Part-Time Weekend Program

www.hamline.edu/law

Part-Time Program; Full-Time OpportunitiesAchieving your dream of becoming a lawyer is possible, even if you are: • A working professional • Currently managing multiple responsibilities • Living in an area without a law school

Hamline University School of Law has enabled hundreds of people in these very circumstances to earn juris doctor (JD) degrees and launch satisfy-ing legal careers. Not only do our part-time students appreciate our flexible weekend format, they learn from among the best law faculty in the country who are leading experts in their fields, such as Alternative Dispute Resolu-tion, Business Law, Health Law, Intellectual Property and Child Advocacy.

Students choosing Hamline’s part-time weekend option are able to balance the rigor and challenge of law school with the real-world demands of full-time work and personal obligations. Many choose our weekend program over evening programs to avoid long drives in rush hour and lengthy night classes after working all day. Hamline’s weekend format is also a better option for those who travel for work during the week or are actively caring for children or aging parents.

Our part-time students embrace the challenge of law school while being supported by accessible professors (our low student faculty ratio is 15 : 1 ). Hamline students learn the law in small classroom settings while enjoying a friendly, supportive environment that exceeds expectations. Hear students and alumni describe why they chose Hamline’s weekend program at:

www.hamline.edu/law/weekend

“I was accepted at several schools, but Hamline was the only program to offer a weekend option. I knew

I needed to be there for my teenage son and the weekend program gave

me that fl exibility.”

— Kristi LeMieux ’07Regions Hospital

Rigorous Education that Accommodates Real LifeHamline University School of Law’s part-time weekend program offers a rigorous legal education taught by the same tenured and tenure-track faculty members who teach our full-time students. Part-time weekend students earn their JD in four years by taking classes on Saturday and Sunday, with the option of taking summer, day or evening classes after completing the first-year curriculum.

Part-time students at Hamline receive the same rich academic and experiential opportunities as our full-time students. From earning a certificate in one of our respected Institutes to specializing in one of 12 focus areas, students learn the law in a variety of ways that have direct application to real practice.

Many students find time to participate in curricular and co-curricular activities, such as working on one of Hamline’s law journals, representing clients as a student practitioner in one of 1 1 law clinics, or participating on an award-winning moot court team. Still others manage to find time to travel for a study abroad opportunity in locales such as Rome or London.

Each student determines the level of involvement that best fits his or her circumstances. Hamline’s faculty and staff accommodate part-time students’ busy schedules by offering programs and office hours on the weekends. For example, it is common for Career Services workshops and student organization meetings to be held on Saturdays so weekend students can participate.

“It’s supposed to be hard. If it wasn’t hard,

everyone would be doing it. The ‘hard’ is what makes it

great . . . but Hamline’s weekend program allowed me to fulfi ll

my dream of becoming a lawyer even while working full-time.”

— Kristi Stanislawski ’05 Associate Attorney at Rajkowksi Hansmeier

“Weekend students are a joy to work with. They bring energy, practical

experience, and a willingness to fully

engage in creating an active community of

learners that is ideal for mastering the practice

of law.”

— Professor James Coben

Experienced Students Becoming Respected LawyersStudents in Hamline’s part-time weekend program enjoy a depth of experience that is more meaningful than may be possible in a traditional law school setting.

Most part-time Hamline law students are slightly older than their full-time counterparts. Many have ongoing professional lives, spouses and children. Not surprisingly, they bring vast experience and varied outlooks on life and law to the classroom — and to their new legal careers after graduation. Students learn from each other, even as they learn from their experienced and respected faculty members.

Studying law later in life offers unique advantages. Many students use their JD to further a career in progress, while others launch an exciting new path in law. For many adults, returning to school to earn an advanced degree allows them to finally realize a long-held dream to expand their knowledge of themselves and the world.

No matter where a JD leads, weekend students at Hamline gain knowledge, develop skills and enjoy opportunities that enrich their lives, both personally and professionally.

Listen to student stories at:

www.hamline.edu/law/weekend

“We’re a bit older than a traditional law class. Many of us have ongoing

professional lives, spouses and children. The cumulative life

experience of the Hamline weekend class fosters an academic environment

I don’t believe I would have found elsewhere. We are a family here.”

— Ryan StutzmanWeekend law student commuting

from Duluth, MN

Robins Kaplan Miller & Ciresi is a leading Minneapolis law fi rm. Many Hamline alumni serve in leadership roles at the fi rm as partners and associates.

“The weekend program has proved to be a perfect fi t for Hamline Law School in so many ways.

First, it has opened an exciting door for students who could not

otherwise obtain a JD. In addition, our weekend

students tend to be more mature, bringing greater breadth of

experience and clarity of purpose to their studies. As a result, they heighten classroom engagement

with their enthusiastic focus, thirst for learning, and practical real-

world perspectives. Finally, because weekend program participants must master a demanding and delicate

balancing act, their ability to coordinate full-time employment,

personal commitments, and a rigorous academic schedule well

prepares them to become successful legal professionals.”

— Professor Carol Swanson

Office of Admissions1536 Hewitt AvenueSaint Paul, MN 55104-1237

www.hamline.edu/law/weekend

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PAIDHamline University

Part-Time Weekend Program“Hamline is producing better trial lawyers, because they have people who are experiencing more of life than just simply academics.”

— District Court Judge John McBride ’77