When you’re researching the best law schools in Georgia, you can’t help but think about certain things the state is known for. Atlanta Braves baseball, peaches, and the fact that Coca Cola was invented there in 1886 may be among them!
As to the law, Georgians are currently grappling with many of the same legal issues that are of importance across the nation. These include questions surrounding AI, tax reform, property rights and squatting, cannabis use, and digital identification. Going to law school in Georgia means you’ll have a chance to help resolve these issues and shape the legal future of both the state and the nation.
Here’s our list of the top law schools in the state:
1. University of Georgia
U.S. News Top Law School Ranking: #26
Tuition: $19,502 (in-state) $40,402 (out-of-state)
Median Undergrad GPA of Program Entrants: 3.92
Median LSAT Score of Program Entrants: 169
Acceptance Rate: 12.7%
First-Time Bar Passage Rate: 90.4%
First up on our list of the best law schools in Georgia is the School of Law at the University of Georgia (UGA). Located in the progressive bastion of Athens, law students here can enjoy a fantastic live music scene, relatively low cost of living, beautiful parks, and the State Botanical Garden of Georgia. They also get peace of mind knowing they won’t incur debt like students attending other top law schools, as the University of Georgia has the lowest in-state tuition of the top 30 law schools in the United States.
According U.S. News and World Report, the School of Law at UGA comes in at:
- #9 in Law Schools With the Most Graduates in Federal Clerkships
- #23 in Business/Corporate Law
- #24 in International Law
- #28 in Contracts/Commercial Law
- #35 in Criminal Law and Trial Advocacy
In their first year, UGA students take Civil Procedure, Constitutional Law, Contracts, Criminal Law, Lawyering I & II, Legal Writing I & II, Legal Research I, Property, and Torts.
Dual Degree Options at UGA
UGA law students can pursue a number of dual degree options. These include the following degree combinations:
- JD/Master in Accountancy
- JD/Master of Business Administration
- JD/Master of Historic Preservation
- JD/Master of Public Administration
- JD/Master of Public Health
- JD/Master of Science in Sport Management and Policy
- JD/Master in Financial Planning
- JD/Master in Social Work
- JD/Master of Urban Planning and Design
There’s also a Graduate Certificate in International Law available at UGA. This 15-credit academic program is structured to be completed in four or five semesters. Students take Public International Law, two or three electives in International Law, the International Law Hackathon, and can enroll in the Global Governance Summer School.
UGA Legal Clinics
Legal clinics at UGA include (the):
- Appellate Litigation Clinic
- Business Law Clinic
- Community Health Law Partnership
- First Amendment Clinic
- Jane W. Wilson Family Justice Clinic
- Land Conservation Clinic
- Mediation Clinic
- Public Interest Practicum
- Wilbanks Child Endangerment and Sexual Exploitation Clinic
- Veterans Legal Clinic
UGA Legal Journals
Second–and–third year students that have excelled academically and have strong legal writing skills can become members of the school’s journals. These include the Georgia Law Review, the Georgia Journal of International and Comparative Law, the Journal of Intellectual Property Law, and the Georgia Criminal Law Review.
Student Organizations
There are over thirty student organizations UGA law students can choose from, including (the):
- Armed Forces Association
- Criminal Law Society
- Environmental Law Association
- First-Generation Students Association
- If/When/How
- Immigration Law Society
- National Lawyers Guild
- Privacy and Technology Law Society
- Sports and Entertainment Law Society
- Student Bar Association
Summary
Getting into the School of Law at the University of Georgia is hard! Program entrants have a median undergrad GPA of 3.92 and median LSAT score of 169. The school is an especially attractive option if you’re interested in landing a federal clerkship after graduation, or if you’re an in-state resident looking to avoid a large student loan debt.
2. Emory University
U.S. News Top Law School Ranking: #40
Tuition: $70,322 (in-state, out-of-state)
Median Undergrad GPA of Program Entrants: 3.82
Median LSAT Score of Program Entrants:166
Acceptance Rate: 30.1%
First-Time Bar Passage Rate: 88.4%
Located in Atlanta, Emory Law comes in at number two on our list of the best law schools in Georgia. It was founded in 1916 by Professor Herschel W. Arant and Bishop Warren A. Candler. Their goal was to create a law school that could compete with the best in the nation, and they succeeded. Emory was the first law school in Georgia to become a member of the Association of American Law Schools, and in 1923, the American Bar Association designated Emory a “Class A” school.
