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r e g e n t u n i v e r s i t y s c h o o l o f l a w
l a w i s m o r e t h a n a p r o f e s s i o n . i t ' s a c a l l i n g .
We believe eternal principles of truth and justice inform the way we should teach, study and practice law.
Regent offers a rigorous legal education within the context of a Biblical worldview, recognizing that the legal profession is a call to a much higher service.
Are you called to something nobler, something greater?
A Higher Call
Law is more than a profession. It ’s a calling.
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Dean’s Message
Mission Statement Introduction Academics Alumni
Campus & Community
Admissions & Financial AidFaculty
2 203 6 244 16 27
T here was a time when lawyers were known as counselors-at-law. They were trained not just for a job, but also for a higher service. At Regent University School of Law that
time still exists. To send out more lawyers today is not enough. Our society needs men and women who are called to something higher, something greater. Regent Law exists to equip men and women like you who choose to respond to that call. We desire to train counselors-at-law who will serve as trusted advisors and community leaders.
Part of that training is to equip you with the skills you need to be an excellent attorney. We have an outstanding and rigorous writing program. Our Center for Advocacy provides superb training in the legal skills of negotiation, trial advocacy and appellate advocacy, and we have seen the fruit of those outstanding programs. Indeed, as you will read in the following pages, our competition teams are among the best in the nation, and our graduates pass the bar and find employment with considerable success.
But training in legal skills alone is not enough. What makes Regent different from most law schools approved by the American Bar Association is that we thoroughly integrate a Christian perspective into the classroom. We are committed to the proposition that there are truths—eternal principles of justice—informing the way we should practice law and truths about the law itself. We believe character matters. We talk openly about how an attorney can display attributes such as integrity and humility in a profession that can challenge both. And we discuss not only what the law is but also where it came from and what it ought to be.
As you consider a calling to law, I encourage you to consider a legal education that recognizes the critical role the Christian faith should play in our legal system and your professional life. I trust that in so doing, you will be drawn to Regent for your legal studies.
Jeffrey A. Brauch Dean and Professor, School of Law
Dean’s Message
“We’re not just creating more lawyers; we’re creating a different kind of lawyer.”
Jeffrey A. Brauch, Dean Regent University School of Law
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Our mission is to provide an excellent legal education from a Christian perspective, to nurture and encourage our students toward spiritual maturity, and to engage the world through Christian legal thought and practice.
Mission Statement
Our mission includes:
> > >
The grounding of students in the Biblical foundations of law, legal institutions and processes of conflict resolution; the recognition of questions of righteousness in the operation of law; and the pursuit of true justice through professional legal service.
The education and training of students to become excellent lawyers within the standards of the legal profession.
The nurturing and encouragement of students to become mature Christians who exercise the gifts of the Holy Spirit and display the fruit of the Holy Spirit in their personal and professional lives.
The nurturing and encouragement of other law students, practicing lawyers, judges, legislators, government officials, educators and others to recognize and seek the Biblical foundations of law, legal institutions and the processes of conflict resolution; to recognize questions of righteousness in the operation of the law; and to pursue true justice through professional legal service.
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We are a nondenominational academic institution that welcomes students of all faiths, cultures and backgrounds who wish to study law from a Christian perspective.
Regent Law was fully accredited by the American Bar Association (ABA) in 1996, allowing students to sit for the bar examination in any jurisdiction in the nation.
Students have the option of enrolling in our accelerated 2-year, 2.5 year, traditional 3-year, or part-time J.D. programs.
The Honors Program provides select students who are entering law school or have performed at the top of their law school class with exclusive academic and community experiences in areas integral to becoming Christian lawyers and Christian leaders.
Ninety-eight percent of Regent Law students evaluate their entire educational experience as “good” or “excellent,” compared to the national average of 79 percent (2012 Law School Survey of Student Engagement [LSSSE]).
Our faculty of Christian legal scholars—from noted institutions such as Harvard, Yale and the University of Chicago—are deeply committed to students’ academic and spiritual success. Distinguished faculty include former U.S. Attorney John Ashcroft and ACLJ chief counsel Dr. Jay A. Sekulow.
The Center for Global Justice equips students to leverage the rule of law in ending human rights abuses worldwide through funded international internships, coursework, and human rights-related programming.
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Introduction
We couple academic excellence with an emphasis on spiritual integrity, educating a different kind of lawyer, uniquely prepared to practice law.
Our academic program begins with solid legal skills preparation. First-year courses include those that examine the Christian foundation of law and impart crucial skills in legal analysis, research and writing. Second- and third-year students enjoy opportunities for externships, hands-on legal work and international study abroad programs. Graduates post impressive first-time bar passage rates. Our students enjoy an exceptional degree of access to faculty members. In addition to their own legal education and experience in the practice of law, they have answered Christ’s call both personally and professionally. Their dedication to serving others contributes to a caring and nurturing environment, one of the hallmarks of a Regent Law education.
Campus life encompasses more than the pursuit of an academic education. Regent Law is a true community where students from diverse backgrounds come together, united by their legal calling and their desire to make a lasting difference. Situated in southeastern Virginia, the Regent campus enjoys a mild, coastal, four-season climate, and the region offers students an array of social, recreational and cultural activities. In recent national surveys of law school students, The Princeton Review has recognized Regent Law as a top-ten for “Best Quality of Life.”
Regent Law was fully accredited by the American Bar Association in 1996. In a relatively short time, our alumni have earned a reputation that reflects the solid legal training and Christian principles that are our bedrock. Regent Law graduates—in private practice, judicial clerkships, government and corporate positions, and public service organizations—arrive at their first jobs with remarkable maturity and the ability to be productive right away. Moreover, they secure employment at rates at or above recent national averages.
Students who are academically qualified and possess a sincere desire to receive a legal education with a foundation in everlasting principles of justice are invited to apply to Regent University School of Law. We offer a rigorous legal education in the context of a supportive Christian community, preparing our students to succeed at much more than a profession. We equip them to fulfill a calling.
Our Center for Advocacy’s legal skills programs emphasize writing, negotiation, trial and appellate advocacy skills, and develop law students who regularly earn top honors at regional and national competitions.
The American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ) and ACLJ chief counsel Dr. Jay A. Sekulow, distinguished professor, are integral to the campus community.
Clinical, public interest and third-year practice programs allow students to work on actual cases and gain valuable hands-on experience while still in law school.
Students enjoy international study opportunities in France, Israel, England, South Korea, Spain, China and Uganda.
Recognized by The Princeton Review as a top-ten law school for “Best Quality of Life,” Regent Law facilitates students' learning in a caring and nurturing environment.
Our alumni—servant leaders practicing in 47 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and several foreign countries—include public servants such as Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell '89.
With a financial aid program of over $4 million, over 80 percent of our students receive financial aid in the form of Regent scholarships and grants; over 90 percent of our students receive assistance through other forms of aid.
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Academics
“J.D., plus” – a description coined by Professor Bradley Jacob—aptly summarizes the integration of faith and law in our academic curriculum and community.
To those prospective students who may ask whether a legal education at Regent Law is more heavily weighted toward Christian philosophy than it is to practice, the answer is no. Our students receive rigorous legal training with the added benefit of a Christian perspective through which to view the law.
Our students are required to take courses that balance analytical skills with the practical written and oral skills vital to success in the everyday practice of law. Regent Law’s legal research and writing program and advocacy skills boards ensure that our graduates are fundamentally sound attorneys.
Each law class is longer than the ABA requires in order to accommodate a period of prayer and devotion. Whether led by students or faculty, this time can be used as a teaching moment or for corporate worship, and is a welcome contrast to the reception that public affirmations of Christ might receive elsewhere.
Many graduates of Regent Law describe their academic experience here as “life-changing.” In a unique environment where talking openly about the Christian faith is welcomed, they cherish memories of an excellent legal education, outstanding professors and supportive classmates.
