Boston University School of Law ranked 17th in the nation for its law program. Located in Massachusetts, Boston University School of Law offers students a rigorous education that will prepare them for success in their chosen field. The school has a strong commitment to public service and provides its students with opportunities to work with real clients in a variety of legal settings. Boston University School of Law is an excellent choice for students who want to pursue a career in law.
Boston University School of Law was founded in 1872. It is the oldest law school in Massachusetts and one of the first in the country. The school has a long history of educating some of the nation's most prominent lawyers and judges. Notable alums include Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis, former U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno, and Governor Deval Patrick. The school is located in the heart of Boston and offers a variety of legal programs. It is one of the most prestigious law schools in the country and is consistently ranked among the top tier of law schools by U.S. News & World Report.
Boston University School of Law faculty are some of the best in the country, and they are known for their excellent teaching, groundbreaking scholarship, and ability to mentor students. With more than 25,000 alumni living worldwide, our graduates have access to a vast network of people that can help them succeed in their careers. The BU Law complex is located in the heart of Boston and features the state-of-the-art Sumner M. Redstone Building and a 17-story tower. This setting provides students with an ideal environment for learning and networking.
Boston University School of Law is a highly selective school that looks at more than just numbers when making admissions decisions. They want to create a class of well-rounded individuals with different backgrounds and experiences. To do this, they consider many factors such as your grades, test scores, letters of recommendation, resume, and personal statement. Your entire application is read to get a sense of who you are as a person and whether or not you would be a good fit for the school.
Although the spike in aspiring law school students has subsided as the economy gradually recovers and a spate of articles in major publications decries the plight of indebted and unemployed graduates, Boston University still receives high numbers of applications.
| Admissions Stats | ||
| Class of: | 2020-2021 | 2021-2022 |
| 25th - 50th - 75th percentile LSAT | 162 - 167 - 168 | 165 - 169 - 171 |
| 25th - 50th - 75th percentile GPA | 3.56 - 3.8 - 3.87 | 3.53 - 3.77 - 3.87 |
| Acceptance rate | 24.9% | 18.3% |
| Applications received | 5719 | 8221 |
| Acceptances | 1426 | 1507 |
| Matriculants | 1934 | 1695 |
BU Law's holistic application review begins as soon as applications become available in early September and continues until after the April 1 application deadline. The committee begins issuing decisions in late fall but continues on a rolling basis through winter and early spring.
Undergraduate GPA and LSAT score have long been the most important factors in law school admissions; this has never been truer than today, as schools compete to best their peers in the latest U.S. News & World Report rankings. These metrics drive Boston University Law's process to some degree, as Assistant Dean for Admissions and Financial Aid Alissa Leonard admits: "Almost every law school at or near our level feels some pressure to improve its admissions statistics every year," and prospective students can get "an idea of the GPA and LSAT numbers [BU Law is] looking for" by checking medians from recent years. However, an application is more than just a pair of numbers, according to Leonard:
There is no combination of GPA and LSAT that necessarily results in admission or denial. The weight of these numbers in any particular application will vary according to how much and what other kinds of information are in the file. We are looking… for people who have demonstrated abilities, the capacity for growth, and backgrounds that will enable them to contribute positively to the life of BU Law and to the legal profession.(ii)
Applicants should use the Law School Admission Council's (LSAC) Data Assembly Service to submit the application, which requires a resume, personal statement, transcripts, and letters of recommendation. The law school offers a Distinguished Scholar Binding Early Decision Program for students whose first choice is BU Law. Students admitted via the binding early decision process will receive a full-tuition scholarship.
Since law school applications are fairly simple and numbers-based, the personal statement offers perhaps the biggest chance for candidates to differentiate themselves. Leonard stresses the personal statement as a writing sample that should not exceed the recommended two pages and should be "concise, easy to read, and engaging." She also urges candidates to use the essay to express "something important about who you are." Personal statements that meaningfully address a preference for BU Law may be successful, but essays that superficially insert the law school's name are unlikely to be rewarded.