According to U.S. News and World Report, Emory comes in at:
- #20 in Contracts and Commercial Law
- #22 in Health Care Law
- #24 in Law Schools With the Most Graduates at Big Law Firms
- #25 in Business/Corporate Law
- #26 in Constitutional Law
First-year classes at Emory include Civil Procedure, Constitutional Law, Contracts, Criminal Law, and Introduction to Legal Research, Analysis, and Communication. Students also take Property, Torts, and Professionalism their first year.
Emory law professors use the case method of instruction, which allows students to develop critical thinking skills that can be applied in the real world.
Students can pursue six areas of concentration during the course of their studies, including health care law, civil litigation and dispute resolution, criminal litigation, law and religion, AI and the law, and environmental law.
Dual Degree Options
Emory law students can pursue a number of dual degree options!
These include the following degree combinations:
- JD/Master of Arts in Bioethics
- JD/Master of Business Administration
- JD/Master of Divinity
- JD/Master of Theological Studies
- JD/Master of Public Health
- JD/Doctor of Philosophy
Emory Legal Clinics
There are also some great opportunities to gain experience outside of the classroom. Some of the clinics are Emory include (the):
- Barton Policy and Legislative Advocacy Clinics
- Juvenile Defender Clinic
- Barton Appeal for Youth Clinic
- International Humanitarian Law Clinic
- IP and Innovation Clinic
- Turner Environmental Law Clinic
Emory Legal Journals
Journals at Emory Law include the Emory Bankruptcy Developments Journal, the Emory Corporate Governance and Accountability Review, the Emory International Law Review, the Emory Law Journal, and the Journal of Law and Religion.
Each spring, the journals (with the exception of the Journal of Law and Religion) have a joint write-on competition, in which first-year students can submit a case-note, citation quiz, personal statement, and a rank-order preference for the four journals they’d like to become a member of. Students interested in joining the Journal of Law and Religion enroll in LAW 895 during open enrollment.
Student Organizations
Emory Law has over 60 student organizations!
These include (the):
- American Constitution Society
- Association of International Law Students
- Civil Rights Law Practice Society
- Emory Banking and Financial Institutions Law Society
- Emory Entertainment Alliance
- Emory Energy Law Society
- Emory National Security and Military Law Society
- Mock Trial Society
- Student Bar Association
Summary
Emory is a top 30 law school, and their admissions criteria reflect that. The median GPA and LSAT scores of program entrants are 3.82 and 166, respectively. It’s a good school to keep in mind if you’re interested in contracts and commercial law, health care law, business law, or constitutional law. It’s also a good choice if you’re interested in working at a large law firm.
3. Georgia State University
U.S. News Top Law School Ranking: #77
Tuition: $17,596 (in-state) $39,320 (out-of-state)
Median Undergrad GPA of Program Entrants: 3.64
Median LSAT Score of Program Entrants: 160
Acceptance Rate: 30.6%
First-Time Bar Passage Rate: 90%
Number three on our list of the best law schools in Georgia is the Georgia State University College of Law, located in the state capital of Atlanta. This school offers a great bang for the buck, as it costs in-state residents only $17,596 a year in tuition! Not only that, you can attend part time without compromising the quality of your education. The school’s part-time program (one of the first in the Peach Tree State) is highly regarded.
According to U.S. News and World Report, Georgia State comes in at:
- #2 in Health Care Law
- #21 in Part-Time Law
- #36 in Clinical Training
- #47 in Trial Advocacy
- #54 in Constitutional Law
In the fall semester of their first-year, Georgia State law students take Contracts, Torts, Civil Procedure, Lawyering Foundations I, and Research Methods in Law. In the spring, Legislation and Regulation, Property, Civil Procedure, Lawyering Foundations II, and Criminal Law are on the menu.
Areas of concentration at Georgia State include:
- Advocacy
- Entertainment, Sports, and Media
- Environmental and Land Use
- Health Law
- Intellectual Property
- Legal Analytics and Innovation
- Public Interest Law and Policy
Georgia State Dual Degree Options
Students can earn the following degree combinations:
- Batchelor’s & JD
- JD/Master of Business Administration
- JD/Master of Business Administration/Master of Health Administration
- JD/Master of City and Regional Planning
- JD/Master of Professional Accountancy
- JD/Master of Public Health
- JD/Master of Public Administration
- JD/Master of Public Policy
- JD/Master of Science and Data Science Analytics
- JD/Master of Science in Health Administration
Legal Clinics
Through the Center for Clinical Programs, students can get some great experience outside of the classroom.