In a close-knit community of scholars, our students receive rigorous legal training plus the added benefit of a Christian perspective through which to view the law.
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David Velloney, Professor J.D., Yale Law School; LL.M., Army JAG School
“I recognize from my time at Yale the importance of academic rigor in any law school experience,” Professor David Velloney says, “and Regent turns out some of the best and most well-prepared trial attorneys in the country – bar none.”
After a successful career in the Pentagon, Professor Velloney began looking for opportunities to teach and was drawn to Regent’s mission and focus on the integration of faith and law. He works within Regent’s Center for Advocacy to train students in the intricacies of civil and criminal trials, emphasizing the practical legal skills necessary for success in practice and in the courtroom.
“Our students are not only academically excellent and possess the character traits we would expect of Christian attorneys, but they also have the skills they need to immediately have an impact as successful practitioners in real-word legal practice,” he says.
Degree Programs
Juris Doctor (J.D.)
Regent Law students must complete a total of 90 credit hours for the Juris Doctor degree. All courses taken during full-time students’ first year and part-time students’ first two years are required courses.
Accelerated J.D. Program (2 yrs.)
Students study full-time for six consecutive terms starting in early June. After the first summer, accelerated-program students study the same curriculum with the same professors enjoyed by students in the traditional three-year full-time program. Learn more at regent.edu/accjd.
Students can also earn a J.D. in 2.5 years by taking courses during the summer and increasing their fall/spring credit hours.
Full-Time J.D. Program (3 yrs.)
Full-time students will graduate in three calendar years by enrolling in courses in the fall and spring semesters. All first-year classes meet Monday through Friday during the morning and afternoon hours. Classes taken during the second and third years may meet in the day or evening. The ABA accreditation standards presently limit students to 20 hours of work per week when enrolled in more than 12 credit hours.
First-Year ScheduleFall Semester (16 credit hours)
Christian Foundations of Law
Civil Procedure I
Contracts I
Legal Analysis, Research & Writing I
Property I
Torts I
Spring Semester (15 credit hours)
Civil Procedure II
Contracts II
Legal Analysis, Research & Writing II
Property II
Torts II
Part-Time J.D. Program (4-5 yrs.)
Part-time students take courses with full-time students, but at a more flexible pace. Part-time students who desire to be employed for more than 20 hours per week, or for other reasons need a more flexible schedule, will generally be able to earn their J.D. in four to five calendar years.
First-Year Schedule
Fall Semester (10-12 credit hours) Spring Semester (9-12 credit hours)
For more information on enrollment requirements see regent.edu/lawacademics.
Master of Laws (LL.M.) in American
Legal Studies - On Campus & Online
American law is now the common currency of business transactions worldwide, influencing law, policy and government around the globe.
Regent University School of Law’s on-campus or online LL.M. in American Legal Studies meets the need for international attorneys who wish to be trained in American law. Designed for gradu-ates of accredited institutions outside the U.S. who have already earned a J.D.-equivalent law degree, Regent’s LL.M. offers students a rigorous academic experience plus the unique benefit of studying American law from a Christian perspec-tive. With Regent’s online LL.M. in American Legal Studies program option, students can earn an exceptional legal degree without the added expense of leaving home, job or family to study abroad. Learn more at regent.edu/llm.
Administrative Law/Regulated Industries
• Administrative Law
• Environmental Law
• Immigration Law & Procedure
• Legislation
Clinical and Legal Skills
• Advanced Appellate Advocacy I & II
• Advanced Legal Research & Writing
• Advanced Trial Practice
• Appellate Advocacy
• Civil Litigation Practicum
• Client Interviewing & Counseling
• Drafting Contracts
• Family Mediation
• General Mediation
• Independent Study
• Judicial/Governmental Externship
• Law Practice Management
• Law Practice Technology
• Legal Aid/Nonprofit Externship
• Litigation Clinic
• Negotiations
• Professional Responsibility
• Remedies
• Right to Work Practicum
• Trial Practice
Constitutional Law and Public Law
• Administrative Law
• Bioethics
• Conflict of Laws
• Constitutional Criminal Procedure
• Constitutional Law I & II
• Crime & Punishment
• Federal Courts
• First Amendment Law
• Gender & the Law
• Human Rights, Civil Liberties
& National Security
• International Human Rights
• Jurisprudence
• Land Use Planning
• Legal Aid/Nonprofit Law Externship
• Legislation
• Religion in the Workplace
• Right to Work Practicum
• Race & the Law
• School Law
• State & Local Government
Corporate and Commercial Law
• Admiralty
• Bankruptcy
• Business Associations
• Business Planning
• Corporate Tax
• Drafting Contracts
• Entertainment Law
• International Business Transactions
• Mergers & Acquisitions
• Partnership Tax
• Products Liability
• Securities Regulation
• Sports Law
• UCC I (Sales)
• UCC II (Secured Transactions)
• UCC III (Negotiable Instruments,
Payment Systems & Credits)
• Criminal Law & Procedure
• Constitutional Criminal Procedure
• Crime & Punishment
• Criminal Law
• Criminal Pre-trial Practice
Family Law
• Elder Law
• Family Mediation
• Juvenile Law
• Mediation
Health Law
• Bioethics
• Health Care Law
• Insurance
Intellectual Property
• Copyright Law
• Patent Law
• Trademark & Unfair Competition Law
International Law
• Conflict of Laws
• Immigration Law & Procedure
• International Human Rights
• International Business
Transactions
• International Human Trafficking
• International Comparative Law
• International Law
Legal Theory and History
• Biblical Law
• Crime & Punishment
• Gender & the Law
• Jurisprudence
Legal History
• Origins of the Western Legal Tradition
• Qur’anic Law
• Race & the Law
Litigation
• Advanced Appellate Advocacy I & II
• Advanced Legal Research & Writing
• Advanced Trial Practice
• Civil Litigation Practicum
• Civil Pre-trial Practice & Procedure
• Criminal Pre-trial Practice & Procedure
• Evidence
• Litigation Clinic
• Negotiations
• Remedies
• Trial Practice
Property/Real Estate
• Environmental Law
• Land Use Planning
• Real Estate Transactions & Skills
Taxation
• Corporate Tax
• Estate & Gift Tax
• Individual Federal Income Taxation
• Nonprofit, Tax-exempt
Organizations
• Partnership Tax
Wills and Trusts
• Estate & Gift Tax
• Estate Planning
• Fundamentals of Estate Planning
• Wills, Trusts & Estates
Areas of Specialization
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Academic ProgramsTraditional foundation courses are required of all students and provide the necessary background for bar examinations in jurisdictions throughout the United States. All students are also required to take an upper-level course to enhance their oral advocacy or mediation skills and an upper-level course to develop their skills in legal writing.
Honors Program
Our Honors Program provides select incoming law students with exclusive academic and community experiences in areas integral to becoming Christian lawyers and Christian leaders. Honors Program participants take classes with other high-performing students and enjoy a high level of in-class intellectual engagement.
All of our students, including those in the Honors Program, benefit from smaller class sizes than is typical at most schools, including those in the top tier. The results of this vibrant and personal academic community can be seen in our graduates’ bar passage rates, which comfortably exceed the national average.
Learn more at regent.edu/lawhonorsprogram.
Core Academic Program Courses
Business Associations Evidence
Civil Procedure Legal Analysis, Research & Writing
Constitutional Criminal Procedure Professional Responsibility
Constitutional Law Property
Contracts Torts
Criminal Law
Uniform Commercial Code (UCC) I
Academic Success Program
To help prepare our students for success in law school, we conduct a comprehensive, three-part program known as the Academic Success Program (ASP).
The Summer Program: An intensive, two-week class for selected entering students develops critical reading, analytical, study and test-taking skills in the period immediately before the standard academic orientation for all students.