While BU Law considers each applicant's highest LSAT score, a candidate with large gaps between their worst and best sitting may want to address that inconsistency in an addendum. BU Law also accepts short addenda explaining medical or personal reasons for seemingly weak points in applications.
Law schools will view this positively if you have an upward trend in your grades. However, if you have a low-grade trend, you should explain this in an addendum. An addendum is a short explanation of why your grades may be lower than usual and can be just a few sentences long. Graduate degrees are also looked upon favorably by law schools since they show that you are intellectually committed and curious. However, they will not make up for a poor undergraduate record. For personal statements and application essays, check out the TLS Guide to Personal Statements.
Boston University School of Law requires two letters of recommendation but will accept up to four. The best recommender can speak to both your academic talents and personal character. Professors usually fit this bill nicely, but Leonard encourages applicants to ask recommenders that know them best, even if this means going to a teaching assistant or employer. She also discourages potentially shallow letters from well-known individuals with limited knowledge of the applicant. For additional advice on obtaining letters of recommendation, click here.
Boston University School of Law typically has a waitlist for admission each year. The size of the Boston University School of Law typically has a waitlist for admission each year. The size of the waitlist and the chances of being admitted from the waitlist vary depending on the pool of applicants in a given year. However, suppose BU Law is an applicant's first choice. In that case, the school recommends that the applicant keep the school updated on any new information, such as new grades or other notable achievements in the classroom or workplace. This honest communication may improve the applicant's chances of admission from the waitlist.
Boston University Law accepts several students each year who wish to transfer from other law schools at which they have completed one year of study. Transfer applicants complete a process similar to a regular J.D. application: they use LSAC's online service and include much of the same documentation, including undergraduate transcripts, letters of recommendation, a personal statement, and an LSAT score. Although all of these factors are considered, Leonard unequivocally states:
The most important factor in reviewing a transfer application is performance during [the] first year in law school. Successful transfer applicants have typically performed in the top 20% of their law school class… exceptional performance in your first year of law school can make you competitive as a transfer student even if you might have been less competitive as a first-year student.
According to Leonard, the number of transfer students taken in a given year varies since the school uses transfers to balance out students who leave BU Law on a temporary or permanent basis.(iii) Anecdotally, gaining admission to BU Law as a transfer is difficult, as one TLS member relates:
Transferring into BU is a risky proposition. I know someone from my T2 [Tier 2 law school as formerly ranked by U.S. News & World Report] who was from Boston, made it into the top 10%, and couldn't get into BU. He successfully transferred to UPenn.(iv)
To read a fantastic article about transferring, click here.
| Cost of Attendance, 2021-2022 | |
| Tuition | $61,160 |
| Student Fees | $1,374 |
| Books and Supplies | $1,462 |
| Room & Board | $15,000 |
| Transportation | $1,120 |
| Personal Expenses | $3,100 |
| Direct Loan Fees | $210 |
| Total Costs | $83,426 |
The cost of law school has increased at a staggering rate in recent decades, combined with a sluggish job market to make attending an increasingly risky investment. Fortunately, BU Law has a reputation for easing this burden with generous financial aid. Like nearly every law school, BU awards some scholarship money on the basis of academic merit (largely determined by undergraduate GPA and LSAT score). Unlike many schools, BU does more than pay lip service to need-based aid.
The largest merit-based awards are awarded as part of the Dean's Scholar program, while smaller merit grants are designated as BU Law Merit Scholarships. All applicants are considered for these awards and, according to Leonard, nearly all merit-based grants are automatically renewable for three years. One current student verifies this, saying "BU never puts strings [like minimum GPA or class rank requirements] on its money."(vi) A handful of merit-based awards are reserved for Public Interest Scholars with a demonstrated record of public service involvement who commit to getting deeply involved in the BU Law public service community. The Public Interest Scholarship requires a short supplemental application, which must be submitted by February 1.(vii)
Many students are awarded BU Law Alumni Scholarships, which are based largely on demonstrated financial need. Unlike pure merit-based awards, these scholarships require candidates to submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) as well as the BU Law Financial Aid Application.
