Belmont University College of Law

Belmont University announced plans for the College of Law in 2009, with the first class beginning in 2011.[3] Belmont Law was accredited by the American Bar Association in 2013, making it the first new accredited law program in Tennessee in over 50 years [2] and the first new law school in Middle Tennessee in nearly 100 years.[3] Belmont Law achieved American Bar Association accreditation in the earliest possible time allowed by accreditation guidelines.[2]

The college's curriculum includes the Juris Doctor (J.D.) with specialized certificate programs available in Criminal Law, Health Law, and Entertainment Law.[4] The College of Law curriculum focuses on creating practice-ready attorneys with a practicum requirement in each semester to help students become proficient in the “practice” of law.[5] These practicums give instruction in all aspects of the practice of law, such as legal writing, legal research, client interviewing, document drafting, litigation, negotiation, and more.[5]

In 2017, a dual JD/MBA program was launched, allowing students to take classes for both degrees concurrently and complete requirements for both degrees within three years.[6]

Belmont Law Baskin Center

The law school is housed in the Randall and Sadie Baskin Center, a 75,000-square-foot LEED Gold building atop a five-level underground garage.[7] The Baskin Center houses more than a dozen large classrooms, a trial courtroom, an appellate court room, faculty offices, student commons, and a two-story law library.[8]

Students can hone their oral and written advocacy skills through local and national competition through the Board of Advocates program, which includes mock trial, moot court, and transactional teams.[5]

The College of Law publishes four academic journals, the Belmont Law Review,[9] Criminal Law Journal,[10] Entertainment Law Journal, and Health Law Journal.[11]

Statistics for the class of 2018 indicate 96% of students are employed in some capacity, with 95% employed in bar passage required or J.D. advantage positions.[12] Most graduates remain in state, with 89% employed in Tennessee.[13] Of those employed, 63% work at a law firm, 14.5% work in business or industry, 18.5% work in government or judicial clerkships, and 4% work in public interest.[13]

Belmont Law's Law School Transparency under-employment score is 6.4%, indicating the percentage of the Class of 2018 unemployed, pursuing an additional degree, or working in a non-professional, short-term, or part-time job nine months after graduation.[14]

On the July 2019 bar exam, 97.18% of Belmont Law's first-time test takers and 94.52% of its total takers passed,[15] the highest of any law school in Tennessee and +23.62% above the state's overall 70.90% pass rate.[16] In 2018, 94.52% of Belmont Law's first-time test takers and 90.79% of its total takers passed the bar exam,[17] ranking 12th in the nation for bar passage.[18]

Tuition costs for the year 2019 are $44,470,[19] with 49% of students receiving scholarships.[20] Belmont Law ranks #104 in terms of highest tuition among full-time law students based on 283 tuition rates from 194 law schools, with in-state tuition counting separately.[21]