Enrollment: 1847
Average LSAT: ###,###,##0
Pass Rate for First Time Bar Exam: 94%
Average Undergrad GPA: 0.00
Regular Application Deadline: 05/01
School Type: Private
Student Faculty Ratio: 18:1

Part Time Program: 51%
Evening Program: No

Average Starting Salary: $59,176.00

In-State Tuition: $27,892.00
Financial Aid Deadline: 03/01
Average Loan Received: $35,692.00

Student Says - Academics
Samford University's Cumberland School of Law is, as one student puts it, "in the business of producing top-notch litigators." The school accomplishes this through an "exceptional focus on practical skills such as trial advocacy, negotiation, ADR, mediation, and client counseling." In fact, students quickly note that Cumberland's "trial advocacy program is tops in the nation." These future lawyers also benefit from "the legal writing classes [that] all first-years take"-classes that provide a firm foundation in the sort of communication skills that are incredibly marketable in the workforce. Cumberland offers students the opportunity to develop their lawyering skills in a traditional law school curriculum or through joint-degree programs, such as a JD/Master of Accountancy or a JD/Master of Science in Environmental Management. As one satisfied student says, "I am participating in a joint JD/MBA degree program. [This is the] only joint-degree I found in the country where you can graduate with both degrees in three years." The students are quick to point out that none of these programs would be worth their salt if it weren't for the school's stellar faculty. A first-year beams, "The professors are masters of their craft. Not only are the professors extremely well-versed in their particular legal specialty, [but] they are terrific instructors." Not to mention accessible. Aside from tracking them down during office hours, "You can stop them in the hallway, corner them in the classroom, and call them on their cell phone if need be." A Cumberland first-year tells us, "I have enjoyed speaking with each of them to share my concerns, discuss a topic in class, or to just shoot the breeze." Even the administration has an "open-door policy" that one student is "willing to bet is unmatched at other schools." As one student explains, "I am on first-name basis with the majority of Career Services, professors, secretaries, and the library staff."
As far as resources go, Cumberland students admit that "the classrooms are older," but they are equipped with "the latest technology to enhance the learning experience." "The library is a stunning building with four floors of comfortable, quality furniture for long nights of study." In addition, "the Career Services Office does a great job matching students with potential job or externship opportunities." As one student assures us, "You constantly hear from recent alumni about how they were able to jump right into their practice upon graduation."

Students Say - Campus Life
Sure, "There is a competitive nature among the students" at Cumberland, but "They are all friendly and will not try to hide books from you at the library or steal pages from books so that you will not have the answers in class." As one first-year student says: "When I came to law school, I expected the 'survival of the fittest and at any cost' mentality. Instead, I found a group of highly supportive, incredibly enthusiastic people." All in all, "Cumberland is a close-knit community," and newcomers are absorbed into this community as soon as they arrive on campus, when they're placed into subgroups. As a 1L explains, "Each section consists of roughly 55 students, and during your first year you stay with those students throughout both semesters. It is a really great opportunity to form some close friendships." Cumberland students are hard workers, but they do not lose their civility and respect towards others in the pursuit of their goals. "Law school is stressful enough-it's nice that we do not have to worry about fellow classmates trying to undercut one another at every turn." The entire student body gets to mingle at the Thursday-night "social functions that anyone at Cumberland can attend." If you're looking for something a little more lively, though, you may have to "escape the conservative Baptist bubble that surrounds the university."
Students rave about Cumberland's physical setting. Picture "a beautiful campus full of cherry blossom trees, beautiful green spaces, and pristinely blue fountains." Located in the foothills of the Appalachians, Cumberland offers "a wonderful view of statuesque mountainsides and views of the city sitting below in the valley." That city, of course, is Birmingham-an old Southern metropolis boasting "a wonderful combination of nightlife, culinary variations, and cultural inspirations," and let's not forget the weather. As one student raves, "I'm writing this in February, and the temperature is 68 degrees outside."

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