TLS posters who attend BU Law are enthusiastic about their school's financial aid: one student who receives $20,000 of need-based aid per year calls BU "one of the best in the country" for non-merit aid,(viii) and another calls aid "ridiculously good."(ix) A third member claims that the financial aid office's generosity "helps them pluck a lot of top students who would otherwise be at Top-10 schools."(x) The National Jurist reinforces this financial aid boasting, ranking BU Law fourth in the nation for public interest support.
Leonard encourages students to submit their applications early, since more funds are available early in the cycle. TLS members encourage accepted students to negotiate their initial financial aid offers: one student reports getting his package "increased three times, as late as June," while a second poster confirms that "BU [is] more than willing to negotiate with those who have a sound basis for asking for merit aid increases."(xi)
Many students who enter law school with the intention of working in the public interest sector end up in the private sector due to the pressure of educational debt. In an effort to make public interest careers viable for more students, BU Law maintains a modest Loan Repayment Assistance Program (LRAP). Eligible, recent graduates - generally those working for government organizations or tax-exempt non-profits and making low salaries - receive a new loan each year to cover a portion of their law school debt payments. Those who stay in qualifying employment for the entire year have this loan forgiven; those who become ineligible in the course of the year must pay back at least part of the LRAP loan.
In decades past, BU Law had a reputation for a highly competitive atmosphere. One 1L tells us:
One of my bosses mentioned that, when he was in law school 25 years ago, BU was known as the 'Razor School of Boston' because students would cut valuable pages out of crucial textbooks before exams just to debilitate their fellow students.
Luckily, these days seem to be gone. A current student describes the school's feel very differently:
The atmosphere/student body, older students, faculty and staff here are incredibly friendly and welcoming. Random 3Ls will offer to give you outlines and share network contacts. The alumni network is equally friendly…I visited a number of schools before deciding on BU and at most schools the admitted student days were lightly staffed; at BU they had nearly 100 volunteers and the administration actually mentioned turning [volunteers] down….The student body is very diverse and very accepting. The average student is probably 24 with a year of either work or graduate school, but there are also plenty of people who are either older or straight out of college. People here are outgoing, laid back, and very intelligent.(xii)
As an expensive, northeastern law school, BU has plenty of students from well-off East Coast backgrounds. However, one student claims that the law school does plenty to encourage a wide variety of heritages and experiences:
In terms of geography and race, BU is very diverse. That goes for not just the law school but the whole university. BU is a very international school in general so the overall feel is very multicultural. There are quite a few people from California, Chicago, the Mid-Atlantic, etc. People came from pretty much all over.
Like most other law schools, Boston University sets the first-year schedule of classes for students; however, upper-division students choose from over 200 courses to round out their coursework. All 1Ls have to take civil procedure, constitutional law, contracts, criminal law, administrative law, property law, torts, and a research and writing program that spans the entire year. 1L students are also required to participate in the Lawyering Lab, a one-week course that provides an intensive introduction to lawyering skills, including contract drafting, client counseling and negotiation. Sections comprise about 75 students each, and are split into what BU Law calls "mini-sections" of about 50 students each. The writing courses are small, capped at 14 students per class, and progress from focusing on memos (usually written for internal communication at law firms) to more complex assignments as the year goes on.
All second-semester 1Ls participate in the J. Newton Esdaile Appellate Moot Court Program. Here, according to BU Law's website, students "conduct research, draft a brief, and present a case in oral argument before a panel of moot-court judges made up of faculty, lawyers and students."(xiv) This allows students to practice their oral speaking skills in an intense, realistic environment.
