West Virginia University College of Law


The West Virginia University College of Law is the professional school for the study of law at West Virginia University in Morgantown, West Virginia, United States. The law school was established in 1878 as the first professional school in the state, and remains the only law school in the state.
The law school is a member of the Association of American Law Schools and is accredited by the American Bar Association.

Admissions

For the Class of 2022, the College of Law enrolled 115 students with an average LSAT of 154 and an average GPA of 3.46/4.00. The average age is 25, with a range of 21 to 44; 53% are female; 8% self-identify as minority.
Out-of-state residents comprise 43% of the Class of 2022.

Rankings

Founded in 1894, the West Virginia Law Review is the fourth oldest law review in the United States and publishes three issues each year. The West Virginia Law Review is a professional, student-governed legal journal that publishes articles of interest to legal scholars, students, legislators, and members of the practicing bar. The publication, which includes notes, comments, and articles of scholarly and practical value to the legal community, is published by a student editorial board.

Bar passage rates

Until 1989 graduates of the Law School were granted "Diploma Privileges" in West Virginia. Meaning that Graduates of WVU Law did not have to take the West Virginia Bar Test. They were automatically licensed to practice law upon graduation.
The most common bar exam for a graduate of the West Virginia University College of Law is the Uniform Bar Exam. The passing UBE score in West Virginia is 270.
For the Class of 2018, the employment rate for full-time/long-term Bar Passage Required jobs is 66.3%. It is 7.1% for J.D. Advantage jobs. The employment rate for private practice jobs is 54.7%; for judicial clerkships it is 13%; and for jobs in public interest law, it is 11.9%.

Cost

The total cost of attendance at West Virginia University for the 2019-2020 academic year is $39,598 for WV residents, and $56,118 for non-residents. The Law School Transparency estimated debt-financed cost of attendance for three years is $152,702 for WV residents, and is $206,968 for non-residents.

Notable alumni

Graduates of the West Virginia University College of Law practice in 46 US states, as well as every county of West Virginia. The school has many notable alumni, which include former governors, judges, businessmen, congressmen, and diplomats: