Washburn University School of Law

Washburn University School of Law
Name	Washburn University School of Law
Established	1903
Type	Public
Parent	Washburn University
Dean	Andrew P. Morriss
City	Topeka
State	Kansas
Country	United States
Students	~350 (JD)
Faculty	~30
Bar pass rate	variable

Washburn University School of Law is a public law school located in Topeka, Kansas, affiliated with Washburn University. The school offers professional degrees and programs with emphasis on practice-oriented training and service to the communities of Kansas and the broader Midwest. Its curriculum combines doctrinal study, clinical practice, and externships linking students to courts, government bodies, legal aid organizations, and private firms.

History

The law school was founded in 1903 during the Progressive Era, contemporaneous with expansions at Harvard Law School, Yale Law School, Columbia Law School, University of Chicago Law School, and University of Michigan Law School. Early leadership included figures who interacted with state institutions such as the Kansas Supreme Court and federal actors like the United States District Court for the District of Kansas. Over decades the school responded to national developments including the New Deal, Civil Rights Movement, and shifts exemplified by cases at the United States Supreme Court such as Brown v. Board of Education and jurisprudential trends stemming from decisions like Miranda v. Arizona and Gideon v. Wainwright. The school expanded facilities and programs through mid-20th century civic investment influenced by regional legal needs tied to entities like Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway and agricultural law matters echoed in debates before the United States Department of Agriculture. Notable institutional connections have included partnerships with the Kansas Legislature, the Topeka City Council, and legal services networks linked to Legal Services Corporation.

Campus and Facilities

The law complex sits in downtown Topeka near landmarks such as the Kansas State Capitol and the Kansas Judicial Center. Facilities house a library collection that complements holdings found at repositories like the Library of Congress, and specialized collections referencing decisions from the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals and historic records tied to figures associated with the Brown v. Board of Education National Historic Site. Classrooms, moot courtrooms, and research centers support interactions with actors like the American Bar Association, the Kansas Bar Association, and national organizations such as the American Association of Law Libraries. Clinical space enables collaboration with local institutions including the United States Attorney for the District of Kansas, the Kansas Attorney General, and regional nonprofits like Rocky Mountain Children's Law Center-style advocates. The campus also hosts events featuring speakers from institutions like Stanford Law School, Georgetown University Law Center, and the Federal Judicial Center.

Academics and Programs

The school offers the Juris Doctor degree with concentrations and electives that engage subject-matter tied to entities such as the Internal Revenue Service, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Securities and Exchange Commission, and frameworks embodied in statutes like the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Americans with Disabilities Act. Courses examine precedent from courts including the United States Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, cases such as Chevron U.S.A., Inc. v. Natural Resources Defense Council, Inc., and doctrinal developments comparable to scholarship at NYU School of Law and University of Pennsylvania Law School. Graduate and certificate options incorporate comparative study referencing systems like the Supreme Court of Canada and international bodies including the International Court of Justice. Joint-degree possibilities mirror partnerships seen between institutions such as Johns Hopkins University and law schools that cross-train in public policy, business, and health law.

Admissions and Student Body

Admission criteria reflect national standards used by many schools, with applicants from undergraduate institutions like University of Kansas, Kansas State University, Emporia State University, and regional colleges. The student body includes veterans who served under commands like United States Central Command and alumni who previously worked with agencies such as the Federal Bureau of Investigation or Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation. Demographic outreach aligns with organizations including American Bar Association Section of Legal Education, National Bar Association, and affinity groups tied to institutions like Hispanic National Bar Association and Asian American Bar Association of Kansas and Western Missouri.

Clinical Programs and Experiential Learning

Clinical offerings place students in live-client practice similar to clinics at University of Michigan Law School and University of California, Berkeley School of Law. Placements have included work with the Shawnee County District Court, the Topeka Municipal Court, the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Kansas, and non-profit partners akin to Legal Aid of Kansas and national advocates such as ACLU. Externships connect students with offices like the United States Attorney's Office for the District of Kansas, state agencies including the Kansas Department for Children and Families, and corporate legal departments modeled on firms like Holland & Hart and Foley & Lardner. Moot court, trial advocacy, and negotiation programs mirror competitive circuits such as the National Moot Court Competition and National Trial Competition.

Notable Faculty and Alumni

Faculty and alumni have held positions analogous to judges and officials at institutions including the Kansas Supreme Court, the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit, the United States House of Representatives, and executive roles in state government. Alumni have served as state attorneys general, members of the United States Senate, and counsel at national firms or public-interest organizations like the American Civil Liberties Union and Legal Services Corporation. Distinguished visiting scholars have come from schools such as Harvard Law School and Yale Law School, while faculty research engages topics debated in journals like the Harvard Law Review and the Yale Law Journal.

Rankings and Bar Passage / Employment Outcomes

Rankings place the school among regionally recognized programs, with outcomes reported to organizations such as the American Bar Association and measured in surveys by publications like U.S. News & World Report and metrics used by the National Association for Law Placement. Bar passage data are tracked against the Kansas Bar Exam results and compared with pass rates for jurisdictions including the Tenth Circuit states. Employment outcomes include placements in private firms, government positions, public interest roles, and judicial clerkships with courts like the United States District Court for the District of Kansas and appellate chambers across the Eighth Circuit and Tenth Circuit.

Category:Law schools in Kansas