2Ls and 3Ls have many classes to choose from, and most of the classes have enrollment caps of 25 students or less. For these classes, there is no mandatory grade distribution. But for classes of 26 students or more, the following distribution applies:
[A+, A, A-]: 20 to 30% (no more than 5% A+)
[B+ and above]: 40 to 60%
[B]: 10 to 50%
[B- and below]: 10 to 30 %
[C+ and below]: 0 to 10%
[D, F]: 0 to 5%
BU Law students are enthusiastic about their professors; in fact, the law school ranks second in "Best Professors" in the latest Princeton Review rankings, based on nationwide student surveys. These professors have also helped the law school place highly in the "Best Classroom Experience" category.(xiv) BU has had a sterling teaching reputation for some time: in 2003, alternative law school rankings guru Brian Leiter noted that contemporary Princeton Review survey results "bear some relation to what one hears anecdotally, from faculty who have visited or taught at various schools, and from students who transfer."(xv)
In a study conducted by Leiter in 2015, BU ranked 21 th among schools studied in scholarly impact as measured by citations.(xvi) Particularly influential faculty members include Wendy Gordon (Intellectual Property), Gary Lawson (Constitutional Law), Linda McClain (Family Law), and Keith Hylton (Law & Economics).
Many future law students tremble at the specter of cold-calling, imagining an experience like that of James Hart in The Paper Chase. Current BU students do not seem to live in fear, and one notes that there is more to modern law teaching than Kingsfield-esque Socratic grilling:
BU has a pretty solid mix of professorial strategies and doesn't seem to favor one over the other. Roughly one-third stick to the classic Socratic method with varying degrees of difficulty. A small percentage, maybe one-tenth or so, seem to be lecturers; they are rare, but they do exist. Most professors use a hybrid method, nearly all incorporating some form of the traditional "on call." A growing number of Socratic professors are starting to use a panel method or something similar to it, [in which] you are notified which date you will be on call.(xvii)
One professor with a particularly unique teaching style is Mark Pettit, who teaches Contracts. To help keep the material interesting, he will sing the details of cases to the tunes of commonly-known songs. Professor Pettit only sings lyrics written by his students, underscoring the high degree of student-faculty collaboration common at BU Law. A current student writes:
I find my professors really help engage me with the material and they are super good teachers, probably the best I've ever had. I would say most of the teachers are very structured. As for teaching styles, all of the professors do their variation of the socratic method. Some are more heavy on facts, other heavy on IRAC analysis, and others heavy on lofty theories and ideas. It depends on the professor and the class.(xviii)
Another student notes:
If you look at any of our professors' publications, you will always see at least one or two students mentioned in the dedication. What's even more notable, however, is the number of professors you'll see credited in the dedications of our students' publications. Our professors nurture and support students and encourage them to pursue each student's own passion in the law. What truly makes BU Law unique is our professors' commitment to the BU Law community. You'll find our professors at the numerous events that happen at the Tower every week, sometimes as audience members, but often as panelists or presenters. You'll find them out to lunch or dinner with current students and alumni. You'll find them running in the BU Law 5K, auctioning off themselves at the annual Public Interest Auction, and traveling with students to do public-interest work around the country.
The average class size at Boston University School of Law is 52 students. The school has a student-faculty ratio of 6.3:1, which is higher than the average for law schools (5.4:1). This means that there are fewer students per professor, and each student has more individual attention from faculty members.
Boston University's tax law and intellectual property law are nationally recognized (ranked #7 and #9, respectively, by U.S. News & World Report), and the school's healthcare law program is considered one of the best in the nation (#5 in USNWR). Students interested in a particular subject area who do not want to pursue a dual degree have the option to concentrate in Transactional Practice, Health Law, International Law, Intellectual Property Law, and Litigation & Dispute Resolution.
BU Law students have the opportunity to immerse themselves in a foreign culture in 18 cities around the globe, including Hong Kong, Beijing, Singapore, Tel Aviv, Florence, Lyon, Paris, Geneva, Hamburg, Madrid, Oxford, Leiden, and Buenos Aires. There is also a foreign exchange program, and a student notes that, "The international program is expanding, adding new countries and internship possibilities [including] the International Criminal Court and EU antitrust." Visit BU Law's website to learn more about study abroad options.
