St. Mary's University - School of Law

Located in San Antonio, the St. Mary’s University School of Law boasts a strong commitment to public service and pro bono work, and students praise it’s “service-oriented mission.” In fact, “St. Mary’s dominates in pro bono work in Texas.” “St. Mary’s has a new dean who has already done amazing things for the school, including increasing the number and size of scholarships available, and bringing new focus to the school in more modern areas of law” although one student adds that “the rest of administration is fairly inaccessible, or if you manage to get a request across their desk, it is usually summarily shot down.” The professors at St. Mary’s “are an amazing group who are really trying to prepare us for the world of law practice, while at the same time being incredibly supportive and helpful.” Another student adds that “the professors at St. Mary’s University School of Law are the School’s best assets. They are welcoming, honest and have many voices to share. Most, if not all, of them offer practical experience in class and a good portion are also quite entertaining.”
St. Mary’s may be a Catholic and Marianist institution, but “it is very welcome[ing] to people of all faiths or no faith at all.” Additionally. St. Mary’s Law Journal is “one of the most cited law journals in the country, and [the school] also boasts a second law journal, The Scholar, which is the only one in the country that focuses on social and race issues in the law.” The first-year curriculum is “tough,” and St. Mary’s curve “isn’t as forgiving as other more prestigious law schools. St. Mary’s doesn’t artificially inflate grades, but this means if you get a high grade, you really did earn it.” The “Mock Trial/Moot Court/Negotiations Programs . . . consistently produce national ranked teams and provide students with practicable skills.”
Overall, students “feel fortunate to have attended St. Mary’s Law School,” but note the “disadvantage when it comes to ‘big law’ and judicial internships & clerkships (as compared to University of Texas students),” although there are “opportunities St. Mary’s students have because of particular professors who have forged relationships with federal and Texas judges.” Students at St. Mary’s “benefit greatly from professors who impart the practicalities of practicing law, not just the theory, and administrators who strive to provide as many opportunities to gain practical skills as possible. Regardless of whether it is more difficult to obtain post-grad employment because of St. Mary’s ranking, I think these aspects (and the tremendous faculty) are well worth it.”

“What sets St. Mary’s apart is the collective spirit. Students are not afraid of working together to accomplish a similar goal,” but “while some cliques can form, it is more a separation of people who participate and people who don’t. Those that don’t go to events may feel excluded in classroom discussions because some students simply know each other better.” And while “the competitive nature of the grades creates a sense of urgency in some students who feel they are constantly looking over their shoulder to see who may be trying to gain an edge over the others,” many students nonetheless “feel free to share their notes and outlines with others.” Students applaud the “availability of various student organizations, which open up doors to anything from an interview with the Supreme Court of Texas to lasting friendships.”
Although “the facilities could use some improvement,” students note that “the university recently upgraded a few classrooms, which have been received very well, but other elements, such as the library study rooms, could use expansion and renovation. Additionally, the law school does not have many on-campus food locations or student lounge areas that encourage students to stay after classes have ended.”