Advising
Preadmission information, advising, and continued support for the JD is provided by the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law Admissions Office, 480/965-1474.
Admissions Process
The Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law offers a full-time, daytime program. New students are admitted to the Juris Doctor (JD) program for the fall semester only.
To be considered for admission to the JD program, an applicant must
-
1. demonstrate that he or she will have earned an undergraduate degree from an accredited four-year college or university by the time of enrollment in the JD program;
-
2. take the Law School Admission Test (LSAT) and provide a reportable score from that test;
-
3. submit a completed application; and
-
4. register with the Law School Data Assembly Service (LSDAS).
Note: The LSAT and LSDAS are administered by the Law School Admission Council (LSAC).
The undergraduate record and LSAT score are only two of many factors considered for admission. More details about the application process can be found at www.law.asu.edu/admissions. For an application to be considered timely, it must be postmarked or electronically submitted by February 1. For earlier consideration, the early decision deadline is November 1.
To apply, use the LSAC e-app at www.lsac.org, or write to
Office of Admissions and Financial Aid
Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law
Arizona State University
PO Box 877906
Tempe AZ 85287-7906
For additional application information, call the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law at 480/965-1474, or access the Web site at www.law.asu.edu.
Joint, Concurrent, LLM, and MLS Degree Programs
The college offers four degree programs. See the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law Graduate Degrees and Majors table, below.
|
Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law Graduate Degrees and Majors
|
|
|
|
Major
|
Degree
|
Concentration
|
Administered By
|
|
|
|
Biotechnology and Genomics
|
LLM
1
|
—
|
Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law
|
|
Law
|
JD
|
—
|
Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law
|
|
Legal Studies
|
MLS
2
|
—
|
Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law
|
|
Tribal Policy, Law, and Government
|
LLM
1
|
—
|
Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law
|
|
|
|
|
In addition to the JD degree, the college offers several joint degrees, including a JD/MD with the Mayo Medical School in Rochester, Minnesota, a JD/PhD in Psychology, a JD/MBA, and a JD/PhD in Justice Studies. Prospective law students wishing to pursue a joint or concurrent degree program must apply separately and be accepted to both programs. Joint and concurrent degree programs of study must be approved by the dean of the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law. See Concurrent and Dual Degrees.
The college also offers two post-JD graduate programs, the Master of Laws (LLM) degree in Biotechnology and Genomics and the Master of Laws degree in Tribal Policy, Law, and Government. The Master of Legal Studies (MLS) degree is available to nonlawyers with an accredited four-year undergraduate degree. For information about these degrees, call the college at 480/965-6181.
Certificate Programs
Two certificate programs are available to law students in the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law. See Indian Legal Program, for information about the Certificate in Indian Law. See Center for the Study of Law, Science, and Technology, for information about the Certificates in Law, Science, and Technology.
Master of Laws in Biotechnology and Genomics—LLM
The Master of Laws (LLM) in Biotechnology and Genomics program is offered through the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law’s Center for the Study of Law, Science, and Technology, the nation’s oldest, largest, and most comprehensive research center focusing on the intersection of law and science. Through classroom instruction and guided independent study, LLM candidates (those who have received their Juris Doctor or comparable terminal law degree) will examine the legal issues surrounding genetic applications such as genetically modified organisms, forensic evidence, gene testing, gene therapy, cloning, stem cells, and behavioral genetics. The issues relate to privacy, confidentiality, regulation, liability, international trade, evidentiary standards, intellectual property, licensing, and business planning.
LLM students explore and examine the law that enables and constrains the development, control, and application of biotechnology and genomics. Relevant legal fields include health law, particularly public health law, agricultural law and policy, and intellectual property. Forensic science and ethical constraints upon the various contemplated uses are also important elements of the program. Because the legal, ethical and policy aspects of genomics and biotechnology are of global significance, this program will also be beneficial for non-U.S. lawyers.