Students at BU Law have many options if they want to pursue a dual degree, including a number of programs that can be completed in six semesters in the Graduate Tax Program, Graduate Program in Banking and Financial Law, English, History, and Philosophy. BU Law has recently introduced an Accelerated Three-Year JD/MBA program with the Questrom School of Business and a JD/MD with the School of Medicine.(xix) A full list of opportunities can be viewed here.
Employers in certain fields may look favorably on dual degrees: for example, policy-oriented public-interest employers may value an M.P.H., and an LL.M. might be useful for those who want to practice in a complex area such as Taxation. However, some traditional employers may view a second degree as indicating flight risk or a lack of focus, so interested candidates should think carefully about their reasons for pursuing a dual degree before spending their time and money.
For a law school with only 220 students per class, BU Law has a large variety of available externships and clinics. This makes sense for a law school that founded one of the nation's first clinical programs, the Voluntary Defender's project.
Experiential options include the Civil Litigation Program, Criminal Litigation Program, Entrepreneurship, Intellectual Property & Cyberlaw Program, Legislative Practice Program, Human Trafficking Clinic, Immigrants' Rights Clinic, International Human Rights Clinic, and Wrongful Convictions Clinic, as well as a Semester-in-Practice Program, in which students gain credit for externships in places like Geneva, Switzerland (Human Rights Externship) and Washington, D.C. (Government Lawyering). BU also grants students some autonomy in finding their own externship opportunities. Interested applicants can find more details on BU's website.
BU Law offers five advanced degrees:
In addition to its degree programs, BU Law offers a wide variety of non-degree legal English programs, online programs, certificate programs and summer programs.
The law school publishes six law journals - the Boston University Law Review, the American Journal of Law and Medicine, the Review of Banking and Financial Law, the Boston University International Law Journal, the Journal of Science and Technology Law, and the Public Interest Law Journal. The Law Review is considered the "flagship" publication, requiring the best credentials for membership and carrying the most heft with potential employers. Journal members are selected on first-year grades as well as the results of a writing competition held after 1L year.
Journal members spend much of their time editing and cite-checking publications from established scholars, but many also have opportunities to develop their resumes and research skills by publishing notes. More information about BU Law's student-edited publications can be found here.
As mentioned above, all first-year students are required to compete in the J. Newton Esdaile Appellate Moot Court Program. Those who enjoy the experience can continue as upper-years in the Edward C. Stone Moot Court Competition, the top participants in which become eligible to compete in the Homer Albers Prize Moot Court Competition and possibly argue in front of U.S. Court of Appeals judges in the final round. BU-sponsored teams also compete against those from other law schools at regional and national competitions, described in more detail here.
The Student Government Association allows students to exercise significant influence over their extracurricular lives, including allocating funds and planning social events. Additionally, over thirty student organizations encourage classmates to get together over common interests, whether they relate to career goals, common backgrounds, or simply shared hobbies.
Boston University School of Law's campus consists of two buildings - the Sumner M. Redstone Building and the law tower. The former is a five-story classroom building that opened in 2014, while the latter is a 17-story building that was renovated and reopened in 2015. The campus has been LEED Gold certified for its sustainable features and recognized for its architectural significance by the Boston Preservation Alliance and the Massachusetts Historical Commission.
The Redstone Building at Boston University School of Law houses the Samuel M. Fineman Law Library, which is adjacent to the existing Pappas Law Library. The building also contains a glass-enclosed Robert T. Butler Atrium, which serves as the heart and social hub of the building. The atrium includes a second-floor dining facility and seating area in McCausland Commons with views of the Charles River. The new building provides convenient study spaces, student gathering areas, and student lockers on each floor. Additionally, the Redstone Building contains new facilities to support clinical, transactional, and professional training programs.
As one TLS member notes: "BU just completely renovated the law school building. It's pretty sweet."(xx)
Another student writes: "The Redstone Building is amazing!"
The Boston University School of Law is a highly respected institution that offers its students an excellent education. The law tower, a leading example of Brutalist architecture, was built in 1964 and completely renovated in 2015. It houses the lower floors of the school, which contain Barristers Hall, Pappas Law Library, student organization offices, law journal offices, courtrooms, and transactional law seminar rooms. The Offices of the Registrar, Student Affairs, and Information Systems & Technology are also in the law tower.
On the upper floors of Boston University School of Law's main building, you will find offices for career development and public service, communications and marketing, LLM programs, the dean, clinical and advocacy programs, admissions and financial aid, faculty, and law journals. The Redstone Building entrance welcomes visitors into the glass-enclosed Robert T. Butler Atrium, which serves as the heart and social hub of the building. This new addition to the School, which opened in 2014, provides a number of first-rate facilities and features.
The second and third floors of Boston University School of Law's building feature the Samuel M. Fineman & Pappas Law Libraries, a dining facility, and a seating area in McCausland Commons with stunning views of the Charles River. The building also has plenty of study spaces, gathering areas for students, and student lockers spread throughout. In addition, there are separate facilities for the school's transactional and legal writing programs, as well as new courtrooms, classrooms, and seminar rooms.
Finding a job is challenging for students at most any law school these days as the economy takes its time recovering and the legal industry adapts to new (and, according to some, permanent) market pressures. The most desirable positions, including jobs at high-paying law firms, clerkships, and prestigious government and non-profit posts, have all become more competitive. BU does benefit from its location in a major legal market, which may have helped it weather the storm better than similarly-regarded schools in more isolated locations.
The chart below shows the Class of 2021 Employment Report 10 Months After Graduation.
| Employment Status | Number / % | Full-Time | Part-Time | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Long Term | Short Term | Long Term | Short Term | ||
| Employed – Bar Passage Required | 230 / 81.6% | 230 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Employed – JD Advantage | 22 / 7.8% | 19 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Employed – Professional Position | 6 / 2.1% | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Employed – Other Position | 3 / 1.0% | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Employed – Law School/University Funded | 5 / 1.8% | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Employed – Undeterminable | 0 / 0% | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Enrolled in Graduate Studies | 3 / 1% | ||||
| Employed – Start Date Deferred | 2 / 0.7% | ||||
| Unemployed – Not Seeking | 3 / 1.0% | ||||
| Unemployed – Seeking | 7 / 2.5% | ||||
| Employment Status Unknown | 1 / 0.4% | ||||
| Total Graduates | 282 / 100% | ||||
| Employment Type | Number / % | Full-Time | Part-Time | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Long Term | Short Term | Long Term | Short Term | ||
| Law Firms (Private Practice) | |||||
| Solo Practitioner | 0 / 0.0% | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1 – 10 | 17 / 6.4% | 16 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 11 – 25 | 11 / 4.1% | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 26 – 50 | 7 / 2.6% | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 51 – 100 | 7 / 2.6% | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 101 – 250 | 15 / 5.6% | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 251 – 500 | 18 / 6.8% | 18 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 501+ | 103 / 38.7% | 102 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Size | 0 / 0.0% | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Business & Industry | 30 / 11.3% | 25 | 0 | 4 | 1 |
| Government | 21 / 7.9% | 21 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Public Interest | 17 / 6.4% | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Judicial Clerkships | |||||
| Federal | 3 / 1.1% | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| State, Local & Territorial | 15 / 5.6% | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Tribal | 0 / 0.0% | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| International | 0 / 0.0% | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Education | 2 / 0.7% | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Employer Type Unknown | 0 / 0.0% | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 266 | ||||
Since 2010, BU Law has awarded year-long BU Law Public Service Fellowships to select members of the graduating class to support their work at under-resourced public interest and government organizations across the US and abroad, including Mid-Minnesota Legal Aid Immigration Project, New York State Attorney General’s Office, Greater Boston Legal Services, Florida Public Defenders Office, Asylum Ecuador, and California Rural Legal Services.(xxii)
BU Law has introduced a number of new programs to assist students with their future careers, including the 1L Career Conference, which exposes students to a broad range of practice areas and practice settings early in their first year, and the Beyond Boston Program, which connects legal recruiters from major legal markets nationwide with BU Law students. Additionally, new post-graduate programs, such as the In-House Counsel Fellowship Program and Small and Mid-Size Firms Apprenticeship Program, provide students with practice opportunities at companies, nonprofits, and smaller firms.(xxiii)
Boston University Law students generally have positive things to say about the Career Development Office, which helps students navigate the increasingly treacherous waters of finding legal employment from 1L year on. An online appointment request system makes scheduling advising sessions easy, and the university has added experienced staff to help deal with recent economic stresses. In addition to On-Campus Interviews, which bring more than 200 employers to BU every year, the CDO coordinates participation in job fairs and off-campus interview programs in several major markets.(xxiv)
Private practice can involve work in law firms of all sizes, from international firms with offices both in the U.S. and abroad, to regional powerhouses, to boutique firms specializing in a specific practice area such as intellectual property, immigration, or bankruptcy. Smaller, local firms may also have general consumer practices or specialize in areas such as family law.
