suny buffalo law school 2015-16 viewbook

SUNY Buffalo Law SchoolUniversity at Buffalo, The State University of New York

The smart choice forsuccess in your legal career

SUNY Buffalo Law School, State University of New York, is accredited by the American Bar Association and the Boardof Regents of the New York State Education Department, and is a member of the Association of American LawSchools. The University at Buffalo is also accredited by the Commission on Institutions of Higher Learning of theMiddle Atlantic States Association of Colleges and Schools.

Further information as to the Standards and Rules of Procedure for the Approval of Law Schools by the AmericanBar Association may be obtained from the Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar. It can be reached at:

750 North Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, IL 60611(312) 988-6738, fax: (312) 988-5681

Produced by the SUNY Buffalo Law School Office of Communications, August 2015.

Office of Admissions309 John Lord O’Brian HallBuffalo, NY 14260-1100(716) 645-2907Fax: (716) [email protected]


www.law.buffalo.edu

SUNY Buffalo Law

students converse

with a village monk

while studying in

Thailand.

• Juris Doctor 3• Two-Year J.D. for InternationallyTrained Lawyers 4• General LL.M. 4• Criminal Law LL.M. 4• Optional Concentrations 5• Clinical Legal Education 7• New York City Program 10• Dual Degree Programs 11• Hands-on Learning, Centers and Programs 13• Student Life 19• Career Services 21• Admissions 24• Tuition 25• Contact Us 28

For detailed information andto apply, please visit our website:

student-faculty ratio of 10 to1, we’re big enough to offer abroad menu of fascinatingcourses – and small enoughthat you’ll get all the personalattention you want.• First-year students will

spend one of the six first-yeardoctrinal courses in a verysmall class of about 15students.• A faculty of exceptional

scholars and engagingteachers care about theirstudents and make the lawcome alive in a collegial,supportive atmosphere.• A wide range of

interdisciplinary curricularchoices focuson developingskills andexpertise soour graduatesareprofession-ready fromday one. Weoffer six dual degrees andseven academicconcentrations and programs.• Members of the J.D. Class

of 2014 report employmentsuccess. Eighty-nine percentof SUNY Buffalo Law gradswere employed or pursuingadvanced degrees within 10months of graduation. Whentemporary school-fundedpositions are not counted, werank second among all NY law schools after Cornell. • With one of the lowest

average debt loads in thenation, our graduates canfollow their passion for the

1

Excellent academics and real-world trainingSUNY Buffalo Law is a place where you can thrive

and prepare for success

Unique as a premier public law school, SUNY Buffalo

Law School is situated on the flagship campus of a

world-class research-intensive public university, the

largest and most comprehensive in the northeastern United

States. It is located in a city densely packed with legal

institutions and situated on an international border. We

enjoy a worldwide reputation for excellence.

• New York law is theheart of global law – and weare the State of New York’spublic law school, located inscenic Western New York.Four distinctive seasons offermyriad activities.• A diverse group of

students come from some ofthe best undergraduate andlaw schools in the UnitedStates and around the world,ready to excel in theclassroom and beyond. • With an entering class of

just 140 students, and a

SUNY Buffalo

Law has one of the

lowest average

debt loads in the

country.

A World of Opportunities: www.law.buffalo.edu

law wherever it takes them.Great value, says the NationalJurist. • Over 11,000 loyal alumni

practice and live throughoutthe world. Our extensivealumni networkwill helpmentor you and connect youwith opportunities. • Super Lawyersmagazine

ranked us48th nationally forproducing “SuperLawyers.”• According to

National Juristmagazine, SUNYBuffalo Law Schoolis among the bestlaw schools in thecountry fordelivering top-qualitypracticaltraining in legalskills.• Friendly people

and a safesuburban campus20 minutes awayfrom Buffalo, N.Y. –and just 20 minutesfrom Canada –weare located near alarge city on aninternational borderthat offers asupportive environment andinexpensive housing. • Multiple courts convene

in downtown Buffalo,including U.S. District Court,U.S. Immigration Court, U.S.Bankruptcy Court, New YorkState Supreme Court, ErieCounty Court, Buffalo CityCourt, Family Court and

Integrated Domestic ViolenceCourt.• In one year you can earn

a General LL.M., a CriminalLaw LL.M, or even a doubleLL.M., in which you can earntwo LL.M. degrees – fromSUNY Buffalo and theCatholic University of Lyon,France. A Cross-Border LL.M.is now in the planning stages.

• For internationallytrained lawyers, we offer atwo-year J.D.which qualifiesyou to take the New York StateBar Exam.• Our students can finish

their J.D. in only 21⁄2 years inan accelerated programbecause of the flexibility of thelaw school curriculum, savingtime and money.

2

SUNY Buffalo Law ranks second among

all New York law schools – behind only

Cornell – in the percentage of active job

seekers who are not employed by their

schools according to Educating

Tomorrow’s Lawyers, a legal education

advocacy group.

A World of Opportunities: www.law.buffalo.edu

bringing the insights of suchdisciplines as anthropology,sociology, philosophy andpsychology to their researchand teaching. Theirinnovative and thoughtfulscholarship reflects this richand diverse background andenriches the classroomexperience beyond measure. In addition, a solid core of

SUNY Buffalo Law Schoolfaculty teach on topics ofinternational law andcomparative legal systems.Extensive international and

comparative law courses areavailable to our studentsduring the academic year.For detailed information

about the committed andenergetic scholars who teachat SUNY Buffalo Law School,see our Web page, www.law.buffalo.edu/faculty.

THE JURIS DOCTORDEGREE

The Juris Doctor is thebasic U.S. law degree, and isheld by the vast majority ofpracticing U.S. lawyers, as well

as businesspeople, policymakers, academics andpeople in other walks of life.A SUNY Buffalo Law

School educationincorporates both the theoryof law and the real-worldskills that new graduates needto succeed as lawyers. Asignature component of theJ.D. program is the school’sexceptional Legal Analysis,Writing and ResearchProgram that requiresstudents to take threesemesters of Research andWriting, including two in the firstyear, and todevotesignificantattention tothe skills theywill need topractice law. The

LAWRprogram, based on proven methodologies, was developed in consultation with educationexperts, judges, judicial clerksand attorneys to produce acurriculum designed toprepare students to hit theground running in theirinitial legal position. SUNY Buffalo Law’s legalskills program also comprises moot courtand trial techniqueexperiences, publishedjournals, professionaldevelopment initiatives andservice-learningopportunities.

3

Faculty: www.law.buffalo.edu/faculty

Academic lifeStudents are equipped to work on major problems and

transactions from the start of their legal career

The SUNY Buffalo Law School faculty enjoys a well-

deserved reputation for cutting-edge ideas and has

long been associated with interdisciplinary research

and critical approaches to the study of law. Forty-one percent of

faculty members hold research doctorates in areas other than

law – surpassed only by Chicago, Northwestern and Berkeley –

A signature

component is the

school’s exceptional

Legal Analysis,

Writing and

Research Program.

The Advanced StandingTwo-Year J.D. forInternationally TrainedLawyers is intended forstudents who already hold alaw degree from a jurisdictionoutside the United States;who would like to earn a JurisDoctor degree from SUNYBuffalo Law School; and whowant to seek admission to theNew York State Bar. In thisnew and innovative program,they can receive advancedstanding, and therefore canfinish the J.D. degree in justtwo years. These students are just like

the traditional three-yearJ.D.s – they join the enteringclass, take all the classesrequired of J.D. students, andform all the bonds thatconstitute the U.S. legalprofession.

