Florida State University College of Law: A Comprehensive Overview

Florida State University (FSU) College of Law, located in Tallahassee, Florida, stands as a leading public law school in the United States. Approaching its 60th anniversary, the College of Law combines academic rigor with exceptional value. The College of Law aspires to be a national leader in legal education, scholarship, and public service. It envisions a community where students, faculty, and alumni drive innovation in the law, advance social justice, and shape the future of the legal profession.

Location and Facilities

The Florida State University College of Law is located in the heart of downtown Tallahassee-the capital of the nation’s third largest state-across the street from the Florida Supreme Court and one block from the Florida Capitol. Few other law schools in the nation can compete in terms of location. The unique legal opportunities that accompany being located in a state capital are invaluable.

The College of Law campus consists of four major buildings, four historic houses around a green, and five parking lots. It occupies two full city blocks and is directly across the street from the Florida Supreme Court and one block from the Florida Legislature. The physical facilities of Florida State University College of Law consist of the Main Classroom Building; the connected Research Center; the Village Green, which is comprised of four restored houses; and the Advocacy Center.

The 50,000-square-foot Advocacy Center is devoted to using the second and third years of law school to better prepare students for immediate entry into the legal profession. Florida State University College of Law students have 24/7 access to the Research Center. The distinctive feature of the Research Center is that its faculty proactively trains students and other faculty members to produce highly sophisticated, cost-effective legal research.

Academics

The College of Law offers a Juris Doctor (J.D.), which is the first professional law degree. In the second and third years of law school, our program is almost entirely elective. It includes a wide range of courses and approaches. Some of our classes are purely theoretical and doctrinal. Some focus on particular industries, such as health, pharmaceuticals, and entertainment and sports law. In addition to our especially strong programs in business, environmental law and international law, we have one of the best criminal law programs in the region.

The College of Law offers a Master of Laws (LL.M.) program in Environmental Law and Policy, as well as an LL.M. program for foreign lawyers.

The College of Law offers a Master of Studies in Law (J.M.), Juris Master degree. It has multiple concentrations and it is designed for non-attorneys to get a deep understanding of law in their respective fields of work. Some of these fields or specialties are Cyber Security, Financial Regulation, Employment Law, Human Resources Risk Management, Healthcare Regulation, Environmental Law, Criminal Law, etc.

The College of Law offers joint degree programs allowing students to earn other degrees in conjunction with the J.D., including Master of Arts, Master of Science, Master of Business Administration, and Ph.D. JD students can take advantage of 9 joint-degree programs, offered in cooperation with other colleges, schools, and departments at Florida State University. The most popular of these is the joint JD/MBA program.

The first-year curriculum provides the foundation in history, doctrine, process and analysis that students need to fully appreciate more specialized courses offered later in law school.

Admissions and Rankings

The College of Law at Florida State University has an application deadline of July 31. The full-time program application fee at the College of Law at Florida State University is $30. Applications are evaluated from October through August by the admissions committee. To determine whether or not your application is complete, applicants should regularly check their online status checker. Applicants who have been denied admission can request reconsideration only in situations where the applicant has new, significant information that was not available at the time of the original application or during the timeframe in which your application was under review by the Admissions Committee. A written request must include an explanation of the new information as well as valid reasons warranting reconsideration. The Admissions Committee's decision on a petition for reconsideration is final.

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For the class entering in 2023, the school accepted 695 applicants out of 3,290 (21.12%), with 139 of those accepted enrolling, a 20.00% yield rate. The median LSAT score was 165 and the median undergraduate GPA was 3.85. Two students were not included in both the LSAT and GPA calculations.

Florida State University College of Law is currently tied for the highest-ranked law school in Florida and is ranked in the top 40 best law schools in the United States.

Tuition and Financial Aid

Tuition is full-time: $20,693 (in-state) and full-time: $40,705 (out-of-state). As a state university, our tuition and fees are established by the Florida Legislature and are subject to change at any time. Please note that Florida State University College of Law does not have a tuition guarantee policy.

College of Law first-year scholarships are awarded to students on the basis of merit, considering both the LSAT/GRE score AND cumulative GPA. Admitted students are automatically considered and are notified upon admissions if they are awarded a scholarship. All first-year scholarships are for three years. Second- and third-year students may apply for a variety of scholarships each spring.

Federal loans typically have lower interest rates, multiple repayment options, longer repayment periods, and other protections. The Florida State University now processes all federal loans through the Federal Direct Loan program.

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Faculty

At the heart of FSU Law’s success is its faculty. FSU Law faculty members are leading scholars, thought leaders, and engaged mentors whose work influences courts, policymakers, and academic discourse across disciplines. They are productive and successful, and want you to be, too. The school's “small class sizes … allow for more intimate class settings” and also help to maintain an elaborate support network of “well-respected and knowledgeable professors” who go out of their way to make sure they are available to the students whenever they need.” They are “insightful and experienced but also grounded and relatable.” Not only does the faculty at FSU “truly care about you as a person and want the best for you and your legal career,” but “Career Services is always extremely helpful” as well.

Nationally prominent law professors at FSU include faculty in: Administrative and Regulatory Law (Mark Seidenfeld); Constitutional Law (Nat Stern); Criminal Law (Wayne Logan, Gary Kleck); Environmental, Energy and Land Use Law (Donna R. Christie, David L. Markell, Hannah Wiseman); International Law (Frederick M. Abbott, Fernando Tesón); Law & Humanities, including Legal Philosophy (Rob Atkinson and Fernando Tesón); Law, Economics & Business (Bruce L. Benson, Manuel Utset, Kelli Alces, Shawn Bayern); and Tax Law (Joseph M.

