Class of 2027 as 1Ls
Former Governor Asa Hutchinson speaks to the Class of 2027
Dean Cynthia Nance

Why Arkansas Law?

The University of Arkansas School of Law offers a competitive J.D. as well as an advanced LL.M. program, which prepares students for success. Our challenging curriculum is taught by nationally recognized faculty, and there are unique opportunities for students to participate in pro bono work, externships, live client clinics, competitions, and food and agriculture initiatives.

School of Law Centennial CelebrationWe strive to identify, discuss, and challenge issues of race, color, ethnicity, and the impact(s) they have on students, faculty, and staff members in an effort to achieve a diverse, inclusive, and equitable community.

The University of Arkansas is the state’s land grant flagship institution, and our law school embodies the best of what public legal education offers today’s students. We are consistently ranked among the “Best Values in Legal Education” by National Jurist magazine, a designation we first won in 2011.

From admitting the Six Pioneers who were the first African American students to attend law school in the South without a court order to graduating governors, judges, prosecutors, and faculty who went on to become President of the United States and Secretary of State, we have a rich history and culture.

Arkansas Law Review Symposium 2024

Friday, September 20, 2024

Join the Arkansas Law Review from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Friday, September 20 for an exciting symposium discussing the evolution of legal education. The symposium will include discussions and presentations by a range of nationally recognized experts in addition to the keynote address.

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Academic Programs

J.D. Program

J.D. Program

Established in 1924, the School of Law offers a full-time, three-year program leading to a Juris Doctor degree. The degree is conferred upon satisfactory completion of 90 semester hours, including 42 hours of required courses. Students are often referred to as 1Ls, 2Ls or 3Ls depending on the number of years they have been in the program. Two specialized certificate programs and four dual degree programs are also available to qualified students.

LL.M. Program

LL.M. Program in Food & Agricultural Law

The first advanced law degree in agricultural and food law was founded here more than 30 years ago. The LL.M. program was also the first to offer a fully integrated opportunity for face-to-face and distance education options. With its support, the School of Law publishes the nation’s first student-edited specialized journal devoted to food law and policy issues and sustains outreach efforts that connect academic scholarship with critical legal and policy issues.



School of Law News

School of Law NEWS

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    Calendars

    SPOTLIGHT

    Student Spotlight: Tierra McCraney

    Student Spotlight

    Tierra McCraney

    Initially, a journalism major with the intention of being a news anchor, Tierra began taking political science courses to further understand politics, as it is frequently discussed during news segments. Each class, she was exposed to the legal field, and was inspired by many individuals such as Justice Thurgood Marshall, who used their degree to enact positive change in their community. She considered law as a career where she could make a difference in the lives of many by advocating for their legal rights.

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    Chip Shaw

    Alumni Spotlight

    Timothy K. "Chip" Shaw

    Capt. Timothy K. “Chip” Shaw (J.D. ’16), United States Air Force Jag Corps, is a volunteer pilot for Pilots N’Paws, a non-profit organization dedicated to engaging volunteers to provide the valuable services of rescuing, sheltering, and adopting animals. The organization recruits and schedules pilots willing to assist with animal transportation. In the photo, Shaw, a private pilot, prepares to fly two Collie pups from North Carolina to Maryland. He averages one trip per month for the organization. Shaw, currently on active duty in Washington, D.C., is enrolled in the Environmental and Energy Law LL.M. program at Georgetown Law.