The program is designed to be completed in nine months on a full time basis, but may also be pursued on a part time basis. Two courses are required, (1) Genetics and the Law and (2) Biotechnology: Science, Policy and Law. The program offers numerous elective courses, including Biotechnology and Intellectual Property, FDA Regulation of Drugs, Devices, and Bioethics, Health Law, IP Commercialization and Technology Transfer, Patent Law, Public Health Law, and Technology Ventures Clinic.
Criteria for admission include grades in law school and other academic programs, recommendations by professors and/or employers, employment and life experience, and evidence of interest and potential in biotechnology and genomics. The admissions committee recommends early applications. The program does not anticipate matriculating more than 20 students. Applications are currently accepted on a rolling basis, with preference given for fall start dates.
Applicants to the program must submit:
-
1. proof of a law degree, either
a. a JD from a law school in the United States accredited by the American Bar Association, or
b. a comparable law degree from a foreign law school approved by either the government or
the relevant accrediting authority of the nation where the school is located;
-
2. an essay describing their interest in the program;
-
3. a writing sample;
-
4. two letters of recommendation;
-
5. a completed LLM application; and
-
6. official transcripts of undergraduate and law degree studies.
Many scientists describe the 21st century as the “Century of the Gene.” Genomics and biotechnology are growing areas of legal practice, scholarship and training. West published the first case book in 2003, and at least two other competing case books will be published soon. Since January 1, 2000, thousands of judicial opinions and scholarly legal articles have been published which contain the words “DNA,” “genetic,” or “genomic.” Legal complications inevitably arise from the mushrooming growth in research, application, and investment in biotechnology and genomics. Lawyers working in these fields must develop both the legal mastery and the scientific understanding to keep pace.
As the first to offer an LLM in Biotechnology and Genomics, the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law is maintaining its leadership role. Students enjoy an opportunity to learn from more than 15 permanent faculty involved in both legal and scientific disciplines who teach genomics and biotechnology related courses. The Center for Law, Science, and Technology has an ongoing collaborative relationship with the Biodesign Institute at ASU, which integrates diverse fields of science to cure and prevent disease, overcome the limitations of injury, renew the environment and improve national security. The center’s 18-year collaborative relationship with the American Bar Association to publish Jurimetrics: the Journal of Law, Science, and Technology exemplifies its longstanding commitment to exploring issues arising from the intersection of law and science. Center faculty and staff remain active in research and scholarship, public speaking, conference presentations, teaching, and hosting seminars and colloquia. For example, the center has sponsored an annual conference on Law and Genetics since 1999.
Upon completion of this LLM program, alumni will be distinguished among the legal professionals working in genomic and biotechnology industry and regulation throughout the U.S. and around the world. ASU, the state of Arizona, and the Phoenix metropolitan area have made a strong commitment to genomics as a driver of future economic growth. Examples include the development of the Biodesign Institute at ASU along with efforts to raise more than $100 million to attract the International Genomics Consortium (IGC) and Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen). Through start-ups and migration of existing companies, this commitment, along with a similar priority given to genomics by all three state universities, is expected to result in the rapid growth of the biotechnology industry in Arizona over the next decade. Several Phoenix law firms have established life sciences and biotechnology practice groups in response to this new industry.
For admissions information, access the Web site at www.law.asu.edu/biotech, call 480/965-1474, fax 480/727-7930, or write
Graduate Legal Studies Liaison
Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law
Arizona State University
PO Box 877906
Tempe AZ 85287-7906
Master of Laws in Tribal Policy, Law, and Government—LLM
The Master of Laws (LLM) in Tribal Policy, Law, and Government at the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law is designed for lawyers and law school graduates who desire to work on issues related to tribal law and federal Indian law at the professional and academic levels. This program provides students with a detailed understanding of the nature of tribal government, law, and policy development within the domestic federal structure. LLM candidates will benefit from the extensive resources committed to the Indian Legal Program at the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law, a nationally recognized leader in Indian law education and scholarship since 1988.
