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Best Law Schools in South Carolina

Best Law Schools in South Carolina: Two of the finest law schools in the nation are located in South Carolina, a stunning coastal state in the Southeastern United States.

Why is a law school regarded in this way? What merits a law school a place on the prestigious rankings published by US News and World Report? In addition to the law school’s reputation among its peer institutions, other important factors that affect the rankings include the ABA accreditation, the percentage of students who pass the bar the first time, school resources, job placement success, and the quality of student-faculty relationships.

Prospective students, companies, and the general public can use this thorough ranking system to see how various programs compare to one another by taking into account all of these elements and more. This article has some information about the best law schools in South Carolina.

Studying Law in South Carolina – Overview

The Charleston School of Law (ranked 147–193) and the University of South Carolina (ranked 96) are the best law schools in South Carolina. In this article, we will examine what makes these law schools unique, how they compare to one another and to other law schools nationwide, the LSAT and GPA requirements for admission, and the success rates of their graduates in terms of passing the bar exam, landing full-time jobs, and having an impact on the world.

Also Read: 15 Best Business Schools In Canada 2023

Best Law Schools in South Carolina

Let’s find out the best law schools in South Carolina and their admission requirements.

2. Charleston School of Law (Charleston, SC)

Best Law Schools in South Carolina
Best Law Schools in South Carolina

A group of local lawyers and judges founded the for-profit Charleston School of Law (CSOL) in Charleston, South Carolina, in 2003. The ABA granted full accreditation to the school in 2011. In comparison to other law schools across the nation, it is thus a relatively new institution. Every student in the program must complete at least 50 hours of community service in order to graduate because it is woven into the very fabric of the curriculum.

Being a for-profit, relatively young law school, CSOL had some difficulties becoming accepted by the ABA. This certification is crucial since, in South Carolina, only graduates from schools with ABA accreditation are eligible to take the state bar test.

At least 75% of students who take the bar exam must pass within two years of graduating, which is a crucial criteria for ABA certification, and CSOL was found to be out of compliance in 2020, after achieving full accreditation in 2011. By February 2021, CSOL will have fulfilled this requirement.

A low student-to-teacher ratio and extraordinarily committed instructors are two characteristics of CSOL. Pro bono populi, the school’s motto, means “for the good of the people,” and thanks to the 50 hours of community service that each student is required to complete, the law school has collectively donated more than 500,000 hours to the community.

ADMISSION INSIGHTS:

Around 55% of applicants are accepted by CSOL, according to admissions selectivity. – a- a- half- a-dozen-years-ago, the- a-dozen-years ago, and Almost 75% of the new class receives financial aid, with the average merit award amounting to $25,000, and the majority of incoming students come from outside of South Carolina. The percentage of test takers passing their first bar exam has been rising significantly in recent years, reaching 52.6% as of the 2021 academic year.

The CSOL publishes three things. The first is a conventional law review run by second- and third-year students called the Charleston Law Review. The foreword to the Fall 2007 edition of Charleston Law Review, which was written by then-Senator and future-POTUS Barack Obama, is one of the journal’s well-known legal works. Furthermore, in 2013, the Charleston Law Review co-hosted a conference on First Amendment religious problems, with retired Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor serving as the main speaker.

The Maritime Law Bulletin (commonly known as MALABU), CSOL’s second periodical, focuses on legal topics and advances relating to the maritime industry.

Nick Shalosky, the first openly gay official to be elected in South Carolina, is the most well-known graduate of CSOL. In 2013, he received his CSOL diploma. Shalosky changed his job because he “liked law school, but didn’t enjoy practicing law,” and now he works as a Senior Regional Director for Kaplan Bar Review, assisting law school students and recent graduates with their bar exam preparation.

Like Shalosky, CSOL is aware that graduates of law schools have a variety of career options after earning their J.D. Due to the importance of professionalism in the legal profession, the school sponsors a “professionalism series” and provides students with a wide range of externship possibilities.

