Savannah Law School
Savannah Law School opened its doors with the goal of being the ideal law school for the 21st century. Located in historic Savannah, Georgia, students from around the nation are challenged beyond the classroom to uphold the highest standards of intellectual rigor, practical skills, and professional behavior as they prepare for lives of leadership and service. Savannah Law School is a fully ABA accredited law school and offers both full-time and part-time enrollment for the Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree.
Contents
Campus
Savannah Law School is housed in the historic, former Warren A. Candler Hospital building on Forsyth Park in downtown Savannah, GA. Constructed in 1819 the building is the oldest hospital in the state of Georgia and used as such until 1980.
In 2012, the Historic Preservation Board approved Savannah Law School's comprehensive restoration of the 110,000 square foot facility and the restoration meets federal historic preservation standards. The renovations were completed in the fall 2014 and represent one of the largest projects to restore an historic property in the United States.
The law school is in close proximity to Savannah's largest law firms, government offices, state and federal courts, and nonprofit legal organizations. Savannah also boasts an extensive array of arts, music, sports, and recreational events, truly making it the school where life meets law.
Pedagogy
Savannah Law School's pedagogy is predicated on creating an active learning environment. As opposed to a passive learning environment where large classes sizes favor a lecture style classroom, Savannah Law School's small class sizes are designed to facilitate in-depth conversation and hands on learning. This teaching style has been found to allow students to dive deeper into the material and bridge the gap between the theory and practice of law.
Faculty
With an 8-to-1 student-to-faculty ratio, Savannah Law School hand-picked a faculty qualified to challenge students succeed in law practice and in life. As mentors and role models, they balance high expectations with care and compassion.
Faculty members have extensive practical experience in their respective fields of expertise and bring real-world experience into the classroom. All first-year and required courses are taught in small classes, and professors are easily accessible to their students outside of class. The small class sizes and low student-to-faculty ratio (one of the best among American law schools) create a supportive environment where students can enjoy learning and expressing their views.
Curriculum
Savannah Law School’s Juris Doctor Program is designed to prepare students for the practice of law. From the first-year curriculum of predetermined core courses through the third-year courses that emphasize practical skill development, students are taught the analytical reasoning, advocacy, and problem-solving skills necessary to responsibly apply and practice law in today’s society. The program fosters better lawyers though a comprehensive approach to legal problem solving by cohesively integrating doctrinal theory and legal skill, thus allowing students to develop a holistic approach to the practice of law.
Experiential Learning
Savannah Law School combines a practical and disciplined approach toward the study of law with a commitment to providing students with experiential learning opportunities that bridge the gap between law school and legal practice. With ample externship opportunities, every student participates in a wide variety of opportunities to earn academic credit while working in legal offices under the supervision of practicing attorneys or judges. Whether working for a federal or state judge, addressing complex criminal issues for a Public Defender of State Attorney, or resolving a dispute at the Mediation Center, students can further their individual educational goals by selecting externships that develop the skills and experience they need to enhance their professional development.
Career Development
The Office of Career Development offers individualized, professional advice to students about reaching their career goals. In addition to providing résumé and interview workshops, the law school is a member of the National Association of Law Placement and offers opportunities to attend hiring events throughout the country as well as hosting events on campus.
Admission
Admission to the law school is competitive and entering students are accepted for the fall term only. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis however early applications are encouraged. Savannah Law School is a branch of Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School and students can apply to SLS on the LSAC website through the Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School profile (school code 5344).
Many factors are considered in making admission decisions. Of particular importance are academic accomplishments and LSAT scores. Extracurricular activities, work experience, level of quality and difficulty of undergraduate courses, performance in graduate school, and letters of recommendation are also considered. All applicants are encouraged to visit the law school prior to enrollment.
Relationship to AJMLS
The law school was first opened by Atlanta's John Marshall Law School in the 1970s, but the campus was discontinued in the 1980s. The American Bar Association acquiesced to law school’s re-establishment as a branch of AJMLS on December 5, 2011 and the class of 2015 enrolled in August 2012. The American Bar Association defines a branch as "the creation of a different law school." Accordingly, Savannah Law School has its own faculty, curriculum, library, externship opportunities, career development, and academic achievement office separate from AJMLS. In addition to the full offering of services at Savannah Law School, SLS students can also utilize AJMLS resources such as taking classes in Atlanta, contacting the AJMLS alumni, and pursuing career opportunities. The relationship between AJMLS and SLS is similar to that of a university and its Honors College.
Contact information
Admissions Office
516 Drayton Street
Savannah, GA 31401
Phone: 912-525-3913
Email: Admissions@savannahlawschool.org
www.savannahlawschool.org
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