TWO MASTER OF LAWSDEGREES

The General LL.M.Program allows lawyers whohave demonstrated success intheir legal education, theirpractice, or both, to createindividualized programsdesigned to take their careersto the next level. LL.M.students have access to nearlythe entire J.D. curriculum,and admitted students receiveone-on-one academicadvisement in the selection oftheir courses to help themnavigate through oursubstantial range of courseofferings and out-of-the-classroom learning

opportunities. The programtakes one year to complete.Our dynamic classrooms giveLL.M. students theopportunity to learnalongside students in ourthree- and two-year J.D.programs and share theirglobal perspectives, enrichingour community both in andout of class.Many General LL.M.

students use the degree tosatisfy jurisdictionalrequirements for theadmission of foreign-trainedlawyers to practice law,including those of the NewYork Board of Law Examinersand the National Committeeon Accreditation in Canada.

The Criminal Law LL.M.builds on SUNY Buffalo LawSchool’s strength in theinterdisciplinary study ofcriminal law. One of the onlypost-professional programsin the United States devotedexclusively to the study ofcriminal law, this programhas attracted lawyers from allover the world who intend toteach, do policy work, orwork as prosecutors or judgesin their home jurisdictions.They are advised by ProfessorLuis Chiesa, director of theprestigious Buffalo CriminalLaw Center and aninternationally knowncriminal law scholar withextensive experience in Spainand Latin America.

4

Which Program is Right for You? www.law.buffalo.edu/academics/programs

Concentrations consist ofa sequence of required andelective courses selected froma substantial menu of courseofferings in the chosen field.Programs are designated infields in which the law facultyoffers an exceptional degree

of strength and expertise anda rich variety of courses. Eachprogram consists of asequence of required andelective courses, andincorporates substantialcourse work with programfaculty. Programs culminate

in a small, intensive capstoneor senior colloquium coursedesigned to pull togetherstudents’ knowledge andexperience. Completion ofthe requirements of aconcentration or programdistinguishes the graduate assomeone with an unusuallevel of knowledge andmastery in the field, and isrecognized by a transcriptnotation and certificate.

CURRICULARCONCENTRATIONS

Criminal Law

With a blend of lecturecourses, seminars, practiceand simulations, studentsacquire a wide variety of skillsin the practical andtheoretical aspects of moderncriminal law.

Cross-Border Legal Studies

This concentrationcapitalizes on our borderlocation to provide studentswith classroom and on-the-ground exposure to a widerange of cross-border legalissues including those relatingto international businesstransactions, immigration,international trade and tax.Students choose four coursesfrom a wide variety ofofferings, and also complete acapstone experiential coursewhich pairs them with localalumni to gain experience incross-border legal work.

5

Concentrations: www.law.buffalo.edu/concentrations

A comprehensive range ofoptional programs andconcentrations will distinguishyou in the marketplace

Many students pursuing the traditional three-year

Juris Doctor structure their upper-division

curriculum around one of six established

concentrations and curricular programs that deepen their

understanding of the work lawyers do and train them to

approach complex legal problems. Students are thus equipped

to work on major problems and transactions from the start of

their legal careers.

Family Law

The Concentration inFamily Law introduces studentsto the breadth of the family lawarea with three requiredcourses: Family Law, DomesticViolence Law, and Children andthe Law. Through additionalelective courses and practiceexperiences, students round outtheir education in the family lawarea. The final writing projectprovides students with anopportunity to more deeplyexplore an issue in family lawunder the guidance of faculty.

International Law

Lawyers must understandand interpret events incountries that may havedifferent legal systems. Thisconcentration prepares studentsfor careers in private or publicinternational law. Travelingseminars offer students theopportunity to observe foreignlegal systems in their nativesetting under expert facultyguidance. Internationalexternships are also available.

Intellectual Property Lawand Technology

The law is evolving toaddress rapid changes intechnology, from computersand e-commerce to copyright,trademark and patents. In thisconcentration, studentsexamine issues of ownership,use and control of technologicalinnovations, information andknowledge.

CURRICULAR PROGRAMS

Environmental Law

This program preparesstudents for environmental lawpractice, whether advocating fora public interest group, acorporate client, a governmentagency or a private citizen.Beginning with a series of corecourses taught by acombination of academic andpractitioner experts, studentsmay also enroll in skills courses,cutting-edge seminars and theEnvironmental Law & PolicyClinic, and graduate with theskills to apply legal principlesand techniques in theenvironmental law marketplace.

Finance and Development

This program offers studentsthe opportunity to focus onfinance and the role of lawyersin business transactions,including courses with aparticular focus on economic,commercial and residentialdevelopment. This programprovides a valuable foundationfor students seeking to pursuecareers not just in what istraditionally called corporatelaw, but equally importantly in awide range of related practiceareas including financialservices; regulation andcompliance; and private ornonprofit development.

6

Curricular Programs: www.law.buffalo.edu/concentrations

Students are on the frontlines, working directly withclients under the supervisionof skilled faculty to engage inpractical legal thinking and

ethical practice through clientrepresentation, policydevelopment, and effectiveproblem-solving work inexperiential settings.

CLINICS

Affordable Housingand CommunityDevelopment Clinic

The AffordableHousing andCommunityDevelopment Clinicprovides transactionallegal assistance tocommunity-basednonprofit organizations,small businesses and localdevelopers partneringwith nonprofit entities.

Animal Law Pro Bono Clinic

The Animal Law ProBono Clinic focuses onnational, state and localpolicy addressing animal

welfare issues, such as puppymills, feral and communitycats, and former race horses.

The Domestic Violenceand Women’s Rights Clinic

The Domestic Violence andWomen’s Rights Law andPolicy Clinic provides lawstudents with an in-depth lookat the myriad ways in whichwomen’s lives are impacted byintimate partner violence, aswell as the steps society hastaken to address this pervasiveproblem.

Environmental Law andPolicy Clinic

The Environmental Lawand Policy Clinic focuses onstate, national andinternational environmental

7

Clinics: www.law.buffalo.edu/clinics

Clinical legal education helps prepare you fortomorrow’s careersOur clinics and practica empower you to do well

Our Clinical Legal Education program offers diverse

and sophisticated practice opportunities to upper-

class and LL.M. students working closely with skilled

supervising attorneys. Our clinical offerings involve cutting-

edge issues and complex matters in which creativity and

innovation play key roles in serving clients effectively. Our

clinics empower you to be successful.

policy issues that have directimpact on Western New York aswell as national andinternational implications.Student attorneys coordinatedirectly with a bi-national taskforce and perform legalresearch regard-ing Canadianand U.S. federal law as well asstate, provincial and localrequirements.

Health Justice Law andPolicy Clinic

The Health Justice Law andPolicy Clinic offers law studentspractical experience throughwork on direct clientrepresentations and collabora-tive systems-change projects.

Immigration and HumanRights Clinic

The Immigration andHuman Rights Clinicrepresents individual andorganizational clients inimmigration, labor,discrimination practices,human rights and other mattersin both immigration andhuman rights proceedings.

