental houses are available. The Office of Admission works with incoming students to find housing in the Charleston area.

Career Placement and Bar Passage

Career Placement

The Department of Career Services provides a wide range of career development services for Charleston School of Law students and creates opportunities to connect students with employers in an efficient and supportive manner. The department serves as a liaison between students and legal employers. Staff members offer individual career counseling and assistance with job application materials, as well as programming on career-related issues. The department coordinates the on-campus interview program, forwards job application materials to employers, posts positions, and participates in national and regional career fairs. The department also works with alumni seeking employment opportunities.

The Department of Career Services is available to assist students in finding employment while enrolled in law school, as well as summer employment and fulltime, permanent employment upon graduation. The Charleston area provides myriad opportunities for part-time employment while students are enrolled in their second and third years of law school.

The Charleston School of Law prepares students for careers in all areas of legal practice. Regardless of a student’s path after graduation, the School of Law strives to instill in students the value of public service. The director of public service and pro bono within the Department of Career Services develops and supports pro bono opportunities and provides guidance to students in their selection of pro bono work.

Bar Passage

The Office of Academic and Bar Success is dedicated to supporting students’ success from the day they start at the law school through the bar examination. The office oversees programming that is integrated into the curriculum such as orientation, writing programs, and bar preparation. We work collaboratively with Charleston School of Law faculty and staff to meet the needs of the students. The office also provides individual academic counseling and support for students. We work closely with students who want extra help and are always available for one-on-one meetings.

Orientation

Our four-day orientation program prepares new law students with the skills they need to succeed in a law school environment.

Legal Skills

This is a two-credit hour second-year course that focuses on the Multistate Performance Test (MPT). The MPT is 20% of the Uniform Bar Exam (UBE) and consists of lawyer-like tasks including drafting memorandums, briefs, and performing legal analysis. We focus on the best way to approach and succeed on the MPT as well as on how it ties into legal practice.

Bar Preparation

This is a three-credit hour third-year course, best taken the semester immediately prior to graduation. In this course, we focus on the approach for the multiple choice (MBE) and essay (MEE) portions of the bar exam. The course also covers in detail what bar study is, how to be successful, and ensures students are ready to hit the ground running after graduation.

Post-Graduation Bar Support

All incoming students have the cost of a BARBRI Bar Review course built into their tuition; this means that everyone has a full-service course to guide them through bar study. On top of that, we offer weekly Writing Workshops for students to receive feedback as well as review sessions run by our faculty. Graduates will have support throughout the entire bar preparation process.

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Tuition and Aid

The Charleston School of Law Office of Admission primarily offers merit scholarships, which are based an applicant's LSAT score and cumulative undergraduate GPA. Applicants who do not qualify for a merit scholarship are eligible to apply for a need-based scholarship.

First-year Charleston School of Law students will also be considered for the Presidential Honors Program, which includes a scholarship, based on outstanding academic performance after their first semester or first year.

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Admission Decisions: Beyond the Numbers

The Charleston School of Law requires applicants to have earned a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution prior to enrolling in the school. The School of Law offers both a full-time and part-time enrollment option leading to the Juris Doctor. Applicants may apply to begin in the fall semester. All applicants are required to take the LSAT, GRE (see below for stipulations), or participate in JD-Next; register with LSAC’s Credential Assembly Service; and request transcripts be submitted directly to LSAC from all colleges or universities attended. Applicants should submit a completed application, a personal statement, a résumé, and two letters of recommendation. A final official transcript from the undergraduate degree-granting institution and, if applicable, the graduate degree-granting institution is also required prior to enrollment and should be sent directly by the school(s) to LSAC. The priority application deadline is March 1.

Many factors are considered; however, the two most important factors in reviewing an application are the cumulative undergraduate GPA and the LSAT. If an applicant has multiple LSAT scores, the highest score will be considered. A score is valid for five years, though three years is preferred. Other factors taken into consideration are graduate work, military or significant work experience, letters of recommendation, the personal statement, and community service.

In an effort to increase the accessibility of law school, the Charleston School of Law will accept the Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) under the following conditions:

1. An applicant does not have a reportable LSAT score.

A. If an applicant has a reportable LSAT score on file at any time during the admissions process, the GRE score will not be considered.

B. If an applicant has been admitted with a GRE score, receipt of a subsequent LSAT score will result in a reevaluation of the applicant’s file and admission decision by the Admission Committee.

2. Applicants must submit all GRE scores from the past five years. Both total and individual section scores are required. The Admission Committee will evaluate scores from all sections of the GRE.

3. Applicants who choose to apply with only a GRE must submit an explanation for why they have chosen to take the GRE over the LSAT.

We encourage all applicants to take the LSAT; while some merit scholarships will be available for GRE and JD-Next applicants, the majority will be for those with an LSAT score.

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