Study Skills Workshops: Held during the school year, topics include techniques for briefing cases, outlining courses, solving legal problems, and preparing for and taking law school exams.
One-On-One Advising: ASP faculty members facilitate academic success through individual meetings and mentoring sessions.
Center for Advocacy Skills Training
Composed of a number of academic programs, advocacy skills training and
opportunities for hands-on legal experience, Regent Law’s Center for Advocacy
connects classroom instruction with real-world experience while providing
opportunities to integrate ministry within the legal profession.
Legal Analysis, Research and Writing: Rigorous legal training rests on this
foundation, a required course in both the fall and spring semesters for all
first-year students.
Advocacy Skills Boards and Teams: The Alternative Dispute Resolution Board,
Moot Court Board and Trial Advocacy Board provide students with valuable
practice in negotiation, oral advocacy, brief-writing and trial-preparation skills.
Membership depends on academic achievement, and competitions take place
on interscholastic, intramural, regional and national levels.
Hands-On Legal Work: The Civil Litigation Clinic, the Singer Civil Litigation
Practicum and the National Right to Work Practicum offer students real-life
experience working under the immediate supervision of a seasoned attorney.
Externships give students the opportunity to earn academic credit for work
performed in a variety of nonprofit practice settings.
Center for Global Justice,Human Rights, and the Rule of Law
Global Reach, Global Impact: International Opportunities
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Strasbourg, France: International Human Rights Program
Strasbourg is home to the European Court of Human Rights and the Council of Europe. For more than 10 years, Regent Law has partnered with the European Center for Law and Justice to offer students direct access to legal institutions and leaders in Strasbourg, internationally considered the intellectual center of human rights law and policy. The program's faculty includes former U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft.
Jerusalem and Haifa, Israel
Our summer program in Israel offers an opportunity to study current issues of international law as they apply to the modern state of Israel and compare and contrast the Biblical and Qur’anic concepts of war. Students visit the Supreme Court of Israel, the Knesset and a military court on the West Bank;they swim in the Dead Sea, enjoy a cruise on the Sea of Galilee and observe Shabbat prayers at the Western Wall.
Kampala, Uganda
Uganda is a central location to various human rights initiatives in East Africa, including an International Justice Mission branch based in Kampala, the International Criminal Court (ICC), the Uganda Human Rights Commission, and the Uganda Human Rights Tribunal.
Students enjoy coursework in African Human Rights at Uganda Christian University (UCU) along with opportunities to observe local community legal empowerment initiatives firsthand.
The Center for Global Justice equips students to exercise the law in ending global human rights abuses. It also provides resources and support to ministries, organizations and individuals who are fighting to rescue the poor and needy among us.
Students interested in international and human rights law have the opportunity to do hands-on legal research and advocacy internships while being trained and equipped as advocates for the world’s poor and oppressed. In support of these initiatives, Regent Law funds over 20 international internships each year.
International Study Opportunities
> Learn more at regent.edu/globaljustice.
The American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ) is a premier national public interest law firm specializing in constitutional law and the defense of religious and civil liberties. ACLJ chief counsel Dr. Jay Sekulow, a nationally recognized constitutional advocate, has appeared before the United States Supreme Court 13 times in defense of constitutional freedoms.
Regent Law’s relationship with the ACLJ allows students a competitive opportunity to apply for paid and unpaid positions assisting ACLJ attorneys. It also provides students with extraordinary opportunities to participate in historic projects such as the ACLJ’s unanimous (9-0) Supreme Court victory in the First Amendment case Pleasant Grove City v. Summum.
Dr. Jay Sekulow, a respected defender of religious freedom and an accomplished judicial advocate, brings nationally recognized expertise to the Regent Law faculty and provides current students with unparalleled opportunities to contribute to the most important legal cases of our time.
As chief counsel for the American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ), Sekulow has argued several landmark cases before the U.S. Supreme Court that have since become part of the legal landscape in the area of religious liberty litigation. In Westside School District v. Mergens, Sekulow cleared the way for public school students to form Bible clubs and religious organizations on their school campuses. In Lamb's Chapel v. Center Moriches School District, he defended the free speech rights of religious groups, ensuring that they be treated equally with respect to the use of public facilities. And, most recently, in Pleasant Grove City v. Summum, Sekulow's argument resulted in a unanimous First Amendment decision clearing the way for governments to accept permanent monuments of their choosing—including Ten Commandments monuments—in public parks. Regent Law students assisted Sekulow in preparing and researching the brief and arguments in this landmark decision.
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“At Regent you can study constitutional rights in an environment that sucessfully defends them.”
Dr. Jay Sekulow Chief Counsel, ACLJ Distinguished Professor of Law
American Center for Law and Justice
Pohang, South Korea
Regent Law has partnered with Handong International Law School in Pohang, South Korea, for nearly a decade. Handong is truly a sister school, living out its motto “Why not change the world?” by teaching law from a Christian perspective. Student and professor exchanges enrich both schools and have paved the way for a unique joint publication, Regent Journal of International Law.
China, Spain and England
Students also have the opportunity to participate in semester programs at Shantou University in Shantou, China;San Pablo University in Madrid and Abat Oliba University in Barcelona, Spain;and in a summer program at Oxford University sponsored by the Robertson School of Government at Regent University.
*Regent’s Oxford program is not approved for course credit by the ABA.
Competitions & Awards
Winners of the National Black Law Students Association (NBLSA) International Negotiation Championship and the TYLA National Trial Competition Regional Championship.
Winners of the William B. Spong Jr. Invitational Moot Court Tournament and the Mehrige National Environmental Law Negotiation Competition.
Winner of the William B. Spong Jr. Moot Court Invitational Tournament Best Oralist Award.
Winners of the 2012 ABA Regional Negotiation Competition. Top 8 finish, out of 191 teams, at the National Moot Court Competition; 2nd & 5th Place finishes at the ABA National Negotiation Competition (only school to send two teams to the final round).
2011
2012
2010
2009
Each year, Regent Law students have the opportunity to sharpen
their legal writing, oral advocacy and negotiation skills by
competing in a variety of moot court, mock trial and negotiation
competitions across the country. Our students have been extremely
successful in competitions at both the regional and national levels.
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> For a complete list of recognitions and awards visit regent.edu/lawawards.
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Alternative Dispute Resolution & Client Counseling Awards
Moot Court Awards
Team Championships 2009 William B. Spong Jr. Invitational Moot Court Tournament
2008 William B. Spong Jr. Invitational Moot Court Tournament
2008 ABA National Appellate Advocacy Competition – Regional Champions (Two Regent teams advanced to National Championship rounds.)
2006 ABA National Appellate Advocacy Competition – National Champions
Best Brief Awards 2011 2011 Billings, Exum, and Frye National Moot Court Competition
2008 ABA National Appellate Advocacy Competition, Washington, D.C., Region
2008 2008 William B. Spong Jr. Invitational Moot Court Tournament
Best Oralist Awards 2011 William B. Spong, Jr., Moot Court Invitational Tournament
2009 Moot Court National Championship, University of Houston Law Center
2007 ABA National Appellate Advocacy Competition, Washington, D.C., Region
Trial Advocacy Awards
Team Championships 2010 TYLA National Trial Competition Regional Champions
2009 Stetson University National Pre-trial Advocacy Competition
Best Brief Awards 2009 Stetson University National Pre-trial Advocacy Competition
2008 Stetson University National Pre-trial Advocacy Competition
Best Oralist Awards 2009 Stetson University National Pre-trial Advocacy Competition
Team Championships 2012 Regional Champions – ABA Negotiation Competition
2010, 2008 National Champions – NBLSA International Negotiation Competition
2009 National Champions – Robert R. Merhige Sr. National Environmental Law Negotiation Competition
2007 National Champions – ABA National Negotiation Competition
In 2012, two teams from Regent placed among the top-five teams in the American Bar Association (ABA) National Negotiation Competition.
In 2012, Regent's Moot Court team finished as one of the top-eight teams out of a field of 191 teams nationwide at the National Moot Court Competition.
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From former vice president of the United States Al Gore, to Republican presidential candidate and former governor of Arkansas, Mike Huckabee, Regent consistently brings a wide spectrum of world leaders to campus to speak directly to issues affecting the Regent Law community.
Distinguished Guests
Regent University continues to host distinguished
guests and speakers from diverse backgrounds
and experiences.
Ehud BarakFormer Prime Minister of Israel
Paul BegalaDemocratic Political Consultant and Former Advisor to President Bill Clinton
Donna BrazileDemocratic National Committee Vice-Chair of Voter Registration and Participation
The Honorable Janice Rogers BrownJudge of the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit
Admiral Vern Clark (USN, Ret.)Former Chief of Naval Operations, United States Navy
Steve ForbesPresident and Chief Executive Officer, Forbes Inc.; and Editor-in-Chief, Forbes magazine
Dr. Robert P. GeorgeCyrus Hall McCormick Professor of Jurisprudence, Princeton University
Al GoreFormer Vice President of the United States
The Honorable Leroy R. Hassell Sr.Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Virginia
Hugh HewittRadio Talk Show Host, Constitutional Scholar and Author
Mike HuckabeeFormer Governor of Arkansas and Republican Presidential Candidate
Veryl V. MilesDean of The Catholic University of America Columbus School of Law
The Honorable Andrew P. NapolitanoFormer New Jersey Superior Court Judge
The Honorable Clarence ThomasAssociate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States
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Sarah Chang, Student
“I approached the law school application process with a lot of hesitation and uncertainty—and prayer,” Chang says. “I didn’t want to go somewhere
where I wouldn’t be able to learn about how to glorify God through the law. And then I heard about Regent.” Coming from the University of
Florida, Sarah says she initially had difficulty adjusting to Regent’s smaller class sizes. Yet, it was Regent’s close-knit Christian community and
deeply committed faculty that confirmed for her that Regent was the law school that could best prepare her to fulfill her legal calling. “When
Professor Charles Oates asked to hear my life’s story so that he could learn how he could pray for me, I knew Regent was where I belonged."
Library patrons may access electronic legal research resources essential to legal research via wireless connection or through LAN ports. The traditional print collection is supplemented with continuing subscription access to a growing collection of electronic resources; specialized topical resources and e-journals are made available via the Internet.
Regent Law librarians—most of whom hold both the Juris Doctor and the Master of Library or Information Science—are
experienced and committed professionals who meet the research needs of students as well as those of the faculty and members of the local bar.
The Law Library’s physical collection of over 395,000 volumes and equivalents is continually maintained and updated. Significant scholarly materials are available for research in public policy and law, religion and law, international law, constitutional law, and legal history. In addition, the Law Library holds several
special collections, including several rare scholarly resources.
The Founders Collection—the law library of an early American law school—numbers more than 1,000 volumes spanning four centuries and includes numerous historical early American and British imprints of treatises, reports, and state and federal materials. The Bunche Collection contains over 400 pieces, many signed, from the personal library of Ralph Bunche, 1950 recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize.
Law Library
Regent’s Law Library—recently expanded and remodeled—occupies the entire third floor of the University Library building immediately adjacent to Robertson Hall, where all law classes are held.
Over 395,000 volumes and
equivalents.
Statutes and digests of all 50
states and three U.S. territories.
Complete National Reporter
System and all cases prior to the
reporter system.
Material for research in state
and federal legislative history
and unique special collections.
As a Regent Law student, you will receive a
rigorous legal education from faculty members
deeply committed to your academic and
spiritual success. Our graduates will tell you
that the influence of their professors continues
well after they leave Regent for careers in
private practice, business, government, judicial
clerkships and public interest organizations.
Regent Law faculty members were educated in some of the nation’s finest undergraduate universities and law schools. They are excellent legal scholars, practitioners and professors. They publish in legal journals, perform pro bono work and address issues of social justice. They are active in the emerging sphere of international law.
For all their legal expertise and experience, what ultimately makes our faculty so important to our students is their accessibility. Mindful of their duty to serve others as well as God, Regent Law professors balance the exacting discipline of a legal education with a friendly and supportive commitment to students' success.
Students find that when they leave Regent Law they possess a foundation in legal learning and skills that supports them throughout their careers. They also remember an essential lesson taught by every professor: Law is more than a profession. It’s a calling. And that makes all the difference to our graduates and those they serve.
Distinguished Faculty
Distinguished Faculty
Former Attorney General Ashcroft is excited to be a part of the Regent Law faculty because it gives him greater latitude to pursue the truth than is commonly available in a secular environment. As distinguished professor of law and government, Ashcroft imparts invaluable lessons of leadership to his students while emphasizing the role of faith in decision making. He teaches from experience.
When terrorists attacked the United States on September 11, 2001, Ashcroft was charged with charting an effective legal response to the attacks and oversaw a remarkable period of national safety and security afterwards.
“When the nation is under attack you have to make decisions absent the kind of comfort that comes from knowing all the facts,” he says. “And in that event, you have to have a lot of faith in the people with whom you’re working, and you have to trust God to help you make successful decisions. Faith can mitigate against paralysis in times of crisis when it is not possible to obtain all the salient pieces of information.”
Regent Law students benefit from more than Ashcroft’s expertise and wealth of experience at the highest levels of government. They enjoy the collegial support and encouragement he gives to the next generation of legal leaders.
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Dr. Jay Sekulow, a respected defender of religious freedom and an accomplished judicial advocate, brings nationally recognized expertise to the Regent Law faculty and provides current students with unparalleled opportunities to contribute to the most important legal cases of our time.
Randy Singer, Attorney-in-Residence and director of the Singer Civil Litigation Practicum, is a veteran trial lawyer, critically acclaimed author and ministry leader. Singer teaches "Faith, Ethics and the Practice of Law," and directs Regent’s Singer Civil Litigation Practicum.
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John Ashcroft, former U.S.Attorney General Distinguished Professor
of Law and Government.
J.D., University of Chicago Law School;
B.A., Yale University
James M. Boland Assoc. Prof.: J.D.,
Regent University School of Law;
Articles Editor, Regent University Law
Review;MTS, Gordon-Conwell
Theological Seminary;
B.A., Wheaton College
Jeffrey A. Brauch Dean and Professor: J.D., with honors,
University of Chicago Law School;B.A.,
with distinction,
University of Wisconsin, Madison
Eleanor Weston Brown Assoc. Prof.: LL.M. in Taxation,
William & Mary Law School;
J.D., T.C. Williams School of Law,
University of Richmond;
B.A., University of Virginia
James A. Davids Assistant Professor of Government
and Law in the Schools of Government
and Law & Director of LL.M. in
American Legal Studies: J.D.;
Duke University School of Law;
B.A., Calvin College
Erin DeBoer Instructor: J.D., Regent University
School of Law; B.A., summa cum
laude, Hillsdale College
Eric DeGroff Prof.: J.D., Regent
University School of Law;
MPA, University of Southern
California;B.A., cum laude,
Phi Beta Kappa, Kansas University
James J. Duane Prof.: J.D., cum laude,
Harvard Law School;
A.B., magna cum laude, Phi Beta
Kappa, Harvard College
Bruce N. Cameron Reed Larson Professor of Labor Law:
J.D., Emory University School of Law;
B.A., with honors, Andrews University
Kenneth ChingAsst. Prof.: J.D., Duke University
School of Law;
B.A., University of Nevada
Douglas H. Cook Prof. & Assoc. Dean for Academic
Affairs: J.D., with honors, Ohio State
University College of Law;B.A.,
magna cum laude, Miami University
Alice Curtis Assoc. Prof.: M.A., Antioch University;
J.D., Georgetown University;
B.A., magna cum laude,
Howard University
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Lynne Marie Kohm John Brown McCarty Prof.
of Family Law: J.D., Syracuse
University College of Law;
B.A., State University of New York
at Albany
Benjamin V. Madison III Prof.: J.D., William & Mary Law School;
M.A., The College of William & Mary;
B.A., Randolph-Macon College
Kathleen A. McKee Assoc. Prof. & Dir. of Civil Litigation
Clinic: LL.M. in Labor Law, Georgetown
University Law Center; J.D., Columbus
School of Law, Catholic University,
Washington, D.C.; B.A., State
University of New York at Albany
James E. Murphy Assoc. Dean for Admin.:
J.D., University of Oklahoma School
of Law;B.A., University of Iowa
Michael V. Hernandez Prof.: J.D., University of Virginia
School of Law; B.A., with high distinction,
University of Virginia
Bradley P. Jacob Assoc. Prof.: J.D., University of Chicago
Law School; B.A., summa cum laude,
University of Delaware
Joseph N. Kickasola Prof., joint appointment in the Schools
of Government, Law and Divinity:
Ph.D., Brandeis University; National
Woodrow Wilson Dissertation Fellow;
M.A., Brandeis University; B.D., Westminster
Theological Seminary, Philadelphia;
B.A., Houghton College
Janis L. Kirkland Instr. & Assist. Dir., Legal Research
& Writing: J.D., valedictorian, magna cum
laude, T.C. Williams School
of Law, University of Richmond;
B.S., The College of William & Mary
Tessa Dysart Asst. Prof.:
J.D., Harvard Law School;
B.A., Willamette University
Thomas C. Folsom Prof.: J.D., Georgetown University
Law Center; B.S., United States Air
Force Academy
L.O. Natt Gantt II Assoc. Prof., Assoc. Dean for Student
Affairs & Dir. of Academic Success:
M.Div., summa cum laude, Gordon-
Conwell Theological Seminary;
J.D., cum laude, Harvard Law
School; A.B., summa cum laude,
Duke University
Louis W. Hensler III Prof.: J.D., University of Chicago Law
School; B.A., Bob Jones University
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David Velloney Assoc. Prof.: LL.M. in Military Law,
The Judge Advocate General’s School;
J.D., Yale Law School;B.S., United
States Military Academy (West Point)
David M. Wagner Prof.: J.D., George Mason University
School of Law;M.A. and B.A.,
Yale University
Gloria A. Whittico Asst. Prof. & Assoc. Dir. of Academic
Success: J.D., University of Virginia
School of Law;A.B., The College of
William & Mary
Haskell Murray Asst. Prof.: J.D., Georgia State University
College of Law;
Editorial Board, Georgia State
University Law Review;
B.A., Rhodes College
Charles H. Oates Prof.: MSLS, Catholic University
of America;J.D., Stetson University
College of Law
B.A., University of Florida
C. Scott Pryor Prof.: M.A., Reformed
Theological Seminary;
J.D., University of Wisconsin;
B.A., Dordt College
Michael P. Schutt Assoc. Prof. & Dir., Institute for Christian
Legal Studies: J.D., with honors,
University of Texas School of Law;
B.A., cum laude, Stephen F. Austin
State University
Dr. Jay A. Sekulow Distinguished Professor:
Ph.D., Regent University;
J.D., Mercer University School of Law;
B.A., Mercer University
Judge Robert M.M. Seto Prof. Emeritus: LL.M. in Government
Contract Law, The George Washington
University;J.D., St. Louis University
School of Law;B.S., St. Louis University
Craig A. Stern Prof.: J.D., University of Virginia School
of Law;B.A., cum laude, Yale University
Kimberly R. Van Essendelft Instr., Legal Research & Writing:
J.D., William & Mary Law School;
B.A., with distinction, University
of Virginia
> Visit regent.edu/lawfaculty for more information.
Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell ’89 (Law and Government), a member of Regent Law’s charter class, is just one of over 2,500 law alumni serving as lawyers in public and private practice, judges, legislators, elected officials, and human rights advocates around the world.
McDonnell's inaugural remarks provide a window into what Regent University School of Law means by its motto, "Law is more than a profession. It’s a calling." For McDonnell, part of being governor of Virginia is following a call to create opportunity for its citizens.
"As Virginians, we believe that government must help foster a society in which all our people can use their God-given talents in liberty to pursue the American dream," McDonnell says. "Where opportunity is absent, we must
create it. Where opportunity is limited, we must expand it. Where opportunity is unequal, we must make it open to everyone."
In November 2005, McDonnell was elected attorney general for the commonwealth of Virginia, a position he held until February of 2009. Before that, he served in Virginia’s House of Delegates and practiced law as a prosecutor.
McDonnell believes the integration of faith and learning within the Regent Law curriculum makes Regent an important institution of higher learning, and he credits the school with giving him the legal training he needed to fight for the policies that have made America a great nation.
"Where opportunity is absent, we must create it. Where opportunity is limited, we must expand it. Where opportunity is unequal, we must make it open to everyone."
Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell '89 20
Regent Law alumni practice with distinction across the United States and in countries around the world. They are engaged across the spectrum of law: in private practice, in government and various branches of the United States military, in businesses both large and small, in judicial clerkships, in public interest organizations and academia, and as elected officials.
As they move on to successful careers, our alumni continue to support the school by remaining connected to current students and assisting them in their career planning and job searches.
Regent’s first-time Virginia Bar exam pass rate for 2012 graduates, including both the Feb and July bar exams, was 81.5%. The overall Virginia Bar exam first-time passage rate was 72.5%.Regent’s first-time bar exam passage rate for 2011 graduates, all states, was 82.3%. The national average, all states, was 79%.
As important as those statistics are to prospective students, they are only one measure of a legal education at Regent Law. Another, even more important, is our alumni's commitment to making a difference in the world by serving others through excellence tempered with humility and grace.
Rhonda Kinard, Alumna Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney, Virginia
Alumni
Graduates of Regent Law benefit from the rigorous legal training that prepares them to succeed in legal environments of every description. In addition to a thorough grounding in legal skills, our alumni possess a comprehensive understanding of the Christian foundations of law, resulting in ethical, principled legal counsel.
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AlabamaBalch & Bingham, LLP
ArizonaShughart Thomson & Kilroy, PC
CaliforniaBonne, Bridges, Mueller, O’Keefe & NicholsJones Day
FloridaFowler Rodriguez & Chalos
IndianaIce Miller
IowaOtto & Lorence Law Firm
KansasStinson Morrison Hecker, LLP
KentuckyClark & WardGreenebaum Doll & McDonald, PLLC
Maryland Semmes, Bowen & Semmes, PC
MissouriShook, Hardy & Bacon
Michigan Kitch, Drutchas, Wagner, DeNardis & Valitutti
New Jersey Cooper Levenson, PA
North CarolinaKatten Muchin RosenmanMorris York Williams Surles & Barringer
OhioKeating Muething & Klekamp
PennsylvaniaSpector Gadon & Rosen, PC
South Carolina Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough, LLP
Tennessee Boult, Cummings, Conners & Berry, PLC
TexasCooper & Scully, PCKemp Smith, LLPWinstead Sechrest & Minick, PC
VirginiaCovington & BurlingGeorge Yates & Assoc. Glasser & Glasser, PLC Hirschler FleischerHuff, Poole & Mahoney, PC Hunton & WilliamsJones, Blechman, Woltz & Kelly, PCKaufman & Canoles Kirkland & Ellis, LLP McKenna Long & AldridgeMidkiff, Munice & Ross, PC Morgan LewisOliff & Berridge, PLCPatten, Wornom, Hatten & Diamonstein, LC Patton Boggs, LLPPender & CowardSteptoe & Johnson, PLLCTaylor & Walker, PCVandeventer Black, LLPWillcox & SavageWilliams MullenWolcott Rivers Gates
WisconsinReinhart Boerner Van DeuranWhyte Hirschboeck Dudek, SC
The Office of Career & Alumni ServicesFrom the beginning of the first year of law school, the Office of Career & Alumni Services provides students with guidance in the areas of professional development and employment. After graduation, the office continues to assist alumni as they develop satisfying careers in the legal profession.