Clinics at Georgia State include (the):
- Community Development and Entrepreneurship Law Clinic (CDELC)
- Health Law Partnership Legal Services Clinic (HeLP)
- Phillip C. Cook Low-Income Taxpayer Clinic
- Immigration Clinic
Legal journals at Georgia State include the Georgia State University Law Review and the Journal of Comparative Urban Law and Policy.
Student Organizations
It’s important to get out and meet like-minded people while you’re in law school! The Georgia State College of Law has several student organizations you can join, including Moot Court, the Student Trial Lawyers Association, and the Public Service and Pro Bono Law Program.
Summary
To be considered a competitive applicant at Georgia State College of Law, you’ll need an undergraduate GPA of around 3.6 and an LSAT score near 160. It’s a great program to keep in mind if you’re interested in health care law or going to law school part time.
4. Mercer University
U.S. News Top Law School Ranking: #108
Tuition: $45,082 (in-state, out-of-state)
Median Undergrad GPA of Program Entrants: 3.62
Median LSAT Score of Program Entrants: 157
Acceptance Rate: 37.8%
First-Time Bar Passage Rate: 84%
Next on our list of the best law schools in Georgia is Mercer University School of Law. Mercer is in Macon, which is about 80 miles south of Atlanta. The town is known as the “Cherry Blossom Capital of the World,” because the city has over 300,000 cherry trees that blossom every year in late March.
Founded in 1873, Mercer was the first law school in Georgia to be accredited by the American Bar Association. Its main building, Coleman Hall, is modeled after Independence Hall in Philadelphia, where the Declaration of Independence and U.S. Constitution were debated and signed.
According to U.S. News and World Report, Mercer Law comes in at:
- #6 in Trial Advocacy
- #16 in Legal Writing
- #100 in Dispute Resolution
- #124 in Business/Corporate Law
- #128 in Environmental Law
Legal training at Mercer is based on the Woodruff Curriculum, which emphasizes small class sizes, coursework that develops practical legal skills, and first-rate writing instruction. This approach to training new attorneys has garnered national attention. The American Bar Association gave Mercer the Gambrell Professionalism Award in recognition of its outstanding educational practices.
In their first year, Mercer students begin working through the curriculum by enrolling in Introduction to the Study of Law, a course that explains the school’s teaching methods and the goals of law school. Another class taken during the first year is the Legal Profession, an award-winning course that examines the standards of professional conduct all lawyers should abide by.
During the course of their studies, students can earn a Certificate in Advanced Legal Writing, Research, and Drafting.
Dual Degree Options
Mercer has a JD/Master of Business Administration Program that can be completed in as few as three years. MBA classes are small and taken in the evening. Applicants are admitted separately by the law and business schools, and neither degree is awarded until the coursework for both programs has been successfully completed.
Legal Clinics
Legal Clinics at Mercer Law include:
The Habeas Project
Since 2006, students in this clinic have helped dozens of clients post-conviction that had cases pending before the Georgia Supreme Court and a variety of Georgia Superior Courts.
Students work with faculty to provide counsel to these convicts, whose constitutional rights have been violated and are no longer entitled to court-appointed representation.
The Low Income Tax Clinic
Students in this clinic help low income clients resolve disputes with the IRS. They conduct investigations, counsel clients, and try to work out an agreement with the IRS that’s acceptable to both parties.
The Domestic Violence Clinic
This clinic gives students the chance to represent victims in temporary protective orders. While they do so under the direct supervision of faculty, students are responsible for all aspects of litigation and client representation.
Mercer has two legal journals: the Mercer Law Review, which publishes scholarly articles and an annual survey of Eleventh Circuit law, and the Journal of Southern Legal History, which explores and analyzes the history of law in the American South.
Student Organizations
There are over 30 law student organizations at Mercer!