Also Read: Kelley School of Business Acceptance Rate 2023

1. University of South Carolina School of Law (Columbia, SC)

Best Law Schools in South Carolina
Best Law Schools in South Carolina

South Carolina Law School, sometimes referred to as the University of South Carolina School of Law, is a public law school that is situated in Columbia, the state’s capital. One of the nation’s earliest law schools was established in South Carolina in 1867. It continues to be the only public, nonprofit law school in South Carolina (as mentioned above, Charleston School of Law is private and for-profit).

The South Carolina School of Law has been recognized by the American Bar Association (ABA) since 1925 and has been a member of the Association of American Law Schools since 1924. Students benefit from vast networking and industry connections because South Carolina School of Law is situated in the state’s capital and has such a lengthy history in the city and the state.

In addition to offering large scholarships to out-of-state students to make the program more reasonable for everyone, South Carolina School of Law, a public university, gives residents of South Carolina a highly affordable legal education. Moreover, the Unified Bar Test now used by South Carolina means that graduates who pass the bar there can practice law anywhere in the country, drawing students from all over the country to the state’s law school.

In order to make it easier for students to move into the actual world of legal practice, South Carolina Law School recently updated its mentorship program and student support services. Robert Wilcox, the dean, said, “We introduce students to what it means to be a professional and the varied responsibilities that lawyers play in the commercial world and in government, particularly in the first year.”

This focus on professionalism and practical experience permeates the curriculum and program at the South Carolina Law School as a whole, which provides a variety of distinctive, hands-on experiences like clinics, externships, the London Maymester, capstone classes, and the Pro Bono Program.

In fact, the Law School runs eight internal clinics with experts in the disciplines of health advocacy, criminal law, domestic violence, education rights, environmental law, juvenile justice, non-profit organizations, and veterans’ legal requirements.

Students can select from among the following specializations for their externships: Administrative Law, Children’s Law, Criminal Law, In-House Counsel, Judicial, and Legislative. Externship sites can range from federal and state agencies, court systems, and state senates.

In collaboration with The Honourable Society of Gray’s Inn, one of the four London Inns of Court, students spend the month of May studying in London as part of the London Maymester program. In contrast, third-year Capstone courses are inquiry-based classes designed to mimic the genuine issues and queries grads may have when practicing law. Last but not least, South Carolina Law School is the first domestic law school to provide a Pro Bono Program.

ADMISSIONS INSIGHTS:

A typical LSAT score of 156 and a median GPA of 3.51 are required for admission to South Carolina Law School, which admits roughly 46% of candidates. The incoming class typically consists of about two thirds South Carolinians. The remaining third of new enrollees are from neighboring states, particularly those bordering South Carolina, including Georgia, North Carolina, and even Florida. The school’s first-year bar passage rate as of 2020 is 76.4%.

With the extensive history of South Carolina Law School, it is not surprise that many future leaders in the disciplines of politics, government, and the legal system have passed through these halls.

United States Senators and Congressmen, Governors, Judges, State Supreme Court Justices, and others are among the outstanding graduates of South Carolina Law School. The institution continues to develop its offerings to meet the requirements of the present and the future while having a great history of producing influential South Carolinians.

Best Law Schools in South Carolina
Best Law Schools in South Carolina

 

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do lawyers in South Carolina make?

How much does a lawyer in South Carolina make? As of February 18, 2023, the average Attorney I pay in South Carolina was $95,273, while the range was normally between $81,220 and $110,207.

Which legal profession pays the greatest salaries?

One of the best paid categories of lawyers worldwide is trial lawyers. There are thousands of civil litigators working throughout the world, but those that deal with high-profile, high-dollar, and high-stakes cases get paid the most.

Can a 3.0 GPA get admission to law school?

Every applicant for a legal degree must have a GPA of 3.0 or above (grade point average). While the second- and third-tier law schools in the United States require GPAs of 3.8 and 3.7, respectively, the top-ranked law schools in the country want a GPA median of 3.9 or above.

Which nation has the most lawyers?

The United States. The United States easily leads the world in terms of the number of lawyers per capita. In comparison to other nations, the United States has the highest per capita number of lawyers. There are 1.26 million lawyers in the country.

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