Law and Social Work Clinic

Through this clinic, studentsin SUNY Buffalo Law School’sdual program in Law and SocialWork gain experience in legalservice agencies, social serviceagencies, prosecutor offices, ortherapeutic courts such as drugand domestic violence courts.

Mediation Clinic

The increasingly vital craftof conflict resolution is the

focus of the Law School’sMediation Clinic. Working oncases referred by local courts orother mediation agencies,students help resolve disputes infamily law, small claims and thecommunity.

Veterans’ Legal Clinic

The Veterans’ Legal Clinicserves one of the mostvulnerable populations in thecountry, who face legal issuessuch as landlord/tenantdisputes, custody challenges,clinical proceedings, benefitdenials and bankruptcy. Clinic students are on the frontline of the legal work forveteran clients through everystep of the process.

PRACTICA

Students may enroll in apracticum course, in which theycombine study of a substantivearea under a full-time professorwith service learning alongsidepracticing lawyers. Thesecourses include the CriminalLaw Practicum, Healthy HomesPracticum and Post-Incarceration Re-entryPracticum, all of which givestudents direct experience withclients through expertattorneys.For more information,

contact:Professor Kim Diana ConnollyDirector of Clinical LegalEducation(716) [email protected]/clinics

8

Clinics: www.law.buffalo.edu/clinics

Externships and Judicial Clerkships

Externships and judicialclerkships provide law studentswith unique legal and publicservice experience as they workin a variety of government andnonprofit organizations.By working at the

externship host offices,

students learn how to workwith a client and address theclient’s specific needs and goals,giving students a sense of howthe legal and public policysystems work, and are exposedto many types of interestingand exciting jobs that perhapsthey never knew existed.Our students help judges,

attorneys andlegislators withpressing legalquestions that arise inongoing cases, in thedevelopment of publicpolicy or legislation,and in response tocitizen inquiries orproblems. Studentsmay, for example,attend court, draft anopinion for a judge,write legislation for a

member of Congress, orinterview a low-income client.New semester-long

opportunities continue to beadded to a list of options thatincludes dozens of possiblejudicial clerkships, legislativeexternships, and other non-profit and government work.Most are in Western New York,but the option to arrangesummer externships meansstudents have worked inRochester, Philadelphia, NewYork City, Chicago, Seattle andoverseas.

Pro Bono and Access to Justice

SUNY Buffalo Law Schoolhas a long tradition ofproviding pro bono services tothe Western New Yorkcommunity and beyond. Weare prepared to help studentswho plan to sit for the NewYork Bar exam to meet thestate’s 50-hour pro bonoadmission requirementthrough clinics, practica,externships, student groupprojects, connections withcommunity groups andindividual lawyers, and facultyinitiatives. Our pro bono workhelps low- and middle-incomeindividuals and communityorganizations navigate a widevariety of the legal issues thatconfront them.

9

U.S. Court of Appeals Judge Julio M. Fuentes ’75 advises a law student.

Pro Bono and Access to Justice: www.law.buffalo.edu/beyond/pro-bono

Taking advantage of easy access to New York City, SUNY

Buffalo Law students, including those in the joint

J.D./MBA program and the Advanced Standing Two-Year

J.D. program, can spend a semester living in New York while

studying finance and law. Courses are taught by professors from

10

Our unique New York CityProgram in Finance and Lawprepares you for global work

the Law School. Students alsobenefit from presentations andcase studies by SUNY BuffaloLaw School alumni and otherpractitioners from major firmsand corporations. In addition,students participate insemester-long team projects,working with executives fromtop financial institutions andlaw firms. For more information,

contact:Professor Philip HalpernDirector, NYC Program(716) [email protected] Professor Lauren E. BreenAssistant Director, NYC Program(716) [email protected]

Short Courses OfferedBeyond Buffalo Give aGlobal Perspective

Each year the Law Schooloffers a variety of shortcourses, many of them inJanuary, which give studentsthe option to study away from

the Law School. In recentyears, these learningopportunities have includedshort courses based in NewZealand, France, Thailand andWashington, D.C.

New York City: www.law.buffalo.edu/beyond/nyc

After matriculation, theLaw School will accept up tonine credit hours of law-related graduate courses inother departments towardthe J.D. The participating

departments will count lawcourses for at least 10 percentof their degree requirementsto accelerate the course ofstudy. Students wishing topursue both a J.D. and a

graduate degree shouldcontact the Law School Officeof Admissions and any otherrelevant UB department.

J.D./MBA Program

The oldest and largestdual degree program is theJ.D./MBA, offered jointly bythe School of Managementand the Law School forstudents interested in careersin law and business. Studentscan apply by completing theJ.D./MBA application.

J.D./MSW Program

The Law School and theSchool of Social Work offer afour-year dual degreeprogram leading to both aJ.D. and an MSW degree. Theprogram integratesprofessional legal and socialwork training to prepare

11

Dual degree programs give youa career advantage: reduce thetotal time required to earn twodegrees by up to a year

Many SUNY Buffalo Law students simultaneously

pursue both the J.D. degree and a Ph.D. or master’s

degree. There are several advantages. First is the

opportunity to acquire a broad understanding of the functions

of law in society by integrating different disciplinary

perspectives. Second, students can count some courses toward

both programs and reduce the total time required to earn both

degrees by up to a year.

Dual Degrees: www.law.buffalo.edu/dual-degrees

students for leadership roles aslawyers, social workers oradministrators in governmentor human services agencies.

Law and AppliedEconomics Program

This program offersadvanced skills and expertiseto prepare students forleadership roles in the globaleconomy. The Law School andthe Department of Economicsoffer an accelerated programleading to both a J.D. and amaster’s degree in appliedeconomics in 31⁄2 years.

Law and Ph.D.

Students interesting inpursuing a Ph.D. and J.D. willfind a supportive environmentat SUNY Buffalo Law School.Through the Baldy Center forLaw and Social Policy and theinterdisciplinary tradition atthe Law School, students havethe ability to combine anygraduate degree program thatthe University offers with theirJ.D. Students pursuing thisintensive combined degreeprogram will find supportamong the faculty andadministration at the BaldyCenter.

Law and PharmacyProgram

The Law School and theSchool of Pharmacy andPharmaceutical Sciences havedesigned a six-year course ofstudy that allows students toaccelerate their studies to

receive the J.D. and PharmDdegrees. This combinationprovides the scientific andlegal training to excel incareers in biotechnology,intellectual property and thepharmaceutical industry.

Law and Urban Planning Program

The Law School and theSchool of Architecture andPlanning have designed afour-year dual degree thatleads to both a J.D. and amaster’s degree in urbanplanning. Studentscompleting this program are uniquely prepared foradministration and public lawyering.

Legal InformationManagement and Analysis Program

The Law School and theDepartment of Library andInformation Studies offer acollaborative program in legalinformation management andanalysis that leads to both aJ.D. and a master of libraryscience degree. Studentstrained in the dual-degreeprogram learn a practicalmodel of law librarianship.