These include (the):
- Child Welfare and Family Law Society
- Fellowship of Adolescent Mentors
- Environmental Law Society
- Historians in Law School
- Immigration Law Society
- International Law Student Association
- Mercer Animal Legal Defense Fund
- Older Wiser Law Students
- Real Estate Law Society
- Student Bar Association
Summary
While it’s ranked #108 on U.S. News and World Report’s list of the best law schools in the U.S, Mercer isn’t that easy to get into. You’ll need a GPA around 3.6 to be a competitive applicant and the 157 median LSAT score of program entrants is still above the national average of ~153. The school has excellent trial advocacy and legal writing credentials, and a curriculum that’s been recognized by the American Bar Association.
5. Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School
U.S. News Top Law School Ranking: #175-194
Tuition: $53,586 (in-state, out-of-state)
Median Undergrad GPA of Program Entrants: 3.13
Median LSAT Score of Program Entrants: 152
Acceptance Rate: 32.7%
First-Time Bar Passage Rate: 68.4%
Rounding off our list of the best law schools in Georgia is Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School. Founded in 1933 to give nontraditional students a chance to earn a law degree, it was one of the first schools in the South to racially integrate its student body. The school’s legacy of tolerance also extends to its treatment of women, who have been enrolled at the school since its earliest graduating classes. In fact, the class of 1938 had four female graduates, something that was very rare at the time. One of them—Miss Ann Kimsey—was class valedictorian!
According to U.S. News and World Report, the John Marshall Law School comes in at:
- #71 in Part-Time Law
- #105 in Trial Advocacy
- #168 in Clinical Training
- #169 in Tax Law
- #174 in Criminal Law
There are three JD programs at Atlanta’s John Marshall School of Law: the full-time day, the part-time day, and the part-time evening programs.
First-year students enrolled in the full-time day program take CiviL Procedure I, Contracts I, Torts I, Criminal Law, Legal Research and Writing I, and Legal Foundations/Academic Lab in the fall. In the spring semester, students take Civil Procedure II, Contracts II, Torts II, Legal Research and Analysis II, Legal Methods, and their first elective.
After successfully completing their second year of classes, students may enroll in the Criminal Justice Certificate Program.
Students enrolled in the Criminal and Civil Justice Institute are able to learn practical lawyering skills while serving underrepresented populations. By advancing justice for those who don’t have a voice, they have an important impact on their communities while they’re still in law school.
Clinics
The Homeless Veteran Legal Clinic
The goal of the program is to provide free legal services to homeless veterans. Since its inception in 2018, four veterans had their charges dismissed, 18 received proper legal representation, and five cases are currently being worked on. Participating in this clinic gives students the chance to help those who have served our country.
The Immigration Law Clinic
Launched in 2012 by Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School in conjunction with the Catholic Charities of Atlanta, students working in this clinic offer legal counsel and representation to immigrants. This includes victims of domestic abuse, abused children, and trafficking cases. Students in the clinic also help out with asylum, family-based adjustment, and naturalization cases.
The Fulton County Family Law Clinic
Students working in this clinic help self-represented clients in family court. They provide free legal services to low income people. Students conduct interviews, help clients complete child support worksheets, file divorce papers, register name changes, represent them at court hearings.
The school has one law journal, the John Marshall Law Journal.
Student Organizations
Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School has a variety of student organizations to choose from.
These include (the):
- Advocacy Board: Mock Court and Mock Trial
- Corporate and Business Law Society
- Criminal Law Society
- Family Law Society
- Health Law Society
- Public Interest Law Society
- Sports and Entertainment Law Society
- Student Bar Association
Summary
Getting into Atlanta’s John Marshall School of Law is a bit easier than the other schools on our list. The median GPA of program entrants, while still an impressive 3.13, is within range for many applicants. And the median LSAT score of program entrants is 152, which is about the national average for all test-takers. This school could be a good choice if you need to attend on a part-time basis, as it has part-time day and evening programs.
How do I get accepted to one of the best law schools in Georgia?
Regardless of what school you end up applying to, there are plenty of things you have to do before becoming a law student.
The good news is whether you’re applying to the best law school in Georgia or another part of the country, the process is the same. The first step in the law school admissions timeline is to take the LSAT. Although there are no required LSAT score ranges for law school, these Georgia law schools have median LSAT scores that give you a pretty good indication of how you compare to their previous incoming class.
Of course, it’s important to give yourself the best chance by scoring higher than the median. Law schools want to attract the best, so make sure you give yourself the ultimate chance by getting a high LSAT score.
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