Florida State Law faculty members have published their own casebooks in environmental law - David Markell and Donna Christie. Other faculty authored books are widely used in law schools across the country for courses in Tax Law (Joseph M. Dodge), International Intellectual Property Law (Frederick M. Abbott), and Law and Economics (Mark Seidenfeld). Beyond the classroom, Florida State Law faculty members are regularly cited as authorities by courts, law reform bodies and other scholars.

Clinical Programs and Experiential Learning

Florida State’s clinical programs and capital location in Tallahassee provide students a plethora of options to gain the legal experience that employers desire and that students can apply anywhere in the world. The law school offers one of the most extensive clinical externship programs in the United States. Students earn academic credit while working under the supervision of practicing attorneys. Our program, which has been referred to as a model for the nation, places students in offices throughout Florida and elsewhere-with far more placement options than many law schools. While many are in Tallahassee-so students can take in-person classes and work simultaneously-we also have placements in cities including Washington, DC; Miami; New York City; Atlanta; London; and Seattle. Many of our externships involve the practice of law, which requires students to be certified by the Florida Supreme Court. This certification is beneficial during and after law school.

Students in the Business Law Clinic learn transactional skills and earn academic credit by helping advise business and social entrepreneurs within the Florida State University community. The clinic teaches students basic bargaining, drafting, risk-assessment, and legal ethics skills necessary to be an effective and creative transactional lawyer. Founded in 1991, the Public Interest Law Center trains second- and third-year law students in legal advocacy, with an emphasis on mentoring, small group discussions, and role playing. Students are certified by the Florida Supreme Court to practice under the supervision of attorneys. Through its live-client clinics and projects, the Public Interest Law Center provides students with practical skills training and management skills that they will continue to use as practicing attorneys. Students also gain a sense of professional responsibility and invaluable work experience. Florida State’s program is unique among law school clinical programs because of the wide variety of legal services provided.

The school's Public Law Center, which gives students an opportunity to earn credit for providing services to real-world clients, houses the Business Law Clinic, Children's Advocacy Clinic, Gender and Family Justice Clinic, Veterans Legal Clinic, and Immigration Law Clinic.

Student Life and Culture

FSU fosters a “communal yet scholarly environment” where “everyone is friendly, which provides an ‘at home' atmosphere that cannot be beat.” The school hosts “a lot of socials” to allow students to better know their peers. Students at the College of Law are committed to achieving excellence in law school, and their contributions are critical to the school's intellectual and social life.

Career Services and Alumni Network

Florida State University College of Law is Florida’s best and one of the nation’s best in terms of students gaining employment after law school. The College of Law alumni network is a primary reason why our graduates fare so well in the legal job market. Our alumni are extremely engaged in helping to connect students with job opportunities. From practicing attorneys to business and government leaders, alumni frequently appear as guest lecturers or adjunct professors. Many participate in networking lunches, coming to campus or engaging virtually. Many host receptions in their communities to help students network.

Florida State-educated lawyers can be found in almost every US state and around the world. Our 10,000-plus alumni are extraordinarily supportive of our school and students. One measure of the level of graduate engagement is a law school’s alumni giving rate-ours is among the top 10 best in the nation. Alumni provide a vital network to help students find employment. They are generous with their time and donate countless hours to helping students perfect their job search skills and learn about practicing law. Alumni in private firms, the judiciary, government service, and nontraditional legal careers regularly visit campus to talk with students about their specific fields of practice, answer students’ questions, and conduct mock interviews. They also host networking meetings with students in their cities. Alumni also provide students clerking and full-time employment opportunities.

The law school provides assistance to law students, graduates, and legal employers through our Career Services and Professional Development Office. Our students have access to a list of about 1,000 alumni who have volunteered to serve them as Career Mentors. Students are encouraged to take advantage of the law school’s on-campus interviewing programs and individual career counseling services.

The school also features an extensive alumni network with opportunities for mentorship and networking. They can even appear as guest lecturers or adjunct professors, often proving to be “great resources for getting students internships and jobs.” Additionally, “the involvement in the school of the local attorneys, judges, and other people in the field” provides “so many opportunities to get legal experience.”

Bar Passage Rates

Florida State’s graduates continue to excel on the Florida Bar Examination. Our bar passage rate on the most recent administration of the exam was 84.4 percent. By contrast, the overall passing rate for first-time test takers was 71.7 percent. In 2023, the overall bar examination passage rate for the law school’s first-time examination takers was 82.97%. The Charter Class (1969) is the first--and only--class in any law school in Florida to have a bar examination passage rate of 100%.

Journals and Publications

The Florida State University Law Review is the flagship law review of Florida State Law. The Journal of Land Use and Environmental Law is the state's first and remains its only student publication in the field. The Florida State University Business Review is a law journal published annually at the College of Law which examines the interrelated disciplines of business and law.

Special Centers and Initiatives

The FSU College of Law is proud to house the Election Law Center, a statewide hub for research, education, and public service dedicated to advancing trust and integrity in the democratic process. Led by Professor Michael Morley, Faculty Director, and Maureen Vinson Wagner, Executive Director-both nationally recognized leaders in election law and administration-the Center also provides FSU Law students with hands-on learning opportunities through externships, research fellowships, and scholarships that connect academic study to real-world practice. Through partnerships with government agencies and civic organizations, the Center conducts major initiatives and serves as a forum for statewide and national dialogue.

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