For more informationabout the dual degreeprograms, contact:Law Admissions(716) [email protected]

12

Dual Degrees: www.law.buffalo.edu/dual-degrees

Many upper-division andLL.M. students enroll in twoor three such courses duringthe January block. Ordinarilyoffered for one credit houreach, these courses bring afresh dimension to legaleducation by providing afocused, inside view of a

lawyer’s world. Theremaining blocks (5, 6 and 7)conclude the spring semester.Out of the 40 or 50 coursesoffered in Block 4, sometypical topics include: • Buying and SellingBusinesses• Choosing the Right Jury

• Commercial Litigation• Direct and Cross-Examination of ExpertWitnesses• Discovery Strategies andDeposition Tactics• Federal Tax Practice andProcedure• Intellectual PropertyLitigation• Managing Personal InjuryPractice• Outsourcingand LicensingInformationTechnologies• ProfessionalSports ContractNegotiation• Raising Money• SexualHarassmentMediation• Social SecurityDisability Lawand Practice• Trial of a DeathPenalty Case• Worker’s Compensation

Baldy Center for Law and Social Policy

Established in 1978, theBaldy Center serves as a focalpoint for interdisciplinaryresearch and teaching.Although the center

primarily supportsinterdisciplinary research byfaculty in law and the socialsciences, some activities areaimed at SUNY Buffalo Lawstudents. These activitiesinclude:

13

Baldy Center: www.baldycenter.info

Enhance your expertise through myriad practice-orientedcourses, centers and programs

SUNY Buffalo Law offers a unique system of four-week

blocks of courses that are divided over the academic year.

Blocks 1, 2 and 3 follow the typical fall semester schedule,

while Block 4 consists of practice-oriented courses that are taught

in January of the spring semester. Upper-level students may take

Block 4 courses, which are taught primarily by accomplished

attorneys and judges.

These courses

bring a fresh

dimension to

legal education

by providing a

focused, inside

view of a

lawyer’s world.

14

Public lectures andevents:Throughout the year,the Baldy Center sponsorslectures by distinguishedspeakers and interdisciplinaryconferences and workshops.Topics range from regulatorypolicy, technology, andcomparative or internationallegal issues to family law,gender and social policy, andlaw and religion. Lawstudents regularly attendthese events and participatein discussions with visitingand resident faculty. Courses, seminars and

advising: Some law studentsenroll in an interdisciplinaryLaw and Society seminartaught by Professor LynnMather, past president of theLaw and Society Association.Other popularinterdisciplinary seminarscross the traditionalboundaries between law andeconomics, literature,

political science,anthropology, sociology andreligion. Faculty associatedwith the Baldy Center joinwith SUNY Buffalo Lawfaculty to advise studentsabout particular areas ofintellectual interest. For more information,

contact:Professor Errol Meidinger(716) [email protected]://baldycenter.info/

Buffalo Criminal LawCenter

The Buffalo CriminalLaw Center (BCLC)provides students andscholars with a one-of-a-kind platform for in-depthstudy of domestic,international andcomparative criminal law.The center enriches theacademic life of SUNYBuffalo Law School and the

broader domestic andinternational academiccommunity by organizingimportant academic events,hosting visiting scholars andpromoting the convergenceof common law and civil lawapproaches to criminaljustice. The BCLC is hometo the BCLC ComparativeCriminal Law ConversationsProject. The project aims tobridge the gap betweencommon law and civil lawapproaches to criminal lawby providing U.S. scholars,students and practitionerswith a unique forum inwhich to interact and learnfrom civil law academics,students and practicingattorneys. In anunprecedented project, theBCLC is currentlyspearheading an effort thatwill feature Englishtranslations of seminalGerman and Spanish worksin criminal theory, followedby replies written by leadingAnglo-American scholars.For more information,

contact:Professor and Vice Dean forAcademic AffairsLuis Chiesa(716) [email protected]/bclc.html

Buffalo Human RightsCenter

As the focal point forhuman rights work at SUNYBuffalo Law, the Buffalo

Research Centers: www.law.buffalo.edu/researchCenters

15

Human Rights Center fosterscoursework, research andscholarship in human rights.It maintains cooperative linksworldwide with human rightsorganizations, human rightsprograms in otheruniversities, think tanks, andgovernmental and quasi-governmental agenciesinterested in human rights.The center organizes speakerseries, conferences andsymposia with leadingscholars and practitioners ofhuman rights from aroundthe world. It also arrangesstudent internships withleading human rightsorganizations in this countryand abroad. For more information,

contact:Associate Professor Tara Melish(716) [email protected]://wings.buffalo.edu/aw/bhrc

Cross-Border LegalStudies Center

The center takeseducational advantage ofBuffalo’s location on theCanadian border to provideopportunities for learningabout cross-border legalpractice. It works closely withour alumni, many of whomare engaged in cross-borderlegal work in a diverse rangeof fields includinginternational commercialtransactions, immigration,

tax and international trade, tointroduce students to a rangeof practice opportunities. The center coordinates itsactivities with internal andexternal faculty initiatives andstudent organizations. Itencourages and supportscross-border related research,curricular initiatives andpublic presentations.For more information,

contact:Professor Meredith Kolsky Lewis(716) [email protected]

Center for the Study ofBusiness Transactions

A joint venture of the LawSchool and the School ofManagement, the Center forthe Study of BusinessTransactions sponsorscourses, research oppor-tunities and distinguishedspeakers, and encouragescollaboration among facultyand graduate students in lawand management. The centeris dedicated to understandingthe realities of the businessworld by dissecting actualbusiness decisions andexamining transactionswhere law and businessintersect. For more information,

contact:Associate Professor S. Todd Brown(716) [email protected]

16

Edwin F. Jaeckle Centerfor Law, Democracy andGovernance

The Jaeckle Center focuseson the ways in which law,politics and principles ofdemocratic self-governanceintersect at the state and locallevels. Through coordinatedprograms of research,teaching and publicengagement, the center takeson pressing contemporaryquestions relating to thedistribution of powerbetween public and privatestakeholders; the structureand operation of democraticinstitutions and processes atthe sub-national level; therelationships among place,citizenship and identity; andregional questions ofdistributional justice.

For more information,contact:Associate ProfessorMichael Halberstam(716) [email protected]/beyond/centers/jaeckle

FELLOWSHIPS

Baldy Fellowships inInterdisciplinary LegalStudies

Baldy fellowships bringscholars from around theworld to develop their ideasand research in dialogue withSUNY Buffalo faculty andstudents. The Baldy Centerprogram builds on a long-standing tradition of hostingscholars from around theworld. In the past severalyears, the Law School has

hosted visiting scholars fromAzerbaijan, Bangladesh,Brazil, Canada, China, Israel,Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Norway,Palestine, Poland, Spain,Turkey and Zimbabwe.

Post-DoctoralFellowships for aspiringscholars

Baldy Post-DoctoralFellowships are designed toallow young scholars toconduct research, write andpublish in an engaging andsupportive environment,with the resources SUNYBuffalo Law Schoolcommands and with fewresponsibilities. Thefellowship carries with it astipend, University researchprivileges, office space, thepossibility of travel andresearch grants, as well as thepossibility of teachingexperience. Recent fellowshave come from a diverserange of institutions,including The AustralianNational University, Berkeley,Columbia, Cornell, Harvard,UCLA, Wisconsin and Yale.Fellowships are granted

for one year, and are generallynon-renewable. Applicants must have

completed a Ph.D. or J.D., butnot have begun a tenure-track appointment.

