At St. Mary’s University School of Law, we combine our tradition of excellence in legal education with new programs and methodologies that prepare our students for the practice of law in a changing world. St. Mary’s teaches its students the practical skills that enable them to become advocates of legal and social justice. St. Mary's is accredited by the American Bar Association and the Association of American Law Schools.

The LL.M program includes a comprehensive curriculum covering a core of traditional legal studies, courses in environmental law, public-interest law and alternative dispute resolution, as well as hands-on training through clinical legal work and opportunities for study abroad at the St. Mary's Institute on World Legal Problems in Innsbruck, Austria and the St. Mary's Institute on Chinese Law and Business in Beijing, China. The curriculum reflects our attempt to guide our students toward a mastery of traditional principles of substantive and procedural law, and to prepare students to function in a changing legal environment. It also reflects our belief that our students should be encouraged to engage in theoretical inquiry into the nature of law and its role in society.

American Legal Studies

St. Mary's University School of Law seeks to create an intellectually stimulating environment for a student body composed of persons with diverse backgrounds who share a desire for academic excellence and accomplishment in the practice of law. The LL.M. program is designed for graduates of foreign law schools who wish to enhance their understanding of the American legal system and the English common law from which it evolved. The program, open to a small number of foreign students, offers a broad overview of the American legal system and exposure to specialized areas of American law. The small class size facilitates the integration of the students into the regular J.D. program, and permits the faculty to respond to the students' interests and needs.

Course Requirements

Prior to the beginning of the fall semester, students enrolled in the LL.M. program will be required to attend an orientation program. LL.M. students are expected to obtain the 24 credit-hours required for graduation in nine months of full-time academic work. Among the required courses, foreign students will enroll in are Introduction to the American Legal System, Constitutional Law and Legal Research and Writing. Each student must also write a three-credit thesis of publishable quality. Tuition for the 2011-2012 academic year is $960 per credit hour.

Sample Courses and Seminars Offered in the LL.M. Program in American Legal Studies:

• American Legal History
• Business Associations
• Civil and Common Law Systems
• Contracts
• Criminal Law
• Environmental Law
• International Arbitration
• Jurisprudence
• Law and Economics
• Legal Philosophy
• Mediation
• Patent and Copyright Law
• Procedure
• Property
• Torts
• U.S. Anti-trust Law

How To Apply

To apply for admission to the LL.M. Program in American Legal Studies, you must have obtained a law degree, with high academic standing, from a recognized foreign university. If your primary language is not English, you must take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). In addition, you must complete and submit an application form by August 1 for Fall and by December 1 for Spring. Application forms may be obtained by writing to LL.M. Programs, St. Mary's University School of Law, One Camino Santa Maria, San Antonio, TX 78228-8603. Additional information about the program may be obtained by call (210) 431-6878.

A complete application file consists of:

• A completed application form (contained in our general Application Bulletin)
• A non-refundable application fee of $55
• A final law school transcript from your degree-granting institution
• A personal statement describing your educational background, your reasons for enrolling in an LL.M. program, the planned course of study, and your career goals
• Two (2) letters of recommendation (one letter should be from one of your former law professors); and your TOEFL score (reported directly to St. Mary's University School of Law)

International and Comparative Law

St. Mary's University School of Law is committed to providing its students with a broad understanding of global issues and the role that law can play in their peaceful resolution. The LL.M. program is designed for U.S. lawyers and law school graduates who wish to gain specialized training in international or comparative law. Lawyers who represent clients doing business in Mexico or Latin America will find courses that provide a grounding in civil law.

Students who plan to focus their legal practices on commercial transactions involving the European Union or Eastern Europe will be interested in participating in the St. Mary's Institute on World Legal Problems in Innsbruck, Austria. Law graduates who are drawn to international human rights will find strong offerings in that area.Students interested in doing business in China may be interested in St. Mary's Institute on Chinese Law and Business. In short, students enrolled in the LL.M. program will have a wide array of programs, courses and seminars in international and comparative law from which to choose.

Course Requirements

Prior to the beginning of the fall semester, students admitted to the LL.M. program will be required to attend an orientation program. Students enrolled in the program are expected to obtain the 24 credit-hours required for graduation in nine months of full-time academic work. Students are required to take courses in both public international law and basic comparative law, unless they completed such courses in fulfillment of their J.D. requirements. In addition, each student must write a three-credit thesis of publishable quality. Sixteen of the 24 required credits must be earned in the area of international and comparative law. Up to six credits may be earned through the St. Mary's World Institute on Legal Problems, in Innsbruck, Austria. Tuition for the 2011-2012 academic year is $960 per credit hour.