Career & Alumni Services maintains an extensive resource library containing materials for preparing professional résumés, drafting cover letters, researching job opportunities and identifying professional networking strategies. Students are provided career planning guides to address their needs in each year of study. Additionally, workshops and individualized counseling sessions allow students to learn about career options, identify career interests and areas of personal strength, and develop networking and interviewing skills.
Attorneys and judges from the Hampton Roads area and members of the law faculty routinely participate in panel discussions and presentations on judicial clerkships, governmental positions, private firm employment, public interest employment and nontraditional career options.
An important avenue for connecting law students with local judges and practitioners is the James Kent American Inn of Court, an amalgam of judges, lawyers, law professors and students that holds programs on ethics, legal studies and professionalism to improve the practice of law. At Regent, the James Kent American Inn of Court invites a select number of third-year students to join as student members and provides networking opportunities with members of the bar in a nonlegal setting.
> regent.edu/lawcareerservices
Regent Law AlumniOur graduates have entered private practice in law firms throughout the United States. Regent Law alumni also serve as elected and appointed judges. Regent Law students have been particularly successful in securing highly competitive judicial clerkships. Many students have also served in organizations devoted to public interest and constitutional law issues. For a recent listing of alumni placement, visit regent.edu/lawcareerservices. Regent Law graduates have entered private practice, including the following law firms:
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Regent Law students have been
particularly successful in securing
highly competitive judicial
clerkships, including the following:
United States Bankruptcy Courts
United States Court of Appeals: Third Circuit Eighth CircuitFourth Circuit Tenth CircuitFifth Circuit Eleventh Circuit
United States Court of Federal Claims
United States District Courts
State Supreme Courts:
Alabama, Arizona, California,
Florida, Kentucky, Michigan,
Mississippi, Montana, New Mexico,
New York, North Carolina,
Texas, Virginia, Washington
Nationwide:
Family Courts
Juvenile & Domestic Relations Courts
State Courts of Appeals
State Circuit Courts
State District Courts
Alumni PlacementRegent Law, in conjunction with the Office of Career & Alumni Services, continues to build successful professional and personal relationships with members of the legal community nationwide. As a result of these relationships, Regent Law students obtain interviewing and networking opportunities with prominent employers
in Virginia and throughout the nation.
Regent Law alumni also serve as elected and
appointed judges, including the following:
Juvenile & Domestic Relations Court Judge Virginia Beach, Virginia
General District Court Judge Virginia Beach, Virginia
District Court Judge Norfolk, Virginia
Juvenile & Domestic Relations Court Judge Newport News, Virginia
District Court Judge Lexington, North Carolina
District Court Judge Goldsboro, North Carolina
District Court Judge Sanford, North Carolina
County Court Judge Ocala, Florida
Court of Common Pleas Judge Mansfield, Ohio
District Court Judge Dodge City, Kansas
Circuit Court Judge Pendleton, Oregon
Superior Court Judge Kotzebue, Alaska
Many Regent Law students, responding to a call in public interest or constitutional law, have served with the following organizations:
Alliance Defense Fund
American Center for Law and Justice
American Family Association
Community Defense Counsel
Concerned Women for America
Family Law Assistance Program
Free Congress Foundation Center for Law & Justice
Home School Legal Defense Association
Jubilee Campaign, USA
Judicial Watch Inc.
Just Law International Inc.
National Legal Foundation
Oklahomans for Children & Family
Samaritan House Southern Allegheny Legal Aid
Tidewater Legal Aid
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Kyle Westaway, Alumnus
Alumnus, social entrepreneur, and Harvard Law School lecturer Kyle Westaway is a self-proclaimed “southern boy” from Knoxville, Tennessee. However, from his home base in Manhattan, he’s carving out a global impact larger than he ever could have expected.
Kyle is a solo practitioner who primarily represents artists, entrepreneurs, and activists and believes in the power of the market to create positive social and environmental change.
While still a student at Regent, Westaway co-founded the campus chapter of International Justice Mission (IJM), a national agency that secures justice for victims of slavery, sexual exploitation, and other forms of violent oppression.
He has since launched Biographe - a sustainable style brand that employs and empowers survivors of the commercial sex trade - and co-founded, Westaway Law, an innovative Brooklyn, Ny. law firm that counsels social entrepreneurs.
Westaway’s unique legal calling is inspired by God’s call to care for the disenfranchised and downtrodden.
“Basically, for me, it’s clear that God has a special interest in the poor and oppressed, and we in a rich western nation have the resources to do something about it,” said Westaway.
> Statistics are accurate at time of printing. For the most recent alumni employment information visit regent.edu/lawcareerservices.
47% Law Firm
24% Business or Industry
12% Government
7% Public Interest
5% Judicial Clerkship
5% Academic
0% Military
Class of 2011 Practice Area Distribution
Fellowship
At Regent Law, students, faculty and staff share an abiding commitment to support one another. This is a challenging environment for legal learning, but not a place for fierce rivalry. We promote personal bests and applaud individual success in a spirit of humility and service to others. Our academic community represents a broad cross-section of the body of Christ, and we pray for each other in a genuine spirit of Christian fellowship.
Attending law school is a demanding endeavor, but Regent Law’s uniquely supportive environment and location in Virginia Beach, Va., help ease the pressures of obtaining a legal education. Students flourish in Regent’s caring community, coastal climate and collegial academic atmosphere.
Campus & Community
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Diversity
Regent Law is a nondenominational academic institution that welcomes students of all faiths, cultures and backgrounds who wish to study law from a Christian perspective. Regent Law students have come from hundreds of academic institutions nationwide with degrees in an array of fields. Minority students comprise approximately 15 percent of the student body.
Student Organizations
From student governance to moot court competitions, involvement in student organizations adds an extra dimension to the academic experience by providing opportunities for growth, personal enrichment and fellowship. Extracurricular student groups at Regent serve as a forum for students who share common interests and religious beliefs. These student groups frequently sponsor social, recreational and professional activities.
Student governance rests with two organizations: the Student Bar Association (SBA) and the Council of Graduate Students (COGS). The Student Bar Association provides governance only to Regent Law, while the Council of Graduate Students serves all Regent graduate schools. Both organizations serve as liaisons between members of the law school and university administration.
Alternative Dispute Resolution & Client Counseling Board (Negotiations) regent.edu/adr
Student Bar Association regent.edu/sba
Black Law Students Association (BLSA) regent.edu/blsa
Business Transactions Law Society (BTLS) regent.edu/btls
Christian Legal Society (CLS) clsnet.org
Federalist Society regent.edu/fedsoc
Intellectual Property & Entertainment Legal Society regent.edu/ipels
International Law Society (ILS) regent.edu/ils
Moot Court Board regent.edu/mootcourt
Phi Alpha Delta (PAD) regent.edu/pad
Public Interest Law Advocates of Regent (PILAR) regent.edu/pilar
Trial Advocacy Board regent.edu/trialad
Virginia Beach & Hampton RoadsJust a short drive from our campus, the Virginia Beach waterfront stretches some 35 miles from Chesapeake Bay beaches to the oceanfront resort area and the border of North Carolina. Energetic in warm weather months, relaxing in the off season, Virginia Beach’s oceanfront offers a welcome respite from your studies.
