Florida State University College of Law

Florida State University College of Law
Name	Florida State University College of Law
Established	1966
Type	Public
City	Tallahassee
State	Florida
Country	United States
Dean	Erin O'Hara O'Connor
Students	Approximately 900
Website	Official website

Florida State University College of Law is the law school of Florida State University located in Tallahassee, Florida. Founded in 1966, the college prepares students for careers ranging from private practice to public service, with programs emphasizing litigation, administrative practice, and public interest law. The college operates within the context of state institutions and national legal networks, engaging with courts, bar associations, and policy organizations.

History

The school's origins trace to initiatives by the Florida Legislature and advocacy from figures associated with Governor LeRoy Collins, Governor Claude R. Kirk Jr., and educational leaders at Florida State University and University of Florida. Early developments intersected with statewide debates involving the Florida Board of Control, the establishment of new professional programs in the 1960s, and regional legal needs near the Florida Supreme Court and federal district courts like the United States District Court for the Northern District of Florida. Expansion of faculty included hires connected to institutions such as Harvard Law School, Yale Law School, Columbia Law School, and Georgetown University Law Center. Through the 1970s and 1980s the college grew alongside statewide reforms influenced by the Florida Legislature and national trends exemplified by the American Bar Association accreditation processes and adjustments following cases from the United States Supreme Court.

Campus and Facilities

The college is situated on the main campus of Florida State University adjacent to landmarks like the St. Augustine Cathedral and the Florida State Capitol. Facilities include courtrooms used for teaching and events linked to the Florida Bar and the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit when sitting en banc for outreach. Library resources integrate holdings comparable to collections at Library of Congress-level repositories, with connections to networks such as the Association of Research Libraries and interlibrary cooperative agreements with institutions including Florida A&M University and University of Florida Levin College of Law. The complex hosts centers named for benefactors and partners connected to legal entities such as the Federal Judicial Center and professional associations like the American Association of Law Libraries.

Academic Programs

Programs include Juris Doctor degrees with concentrations reflecting legal practice areas linked to institutions such as the United States Department of Justice, Federal Trade Commission, Environmental Protection Agency, and private firms that recruit from top schools like Sullivan & Cromwell, Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP, and Covington & Burling LLP. Specialized curricula relate to appellate litigation, administrative law, and tax law referencing standards promulgated by the Internal Revenue Service and precedent from the United States Tax Court. Joint degrees and externships connect students to graduate units like the Florida State University College of Motion Picture Arts and national sites such as the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit, Florida Supreme Court, and federal agencies in Washington, D.C.. The faculty includes scholars with backgrounds at Stanford Law School, University of Chicago Law School, New York University School of Law, and research collaborations with think tanks such as the Brookings Institution and policy centers including the Pew Charitable Trusts.

Admissions and Rankings

Admissions data reflect applicants who have taken the Law School Admission Test and achieved credentials comparable to those admitted at public law schools like University of Virginia School of Law and University of Michigan Law School. Rankings by organizations such as U.S. News & World Report and assessment from legal employment trackers align the college with regional peers including Stetson University College of Law and national institutions like Georgetown University Law Center. Placement statistics show graduates entering clerkships with judges from the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit, the United States District Court for the Northern District of Florida, and state appellate benches, as well as positions at public defenders' offices, prosecutor offices like the Florida State Attorney's Office, and law firms headquartered in cities such as Miami, Orlando, and Tampa.

Student Life and Organizations

Student organizations encompass chapters of national groups such as the Student Bar Association, American Bar Association student division, Phi Alpha Delta, and advocacy groups that coordinate with the Florida Public Interest Research Group. Competitive teams represent the college in moot court and mock trial competitions judged by panels including practitioners from firms like Greenberg Traurig and jurists from the Florida Supreme Court. Student journals and law reviews publish scholarship engaging authors affiliated with publications like the Harvard Law Review, Yale Law Journal, Columbia Law Review, and thematic symposia that feature speakers from entities such as the Federal Reserve Board and the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Clinical Programs and Centers

Clinics provide experiential learning through placements and partnerships with legal service organizations such as Legal Services Corporation-funded programs, the Capital Habeas Unit, and public interest offices tied to the Innocence Project. Centers focus on areas like environmental law, administrative law, and civil rights, often collaborating with agencies including the Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Homeland Security, and oversight bodies like the Florida Commission on Human Relations. Research centers host conferences bringing scholars from Oxford University, Cambridge University, and peer law schools including Duke University School of Law and University of Florida Levin College of Law.

Notable Alumni and Faculty

Alumni hold positions across the judiciary and public service, including judges on the Florida Supreme Court, U.S. District Judges on the United States District Court for the Northern District of Florida, legislators in the Florida Senate and Florida House of Representatives, and attorneys who have served in cabinets or agencies such as the United States Department of Justice and Federal Election Commission. Faculty and former faculty have included scholars who taught at Harvard Law School, litigators who appeared before the United States Supreme Court, and authors whose work is cited by courts, law journals like the Yale Law Journal, and policy outlets such as the Brookings Institution.

Category:Law schools in Florida