School of Law

School of Law
Dean: Mark C. Gordon
651 East Jefferson
Detroit, Michigan 48226

Law Admissions Office
Assistant Dean of Admissions: Kathleen H. Caprio
Telephone: (313) 596-0287 or toll-free 1-866-428-1610
Fax: (313) 596-0280
E-mail: capriok@udmercy.edu
Website: www.law.udmercy.edu

Associate Director of Admissions: Bonnie Fitch
Telephone: (313) 596-0253
Or toll-free: 1-866-428-1060
Fax: (313) 596-0280
E-mail: fitchbd@udmercy.edu
Website: www.law.udmercy.edu

Academic Programs Offered
—Law (JD)

Special Programs
— Intellectual Property Law Institute
— Urban Law Clinic and Externship Programs
— Joint Degree with the College of Business Administration
— The Health Law Center
— Clinic for the Defense and Education of the Family
— Immigration Law Clinic-Archdiocese of Detroit

International Programs
— Exchange Program in France
—Canadian-U.S. Joint Degree Program

Mission

Founded by the Jesuits in 1911, the School of Law has endeavored to provide the finest legal education to all qualified individuals from many diverse backgrounds. Today, the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law is a Catholic law school with a distinct mission guided by the charisms of the Religious Sisters of Mercy and the Society of Jesus, committed to education of a superior quality, the promotion of justice, compassionate service to persons in need, and the service of faith.

We seek to train lawyers committed to justice and the highest standards of morals and ethics in their personal and professional lives. Our graduates should be competent, committed and compassionate: competent to master the technical aspects of the law, committed to justice for those they serve, and compassionate toward their clients and community.

The School of Law’s mission derives from the core values of the University, implemented within the context of the legal education. Our program is characterized by:

1. A passion for excellence in teaching, scholarship, and service to provide our students a challenging and rigorous legal education;
2. An emphasis on liberal education, encouraging free and extensive debate and exploration of different legal and intellectual perspectives;
3. An emphasis on questions of personal and professional ethics, values and justice as an integral part of the educational experience;
4. The recognition of the centrality of religious, spiritual and moral beliefs in the educative process, the practice of law and the pursuit of justice; and
5. Committed personal attention to all our students as individuals.

This mission is conducted in Detroit’s urban and international setting, providing training in the contemporary legal problems of individuals and public and private institutions. We pursue this mission both in the classroom and through numerous opportunities for direct student involvement in clerkships, urban legal clinics, and joint programs with the University of Windsor Faculty of Law and Wayne State University Law School.

Our students benefit from extensive interaction with the profession and community through such institutions, programs and events as the McElroy Center for the Study of Law and Religion, the Center for Dispute Resolution in North America, the Red Mass, the St. Thomas More Society Lectures and the American Inns of Court. By the implementation of this mission, the School of Law aspires to further its reputation for excellence in the education and training of dedicated lawyers committed to these principles.

Degree

The School of Law, accredited by the American Bar Association since 1933, a member of the Association of American Law Schools since 1934 and a member of the Conference of Jesuit Law Schools, confers the degree of Juris Doctor (J.D.) on all students who meet the requirements as set forth in the School of Law Student Handbook. The requirements include the successful completion of 90 academic hours (including required courses).

Admission Information

Admission to the School of Law requires a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university, LSAT score, LSDAS Report, two letters of recommendation and a statement written by the applicant to the admissions committee to review with the application material. Applicants may now apply online at: www.law.udmercy.edu.

Applicants are selected for admission to the School of Law on the basis of a comparative evaluation of the credentials submitted by the applicant pool.

The School of Law provides full-time (Day Division) and part-time (Evening Division) courses of study, requiring three and four years respectively. Entrance requirements and the admission procedures are identical for both divisions. Students who receive permission from the dean may undertake extended four-year day and five-year evening programs.

Any inquiries about admission or requests for application materials should be directed to the Office of Admissions, University of Detroit Mercy, School of Law.