Sample Courses and Seminars Offered in the LL.M. Program in International and Comparative Law:

• Civil and Common Law Systems
• Comparative Criminal Procedure
• Conflicts of Law
• Doing Business with Mexico
• European Union Law
• Gender Issues: An International and Comparative Perspective
• Human Rights in the Americas
• Immigration Consequences of Criminal Convictions
• Immigration Law
• International Arbitration
• International Business Transactions
• International Environmental Law
• International Law
• International Legal Research
• International Trade - NAFTA
• International Taxation
• Law in Radically Different Societies
• North American Legal Systems

How To Apply

To apply for admission to the LL.M. Program in International and Comparative Law, you must have graduated, in good academic standing, from an ABA-accredited law school, and you must complete and submit an application form by August 1 for Fall and December 1 for Spring. Application forms may be obtained by writing to LL.M. Programs, St. Mary's University School of Law, One Camino Santa Maria, San Antonio, TX 78228-8603. Additional information about the program may be obtained by calling (210) 431-6878.

A complete application file consists of:

• A completed application form (contained in our general Application Bulletin)
• A non-refundable application fee of $55
• A final transcript from the institution which granted your J.D. degree
• A Letter of Good Standing from that institution
• A personal statement describing your educational background, your reasons for enrolling in an LL.M. program, the planned course of study, and your career goals
• Two (2) letters of recommendation (one letter should be from one of your former law professors); and a copy of your LSDAS report (contact the Student Records Office of your law school).

Full time Day Program

The study of law is not only dynamic, it also is integrated and interwoven with layers of knowledge from a broad range of specific fields and disciplines. As a successful lawyer, you will need a solid foundation in those areas to skillfully navigate the complex daily issues that arise in a professional legal setting. At St. Mary’s, you will gain a comprehensive foundation in six key areas upon which everything else you do will be built. These include:

• Persons and property
• Employment and business
• Public and international law
• Dispute resolution
• Research and writing
• Philosophy of law

Curriculum Options

The hallmark of a St. Mary’s education is personalization and excellence in achievement. Through small class sizes, compelling instruction, and a highly gifted and engaging faculty, you will become a valued member of a tradition of excellence that spans more than 80 years.

At St. Mary’s today, this excellence continues with your opportunity to concentrate in some of the most enlightening fields of 21st-century law, including...

• Advocacy Law (Certificate Available)
• Alternative Dispute Resolution
• Criminal Law (Certificate Available)
• International and Comparative Law (Certificate Available)
• Public Interest Law
• Terrorism Law

Evening Program

St. Mary's University School of Law offers a demanding Evening Law Program accessible to men and women who are unable to attend day classes.

Evening law students typically have considerably more outside responsibilities than day students. These responsibilities require an evening student to approach law school with special commitment and dedication in order to succeed. St. Mary's is committed to offering evening students an excellent education and a range of services, including counseling and advice through the Office of Career Services. St. Mary's prides itself on student access to the members of the faculty, and evening students will find their teachers readily accessible. Graduation requirements are the same for day and evening students.

Evening classes are scheduled Monday through Thursday between 6 and 9 p.m. Evening students will complete the required first-year curriculum in three regular semesters plus one summer. After completing the first-year curriculum, students may register for day or evening classes. Evening students must complete their degree requirements within seven years, and most do so in five years or less.

Summer Skills Enhancement Program

The Summer Skills Enhancement Program creates an opportunity for a very limited number of applicants, who otherwise might not be admitted, to gain acceptance, at the same time that it helps them prepare for the rigors of legal education.  Each summer fewer than twenty applicants attend St. Mary's for one month, and those who successfully complete this challenging and intensive program are offered a place in the first-year class.

How do I apply for this program?
Do I need to submit a separate application?

There is no formal or separate application to be considered for this program.  During its normal deliberations on applicant files, the Admissions Committee votes to recommend a very limited number for participation in this program.

Can I somehow request consideration for this program?

An applicant may include a statement with their application requesting consideration for participation in this program, and their reasons for doing so.

If I ask for consideration for this program, will that hurt my chances for regular acceptance?

No. Requests for consideration in the Summer Skills Enhancement Program in no way detract from full and complete consideration for regular acceptance into the fall.

Nelson Wolff Law Early Admission Program

The Nelson Wolff Law Early Admission Program offers advantages to motivated, talented students who plan to attend law school and graduate in less time. The program allows qualified undergraduate students in certain degree programs to earn both a bachelor's degree and law degree in just six years, instead of the usual seven. To be eligible, a student must have a cumulative GPA of 3.8 or better and earn at least a 158 on the Law School Admission Test (LSAT).

St. Mary's students in the program enter law school after completing their third year of undergraduate study. Students' first year of law school will complete the final 30 hours of the undergraduate program, so that students complete both degrees in six years. Included undergraduate degree programs are criminology, english,international relations, philosophy, political science, sociology and speech communication. For more information, visit the Undergraduate Catalog

The University's strategic planning document, Vision 2012, called on the University to advance academic quality and innovation by considering combined and accelerated degree programs such as this one. The law school and the Graduate School also offer numerous combined J.D. and master's degree programs.