Mid-Career and SeniorFellowships forestablished scholars

Baldy Mid-Career andSenior Fellowships are

Research Centers: www.law.buffalo.edu/researchCenters

A limited number of

second- and third-year

students from other law

schools may be accepted

as visiting students.

available as sabbaticalsupplements, to allowestablished scholars to workat the Baldy Center. Thesefellowships include standarduniversity research privileges,including access to theUniversity libraries, officespace, high-speed Internet,computer and/or externalmonitor, phone, websitespace and working paperseries, as appropriate to thefellow. Fellowships are granted

for one year or less, and aregenerally non-renewable. There are no specific

requirements.

Distinguished AlumniResearch Fellows

On an occasional basis,distinguished alumni withscholarly interests are invitedto work at the Baldy Centerand/or the Law School, andgiven research and otherprivileges. Fellowships areestablished in the solediscretion of the Baldy Centerand the Law School. Thereare no specific requirements.For more information,

contact:Laura WirthAssistant Director, BaldyCenter for Law and SocialPolicy(716) [email protected]://baldycenter.info/

17

PRO BONO SCHOLARS

Selected by a competitiveapplication process, 12 2015 SUNY Pro BonoScholars were allowed to sitfor the bar exam in Februaryof their third year, and spenttheir last semester of schoolin full-time pro bono servicefor people of limited meanswhile taking a lively seminarexploring lawyering skills andaccess to justice. SUNYBuffalo Law School had thelargest inaugural class of ProBono Scholars of any lawschool. SUNY Scholars haveworked at placements withseveral local legal servicesproviders, and in a law clinic,providing thousands ofhours of essential legalservices in their last year oflaw school. Scholars whowere successful on the barexam were then admitted topractice before the end ofJune 2015. New York Courtof Appeals Chief JudgeJonathan Lippman providedkeynote remarks at a Mayconference congratulatingthe SUNY Buffalo Pro BonoScholars on their excellentservice. For more information,

contact:Professor Kim DianaConnollyDirector of Clinical LegalEducation(716) [email protected]/clinics

Pro Bono Scholars: www.law.buffalo.edu/pro-bono-scholars

A place where you can thrivebeyond the classroomThe Advocacy Institute prepares you

for a career in litigation

Students in the J.D. and two-year J.D. programs receive

broad exposure to how litigators work in trial and appellate

advocacy through the school’s Advocacy Institute. The

institute covers three major programs: the teaching of trial

advocacy skills, the school’s expanding presence in regional,

national and international moot court competitions, and training

in the burgeoning field of alternative dispute resolution.

18

In the school’s popular TrialAdvocacy Technique classes,students prepare and try a civilor criminal case. Along the waythey learn such skills as usingexhibits to present their case ina dynamic, persuasive way;refreshing a friendly witness’recollection of events; andimpeaching an adversarywitness with a priorinconsistent statement oromission. Many of theadvanced courses in trialtechnique are taught bypracticing attorneys andjudges.Students routinely use the

Francis M. Letro Courtroomwithin O’Brian Hall to honetheir oral argument skills. It’salso a working courtroomwhere you can learn bywatching skilled practitionersdo what they do best.Many recent graduates say

that the intensive, hands-onwork of moot court and trial

advocacy competitions was themost valuable part of their LawSchool experience. In thesecompetitions, studentscompete in teams to brief thecase in question and arguetheir side before volunteerjudges from the bench and bar. SUNY Buffalo Law runs

three national moot courtcompetitions – the BuffaloNiagara Mock TrialCompetition, one of the largestin the nation; the Herbert J.Wechsler National CriminalMoot Court Competition; andthe Albert R. Mugel NationalTax Moot Court Competition– as well as the intramuralCharles S. Desmond MootCourt Competition. Teams of SUNY Buffalo

Law students also travelnationally to other trialtechnique competitions – andexcel. In 2014, a SUNY Buffaloteam won the Midwestregional competition and

Advocacy Institute: www.law.buffalo.edu/advocacy

placed among the top 30competitors in the worldwidePhillip C. Jessup InternationalLaw Moot CourtCompetition, which focuseson international appellateadvocacy in front of theInternational Court ofJustice. More than 620 teamsand 2,000 law students from89 countries registered for thecompetition. All four of the SUNY

Buffalo Law School studentswho competed at the JessupInternational placed amongthe top 30 oralists in theworld at the globalcompetition and two teammembers finished among theworld’s top 10. The SUNYBuffalo team advanced to thisworldwide competition’s“sweet 16” round before itselimination, and it was theonly team in the competition

to finish with all oralists in thetop 50. The Law School is

currently expanding themoot court and trialadvocacy opportunitiesoffered to its students,including new competitionsin alternative disputeresolution.New courses are being

planned on advocacy topics,and our faculty arecontinually searching for themost effective ways to impartthe skills of a litigator.Included in the mix are thepopular January shortcourses, intensive four-weeksessions on specialized topicsin the law. Recent courseshave included The Trial of aDeath Penalty Case,Discovery Strategy andDeposition Tactics, Choosingthe Right Jury, and Private

Sector Alternative DisputeResolution.

Law Journals

SUNY Buffalo Law’s widearray of scholarly law journalsprovides students with theopportunity to developresearch and writing skillsand make importantcontributions to legalscholarship. Students edit: • Buffalo Law Review • Buffalo Environmental Law Journal• Buffalo Human Rights Law Review • Buffalo Intellectual PropertyLaw Journal • Buffalo Journal of Gender,Law & Social Policy • Buffalo Public Interest Law Journal

Student OrganizationsHelp Make This aDynamic and ExcitingLaw School

Student organizations arean integral part of the SUNYBuffalo Law Schoolexperience. Our diverse clubs,associations, societies, boardsand activities providestudents an opportunity tocontribute time and talent inways that are both personallyand professionally gratifying.Many students are involvedin more than oneorganization, and even with arigorous academic schedule,participation becomes a vitalavenue of self-expression andsocializing.

19

Student Life and Services: www.law.buffalo.edu/current

Some members of Frederick Douglass Moot Court Competition

Student Groups 2015-16

• ADR (Alternative DisputeResolution) Group• Asian Pacific AmericanLaw Students Association • Black Law StudentsAssociation • Buffalo EnvironmentalLaw Society • Buffalo Lawyers GolfNetwork• Buffalo Moot Court Board• Buffalo Public Interest LawProgram• Buffalo Sports andEntertainment Law Society • Canadian Law StudentsAssociation • Domestic Violence TaskForce • Family and Children’s LawSociety • Finance and Law Society• Future Advocates inTraining • Federalist Society• Frederick Douglass MootCourt Board• Holistic Law Group

• International LawStudents Association• Jessup InternationalMoot Court Board• Jewish LawStudents Association• Labor &EmploymentRelations Society • Latin AmericanLaw StudentsAssociation • National LawyersGuild – SUNYBuffalo Law Chapter • Native American

Law Students Association • OUTLaw• Phi Alpha Delta • Student Bar Association • The Opinion (newspaper)• Trial Advocacy Group • Tortfeasors• Veterans Law StudentAssociation• Women of SUNY BuffaloLaw School

InternationallyRenowned SpeakersOffer Their Perspectives

Recently, our universityhas hosted U.S. SupremeCourt Justices SoniaSotomayor and AntoninScalia. President BarackObama, former KenyanPrime Minister RailaOdinga, former SecretaryGeneral of the UnitedNations Kofi Annan, theDalai Lama, former BritishPrime Minister Tony Blair, aswell as former U.S.presidents Jimmy Carter,George Bush and Bill

Clinton, all spoke to ourstudents. Former SecretaryGeneral of AmnestyInternational Irene Khantaught international humanrights for a semester.

