Mississippi College School of Law: An Overview

Mississippi College School of Law (MC Law) stands as a distinguished institution, providing a comprehensive legal education rooted in Christian values and a commitment to ethical practice. Located in the heart of Jackson, Mississippi, the state's capital city, MC Law offers students unparalleled access to the legal community, blending academic rigor with practical experience.

A Prime Location in the Heart of Mississippi's Legal Community

MC Law's strategic location in downtown Jackson places students within walking distance of the State Capitol, Mississippi Supreme Court, federal courts, and numerous esteemed law firms. This proximity provides abundant opportunities for part-time work, clerkships, and hands-on externships, immersing students in the real-world practice of law. Being the only law school in the capital city gives MC Law students a unique opportunity to receive practical experience through clerkships, externships, and internships.

A Christian Foundation for Justice

Recognized as one of the nation's most devout legal schools, MC Law integrates the Christian faith's call to "let justice roll down like waters." This commitment permeates every aspect of the school, fostering a community dedicated to training lawyers of high intellectual and practical ability, who are committed to the highest ethical practice. MC Law recognizes a responsibility to the legal community and the larger society and takes the Christian faith's call to seek justice seriously.

Personalized Attention and Supportive Environment

MC Law distinguishes itself through its commitment to providing a positive and supportive learning environment. The faculty and staff are known for their kindness and enthusiasm, fostering a collaborative atmosphere where cooperation trumps competition. Students praise the school's moderate size, which allows for more rewarding academic experiences and personalized attention from professors. The school is small enough that you know most of the people in your classes, and can recognize everyone in the halls. At MC Law, professors take the time to serve not only as instructors, but also as mentors.

A Curriculum Focused on Practical Skills

MC Law's curriculum emphasizes both theoretical learning and bar exam preparation, integrating the theoretical aspects of the law with practical, hands-on training. A legal research and writing program that includes small group and personal instruction is a key part of the first year curriculum. The school provides grounding in the common law and statutory foundations of our legal system, but also explore emerging doctrine, employing in each context the traditional methods of legal analysis, enriched by the insights of related disciplines.

Emphasis on Writing and Research

There is a “very strong emphasis on writing” throughout the MC curriculum, as well as an “exceptional legal research staff” in the library. Because we view writing as the most fundamental of these skills, we emphasize teaching of writing at every stage of legal training.

Hands-On Learning Opportunities

Mississippi College augments traditional classroom instruction with numerous hands-on learning tools, which “allow everyone an opportunity to see how law is practiced in a variety of fields while taking classroom courses.” The training provided by the Moot Court program provides law students with the practical skills needed to make the transition into effective young attorneys. In addition to moot court, students are eager to point out that there are other exceptional programs here such as the Adoption Clinic, the Externship Program, and the Pro Bono Certificate program that are rarely discussed. In addition, there is the newly added Small Law and Solo Practice Certificate Program.

Externship Program

MC Law's externship program matches law students with a wide variety of federal and state agencies, judges, and non-profit organizations in order to gain real-world legal experience. Through MC Law’s national externship program, students apply classroom learning to real-world legal issues by working with practicing attorneys and judges in the metro-Jackson area or anywhere in the United States.

Special Centers and Certificate Programs

For those with a specific legal interest, the school also offers several special centers, like the Bioethics and Health Law Center and the Public Service Law Center, which operate both academic and extracurricular programs, as well as the opportunity to earn special certificates at graduation. MC Law students may choose to specialize through one of our eight certificate programs. All certificate programs enable students to follow a specialized course of study, working closely with faculty with expertise in the respective fields. The Solo and Small Law Practice Certificate was recognized with an ABA award.

A Diverse and Supportive Community

MC Law is dedicated to maintaining a supportive learning environment for a diverse student body. Over 40 percent of our students come from outside Mississippi. Over 20 percent of our JD students are members of a minority group, and the law school offers a variety of scholarships and other programming to support minority students. MC Law “provides a comfortable environment conducive to learning,” and most students say cooperation trumps competition in the classroom and in the courtroom.

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Student Life and Activities

Although some would love to see “more campus activities” specifically planned for law students, they say there is a great social atmosphere at Mississippi College. There are parties and other activities organized by the Student Bar Association, as well as student-run clubs and associations. Overall, “the number of student run social events is pretty high, and it does allow for students to branch out and meet others.”

A History of Excellence

The law school was founded in 1930 as the Jackson School of Law. In 1975, the law school was acquired by Mississippi College. In 1980, MC Law gained full ABA accreditation. Now in its 43rd year of operation, MC Law has over 5,000 alumni practicing as lawyers, judges, public servants, and elected officials in 46 states and overseas. Its location in the state's legal and governmental center of Jackson has been an advantage ever since the law school’s earliest days as a night school for working professionals who wished to become attorneys. The original faculty members were practicing attorneys who pursued justice in the courtrooms of the capital city by day and encouraged the next generation of legal leaders in the evenings.

Facilities and Resources

MC Law’s modern campus includes an administrative building, a state-of-the-art classroom building, a spacious student center, and an Advocacy Center with an electronic courtroom. Our law library has a collection of more than 360,000 volumes and is committed to acquiring materials for both the immediate and long-term needs of the law school. In December 2005, MC Law completed a construction and renovation project which more than doubled the size of the original campus. A new classroom building was added along with an auditorium building. The Law Library occupies three floors in the Law School's West Wing, and contains one of the largest Mississippi collections of legal books, journals and microforms including statutes, court reports, digests, encyclopedias, treatises, loose-leaf services, periodicals and government documents. Beginning, the Law Library is also the repository of the Mississippi Legislature's video archive footage.

Rankings and Recognition

MC Law is accredited by the American Bar Association and is a member of the Association of American Law Schools, the International Association of Law Schools, and the American Society of Comparative Law.

Admission and Financial Aid

MC Law uses a “whole person” concept for applicants. We consider undergraduate GPA, LSAT score, and personal or academic achievements and honors. Every accepted student is automatically considered for merit-based scholarships, the total of which exceeds $4 million. Students feel their investment is respected at MC, where everyone is “incredibly accommodating” and “willing to help you any way they possibly can.” From financial aid to registrars, the “administration at MC is extremely friendly,” including the school’s new dean who is very approachable even scheduling student town meetings and monthly Days with the Dean.

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Career Services and Alumni Success

MC Law is among in the top one third of all law schools for postgraduate legal placement. Our Career Services Office assists in job placement and career development. In addition to the traditional on-campus interviews, the law school participates in regional interviews and offers a series of workshops throughout the year. Graduates are employed by major law firms, corporations, and government agencies throughout the United States, with a primary focus in the Southeast. Students have received clerkships with the United States Court of Appeals, United States District Courts, and the appellate and trial courts of various states.

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