The city is part of the larger metropolitan area known as Hampton Roads, which encompasses southeastern Virginia and northeastern North Carolina. Within the area you’ll discover a wealth of attractions and activities. Residents enjoy quiet parks and vibrant downtowns, cultural offerings ranging from opera to outdoor festivals, and restaurants of all descriptions.
The following websites provide helpful information about the area:
City of Virginia Beach vbgov.com
Pilot Online hamptonroads.com/pilotonline
Hampton Roads Chamber of Commerce hamptonroadschamber.com
Hampton Roads Magazine hamptonroadsmagazine.com
Law Student Organizations
For a complete listing, visit regent.edu/laworgs.
Scholarly Publications
Three law journals provide students with an opportunity to enhance their legal research and legal writing skills:
Regent University Law Review A semiannual forum for articles written from a Christian worldview that address timely legal issues.
Regent Journal of International Law Founded in 2000, this is the first Christian scholarly publication dedicated to issues of international law.
Regent Journal of Law & Public Policy Founded in 2008, this journal provides a forum for articulating the intersection of law and public policy from a Christian perspective.
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HousingRegent student housing is available to single and married students in Regent Village. The Village offers a variety of floor plans and amenities, and is conveniently located close to campus.
Those interested in off-campus housing will find numerous apartment complexes, town homes and beach properties in the area. More than 30 apartment complexes are located within a 10-minute drive of campus.
Housing applications are accepted from admitted candidates. Many houses, apartments, beach cottages and condos are also available in the vicinity of the university, with varying prices and amenities from which to choose.
The following websites provide helpful information about off-campus housing:
Apartment Guide
apartmentguide.com
Off-Campus Housing Guide
regent.edu/offcampus
Yahoo! Real Estate
realestate.yahoo.com
Regent University Housing
regent.edu/housing
Regent Village
Campus VisitsProspective students are encouraged to visit the campus and participate in one of the many visitation programs hosted by the Office of Admissions. To schedule a visit, please call 757.352.4584 or email [email protected].
> For a list of visitation programs, visit regent.edu/lawvisitation.
Directions
By car: Take I-64 East to Exit 286B Indian River Road
to Regent University Drive, bear right and continue
to the third campus entrance where a sign identifies
Robertson Hall. The campus is less than a two-hour
drive from Richmond, Va.; four hours from Washington,
D.C.; an hour and a half from the Outer Banks of North
Carolina;and three hours from Raleigh/Durham.
By plane: The campus is 15 minutes from Norfolk
International Airport and less than 45 minutes from
Newport News/Williamsburg International Airport.
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Overnight Lodging
The Founders Inn and Spa offers luxurious but affordable accommodations adjacent to the Regent University campus. Reservations may be made by calling 800.926.4466 or by visiting foundersinn.com. Please indicate that you plan to visit Regent University School of Law when making your reservation.
> For more on-campus housing information and a video tour, visit regent.edu/housing.
If you are academically qualified and you desire to receive a rigorous legal education within the context of a Biblical worldview, we invite you to apply. Applicants for admission should possess a bachelor’s degree from an approved college or university prior to beginning their legal studies. The Admissions Committee recommends no particular major or undergraduate field of study. The committee welcomes applications with majors ranging from political science to electrical engineering and from Biblical studies to psychology.
All applicants for admission must take the Law School Admissions Test (LSAT) and subscribe to the Credential Assembly Service (CAS). The LSAT is offered four times annually: February, June, September/October and December. Applicants are encouraged to take the fall or December LSAT prior to their desired entry into Regent Law. Admission may be offered to candidates who take the February or June LSAT, although these applicants may be disadvantaged because of the limited remaining enrollment opportunities in the entering class. Registration materials for the LSAT may be requested online at lsac.org or by calling 215.968.1001.
Admissions & Financial Aid
Regent Law admits students with academic promise and calling who are serious about the critical roles they will assume as future attorneys, elected officials, and client advocates at home and abroad.
27
> Visit regent.edu/lawadmissions to apply.
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Selection Criteria
The Admissions Committee evaluates each applicant in terms of his or her LSAT score, overall GPA, grade trends, the rigor of courses completed, the competitiveness of the institution attended, comments from faculty, recommendations as related to the applicant’s performance, and future potential as a member of the legal profession.
For applicants who have completed a graduate degree, the Admissions Committee will consider performance at the graduate level in addition to the undergraduate record. For applicants who have been out of college for several years, the Admissions Committee will give increased consideration to the professional and personal accomplishments since the time of graduation.
Applications from prospective students with LSAT scores of 150 and above and undergraduate GPAs above 3.0 are especially encouraged, as Regent Law has evidence that such students are likely to succeed in law school and pass the bar exam on their first attempt. The Admissions Committee also places significant importance on the applicant’s personal statement. The Regent-specific statement provides the committee with insight into the applicant’s motivation for studying law, his or her commitment to receiving a legal education that integrates Christian principles and ethics, and knowledge of skills and abilities developed through employment experiences. Additionally, the committee highly values the spiritual life letters of recommendation when evaluating applicants’ mission harmony with Regent University.
By signing the required Community Life Form, applicants are stating that they understand the principles upon which the university was founded and agree to receive a graduate education that integrates these Christian precepts.
Requirements
The Admissions Committee welcomes applicants from all Christian denominations and non-Christians who desire to study at Regent in light of our Christian mission. Given Regent University’s unique mission as a Christian institution, applicants are asked to carefully read the Philosophy of Education section of the Community Life Form (included in the application materials at regent.edu/lawapply) and the Regent Law mission statement.
Strong academic credentials are crucial, but Regent Law also places significant importance on the Personal Statement and recommendations. The Personal Statement gives the Admissions Committee insight into the student’s motivation for studying law and reveals his or her desire to receive a legal education integrated with Christian principles.
Timelines
Applicants who wish priority consideration for admission and scholarship or grant assistance from Regent University School of Law are encouraged to apply by February 1, although applications for admission may be submitted anytime between September 1 and June 1 for the fall semester. After June 1, applications will be considered on a space-available basis. Early application is encouraged, since enrollment in the first-year class is limited. First-year fall-term students begin their legal education in August; two-year program students begin their studies in early June.
Admission decisions are made on a rolling basis, with most applicants being notified within two to three weeks of the date that the application and all supporting documents are received by the Office of Admissions.
For information on LL.M. application deadlines and international student procedures, please visit regent.edu/llm.
Beau Hoffman, Student
Shippensburg University graduate Beau
Hoffman brings to Regent Law the same
competitive drive one would expect of a
life-long athlete and college football player.
Yet for Hoffman, law school is more than
an opportunity to compete against other
law students on his way to a rewarding
career. Instead, he sees his legal calling as
a chance to live out the Golden Rule: “Do
unto others as you would have them do
unto you.”
“My goal is to provide a complete and
competent defense to every individual
regardless of their charge,” he says.” This is
what Jesus did for me and what I want to
do in turn.”
After a summer internship spent in his
hometown District Attorney’s office in
Lewisburg, Pa., researching and writing
legal briefs, observing court proceedings,
and interacting with local judges and
attorneys, Hoffman looks forward more
than ever to the rest of his legal journey.
Hoffman offers encouragement to those
who feel they might not fit the law school
mold yet sense a call to law. “I wouldn’t
consider myself a 'typical' law student,”
Hoffman says, “I'm just being obedient. If
you feel God calling you to do something,
follow Him. God doesn't call the equipped.
He equips the called.”
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University Honor Code & Standard of Personal Conduct
Regent Law is known for its close and edifying community relationships and the
positive effect they have on students’ intellectual and spiritual growth.
These relationships result from faculty, staff and students conducting themselves
in a Christ-like and professional manner, and maintaining a lifestyle marked by
integrity and involvement in the campus community.