A Diverse Student LifeWelcomes All

What goes on beyond theclassroom makes SUNYBuffalo Law an exceptionallyrich and rewardingexperience. In clubs andgroup events that represent adiverse student body and aspectrum of ideologies,ethnic affiliations and careerand public concerns,students are sure to findsomething to pique theirinterest. The Student BarAssociation represents thecollective student voice tothe faculty andadministration. SBA officersand class directors planlectures, fund studentactivities and coordinatesocial events.

Student Bar Association: www.buffalosba.com

20

Taking into considerationthe practice area, employ-ment location and cost ofattending SUNY Buffalo Law,the return on investment is

the best in New York. Transitioning to practice:

Career guidance servicesinclude resume and interview workshops, practice

interviews, teleconferencingand career panels.

Mentoring programs:SUNY Buffalo Law School’swide-ranging mentoringprogram has drawn nationalattention in National Juristmagazine. Each member ofthe J.D. first-year class ismatched with one of morethan 200 mentors who arepracticing lawyers or judges,and the relationship isexpected to continuethroughout their law schoolyears. The National CareerNetwork Program givessecond- and third-yearstudents access to anextensive national andinternational network ofalumni geared toward careerdevelopment.

A focus on publicinterest: As part of a publiclaw school, our faculty andstudents value governmentand public interest work.Each year, SUNY Buffalo Lawgraduates are employed inpublic interest andgovernment organizations ata rate that is two to threetimes the national average.Each summer SUNY BuffaloLaw’s Buffalo Public InterestLaw Program, along withother organizations andsponsors, provides substantialstipends to exceptionallyqualified and committedstudents who will intern athighly regarded organizationsin the public sector.

21

An outstanding hiring recordSUNY Buffalo Law graduates are employed in public

interest and government organizations at a rate that is

two to three times the national average

Our graduates are practicing in the most prominent

law firms and public interest settings across the

nation and around the world, as well as holding

leadership positions in all levels of government.

According to Educating Tomorrow’s Lawyers, a legal

education advocacy group, “When temporary, school-funded

positions are excluded from the data, SUNY Buffalo ranks

second among all New York State law schools – behind only

Cornell – in the percentage of active job seekers who are

employed.”

Career Services: www.law.buffalo.edu/cso

22

PUBLIC EMPLOYERS• Alaska Department of PublicHealth and Social Services,Fairbanks, Alaska

• Alaska Public Defender Agency,Anchorage, Alaska

• Bronx County District Attorney,Bronx, N.Y.

• Brooklyn Legal ServicesCorporation, Brooklyn, N.Y.

• Broome County DistrictAttorney, Binghamton, N.Y.

• Broome County PublicDefender’s Office, Binghamton, N.Y.

• Broward County PublicDefender’s Office, FortLauderdale, Fla.

• Buffalo Board of Education,Buffalo, N.Y.

• Chemung County DistrictAttorney’s Office, Elmira, N.Y.

• Chemung County PublicDefender’s Office, Elmira, N.Y.

• City of Buffalo Law Department,Buffalo, N.Y.

• Empire Justice Center, Rochester,N.Y., and Albany, N.Y.

• Erie County Department of Law,Buffalo, N.Y.

• Erie County District Attorney,Buffalo, N.Y.

• Federal Bureau of Investigation,Wash., D.C.

• Federal Deposit InsuranceCorporation, Wash., D.C.

• Financial Industry RegulatoryAuthority, New York City

• Internal Revenue Service, Buffalo, N.Y.

• Journey’s End Refugee Services,Buffalo, N.Y.

• Kings County District Attorney,Brooklyn, N.Y.

• Legal Aid Bureau of Buffalo,Buffalo, N.Y.

• Legal Aid Society, New York City

• Legal Aid Society of Palm BeachCounty, West Palm Beach, Fla.

• Legal Aid Society of Rochester,Rochester, N.Y.

• Legal Assistance of Western NewYork, Geneva, N.Y.

• Legal Services for the Elderly,Disabled or Disadvantaged,Buffalo, N.Y.

• Matsunaga Institute for Peaceand Conflict Resolution,Honolulu, Hawaii

• Metropolitan TransportationAuthority, New York City

• Ministry of Foreign Affairs,Seoul, Korea

• Monroe County DistrictAttorney, Rochester, N.Y.

• Monroe County PublicDefender, Rochester, N.Y.

• NAPSAC National ChildProtection, Winona, Minn.

• National Institutes of Health,Wash., D.C.

• National Labor Relations Board,Hartford, Conn.

• Neighborhood Legal Services,Buffalo, N.Y.

• New York City Law Department,New York City

• New York City Department ofHousing Preservation andDevelopment, New York City

• New York State AppellateDivision 2nd Department, New York City

• New York State AppellateDivision 3rd Department,Albany, N.Y.

• New York State AppellateDivision 4th Department,Rochester, N.Y.

• New York State Court of Appeals,Albany, N.Y.

• New York State Senate, Albany, N.Y.

• Niagara County DistrictAttorney’s Office, Lockport, N.Y.

• Niagara County Legal AidSociety, Niagara Falls, N.Y.

• Office of the Public Defender,Orlando, Fla., and Tampa, Fla.

• Oneida County Public Defender,Utica, N.Y.

• Onondaga District Attorney,Syracuse, N.Y.

• Ontario County Attorney,Canandaigua, N.Y.

• Orange County DistrictAttorney, Goshen, N.Y.

• Presidential ManagementFellows Program, Wash., D.C.

• Queens County DistrictAttorney, Kew Gardens, N.Y.

• Southern Tier Legal Services,Jamestown, N.Y.

• State of Connecticut JudicialBranch, New Haven, Conn.

• Suffolk County District Attorney,Central Islip, N.Y.

• Sullivan County DistrictAttorney, Monticello, N.Y.

• Superior Court of New Jersey,Atlantic City and Somerville, N.J.

Post-graduation employment

For the Class of 2014, 89 percent of SUNY Buffalo Law

graduates were either employed or enrolled in an

academic degree program 10 months after graduation –

higher than the national average. These graduates are working in

locations including Connecticut, Georgia, Indiana, Maryland,

Missouri, New Jersey and Washington, D.C., as prosecutors,

public defenders, associates at private firms or solo practitioners,

as well as corporate settings, nonprofit agencies and federal

government positions.

A selected list of employers in the last five years:

• U.S. Air Force, Navy, Army andMarine JAG Corps

• U.S. Attorney – WDNY, Rochester, N.Y.

• U.S. Congress, Legislative Counsel, Wash., D.C.

• U.S. Department of Energy, Wash., D.C.

• U.S. Department of HomelandSecurity, Wash., D.C.

• U.S. Department of Housing andUrban Development, Wash., D.C.,and Buffalo, N.Y.

• U.S. Department of Justice, LosAngeles, Calif., Buffalo, N.Y., andWash., D.C.

