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Accreditations
The accreditation process of the American Bar
Association (ABA) is designed to ensure that approved law schools have
adequate facilities and adhere to sound educational policies. The School
of Law has been fully approved by the ABA; this enables its graduates to
present a JD degree acceptable to the bar examiners in every state.
There are approximately 180 ABA-approved law schools in the United
States.
In 1989, the School of Law was admitted to full
membership in the Association of American Law Schools (AALS).
Degree
Juris Doctor (JD)
Advising
Students have access to academic, personal, and career
counseling at any time during the program. Academic counseling is
intended to assist the student in defining a program that will satisfy
both personal interests and professional development.
Career counseling and information on job opportunities
are provided to students for part-time, clerkship, and entry-level
positions. About 40 Honolulu legal employers representing the private,
public, and public-interest sectors participate in the on-campus
interview program for law students. The law school also presents
informational programs on career choices and alternatives and
preparation for the job search.
Admission Requirements
Admission to the law school is based on an
applicant’s academic achievement, aptitude for the study of law, and
professional promise. Included among the specific factors evaluated are
undergraduate grade point average, results of the Law School Admission
Test (LSAT), academic work beyond the bachelor’s degree, academic
rigor, writing ability, work experience, and volunteer and civic
activities. The admission committee also takes into consideration the
diversity of the class and unusual accomplishments or achievements.
Residency in Hawai‘i or special experience relevant to Hawai‘i, the
Asia Pacific region, or the law school’s programs is also a
significant admission criterion.
All applicants must have earned, by the entrance date,
a baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution of higher learning
in the United States or a foreign degree that is fully equivalent. Other
requirements include the LSAT results, submission of transcripts to the
Law School Data Assembly Service (LSDAS), two letters of recommendation,
and a completed law school application.
Application Deadlines
Applications for admission must be filed with the
School of Law and must be submitted on the current year’s forms.
Contact the law school for up-to-date deadlines and applications. Late
or incomplete applications are not considered. Applicants are notified
of the admission decision in late March/early April for August entry. In
1998, the law school received about 450 applications for admission.
Pre-admission Program
Established in 1974, the Pre-admission Program
provides students from disadvantaged backgrounds with an opportunity to
demonstrate their ability to do law school work. Each year, 12 students
are selected from among applicants with academic records not strong
enough to justify admission to the regular program, but who,
nevertheless, demonstrate potential for successful completion of law
study and significant contribution as lawyer.
There is no separate application process for this
program. Those invited to participate are identified by the admission
committee during its review of regular applications to the JD program.
Students who successfully complete the Pre-admission Program are
admitted to the first-year class the following year.
Program Requirements
The JD program is a three-year, full-time course of
study that begins in August with a one-week orientation for new
students. The JD degree is awarded upon completion of six semesters of
full-time study and the satisfactory completion of 89 credit hours,
including a selection of required courses. Completion of the program
must be attained within five years of the date of first registration.
Full-time study is defined as registration for a minimum of 12 credit
hours per semester plus regular and punctual attendance at scheduled
class meetings. In addition, all law students must complete 60 hours of
pro bono legal service in order to graduate. The School of Law does not
offer part-time or evening programs, and its classes are open only to
law students and selected classified graduate students with prior
departmental and law school approval. Contact the law school for a
detailed description of the degree requirements. |