The University

  • Chartered in 1766 by George III of Great Britain as the Queen’s College, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, is one of the oldest and largest public research universities in the nation.
  • Today, the University comprises 28 schools and colleges, more than 100 undergraduate majors, and more than 180 graduate programs.
  • More than 58,000 students from all 50 states and more than 125 countries are currently enrolled on campuses in Camden, Newark and New Brunswick.  

The Law School

  • With 54 research and clinical faculty, as well as an impressive roster of practitioners who share their knowledge and insights in our classrooms, the Rutgers School of Law–Camden is a leading center of legal education.
  • Noted for excellence in scholarship and rigor in training of new lawyers, the law school faculty is internationally recognized in fields as diverse as international law, health law, family and women’s rights law, state constitutional law and legal history.
  • The Legal Analysis, Writing, and Research program at Rutgers–Camden is recognized nationally for its innovative teaching of this vital lawyering skill. n Total enrollment of the law school is typically around 800 full- and part-time students.
  • The law school is approximately 36% women and 20% minority.
  • The law school offers an impressive selection of upper-level elective courses across a wide array of topics.
  • With a national reputation, the law school draws from 34 states, the District of Columbia and three foreign countries.
  • More than 250 colleges and universities are represented, including Boston College, Boston University, Brown University, Carnegie Mellon, Columbia, Cornell, Emory, Harvard, Johns Hopkins, New York University, Notre Dame, Penn State, Princeton, Texas A&M, University of Arizona, UC Berkeley, UCLA, University of Michigan, University of Pennsylvania, University of Texas, University of Virginia, Wake Forest, University of Wisconsin, Vanderbilt, and of course, Rutgers. n The law library contains more than 462,228 bibliographic units and over 824,611 microform items, and is one of the largest in the state.

Location

  • Located on 40 tree-lined acres, Rutgers–Camden offers an attractive urban campus that is at the base of the Benjamin Franklin Bridge.
  • The Law School opened its impressive new law school building in 2008. A 2,300 square-foot courtroom and lobby accommodates our trial activities and is the site of New Jersey court sessions. The $37 million project renovated and added classrooms and seminar rooms, and expanded comfortable space for student organizations and the overall social and intellectual life at the law school. The Clark Commons—a magnificent two-story glass bridge with an iconic art installation—houses a student lounge and Law Café, and welcomes visitors crossing the Ben Franklin Bridge from Philadelphia into New Jersey. The entire building enjoys strong tech support, including easy access to WiFi, AirPrint, and AirPlay.
  • The campus is part of the Camden Waterfront, a vibrant neighborhood that attracts approximately three million visitors each year. The Susquehanna Bank Center, Adventure Aquarium, Campbell’s Field (the minor league baseball stadium), the Battleship New Jersey, the RiverLINE light rail system, and federal and state courts are located adjacent to or within a few short blocks of the law school.
  • Hop on the PATCO Speedline to visit Philadelphia, the fifth-largest city in America. Just minutes from the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall, this urban campus is centrally located to favorite student “hot spots.”
  • The school is only 1 1/2 hours from New York City, 2 hours from Baltimore and 2 1/2–3 hours from Washington D.C.
  • The famous Jersey shore with miles of beaches and Atlantic City is just over one hour away.

Alumni

  • The law school’s more than 9,000 alumni are leading members of the bar in the public and private sectors.
  • Distinguished alumni include two governors of the state of New Jersey, a former U.S. Ambassador, a Justice of the Virgin Islands Supreme Court, members of Congress, a female brigadier general in the Army, numerous sitting and former federal and state judges, corporate counsel, and partners in outstanding large and small firms throughout the nation.

