Liberty University School of Law

[Ben F]

I am currently a Junior at Liberty University in Lynchburg, VA. 4 years ago, in 2004, LU started a law school, and it got provisionally accredited in February 2006. Currently it is not fully accredited, but they are aggressively trying to make that happen, and it probably will happen by next March, if the rumors I'm hearing turn out to be true.

Also, this fall they announced that their graduates' VA bar passage rate was 94.4%, which is just a little bit lower than UVA's was.

So my question is whether this is really that impressive. Here at Liberty, I hear a lot about the bar passage rate. However, the 94.4% was actually a measly 16 out of 17 students passing. Is it really that impressive?

Also, if does get fully accredited, what kind of ranking would a start-up law school with a good bar passage rate have, generally speaking?

Thanks for the input, I appreciate it.

- Ben

[Ben F]

I guess only 17 graduating seniors took the bar in VA. A lot of others took it in other states. They're still waiting to compile the percentages from the other states, from what I understand.

Yeah. I'm probably going to Ohio State or Florida; I guess I'm just a little curious about LU's law school, seeing as I've heard good things.

[sheltron5000]

All i know is that I'm tired of their mailings! 

[nealric]

If you are happy in that environment as an undergrad, I wager you will be happy there as a law student. Personally, I know it would drive me up a wall.

 Note that it was founded to push a particular legal philosophy. If you want well-rounded legal education, it's probably not the best place to go. I certainly would not commit without full accreditation.

[Ben F]

I am okay with the environment, as I live off campus and do not really have to deal with any of the rules.

Yeah, I definitely would consider going unless it does get fully accredited soon.

Your statement about LU pushing a legal philosophy reminds me of another question I have. Do many schools push a particular jurisprudential school of though? I know George Mason pushes Law and Economics, while Liberty and Regent probably talk about natural law theory a lot. Do most schools do this?

[Private David Lewis]

What type of law do you want to do after you graduate LS?

[Ben F]

Right now I am leaning towards possibly being an ADA. I think I'd like to be a prosecutor. Definitely open to other areas of law, though.

[Private David Lewis]

Right now I am leaning towards possibly being an ADA. I think I'd like to be a prosecutor. Definitely open to other areas of law, though.

Ah.  I would still say go to the best school you can get into.  Stuff like specializing in natural law or law and economics really means nothing. 

[sheltron5000]

As a prosecuter, doesn't debt come in as a huge factor? I mean it's hard to pay off 150 grand in debt on a prosecuter's salary, isn't it?

[Ben F]

True. I will probably start out with something more lucrative.