School of Law

Consistently ranked among the top law schools in the nation, Virginia has educated generations of lawyers, instilling in them a commitment to leadership, integrity and community service. Virginia has a national reputation for producing highly skilled lawyers with a healthy combination of legal acuity and personal balance.

Virginia Law offers more than 250 courses in a broad array of subjects. The School of Law has curricular programs or extensive coursework in law and business, law and public service, international law, constitutional law and legal history, criminal law, human rights, environmental and land use law, intellectual property, health law, public policy and regulation, law and the humanities, race and law, immigration law and animal law.

Virginia offers 20 clinics that give students access to real-world cases, contact with clients and the experience that gives them a head start as attorneys. Students also benefit from skill-building courses in public speaking, professional ethics and legal writing.

Extracurricular opportunities, such as the Law School’s 10 student-run journals, moot court and pro bono service, further provide students with valuable learning experiences. In addition to the Law School’s William Minor Lile Moot Court Competition, many students also participate in national advocacy competitions including trial advocacy and moot court contests.

History

Founded by Thomas Jefferson in 1819, the University of Virginia School of Law is a world-renowned training ground for distinguished lawyers and public servants. The school was first housed in Pavilion III in the University of Virginia’s Academical Village, where students began taking classes in 1826, and later moved into Clark Hall for several decades until the North Grounds facility was built in the 1970s. For more information about the School of Law’s history, see http://www.law.virginia.edu/html/about/timeline.htm