For more information about this program, please contact:
Milo Colton, Ph.D., J.D.
School of Humanities and Social Sciences
Assistant Professor
Phone: (210) 436-3519
Email: mcolton@stmarytx.edu

Joint Degree Programs

The Law School, in cooperation with other departments of St. Mary's University, has established several joint-degree programs.  Once enrolled in a joint degree program, a law student usually may earn six hours of credit toward the doctor of jurisprudence by successfully completing a master of arts in communication studies, a master of science in computer science, a master of arts in English language and literature, a master of science in industrial engineering, a master of arts in international relations, a master of arts in public administration, a master of arts in theology or a master of business administration. The students will also earn credit toward the selected master's degree by satisfying the requirements for doctor of jurisprudence.

The Law School's joint-degree programs are offered in coordination with the Graduate School of St. Mary's University. These programs allow students at St. Mary's to complement their training in the law with advanced study in another discipline. The first year of academic work for a law student pursuing a joint degree consists entirely of law courses. During the second and third year, law and master's-degree courses are taken. Depending on the specific requirements of the master's program, a student ordinarily can earn both a law degree and a master's degree in three or four years.

An interested applicant must gain admission to both the Law School and the Graduate School, which make separate admissions decisions. Application to the Graduate School may be made after the student begins law school.

Information may be obtained from the faculty advisors designated for the various programs.

Following are brief descriptions of some of the joint-degree programs offered by St. Mary's University.

Doctor of Jurisprudence
Master of Business Administration (JD/MBA)

The JD/MBA program is designed for students who wish to acquire a broad knowledge of business to complement their legal training.  Federal, state and corporate taxation, estate planning, banking and finance, accounting and corporate management are but a few of the areas in which law and business overlap.  Students who wish to serve as counsel to corporations, or specialize in business and commercial law, would benefit from an advanced degree in business.  Professor Mark W. Cochran is the JD/MBA advisor.

Among the courses offered in the MBA program are Taxation for Corporations, Estate and Gift Taxation, Multinational Management, Advanced Managerial Accounting, International Banking and Financial Management, and Investment and Portfolio Analysis.

Doctor of Jurisprudence
Master of Arts in International Relations (JD/IR)

The JD/IR program is for law students who wish to gain specialized knowledge of issues related to international affairs.  Due to the internationalization of relations among the countries of the world, the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), and the globalization of the world's economy, there is an increased need for lawyers who have an international perspective on the practice of law. 

Among the courses offered in the IR program are Current Problems in International and Public Affairs, Politics in Developing Areas, Politics of World Economic Problems, Comparative Political Systems, United States Foreign policy, Studies in Latin Inter-American Affairs, and 20th Century Political Thought.

Doctor of Jurisprudence
Master of Arts in Public Administration (JD/MPA)

The JD/MPA program is designed to provide interested law students with a broad knowledge of issues that arise in the public sector.  Controversies concerning the utilization of natural resources, land use (zoning, planning, and economic development), labor relations, the administration of justice, and civil rights all illustrate the importance of law in the public sector.  Associate Professor Emily Fowler Hartigan is the JD/MPA advisor.

Among the courses offered in the Master's in Public Administration program are Social Responsibility and Business Environment, Financial Policies, Management and Organization Development, Organizational Behavior and Urban Political Institutions and Processes.

Doctor of Jurisprudence
Master of Arts in Theology (JD/MT)

The JD/MT program immerses students in the study of both the laws of society and the law of God.  The program is especially suited for students who wish to pursue a legal career as a form of ministry.  Professor Michael S. Ariens is the JD/MT advisor.

Among the courses offered in the Master/s of Theology program are Foundational Moral Theology Ethics, Ecology and Christian Ethics, Dynamics of Spiritual Life, Marriage and the Family, Theology of Human Sexuality, and Principles of Theological Method.

How to apply

• Applicants may apply to either the Evening Program or the Day Program, but not to both. Admissions standards are the same for both programs.
• Applicants must possess a bachelor's or higher degree from an accredited college or university prior to beginning their legal education.
• Applicants must register for and take the Law School Admission Test (LSAT).

Application Process

1. Applicants must submit a St. Mary's University School of Law application for admission online or by mail.
2. Applicants must also subscribe to the Credential Assembly Service (CAS) and take the Law School Admission Test (LSAT). Contact Law Services at (215) 968-1001 or via the Internet at www.LSAC.org to register for the LSAT and subscribe to the CAS. The CAS prepares a report containing vital admissions information, such as an undergraduate academic summary, copies of all undergraduate, graduate and law/professional school transcripts, LSAT scores and writing samples.

First-year admission occurs only in the fall of each year. You may submit the School of Law application before or after taking the LSAT and before subscribing to the CAS, but early application is encouraged.

Important Information on the LSAT: The LSAT is offered four times a year (September or October, December, February and June) at locations across the United States. It is not a test of accumulated knowledge, but rather a test of logical and analytical reasoning. Preparing for the test requires time and dedication and it is recommended you take it only after adequate preparation.

If you would like further information about the admissions process, preparing for the LSAT or would like a viewbook mailed to you, please send an e-mail message to lawadmissions@stmarytx.edu.

Graduation Requirements

Graduation requirements will be the same for students in both programs. All programs and offices, including the Clinical Program, will be available to evening students as well.

Students must have a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or better to graduate. Faculty may add additional requirements at any time.