Here are some tips for selecting schools, based on an analysis comparing each school to all others across dozens of factors:
Schools Concentrating On Lawyers
- Focus: For schools with a focus on this career area, look at The University of Texas, University of Houston, and Texas Tech.
Fastest Response From Schools
- Request Info: For the fastest information for prospective students, look at the Spotlight schools on this page.
Student Body
- Part-Time: For schools emphasizing part-time studies, consider Texas Wesleyan University, University of Houston, Texas Southern, and Texas Tech.
- Diverse: For a diverse student body, consider Texas Southern, St Marys University, University of Houston, and Texas Wesleyan University.
- Adult Learners: For lots of adult learners, consider Texas Wesleyan University.
School Setting
- Out of State: For geographic diversity, take note of SMU, Texas Southern, Baylor, and The University of Texas.
- Dorms: For a residential campus environment, take note of St Marys University, Texas Southern, Baylor, and Texas Wesleyan University.
Excellence
- SAT: For students with high SAT scores, look at SMU, The University of Texas, and Baylor.
- % Accepted: For selective institutions, look at The University of Texas, Baylor, and SMU.
- Class Size: For small class sizes, look at Texas Wesleyan University, Texas Southern, SMU, and St Marys University.
Working as a Lawyer in Texas
Lawyers, often referred to as attorneys, represent parties in civil and criminal trials. They advise clients with regard to their legal rights, present evidence in court, and argue cases for their clients. The job calls for a thorough knowledge of the law and of the methods of carrying out legal proceedings. Lawyers need to know both old and new laws, conduct research on the application of specific laws in court cases, interview clients and witnesses, and prepare and file legal documentation. Read a detailed Lawyer job description and schools overview.
Lawyers may find resources to hone their skills and widen their professional opportunities through associations like Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association, Texas Young Lawyers Association, or Texas Employment Lawyers Association.
State Requirements
Lawyers are required to obtain the Attorney license from the Texas Board of Law Examiners.
To get this license, they have to:
- possess the JD degree from a law school that is approved by the ABA
- obtain at least 675 out of 1000 in the Texas Bar Examination
- obtain at least 85 in the Multistate Professional Responsibility Exam
Student/Alumnus Reviews of Schools for This Career and State
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University Of Houston Law Center • Houston, TX
Studying Law (completion in 2010)
• 9/23/2011
"The cost was too high. The campus is VERY dangerous. The buildings are a bit decrepit. But somehow, I love UHLC and miss the academic enrichment I obtained there. I would say it was largely the result of caring professors and lively class discussions."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | I think in the middle of my 3L I would have said no, but now that I've been out of school for a little I would probably recommend UHLC to other students so long as they got a reasonable financial aid package. If others are capable of getting into a top tier school, DON'T bother with a lower ranked school like UH. But if they're like I was and they are just looking for a quality school with easy access to a lot of opportunities (living in a big city), UH is a fine choice. |
| Program Reputation | 7 | UHLC is sort of middling in the law school world, but in Houston it is the most prestigious of the three schools in the city. Of all the law centers in Texas, it is probably in the top three, but it is no where near the stature of UT Austin Law. |
| Program Quality | 8 | The program itself was fine. Career services did the best they could, the professors were professional and prepared, and the amount of work was not entirely unreasonable. |
| Instruction | 10 | Most of my professors had real life, top shelf legal experience. That sort of "rubber meets the road" instruction was more informative and valuable than studying SCOTUS cases day in and day out. Also, by the end of three years I never once had a professor I felt didn't genuinely care about his or her students. |
| How Difficult | 8 | Law school is a LOT of work, even outside of the top tier, but I found the amount of work at UHLC was reasonable. The first year was nearly impossible and required full time commitment, but after that I was able to maintain more of a school/family balance. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Law school is book oriented by nature. However, I had many classes that focused on practical aspects of the legal profession. The most practical was mediation, which included actually going to court every week to mediate real small claims cases. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 8 | I really would have loved a more full summer offering, but even so I was able to complete school on time while taking a half load one semester to have a baby. Courses like a 6 week special course on environmental law and a winter break course on international health law were godsends, and I would like to see all law schools have such offerings. |