The University’s Honor Code and Standard of Personal Conduct outline Regent’s
expectation that students will conduct themselves in accordance with the Code,
living lives accountable to God and fellow students and in accordance with
Biblical standards of personal conduct.
We expect incoming students to be familiar with and adhere to all of the
guidelines in the University Honor Code and Standard of Personal Conduct to help
ensure and promote the well-being of both themselves and other members of the
law community.
The Honor Code and Standard of Personal Conduct can be found at regent.edu/
lawhonorcode.
We expect incoming students to be familiar with and adhere to all of the
guidelines in the University Honor Code and Standards of Personal Conduct to
help ensure and promote the well-being of both themselves and other members
of the law community.
Nondiscrimination Policy
Regent University strives for a diverse student body. In advancing equal access
to applicants and students in all opportunities, programs, and facilities to the
University in accordance with applicable federal and state laws, Regent University
does not discriminate against applicants for enrollment or students on the basis
of race, color, ethnicity, national origin, religion, creed, gender, age, marital status,
or disability.
In admission of students, Regent University School of Law provides a preference
for persons adhering to its religious purpose.
> * Statistics accurate as of the first week of class. See our FAQs at regent.edu/lawadmissions for the most recent bar passage rates and class profile.
First-Time Bar Passage Rate for 2011 Graduates of Regent Law*
LSAT at or greater than 150
LSAT at or greater than 155
LSAT at or greater than 160
* Regent’s 2011 nationwide first-time bar takers (all states) passed at an average rate of 82.3%. The national average for all testers, all schools, was 79%.
86.9%
95%
100%
Profile of the 2012 Entering Class*
Number of Applications ................................................................................................ 1,111
Class Size .............................................................................................................................. 142
Average LSAT ...................................................................................................................... 155
Average GPA ........................................................................................................................3.29
25/75th LSAT ...................................................................................................................... 151/158
25/75th GPA ........................................................................................................................2.97/3.61
Under-represented Races/Ethnicities .................................................................... 15%
Female Enrollment ..........................................................................................................54%
Average Age .........................................................................................................................26
Age Range ............................................................................................................................ 19-51
Virginia Residency............................................................................................................34%
Number of States Represented .................................................................................38
Number of Academic Institutions Represented ...............................................97
Total number of J.D. Students ...................................................................................418
Joint Degree Program Options
Law students enrolled in either the full- or part-
time program may obtain another graduate degree
(listed below) in addition to the Juris Doctor (J.D.).
Joint degree students are able to obtain the J.D.
and another graduate degree in significantly less
time than would be required if the two degrees were
pursued separately. Individuals interested in the
joint degree program must meet all admissions
criteria specific to each academic program:
•MBA(MasterofBusinessAdministration)
•M.Div.(MasterofDivinity)
•M.A.inCommunication
•M.A.inCounseling
•M.A.inGovernment
•M.A.inOrganizationalLeadership
•M.A.inPracticalTheology
•M.A.inPublicAdministration
Transfer & Visiting Students
Students who have completed one full year of law school at another accredited institution, and who are in good standing and eligible to continue at that law school, may apply for admission as a transfer student. Students who have completed two full years of law school at another accredited institution, and who are in good standing and eligible to continue at that law school, may apply to Regent as a visiting student upon confirmation that all work completed at Regent will be accepted by the law school from which the applicant will graduate. For additional information, please visit regent.edu/lawapply.
International Students
International students are required to meet specific admission and seat-deposit requirements in addition to those required of citizens of the United States. The visa classification and academic background determine the nature of the requirements. It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure that the Office of Admissions receives all required documents by published deadlines for the entering fall class. Deadlines, forms and detailed information are available at the international student website at regent.edu/admissions/international.
Nondegree Students
Lawyers or other professionals who would like to increase their knowledge in specialized and changing fields of law may apply for admission as a nondegree student. The admission requirements and process for nondegree applicants are similar to those of first-time applicants. Additional requirements are outlined in the application instructions at regent.edu/lawapply.
Deferment
Applicants accepted to the law program are expected to pay the deposit and register for classes in the year in which they are accepted. On a case-by-case basis, a student may be granted a maximum one-year deferment, generally due to a medical, financial or unique family circumstance. Joint degree students who begin studies at Regent in another school are typically granted a one-year deferment to Regent Law upon request. Students wishing to apply for deferment must submit a written request.
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Scholarships and Grants
In recent years, over 90 percent of law students received some type of federal aid, and over 80 percent received aid in the form of Regent scholarships and grants. Regent Law students typically finance their law school education through a combination of personal and family resources, income from employment, educational loans, grants and scholarship assistance. Additionally, some students secure on-campus graduate assistant positions to supplement their income.
Tuition - Fall 2012/Spring 2013*
Incoming Students (per credit hour) ...........................................................$1,095
Full Time (31 hours) ............................................................................................... $33,945
Part Time (23 hours) ...............................................................................................$25,185
Books & Supplies (approximately per year)............................................$1,480
Estimated University & Program Fees (per year) ...................................$972
*Figures are accurate at the time of printing. Contact the Office of Admissions for current tuition information.
Financial Aid & Tuition
Regent University and the School of Law are committed to recognizing and rewarding academic excellence. Regent Law awarded over $4 million in scholarships and grants to the Fall 2012/Spring 2013 student body.
> Visit regent.edu/lawfinances for additional information.
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Regent Law Scholarships, Grants & Awards
Academic Merit Scholarship
Black Law Student Association Award
Dean’s Scholarship
Jean B. James Award
John W. McCormick Spiritual Leadership Prize
Public Service Grant
Ramon N. West Memorial Award
Regent Law Grant
Sekulow Scholar Award
The InterVarsity Christian Scholarship
The Navigators Scholarship
The Chi Alpha Scholarship
The Campus Crusade Scholarship
The Church of God in Christ (COGIC) Scholarship
University-Wide Endowed Scholarships
Azusa Scholarship
Beazley Scholarship
Dooner Scholarship
Robertson Honors Scholarship
Stallings Scholarship
> Visit regent.edu/lawfinances for a current scholarship profile and renewal criteria.
Gloria Whittico, Assistant Professor of Law, Associate Director of Academic Success
Professor Gloria Whittico describes her
calling to law as a ministry with a twofold
mission: "To get the right people to Regent,
and to make sure that all of them know
that a career in law is attainable."
As an underrepresented student and the
first in her family to pursue a graduate
education, Whittico overcame numerous
obstacles on her way to a J.D. from the
University of Virginia and a successful legal
career with IBM and Starbucks.
Now, as a professor and Associate Director
of Regent Law's Academic Success Program
(ASP), Whittico equips the next generation
of lawyers to courageously pursue their
legal callings with excellence and integrity.
"I believe the Lord gave me my specific
life experience so that when I'm sitting
in my office working with students who
are doubting, concerned, and frightened,
I would know what it was like. I'd like to
think I had my legal journey planned, but I
didn't," she says.
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“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper
you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)
School of Law
The American Bar Association (ABA) fully approves the School of Law. The Council of the Section of Legal Accreditation and Admissions to the Bar, 321 N. Clark St., Chicago, IL 60654, 312.988.6738. Regent University is accredited by the Commission on
Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award associates, baccalaureate, masters, and doctorate degrees. Contact the Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, Georgia 30033-4097 or call 404.679.4500 for questions
about the accreditation of Regent University. Regent University admits students without discrimination on the basis of race, color, disability, gender, religion, or national or ethnic origin. LAW121177
Regent University School of Law
Office of Admissions – RH 239
1000 Regent University Drive
Virginia Beach, VA 23464
Phone: 757.352.4584
Toll Free: 877.267.5072
Fax: 757.352.4139
Email: [email protected]
Website: regent.edu/law
Visitation Schedule: regent.edu/lawvisit
Information Request: regent.edu/lawinforequest