• U.S. Department of Housing andUrban Development, Buffalo, N.Y.

• U.S. Department of Transportation,Wash., D.C.

• U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs,Wash., D.C.

• U.S. District Court – NDNY, Albany, N.Y., Utica, N.Y., and SDNY,New York City

• U.S. Internal Revenue Service ChiefCounsel, Buffalo, N.Y.

• U.S. Patent and Trademark Office,Alexandria, Va.

• U.S. Securities and ExchangeCommission, Wash., D.C.

• Wyoming County District Attorney,Warsaw, N.Y.

• Volunteer Lawyers Project, Buffalo, N.Y.

PRIVATE EMPLOYERS• Bank of America Merrill Lynch,New York City

• Barclay Damon LLP, Buffalo,Albany, and Rochester, N.Y.

• Berardi Law Firm, Williamsville, N.Y.

• Black Mann & Graham LLC, Flower Mound, Texas

• Boies, Schiller & Flexner, Albany, N.Y.

• Bond, Schoeneck & King, Syracuse, N.Y.

• Bousquet, Holstein, Syracuse, N.Y.

• Boylan Code, Rochester, N.Y.

• Brown & Kelly LLP, Buffalo, N.Y.

• Carter, Conboy, Case, Blackmore,Maloney & Laird, P.C., Albany, N.Y.

• Cahill Gordon & Reindel LLP, New York City

• Citi, Getzville, N.Y.

• Conifer Realty, Rochester, N.Y.

• Costello, Cooney & Fearon PLLC,Syracuse, N.Y.

• Delaware North Companies,Buffalo, N.Y.

• Deloitte & Touche, New York City

• Epstein, Becker & Green, PC, Wash., D.C.

• Estee Lauder, Melville, N.Y.

• Fox Kaiser, Wash., D.C.

• Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer,New York City

• Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver &Jacobson LLP, New York City

• Gibson McAskill & Crosby LLP,Buffalo, N.Y.

• Goldberg Segalla LLP, Buffalo, N.Y.

• Gross Shuman Brizdel & GilfillanPC, Buffalo, N.Y.

• Hampton Milligan, Oklahoma City, Okla.

• Hancock Estabrook LLP,Syracuse, N.Y.

• Harris Beach PLLC, Rochester, N.Y.

• Harter Secrest & Emery LLP,Rochester, N.Y.

• Hinman, Howard and Kattell, LLP,Binghamton, N.Y.

• Hodgson Russ LLP, Buffalo andAlbany, N.Y.

• Hogan Willig PLLC, Amherst, N.Y

• HSBC Bank Legal Department,Buffalo, N.Y.

• Hurwitz & Fine PC, Buffalo, N.Y.

• IBM, Armonk, N.Y.

• Jaeckle Fleischmann & Mugel LLP,Buffalo, N.Y.

• Jones Day, New York City andCleveland, Ohio

• KPMG, Albany, N.Y.

• LeClair Ryan, Rochester, N.Y.

• Lippes, Mathias Wexler Friedman,Buffalo, N.Y.

• Lipsitz Green Scime Cambria LLP,Buffalo, N.Y.

• McManis Faulkner, San Jose, Calif.

• McGuire Woods, New York City

• Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloyLLP, New York City

• National Fuel Gas Company,Williamsville, N.Y.

• Nixon Peabody,Rochester, N.Y.

• Paul Hastings, Milan,Italy

• Phillips Lytle LLP,Buffalo, N.Y.

• PricewaterhouseCoopers, Rochester, N.Y.

• Purrington Moody WeilLLC, New York City

• Rich Products Corp.,Buffalo, N.Y.

• Richards, Layton & Finger,Wilmington, Del.

• Ropes & Gray LLP, Boston, Mass.

• Rupp, Baase, Pfalzgraf,Cunningham & Coppola LLC,Buffalo, N.Y.

• Sullivan & Cromwell LLP, New York City

• Williams and Jensen, Wash., D.C.

• Wilson Elser Moskowitz Edelman &Dicker LLP, New York City

• Woods Oviatt Gilman LLP,Rochester, N.Y.

For more information, contact:Associate Dean Lisa M. Patterson(716) [email protected]/cso

23

Degree programs LSAT

Undergraduatedegree

TOEFL score

Letters ofrecommen-dation

Am I requiredto registerwith CAS?

3 Year J.D.Degree

Yes An under-graduate degree is required in any major from an accredited institution

If your first languageis not English, youmust demonstrateEnglish proficiency bytaking the TOEFL

One letter is required from afaculty memberwho knows you very well

Yes. Submit all of your tran-scripts and letters of recommenda-tion to CAS

Advanced2 year J.D.Degree

No You must have afirst degree in law.30 credits fromyour first degree inlaw can be acceptedtoward the J.D.


One letter is required from afaculty memberwho knows you very well

No, submit yoursupporting doc-uments directlyto the Admis-sions Office

Criminal LawLL.M. Degree

No You must have afirst degree in law


Two letters arerequired fromfaculty whoknow you very well


GeneralLL.M. Degree

No You must have afirst degree in law


Two letters arerequired fromfaculty whoknow you very well


Transfer J.D.Students

Yes. Yourpreviousscore is consideredin the admissionsprocess

Yes, and you alsomust be in the top half of yourcurrent law schoolclass

If your first languageis not English, youmust demonstrateEnglish proficiency bytaking the TOEFL*

One letter ofrecommendationfrom a lawprofessor isrequired and aletter of goodstanding

It is not requiredbut accepted.Your applicationmaterials can besent directly tothe Law Schoolwith the exception of the application

24

Although each degreeprogram is unique, there aresome similarities in the way wemake decisions and the idealqualities our applicants have incommon. The J.D. and Graduate

Admissions Committees use a

rolling admission process.Complete applications are

reviewed over the course of theentire year. We are looking forstudents who demonstrate astrong likelihood of success in theLaw School. This is exemplifiedthrough your academic course of

study, writing skills, LSATperformance if required, priorwork experience, life experiencesand the information provided tous from your letter of recom-mendation. Specific admissionsinformation is on our websitealong with application links.

Admissions at a glance

* NOTE:We can applyfor waivers fromTOEFL for studentswho have earned adegree in the U.S. orCanada

See note below *

See note below *

See note below *

See note below *

Admission Requirements: www.law.buffalo.edu/admissions/jdAdmission

The admission process atSUNY Buffalo Law is selectiveand is based on bothquantitative and qualitativecriteria. The qualitativecriteria we use are: • Achievements or

activities that indicate a highprobability of scholasticexcellence and intellectualcontributions in law school. • Achievements or

activities arising from work,life experience or communityservice that indicate apotential for contributing tothe enrichment of the LawSchool. • Special factors in your

background that may haveimpeded your educationalopportunities, includingdiscrimination based on race,religion, gender, disability ornational origin; and specialeconomic or socialimpediments. SUNY Buffalo Law School

is committed to a non-discriminatory admissionpolicy and philosophy. Wewelcome applications fromall persons, without regard toage, gender, race, religion,national origin, maritalstatus, sexual orientation,military status or disability.The admissions

committees use a rollingadmission process.Application files are reviewed

as soon as they are complete.Initial admission decisionsare communicated toapplicants throughout the falland spring semestersdepending on the degreeprogram.

