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Georgia State University College of Law, Atlanta, GA

[By Heather Jung] Since opening its doors in 1982, the Georgia State University College of Law has already climbed to U.S. News & World

Reports list of the top 100 law schools in the country. The college of law is situated in downtown Atlanta, the state capitol.

Georgia State University College of Law, located in the heart of one of the countrys fastest-growing regions, offers a dynamic environment for studying law and preparing to enter the legal profession, Dean Steven Kaminshine says in his letter to prospective students. From your first day of classes you will benefit from a cutting-edge academic program, unmatched instruction, and the opportunity to enroll on a full- or part-time basis. You also will have Atlanta, our living laboratory: a capitol city, an international city, the leading urban center in the Southeast, and the regional headquarters of every federal and state agency as well as key corporations and nonprofit institutions. Students can choose to pursue their J.D.s in either the full-time or part-time program. Those in the part-time program take nine to 0 credit hours instead of the full-time 5. According to the admissions website, the part-time program is highly successful because it allows students equal access to all programs and resources that are available to full-time students. The administration feels that part-time students bring an added dimension to our law school community. In order to encourage students to participate in pro bono work, the school has established the Pro Bono Recognition Program. Students who graduate with more than 50 hours of community service under their belts will do so with pro bono distinction. The school has partnerships with legal community organizations, non-legal and nonprofit community organizations, and law

firms. Some organizations that students have worked with in the past include the American Civil Liberties Union, the Domestic Violence Project, the Department of Health and Human Services, the American Heart Association, the Red Cross, Big Brothers Big Sisters, and the Georgia Justice Project. The college of law has partnered with several other colleges on campus to provide law students with options for joint-degree programs. Students interested in health administration can earn J.D./M.S.H.A.s or J.D./M.B.A./M.H.A.s through the Robinson College of Business Institute of Health Administration. The college of law at Georgia State and the college of architecture at the Georgia Institute of Technology offer a Juris Doctor/Master of City and Regional Planning (J.D./M.C.R.P.) degree. Students can earn Master of Arts in Philosophy/Juris Doctor degrees through the college of arts and sciences and the college of law. The joint-degree program run by the college of law and the Andrew Young School of Policy Studies allows students to obtain J.D./M.P.A. degrees. Students can also earn J.D./M.B.A. degrees through the college of business. Students can choose to study abroad, as well. Those interested in the areas of human rights, environmental, public health, conflict resolution, trade, and corporate law can participate in the Summer Legal and Policy Study in Rio de Janeiro. The law schools other summer program is the Summer Academy in International Commercial Arbitration, which is held in conjunction with

the Johannes Kepler University of Linz in Austria. Georgia State University College of Law prides itself on its faculty, who bring a broad range of experiences and talents to their classrooms. Above all, a top-quality legal education requires a talented and accessible faculty and a diverse and motivated student body, Kaminshine says in his letter. You will find at Georgia State an energetic faculty of thoughtful scholars and renowned teachers who are active in the academy, the bar, and the wider community and who bring an incredible range of talents and practical experiences to the classroom. Our students, who are our greatest ambassadors, come from many different backgrounds and bring a rich variety of life and work experiences to our institution. Their divergent viewpoints add excitement, breadth, and meaning to their studies and enrich the quality of our classes. ON THE NET Georgia State University College of Law law.gsu.edu/home.php Pro Bono Program law.gsu.edu/registrar/probono.php Georgia Justice Project www.gjp.org

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