Lawyering Experience

  • Rutgers–Camden focuses on providing a diverse range of options that allow you to gain critical— and personally rewarding—experience. Our clinical and pro bono programs merge the practical theories and skills of lawyering, and—by our best estimate—deliver 40,000 hours of legal assistance to the Delaware Valley each year.
  • The clinics provide a unique opportunity to gain first-hand insight and experience by representing a wide array of disadvantaged individuals, organizations, and groups. Depending on the chosen clinic, students may find themselves helping a victim of domestic violence, an abused or neglected child, or a senior citizen who is in a landlord dispute; engaging in community mediation; or even writing a brief on behalf of a human rights organization. Our primary clinics are Civil Practice, Domestic Violence, Children’s Justice, Child and Family Advocacy, Mediation, and Immigration. The law school’s hybrid clinics include International Human Rights Advocacy and Litigation, Community-Based Practice, and Small Business Counseling.
  • Our 14 pro bono projects are designed to enhance substantive knowledge, skills and professional networks while serving unmet legal needs in the community. Rutgers law students have the chance to work with lawyers, the courts and the public, and to share in the satisfaction of helping clients who have nowhere else to turn. Hallmarks of all projects include comprehensive training and ongoing supervision. Some examples of pro bono projects include Bankruptcy, Federal Prisoner Re-entry, Financial Literacy, and much more. The law school's vibrant public interest community supports alternative spring break trips that engage energetic law students in meeting critical needs in underserved areas such as New Orleans and New Jersey's Sandy-ravaged coast. Each year, the Association for Public Interest Law (APIL) raises funds to provide stipends to law students who take unpaid summer internships in public interest legal organizations.

Employment

  • Rutgers Law graduates remain competitive in a highly challenging career market. Employment and salary data (based on graduate survey responses) are available at camlaw.rutgers.edu/ employment-data. Employment data is subject to interpretation and no one statistic can present an adequate picture of employment prospects.
  • Our graduates are strengthened by the opportunities afforded by judicial clerkships in New Jersey and elsewhere. The Class of 2011 reported seven graduates selected to serve in federal clerkships and 77 selected for state clerkships. During recent years, some Rutgers– Camden law graduates have clerked for the New Jersey Supreme Court, and one graduate enjoyed the rare honor of clerking for the Hon. Clarence Thomas on the U.S. Supreme Court during the 2008-09 term.

Bar Pass Rates

  • During 2006 to 2011, the pass rate for first-time test-takers of the New Jersey Bar has ranged between 80% and 83%.

Sample Courses of Study

  • Commercial and Business Law
  • Criminal Law
  • International and Foreign Law
  • Environmental Law
  • Health Law
  • Immigration Law
  • Insurance Law
  • Labor Law
  • Litigation and Advocacy
  • Family and Women’s Rights Law
  • Public Interest Law

Degrees Offered

  • JD
  • JD/MBA, School of Business–Camden or Rutgers Business School: Graduate Programs–Newark and New Brunswick
  • JD/Master of City and Regional Planning, Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy
  • JD/Master of Social Work, School of Social Work
  • JD/Master of Public Affairs and Politics, Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy
  • JD/Master of Public Administration, Graduate School–Camden JD/Master of Public Administration in Health Care Management and Policy, Graduate School–Camden with University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey
  • JD/Master of Public Health with University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey–School of Public Health
  • JD/MD, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey
  • JD/DO, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey–School of Osteopathic Medicine
  • JD/Master of Arts in Philosophy, Rutgers–New Brunswick Department of Philosophy

Admissions

  • During 2006–2011, entering class sizes ranged from 216 to 282 full- and part-time students.
  • Students with a 159–165 LSAT and a 3.4 or higher undergraduate GPA have a high probability of being accepted.
  • Typically, decisions are made beginning in December of each year on a rolling basis.
  • Although admission is highly competitive, the admissions office does consider each applicant’s file individually, and special qualities may occasionally overcome lower numbers.

 

Tuition & Financial Aid (Tuition information valid as of August 2012)

  • Tuition for 2012–2013 is $22,746 for in-state and $34,478 for out-of-state residents.
  • Part-time New Jersey resident tuition is $948 per credit; non-resident tuition is $1,437 per credit.
  • Student fees for 2012–2013 are $1,366.45 full-time and $746.75 part-time per semester.
  • Most law students who choose to live in New Jersey obtain in-state tuition by their second year.
  • Rutgers Law School is dedicated to helping students finance their legal education. The school has been able to assist more than 85% of its admitted students with their financial needs through scholarships, loans and grants.

Housing

  • 330 Cooper Street: state-of-the-art student apartments opening on campus fall 2012, featuring:
    • Sweeping panoramic views of Philadelphia and the Delaware River
    • Business Center, no-cost laundry, WiFi, microwave, private bedrooms, rooftop deck
    • 9-month contract: $9,710 - $11,086
    • 12-month contract: $11,200 - $12,590
  • Off-campus housing options include upscale apartments on the Camden Waterfront with spectacular city, river, and bridge views. Other housing opportunities abound in quaint surrounding suburbs with access to public transportation.

The above facts were last reviewed in January, 2013.