Early Decision for the3 Year J.D. Program

Applicants who areinterested in Early Decisionmust submit a completeapplication by Nov. 15. TheLaw School will complete thereview process by Dec. 15. Successful Early Decision

candidates may not initiateany new law schoolapplications, must declineany acceptances they mayhave received prior toadmission to SUNY Buffaloand must immediatelywithdraw other applicationsonce notified of their SUNYBuffalo acceptance inDecember. Failure to honorthese commitments willresult in SUNY Buffalo’srevoking its offer ofadmission.All Early Decision

applicants will receive adecision. If an applicant isdenied during the EarlyDecision process, his or herapplication will not bereconsidered during theregular admission cycle.

25

NEW YORK’S PUBLIC LAWSCHOOL JUST BECAME EVENMORE AFFORDABLE

An expanded scholarship program isavailable for all students –New York residents and out-of-state –admitted to the Law School!

$65,000 —

$60,000 —

$55,000 —

$50,000 —

$45,000 —

$40,000 —

$35,000 —

$30,000 —

$25,000 —

$20,000 —

$15,000 —

$10,000 —

$5,000 —

0 —

$24,670SUNYBuffalo LawSchool (NY resident)

$42,680SUNYBuffalo LawSchool (out of state)

$43,248 to$60,624Annual tuition at 12 private NYS law schools

Guidance for getting in

Ideal Candidate: www.law.buffalo.edu/admissions/jdAdmission

Admission DeadlinesApplications submitted

prior to March 1 will be givenfirst consideration.Applications will continue tobe accepted after March 1 ifthere are still available seats in the first-year class.Applications for the LL.M. arereviewed throughout the year. Admitted applicants

must notify the Office ofAdmissions of their intentionto accept the offer by thedeadline indicated in theiracceptance letter or e-mail.

Admission Requirements

Admission requirementsdiffer across the degreeprograms. The most up-to-date information can befound on our website.

Financial Aid

Wise decisions and carefuldebt management will reducea student’s future debt andbroaden his or her legalemployment options.Domestic students wishing tobe considered for financialaid must first complete theFree Application for FederalStudent Aid (FAFSA) andsubmit it to the federalprocessing center as soon aspossible after Jan. 1. The TitleIV Code Number for SUNYBuffalo Law is 002837. TheFAFSA can be downloadedand filed electronically atwww.fafsa.ed.gov. Because weare the public law school forthe State of New York, ourtuition remains very

affordable. Out-of-state U.S.residents initially pay a highertuition, but are immediatelyeligible to receive acompetitive scholarship thatreduces their first-year tuitionto the in-state rate. They arethen eligible to establish New York residency for theirsecond and third years ofstudy.

Loans

Domestic students areeligible for the Federal DirectLoans. Federal Direct Loansoffer a maximum of $20,500per academic year. TheUniversity at Buffalo is adirect lending institution.Students who still havefinancial need afterborrowing the maximum of$20,500 in Federal DirectLoans may contact ourfinancial aid coordinator forinformation regarding otherloan options. Perkins Loansand college work-study arecampus-based aid. Studentsare automatically consideredfor both if the FAFSA isprocessed by March 1.Awards are based on needand availability of funds.

Scholarships

SUNY Buffalo Law Schooloffers a wide range offinancial assistance to meetthe expenses of a legaleducation. Scholarships, grants and

fellowships – availablethrough SUNY Buffalo LawSchool, bar associations,

26

Admissions Deadlines:www.law.buffalo.edu/admissions/jdAdmission

community groups andnational organizations – donot have to be repaid. TheSUNY Buffalo LawScholarship Committeetypically awards merit- orneed-based scholarships toalmost one-third of the J.D.entering class. By submittingan application for admissionby March 1, students areautomatically considered forthese scholarships. Additionalaid programs administered byNew York State can be foundat the New York State HigherEducation Services Corp.website, www.hesc. com.The University at Buffalo

has been able to providepartial tuition scholarships forstudents who participated asundergraduates in anEducational OpportunityProgram, a Higher EducationOpportunity Program or aSearch for Education,Elevation, and Knowledgeprogram. These waivers arenot automatic. Students whobelieve they may be eligiblefor a Graduate EducationalOpportunity Program tuitionwaiver should contact theGraduate School at (716)645-2939 or atwww.grad.buffalo.edu.

For more information onLaw School financing, contactFinancial Aid CoordinatorBrezetta Steverson at (716)645-7324 or [email protected].

Return on Investment

It’s a fact of legal educationthat most students emergefrom law school with somelevel of student loan debt.SUNY Buffalo Law Schoolprovides exceptionaleducation at a lower pricethan private law schools. As aresult, our students enter thework force with much lowerdebt loads. A cost-benefit analysis

makes the point clear. Ourstudents graduate to work atthe same law firms and earnthe same starting salaries asgraduates who attendexpensive private law schools.But without crippling debt,they aren’t constrained tochoose their career path basedon salary alone. Consistentwith SUNY Buffalo LawSchool’s commitment tononprofit work andgovernment service, ourgraduates enjoy greatflexibility to follow theirpassion for the law wherever itmay take them.

Our Location

SUNY Buffalo Law Schoolis located on the StateUniversity of New York atBuffalo’s North Campus,approximately 11 milesnortheast of downtownBuffalo and 19 miles

southeast of Niagara Falls, on1,192 acres of land insuburban Amherst, N.Y.Within a 500-mile radius ofNiagara Falls reside 55 percentof the population of theUnited States and 62 percentof the population of Canada.Within this area you will findmany of the two nations’major metropolitan areas,among them Toronto,Ottawa, Montreal, Detroit,Cleveland, Pittsburgh, NewYork City and Boston. SUNY Buffalo Law School

is unique as a premier publiclaw school because it issituated on the campus of aworld-class research-intensivepublic university in a citydensely packed with legalinstitutions. Withindowntown Buffalo you willfind United States DistrictCourt, United StatesImmigration Court, BuffaloCity Court, United StatesBankruptcy Court, New YorkState Supreme Court, ErieCounty Court, Buffalo CityCourt, Family Court andIntegrated Domestic ViolenceCourt. We are committed tohelping you forgerelationships not only withprofessors, but also withprivate practitioners, publicofficials at the local, county,state and federal levels, andadvocates working innumerous non-governmentalorganizations in the BuffaloNiagara region and across thestate.

27

Financing Your Education: www.law.buffalo.edu/admissions/financing

28

JOIN US ON:

facebook.com/ublaw

twitter.com/SUNYBuffaloLaw

www.law.buffalo.edu/linkedin

youtube.com/ublawschool

flickr.com/ublaw

www.law.buffalo.edu

Any questions? Please contact…Office of Admissions309 John Lord O’Brian HallBuffalo, NY 14260-1100 (716) 645-2907Fax (716) [email protected]/admissions

Lillie Wiley-UpshawVice Dean for Admissions and Student Life

J.D.: www.law.buffalo.edu/admissions-jd

LL.M.: www.law.buffalo.edu/admissions-llm

Advanced Two-Year: www.law.buffalo.edu/admissions-advanced

Office of Admissions309 John Lord O’Brian HallBuffalo, NY 14260-1100(716) 645-2907Fax: (716) [email protected]


suny buffalo law school 2015-16 viewbook

Documents