Judicial clerkships - jobs in which young lawyers work closely with a judge researching legal issues, drafting documents, and performing administrative tasks - offer valuable learning experiences and (depending on the court and judge) significant resume boosts to recent law school graduates. Generally, the most prestigious clerkships are with federal judges appointed under Article III of the Constitution. These positions are highly competitive, and law firms often pay generous signing bonuses to former federal clerks.
Careers in government can work for government agencies, such as the Securities and Exchange Commission or the Department of Justice. Other positions include serving as a prosecutor, public defender, or working in a state’s Attorney General’s office. Municipalities also have their law departments.
Boston University School of Law's public interest practice focuses on a specific legal issue or constituency, with the goal of providing access to justice for those who need it most. This may involve policy work as well as representing clients directly. This focus on serving the public good sets public interest lawyers apart from other types of attorneys. By dedicating their time and energy to fighting for justice, they help level the playing field for everyone.
Choosing which law school to attend represents a huge financial and career path decision, but it also determines where someone will spend three years of his or her life. Quality of life and the "feel" of a law school should factor in alongside monetary considerations and job prospects. Most students describe BU Law as a social place: the school puts on a "densely populated" Bar Review every Thursday, and the SGA throws three major parties a year - an orientation party, Halloween, and Law Prom - to rave reviews.(xxvii)
The Boston University School of Law is located in the heart of the city, with easy access to public transportation. Our students can choose to live in Boston, Brookline, Cambridge or Somerville, all of which are accessible by public transportation. This makes it easy for our students to get around and experience all that the city has to offer.
Boston is home to many law firms and bar associations, making it an ideal place to gain legal experience and build your professional network. The city also houses the Massachusetts state capitol and local and federal courts. In addition, Boston ranks as a top hub of high-tech innovation and entrepreneurship. BU Law students benefit from free membership to the Boston Bar Association and an extensive network of BU Law alumni in the area.
Boston is an excellent place to live as a law student because of its many excellent restaurants, concert halls, nightclubs, museums, and pro sports teams. Boston is also a major international city with a vibrant cultural scene. You'll have the opportunity to meet students from all over the world while living in one of Boston's many diverse neighborhoods. Additionally, Boston is home to many different colleges and universities, making it a great place to further your education.
With a huge population of students and young professionals, Boston is an attractive city for many considering law school. One current student, at least, seems happy with his environs:
Wow. The combination of historical/political/legal/and social aspects that Boston can boast about is truly stunning. [Visiting BU] was my first time here and I loved the city. It was also my first time on a subway, and I was impressed with the truly extensive T. This is definitely a city where you don't need a car. BU is just off center of downtown, and barely a bridge ride away from Harvard and MIT.
One of the most obvious drawbacks of Boston - besides its relatively high cost of living - is cold winters. Although Boston offers beautiful spring and fall seasons and mild summers, its winter months can be bracing, with average high temperatures in the 30s and lows dipping well below freezing. Students coming from more southern climates or the West Coast should prepare to become very familiar with snow and wind.