| Academic Facilities | 7 | The actual classrooms are pretty gross, largely. I had a student fall on the ground mid class when their chair simply snapped off the bar. I also saw a roach fall from the ceiling onto a professor's book mid-lecture. Not great! However, there have been massive improvements, and the library is fairly modern (thanks to massive damage from Hurricane Allison that had to be remedied.) |
| Social Life | 10 | My section was incredibly social, probably too social, and I enjoyed many activities organized by the school and hosted within my section. I made friends there I will keep for life. |
| Placement Services | 7 | All I can say is Career Services does the best they can. They are supposed to place far more people than there is room for, but I think the UHLC CS team really tried to get the word out about all possible opportunities for its students. |
| Alumni Network | 9 | I haven't had the chance to utilize it as much as I should, but I found that while in law school the alumni network was very supportive of current students and each other. Cougars stick together! My summer internship was the direct result of another UH alumni, whom I had never directly met, helping me find the right person to call and the right place to turn in a resume. |
University Of Texas School Of Law • Austin, TX
Studying J.D. (completion in 1981)
• 10/13/2011
"It is and was a great school. I got a great education there."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | If you want to be an attorney, you should go to the best school at which you can gain admission. The University of Texas School of Law is a great school. |
| Program Reputation | 10 | Admission to the law school is highly competitive. Graduates can successfully seek employment anywhere in the country due to the excellent reputation of the program. |
| Program Quality | 10 | University of Texas School of Law is an excellent school with a great reputation. The professors were well-respected; most were the best in their fields. |
| Instruction | 8 | My rating was high, but not the highest because the emphasis was more abstract than practical. I learned how to think like a lawyer, more than how to BE a lawyer. |
| How Difficult | 7 | The work was difficult, but not impossible. Anyone who gets in is well-prepared for the workload. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | I have previously said that when I attended The University, the emphasis was more on how to think like a lawyer, rather than how to be a lawyer. I do not know if this is still the case. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 5 | I can only discuss how it was when I was there. At that time, it was mainly for traditional students during traditional school hours. There was a summer school option. |
| Academic Facilities | 10 | Now and then, the school had top facilities. The facilities and resources have only gotten better. |
| Social Life | 8 | There was plenty of attention given to social opportunities. Austin is a great city with plenty to do. |
| Placement Services | 10 | There is excellent assistance in obtaining employment. Many firms interview at the school. |
| Alumni Network | 8 | It is definitely above average, but I don't personally take advantage of it. It seems that a lot of emphasis is on giving to the University. |
Texas State University At Austin • Austin, TX
Studying Law (completion in 1992)
• 10/7/2011
"My educational and social experience couldn't have been better. I graduated as prepared as I could have been anywhere else."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | The professors are able to tailor their material to meet the specific needs of any student who is willing to step out and ask for additional help. I can't imagine anyone failing with this kind of help and support. |
| Program Reputation | 10 | The program has greatly improved. They provide many more resources now than they did during my years there. |
| Program Quality | 8 | It isn't the best school in the country. However, it is a very respectable school and my education was satisfactory. |
| Instruction | 9 | My professors were very knowledgeable in their fields. They gave me a great amount of confidence in my ability to enter the job market successfully. |
| How Difficult | 9 | It was a large workload and a big commitment. I found myself pulling many all-nighters to get the work done. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | I found that my education was the perfect mix of hands-on learning and book learning. I prefer hands-on, but book learning is important, too, and the professors take advantage of that. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 4 | In the beginning, there was a lot of flexibility. Towards the end of my time at the university, I found myself having to stretch to fit in the necessary classes. |
| Academic Facilities | 9 | The academic facilities and resources are great. They definitely helped with the learning process, providing a full-immersion experience in the material. |
| Social Life | 10 | All of the students at the school display a great sense of pride in their university. It was not difficult feel proud to be a student at this school. |