This flexible one-year program consists of two different tracks, the Practicum Track and the Thesis Track.
The Practicum Track is oriented toward students who seek practical experience in tribal law and federal Indian law. It provides intensive instruction to students who graduated from a law school that had few or no courses in Indian law and who now seek to practice in these areas at a professional level.
The Thesis Track is oriented toward students who desire to undertake the academic study of tribal law and federal Indian law in preparation for careers as professors and scholars. This track is designed for candidates who have demonstrated analytic and research ability, and who desire to undertake extended study, research, and scholarly writing. LLM students will build a foundation in scholarly research and writing in tribal law and federal Indian law, and will have the opportunity to teach at the law school level. Students will be assigned to an Indian law professor who will mentor them in creating a thesis and submitting publishable articles.
The Indian Legal program’s (ILP) reputation is strengthened by nationally recognized law professors and through recruitment, retention, and mentoring of Native American students. The program is currently home to 36 native students representing 25 tribes from the United States and Canada. The law student population includes members of both federal and state recognized tribes. The majority of ILP graduates work for tribes throughout Indian country as attorneys or tribal judges. Graduates also work for private firms, nonprofit organizations, federal agencies, and state offices.
Criteria for admission include grades in law school and other academic programs, written recommendations by professors and/or employers, relevant professional and practical experience, and evidence of interest and potential in Indian Law.
Students admitted to the LLM program in Tribal Policy, Law, and Government must possess either a JD degree from a law school in the United States accredited by the American Bar Association or a comparable terminal law degree from a law school accredited by the government or the highest accrediting authority of the nation where the school is located. The program is oriented, however, toward students who have a basic understanding of American government and have taken the relevant foundational course in federal Constitutional law. For this reason, it is assumed that most applicants will have earned their degrees from law schools within the U.S.
The LLM program is designed to accommodate a limited number of students each year. Admissions are accepted on a “rolling admissions” basis. Early application is highly recommended.
For more information, access the Web site at www.law.asu.edu/LLM-tribal, or call 480/727-0616.
For admissions information, call 480/727-0616, fax 480/965-2427, or write
Director of Indian Legal Program Graduate Programs
Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law
Arizona State University
PO Box 877906
Tempe AZ 85287-7906
Master of Legal Studies—MLS
The Master of Legal Studies (MLS) program offers an interdisciplinary immersion in the law school curriculum to highly qualified nonlawyers. This program is intended for professionals who wish to study law, but do not seek to become an attorney. Credits from the MLS will not transfer into law school.
The program seeks MLS candidates from a variety of backgrounds with a diversity of goals: natural scientists and engineers who want to study the legal regulation of science or the protection of intellectual property; government officials or business owners seeking greater knowledge of Indian and tribal government and laws; social scientists who seek a foundation in law and legal process in order to design and conduct better informed empirical research on policy issues; humanities scholars who desire a foundational understanding of law and legal culture to enrich their primary historical or philosophical or literary scholarship; journalists who want to report on law-related events in a more informed and illuminating way; and entrepreneurs and managers who hope to better advance their companies in industries as diverse as banking, insurance, construction, development, agribusiness, and electronics by better understanding the legal system in which they operate.
To begin this graduate-level program, students must have earned an undergraduate degree from an accredited four-year college or university in the United States or a comparable degree from a foreign institution. All applicants must submit official transcripts of their undergraduate and graduate degree studies, a personal statement, a writing sample, and two letters of recommendation. The personal statement should include statements about the student’s distinctive qualities, talents, successes, achievements, interests, life experiences, and interest in the program. The writing sample should be a professional or academic sample, written solely by the applicant, that gives an indication of his or her writing ability. Graduate school entrance exams are not required, but applicants who have taken those exams are invited to report their scores.
