As you know,
Columbia Law School offers a distinctly superb legal education. Whether
you are hoping to explore a career in public interest, corporate law, or
government service, the Law School’s course offerings and extensive resources
will help prepare you for excellence in your chosen field. The range of
courses reaches across International Business Transactions to Race and Poverty Law.
Additionally, the School also offers a plethora of programs that truly enriches
the academic experience. As a student at Columbia, you have guaranteed funding
over the both your summers to pursue public interest employment and the ability
to enroll in a of number popular study abroad programs across the globe.
Columbia’s pro bono opportunities, various externship programs, and clinical
offerings further demonstrate the School’s commitment to an education that is
not limited to the classroom.
The programs and courses at the Law School are led by an
extraordinary faculty that is world-renown. Moreover the faculty include a
unmatched cadre of African-American legal scholars including: Kimberlé Crenshaw, a
innovator in Critical Race Studies; Kendall Thomas, an expert in Constitutional Law
as well and Gender and LGBT issues; Conrad Johnson, a professor with a background
in Civil Rights; Patricia Williams, an
expert in the area of race, gender and the law as well as a recipient of the
McArthur “Genius” Award; Janice Tudy-Jackson, a mediation and negotiation expert; Olati Johnson, a former Supreme Court clerk with an extensive public
interest background; Jamal Greene, also a
former Supreme Court clerk and specialist in Constitutional Law; and Theodore Shaw, a former director counsel
of the NAACP Legal and Educational Defense Fund.
The Law School also provides student services that are second to
none. To begin with an academic counselor is always on hand to discuss your
course selections or any other academic concerns. Career Services also offers
extensive resources to aid you in your career goals. Alumni and Development
work extensively to integrate alumni into an institutionalized part of your
experience at the School. On a more personal note, your health and well-being
during your time at Columbia is also a priority, and there are an abundance of
resources to ensure you have a healthy and well-balanced experience to
accomplish your goals. Finally, Columbia guarantees you housing accommodations
at rents that are well below New York City market rates for the duration of
your studies, which is an unparalleled benefit offered by the School.
For these and many other reasons, Columbia Law School was the
first recipient of the National Bar Institute’s Educational Achievement Award
presented in 2002. The Award is given to an individual or institution that
seeks to promote excellence in legal education by establishing a solid
foundation for individuals to achieve intellectual, social, and civic success.
We would also like to tell you about why we are so pleased to be
apart of Columbia BLSA, one of the most active student organizations at the Law
School. BLSA is a local chapter of the National Black Law School Students
Association. Our organization focuses first, on the academic and professional
development of our members and second, on community service. Each year, we
conduct a number of programs and dozens of events toward these aims. Our local
chapter is one of the largest and most active in the country with over 100
members.
One of our
most successful programs continues to be the First-Year Academic Development
Program. It assists members as they integrate into the academic and social
experiences of both law school and the legal profession. First-year Development
includes formal mentoring by upperclassmen, the LEEWS exam-writing workshop,
and panels on studying and test preparation. We also host a welcome dinner, a
faculty dinner and an alumni reception to build community ties among our newest
members and all of the Law School’s constituents. Additionally, every year a
significant portion of our first-year membership competes and places
competitively in the National Frederick Douglass Moot Court Competition.
Our
Community Service Program includes multiple ways in which we assist in
community development. This year we partnered with Election Protection, a
non-partisan national organization that focuses on ensuring that all voters can
participate equally in the election process. We have also partnered with the
High School Law Institute to help local high school students engage in written
and oral legal argumentation and we are launching an initiative to work with
undergraduate students as they prepare for the law school admissions process.
Looking ahead, we are creating even more service opportunities centered on our
surrounding Harlem community.
Every year,
Columbia BLSA holds the Paul Robeson Conference and Alumni Gala, which honors
the legacy of alumnus, Paul Robeson ’23. It features a day of panels on a
social issue in addition to a day focused on professional development. This
year the Conference will be held on Friday, April 3rd and
Saturday April 4th. Admitted students, please contact us if you would like to attend the
event with free admission. If you would like to ask current
students about law school life, please e-mail either Danielle Toaltoan (ldt2115@columbia.edu) or Claire Woods (chw2126@columbia.edu) of the BLSA Admissions Committee. You may
also contact the Office of Admissions at admit@law.columbia.edu or 212.854.2674
with any admissions-related questions.
We wish you well as
you consider you choices and hope to welcome you to Columbia Law School!