| Placement Services | 9 | They were very good at placing all of their graduating students. I found my first job through the school. |
| Alumni Network | 7 | The alumni network is acceptable, though not the greatest. I found myself, at times, wishing for more internal support than was available to me. |
University Of Texas • Austin, TX
Studying Law (completion in 1984)
• 10/1/2011
"It was an education. It got me a job. That's about it."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | Of the Texas law schools, I think UT is one of the better ones. I think going to a lower tier in-state or any out-of-state school would be a mistake. |
| Program Reputation | 7 | Within Texas, UT is considered one of the better schools. I agree with that ranking compared to its peers or the ones below it. |
| Program Quality | 5 | Practicing law in Texas is helped by a degree from a Texas law school. On the other hand, UT imagines itself a top tier legal theory law school, so a lot that is taught has no practical use for most lawyers. |
| Instruction | 5 | Law school does teach you how to think like a lawyer. That's a plus, but beyond that, UT taught very little in practical skills on operating a law practice or how to deal with clients' needs. |
| How Difficult | 4 | Once you learn how to "think like a lawyer," the study isn't really that hard. It's learning how to think and analyze properly that's hard |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Very book. UT prides itself on this, claiming it makes it more like the Ivy League. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 5 | I think UT matches all other major law schools. It has a summer school, but nothing like weekend or evening option for working students. |
| Academic Facilities | 7 | I think the UT law library is a very good one although it spends too much money on arcane materials and too little on a very broad coverage of basic materials. The classroom quality is also good. |
| Social Life | 1 | Everyone at UT is out for themselves. The only time people get together is to find a way to advance their own careers. |
| Placement Services | 8 | When I graduated almost three decades ago it was very good. I have no idea how it is now. |
| Alumni Network | 5 | Alumni support seems to be an afterthought for all but the most committed alumni who have time to participate a lot or who are able to donate a lot of money. My law school experience was mediocre, so my commitment to the law school alumni program is mediocre. |
Southern Methodist University • Dallas, TX
Studying Juris Doctor (completion in 1981)
• 12/8/2011
"I am proud to have graduated from SMU School of Law. It made me much smarter in specific areas and in general than I would have been without it. It created within me a whole new way of thinking and approaching matters."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | If a person can afford it, it is a great place to go to law school. It is one of the toughest and best law schools in the US. The outstanding nature of your peers will make you smarter. You will be highly competitive in the practice of law. |
| Program Reputation | 10 | SMU is consistently rated as a top-third law school by independent ratings. The legal community was often impressed with my degree. |
| Program Quality | 9 | SMU is a top-third law school and was very difficult. The end result is that it developed my way of thinking in a very sophisticated manner. |
| Instruction | 10 | The professors were outstanding in their areas of law. They each had a great handle on teaching using the Socratic method. |
| How Difficult | 10 | Assignments were made before school started. The amount of reading required was such that it could never be accomplished. It took me eight hours to read my first case, and I had to look up virtually one word per sentence in Black's Law Dictionary. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Law school is reading case law nonstop for three years, and that is what I did. I did not participate in the legal clinic program, but they had one, and that is where hands-on experience could be obtained. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 3 | My legal education was before the advent of online courses. I did have a couple of night classes. I also went to summer school. However, I was in a standard, formal, 3-year program with 15 hours each semester. |
| Academic Facilities | 7 | The library was the best feature. The number of volumes was high. The building itself was one of the largest library buildings of any law school in the US. There were lots of very nice little cubicles you could study in. I studied there quite a bit. |
| Social Life | 7 | There were quite a few parties and organized social events. Those were really pretty nice, and I went to most of them, especially the first semester. |
| Placement Services | 2 | They did not help me get a job while I was in school. I never asked for their help after graduating. |
| Alumni Network | 1 | I never had any help or support at all from alumni. This is likely because my practice was in Missouri and not Texas. |
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