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Law Schools in Minnesota: What You Need to Know

September 5, 2023
5 min read
Contents

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Reviewed by:

Former Head of Pre-Law Office, Northeastern University, & Admissions Officer, Brown University

Reviewed: 03/03/23

Thinking about going to law school in Minnesota? Read on to learn more about the top law schools in this state!

Bob Dylan is regarded as one of the greatest songwriters of all time. With popular hits like “blowin’ in the wind” and “like a rolling stone,” he was often hailed as the Shakespeare of his era and even won a Nobel Prize for Literature in 2016

This famous songwriter’s fame began in Minnesota, where he was born, developed a love for music, and got started in the industry! Minnesota can be your first step to success as well, even if you aren’t a great singer! 

Minnesota is also well known as a legal and economic hub, and has several excellent law schools for aspiring lawyers! If you’d like to learn more about how to begin your prosperous legal career in this state, this guide will explore the three greatest law schools in Minnesota, their important admission stats, and more!

Law Schools in Minnesota

Before delving deeper into the best law schools in Minnesota, here’s a general breakdown of their admission statistics to help you decide which school is best for you:

School Median GPA Median LSAT Acceptance Rate Bar Passage Rate Tuition
University of Minnesota 3.8 166 27.6% 98.9% $46,641 or
$55,617
University of St. Thomas 3.48 155 63.6% 83.3% $45,259
Mitchell Hamline School of Law 3.29 153 62.4% 66.4% $48,180

Source: US News

You can use this table as a general guideline to determine which school to apply to. It’s important you consider your GPA, LSAT score, and budget

But, your chances of admission and the costs of tuition are not the only factors you should weigh into your decision. 

You should also consider their programs, the clinical experiences they offer, and any other attributes that will ensure you’re able to reach your personal and professional goals! To aid you in this process, we’ve reviewed each school and summarized their most useful and unique resources for law students:

The University of Minnesota 

The first best law school in Minnesota is the University of Minnesota. It also has the highest admission requirements and lowest acceptance rates, meaning it is the most competitive school in the state!

However, its selectivity only reflects the extensive opportunity and quality education it offers its students! This school is just shy of making it into the top 20 law schools in the nation and has over 135 years of experience producing extraordinary attorneys!

It is home to highly accomplished scholars, world-class faculty, and one of the nation’s most distinguished clinical education programs! In fact, it has 25 diverse legal clinics:

  • Business Law Clinic
  • Environmental and Energy Law Clinic
  • Sports Clinic
  • Bankruptcy Clinic
  • Child Advocacy and Juvenile Justice Clinic
  • Civil Rights Appellate Clinic
  • Clemency Clinic
  • Community Legal Partnership for Health Clinic
  • Community Mediation Clinic
  • Community Protection Clinic
  • Criminal Defense Clinic
  • Criminal Prosecution Clinic
  • Detainee Rights Clinic
  • Employment Law Clinic
  • Family Law Clinic
  • Federal Defense Clinic
  • Federal Immigration Litigation Clinic
  • Gun Violence Protection Clinic
  • Housing Law Clinic
  • Human Rights Litigation and International Legal Advocacy Clinic
  • Immigration and Human Rights Law Clinic
  • Indian Child Welfare Clinic
  • Innocence Clinic
  • Insurance Law Clinic
  • Intellectual Property and Entrepreneurship Clinic
  • Racial Justice Law Clinic
  • Rural Immigrant Access Clinic
  • Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) Rights Clinic
  • Ronald M. Mankoff Tax Clinic

At the University of Minnesota, you’ll be able to explore various specialities until you find the perfect fit for you! This school is also located in the Twin Cities, giving students access to large law firms and countless legal organizations. 

The University of St. Thomas 

The University of St. Thomas believes in using the law for the common good. If you’re ready to make a difference, this law school is ready to help you do it! Located in Downtown Minneapolis, this university offers innovative curriculums that emphasize the education of the person as a whole. 

Each student is taught the professional and ethical values that are vital to long-term success in the legal field. Through their robust legal clinics, students are able to gain valuable experience providing legal expertise and representation to underserved populations of the Twin Cities. 

Whether you’re interested in human rights law, immigration law, or education law, the University of St. Thomas will allow you to begin getting your feet wet in your desired specialty through the following clinics:

  • Appellate Clinic
  • Bankruptcy Litigation Clinic
  • Community Justice Project
  • Criminal and Juvenile Defense Clinic
  • Federal Communications Clinic
  • Immigration Law Practice Group
  • Nonprofit Organizations Clinic
  • Religious Liberty Appellate Clinic
  • Special Education Clinic
  • Trademark Clinic

This law school also offers an award-winning Mentor Externship Program where more than 500 lawyers and judges are paired with students to help them gain work experience, network and build relationships, and navigate the legal field. St. Thomas is one of the two schools in the country that offers this type of externship!

Mitchell Hamline School of Law

The final top law school in Minnesota is the Mitchell Hamline School of Law. Not only is this school the easiest school to get into in this state, but it is also the only school to offer blended learning. In a one-of-a-kind hybrid JD program, students enrolled at Mitchell Hamline are able to complete their degree online and in-person.

Mitchell Hamline was one of the first few schools to begin including online components to its JD program, even offering some blended learning courses in the early 2000s! These students still have equal access to resources, experiential learning opportunities, and externships.

Their experiential learning program is one of the oldest in the nation and includes the following clinics:

  • Business and Law Clinic
  • Child Protection Clinic
  • Civil Advocacy Clinic
  • Economic Inclusion Clinic
  • Employment Discrimination Mediation Representation Clinic
  • Health Law Clinic
  • Immigration Clinic
  • Innocence Clinic
  • Intellectual Property Clinic: Patents
  • Intellectual Property Clinic: Trademark
  • Legal Assistance to Minnesota Prisoners Project
  • Mediation Clinic
  • Native Law Clinic: Tribal Code Drafting
  • Reentry Clinic
  • State Public Defender Post-Conviction Clinic
  • Nonprofit Tax Planning Clinic
  • Wrongful Conviction and Sentencing Clinic

Mitchell Hamline also offers students legal residency programs that can help them transition from law school to the real world of law. During this program, students participate in intense fieldwork experience and scholarly discussion with experts in the field.

FAQs: Minnesota Law Schools

If you have any remaining questions about the best law schools in Minnesota, read on to find your answers!

1. How Many Law Schools Are In Minnesota?

There are only three law schools in Minnesota: the University of Minnesota, the University of St. Thomas, and the Mitchell Hamline School of Law.

2. What LSAT Score Do I Need for Minnesota Law Schools?

Students will need an LSAT score of 166 to get into the University of Minnesota, an LSAT score of 155 to get into the University of St. Thomas, and an LSAT score of 153 to get into the Mitchell Hamline School of Law.

3. Is the University of Minnesota a Good Law School?

Yes, the University of Minnesota is an excellent law school, it ranks 21st in the nation!

4. What Is the Best Law School in Minnesota?

The best law school in Minnesota is the University of Minnesota.

5. What Is the Cheapest Law School in Minnesota?

The cheapest law school in Minnesota is the University of St. Thomas, costing $45,259 a year for tuition.

Final Thoughts

Any of the top law schools in Minnesota listed in this guide can act as a great first step to a prosperous legal career! Like a rolling stone, after your Minnesota JD, you’ll only continue to achieve greatness because of your extensive knowledge and expertise!

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