The MLS program consists of a minimum of 30 semester hours of approved study. By way of introduction to legal methodology and reasoning, each MLS candidate will be required to choose at least two of the following basic first year law courses: Contracts, Constitutional Law I, Criminal Law, Property, and Torts. Candidates will additionally choose among Legal Process, Legislation, or Jurisprudence. The remaining semester hours are electives. Students interested in Indian Law can choose from the following available courses: Federal Indian Law I, Federal Indian Law II, Cultural Resources, Tribal Law and Government, Economic Development in Indian Country, Litigating Indian Rights, American Indian Health Policy, and Gaming Law.
Each student will be assigned a faculty advisor, in consultation with whom the student will design a suitable curriculum. A thesis is not required. MLS candidates can complete the program in one year or extend it over as many as three years. Candidates should note, however, that most classes are offered during regular business hours.
For more information, access the Web site at www.law.asu.edu/mls, or call 480/965-1474.
For admissions information, call 480/965-1474, fax 480/727-7930, or write
Graduate Legal Studies Liaison
Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law
Arizona State University
PO Box 877906
Tempe, AZ 85287-7906
Special Programs
Center for the Study of Law, Science, and Technology
The center, founded by the Arizona Board of Regents in 1984, is the oldest, largest, and most comprehensive multidisciplinary research center focusing on the intersection of law and science. The center anticipates issues raised by new knowledge, stimulates dialogue between legal and scientific scholarship, and conducts research that promotes the legal community’s engagement with scientific and technological developments. The unique breadth of faculty expertise within the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law, 29 of whom are center fellows, supports course offerings in a broad range of law, science, and technology subjects. Subjects include scientific evidence, intellectual property and cyberlaw, behavioral biology, healthcare and bioethics, information and communication technologies, statistics and mathematical methods, biotechnology, environmental and natural resource law and policy, and risk management.
A certificate program provides coherence and structure to student academic development; there are specializations in intellectual property, healthcare law, environmental law, and genomics and biotechnology law. Externships in the local legal community provide students with hands-on experience under the guidance of skilled practitioners. The center’s Technology Ventures Clinic provides a unique applied clinical experience where students evaluate inventions generated by ASU researchers, devise marketing strategies, and file patent documentation.
The center is a key player in several contemporary debates within the legal academic community. For example, it sponsors an annual conference on genetics and the law. It also sponsors a speaker series each semester that attracts the country’s best legal scholars. The center also co-publishes, with the American Bar Association’s Section of Science and Technology Law, Jurimetrics: The Journal of Law, Science, and Technology, the oldest and most widely circulated journal in the field of law and science. Students serve as editors and officers of the journal, editing articles for publication, conducting research, and developing and writing articles under the direction of the faculty editor.
Clinical Program
The Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law’s Clinical Program provides second- and third-year students with an opportunity to handle actual cases with the direct guidance of skilled faculty members. The college offers seven real-client clinics: Civil Practice Clinic, Criminal Practice Clinic, Immigration Law and Policy Clinic, Indian Legal Clinic, Mediation Clinic, Public Defender Clinic, and Technology Ventures Clinic. The college’s extensive and diverse clinical program allows students to choose among a variety of different work environments.
The Civil Practice Clinic, for example, operates as a functioning law firm within the college, while students in the criminal litigation clinics work in prosecution or public defender agencies in the Phoenix area. Students in the Mediation Clinic learn how to facilitate the resolution of disputes without litigation, and students serve as mediators in real disputes in the small claims court system. Students in the Technology Ventures Clinic work collaboratively with students from other disciplines to analyze technology portfolios and participate in an intellectual property review process for technologies. Students provide legal assistance to tribal communities and governments through the Indian Legal Clinic. Immigration Law and Policy Clinic students counsel and represent immigrants detained for immigration violations. To help prepare for participation in a clinic, second-year students are offered “simulation-based” courses in lawyering theory and practice, trial advocacy, pretrial practice, and negotiation.