Boston's public transit system - the "T" - is convenient to the law school, and runs all over the greater Boston area. $59 a month buys unlimited rides on the Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority's subway and local buses, and commuter travel to parts of the greater metropolitan area can also be bought for reasonable monthly prices. According to one current student:
No one needs a car in this city, especially not in the BU area.The B line runs down the center of BU's campus the entire way, and down into Allston/Brighton. Both the C and B line run all the way into Boston and connect to all the other lines. There is a not a single thing I need that would require a car - groceries, haircuts, bank, restaurants. Nothing is more than a quick T ride away.(xxviii)
If students have one complaint about public transit, it is that it stops running earlier than some other cities' train systems, with most lines shutting down around 12:30 AM even on weekends. Still, taxis are easy to find, and Boston's relative compactness makes getting around easy for BU students.
The city of Boston has plenty to offer, but one downside is that housing is often expensive and difficult to find. A visiting student said, "[The law school] made living in Boston sound easy and convenient. But when I talked to some students, many of them were doubling up in single bedroom studios to save on rent, which seemed to be between $1,000 - $1,600 per month depending on where you live." The university rents some apartments to graduate and professional students, but the vast majority of BU Law students live in off-campus apartments.
One TLS member offers a detailed breakdown of nearby housing options:
Allston/Brighton: The most popular area and is by far the cheapest. One-bedroom apartments start at around $700; two-bedrooms, around $1,000. Just about every bar you will ever want to go to is located there. The downsides: the apartments are generally pretty crappy, the area is overrun with college students, and you have to take the B line into school. This area is probably your best value.
Kenmore/Back Bay: The nicest area, and the most expensive. One-bedrooms start at $1050; two-bedrooms, around $1,400. Good news: you can walk to school in 5 minutes. Bad news: you have to deal with the green line at night when all your friends are out in Allston.
Brookline: As you go further out the C line, the prices drop a little. One-bedrooms run around $900, two-bedrooms, $1200. The area is as nice as Kenmore, and the best apartments are located here, [but] you have to go a decent way down the C line before the prices become affordable. Lots of convenient shopping (Trader Joes, dry cleaners, etc.) but now, instead of taking the B line outbound to hang out with your friends in Allston, you have to take the C inbound to Kenmore, then the B outbound.
South End: If you are committed to "city living," this is your best bet. It's a bit more urban without being cost-prohibitive like the North End & Downtown. The downside: a long commute. Prices in the area vary widely so be on the lookout if you want to live here.
Cambridge: Some students just like it; it's like Allston if it had any class. Prices are comparable to Brookline. Upside: lots of coffee shops and small concert venues. Downside? Red Line to Park, outbound to BU Central takes about 35 minutes.
Boston University School of Law has much to recommend, including a renowned teaching faculty, a brand new building, a convenient location near the heart of one of America's best cities for young people, and a generous financial aid office. The downsides of attending Boston University are mostly the same as those of any law school in an era of rising tuition and depressed job prospects. For those who want an urban feel and access to Northeastern legal markets, BU is as attractive as any of its peer schools, and deserves a look from any candidate who can distinguish a "U" from a "C."
Boston University School of Law
Office of Admissions
765 Commonwealth Avenue
Boston, Massachusetts 02215
Phone: 617.353.3100
E-mail: bulawadm@bu.edu
DIRECTOR OF JD ADMISSIONS
• OFFICE ROOM 1202F
• EMAIL: TAYLORA@BU.EDU
• PHONE 617-353-7747
| Established | 1972 |
| Location | Boston, MA |
| Dean | Angela Onwuachi-Willig |
| 2022 US News Ranking | 17th |
| LSAT Median Score | 169 |
| GPA Median Score | 3.77 |
| Bar Passage Rate | 95% (2022) |
| Employment Rate | 73% (2022) |
| Cost | $60,718 |
| Average Debt | $112,443 |
| Application Deadline | February 2023 |