Indian Legal Program
The Indian Legal Program at the college was established in 1988 to provide legal education to students on topics in Indian law, to generate scholarships in Indian law, and to provide public service to tribal governments. The college is a strong choice for students interested in studying Native American legal systems, federal Indian law, and the complex issues confronting Indian nations and individuals. Through a Certificate in Indian Law, the college provides its students with a quality legal education and an opportunity to gain specific knowledge and expertise in Indian law.
Students have the opportunity to participate in all phases of the Indian Legal Program and gain an in-depth understanding of the legal issues affecting Indian tribes and people. Courses on Federal Indian law and seminars on advanced Indian law topics, such as tribal law and government, gaming, and American Indian cultural resources protection, are part of the curriculum. Students also have the opportunity to participate in internships with local tribal courts, the Native American Rights Fund, the U.S. Department of the Interior, or the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs in Washington, D.C. This variety of academic and work experience provides students with an outstanding legal education and a firm grounding in both the theoretical and practical aspects of Indian law.
Committee on Law and Philosophy
Both the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law and the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences have groups of excellent faculty with expertise in philosophy of law and related areas of moral and political philosophy. These faculty members have been brought together to form the Committee on Law and Philosophy. The overall goal of the committee is to create and maintain a rich and active intellectual community in this area and to use the resources of that community to offer conferences, lectures, courses, and seminars. Areas of particular interest to members of the committee include criminal law theory, punishment, forgiveness, constitutional interpretation, human rights theory, law and literature, law and religion, and political obligation.
Law Journal
The Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law publishes a professional law review, the
Arizona State Law Journal,
edited by students of the second- and third-year classes. Membership on the law journal is determined by grade performance in the first year and by submitting written work in a writing competition. Participation on law review is hard but rewarding work. For those eligible, the review provides one of the finest avenues for legal education thus far developed. Its work contributes to the student’s intellectual advancement, to the development of law and the legal profession, and to the stature of the law school.
College Facilities
Law Building and Law Library
The John S. Armstrong Law Building is located on the eastern edge of the university’s 700-acre Tempe campus. The Law Building provides every modern facility for legal education and is described by experts involved in the planning of law buildings as setting a new standard in functional design. Armstrong Hall’s classrooms are fully accessible to disabled students. The Willard H. Pedrick Great Hall seats 400 and serves not only as a courtroom for annual visits from the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, the Arizona Supreme Court, the Navajo Supreme Court, and the Arizona Court of Appeals, but also as a location for campus events. The Ryan C. Harris Courtroom is a state of the art facility specially designed for trial advocacy classes. Armstrong Hall also contains the Cohen Student Center, which houses the college’s own coffee house, the Side Bar Café. Together the center and café provide a convenient and comfortable setting for interchange among students, faculty, and staff.
The award-winning John J. Ross–William C. Blakley Law Library, named in memory of two prominent Phoenix attorneys, is one of the finest law libraries in the Southwest.
The library houses a collection of more than 414,000 volumes and microform volume equivalents. The collection includes a broad selection of case reports and statutes as well as legal treatises, periodicals, encyclopedias, digests, citators, and administrative materials. The collection also includes a growing selection of special materials dealing with international law, Indian law, Mexican law, English legal history, and law and technology.
The library, housed in a dramatic and functional building that opened in August 1993, is also a selective U.S. government depository. The building provides accessible shelving for the expanding collections and comfortable study space at carrels, tables, and lounge seating located throughout the library. Additionally, the law library has a 20-station computer lab, as well as LEXIS and WESTLAW rooms that contain 10 stations each, 27 meeting and study rooms, a microforms facility, and a classroom. The Law Library and Armstrong Hall are both covered by a Wi-Fi network available to students.
Students may also access other campus libraries, including the Charles Trumbull Hayden Library, the Daniel E. Noble Science and Engineering Library, the Architecture and Environmental Design Library, and the Music Library. The collections maintained in all university libraries comprise more than three million volumes.
Accreditation
The college is fully accredited by the American Bar Association and is a member of the Association of American Law Schools.
