University of Wyoming College of Law

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Student Says - Academics
Looking to get your JD in a place where everybody knows your name? Consider heading down to Laramie to get a degree from the University of Wyoming College of Law, where the "close-knit community of the law school is by far its greatest attribute." "You know everyone and everyone knows you" is how students sum up the faculty, staff, administration, and students of the school-and, as the only law school in the state, the same familiarity extends to the courtrooms. In a small school, in a small state, with a small legal community, "you can really get access to the people and issues that make a difference to you." The school has already hosted the Wyoming Supreme Court and 10th Circuit proceedings in its law school building. "That kind of access is not available everywhere," says a student. UW has an extremely low student-to-faculty ratio, and the professors "are extremely interested in each student's success and are willing to go out of their way to assist you in any way you need assistance." "I have never seen this level of wanting their students to succeed," says a 2L. They do an "amazing job of being accessible to the students" and "go above and beyond" what is asked of them. However, a few students point out that the school keeps on less-than-stellar professors "due to their unwavering adherence to the tenure system." One student describes UW as being "like a blue-collar school," where faculty and staff "work hard every day to make the education for the students the best it can be." The school has "rightly focused on natural resources and energy law" in its environmental program, which is "getting bigger all the time," but there is a desire for more diverse programs in family and business law, and greater practical experience through "more skills-oriented classes" and clinics. Scheduling is a bit of a problem, too, as the school could stand to "offer more courses, or offer the most popular courses every semester as opposed to every other semester." The school is "supremely respected within the state," with state supreme court justices routinely getting involved with the law students, but the Career Services Office "does very little outreach beyond this state," which compounds the problem of the school's limited reputation outside of Wyoming. There is a large population of Coloradoans attending school here, and one of them complains, "Colorado firms turn their nose up at our grads." However, one of the best parts of UW Law is the "access to externships." "I got a judicial externship effortlessly (a resume and no interview), whereas at most schools getting any sort of externship, let alone a judicial externship, is a competitive nightmare," says a pleased 2L. "My externship is one of the best things I've ever done for myself, to be honest." The administration "is not particularly accommodating or flexible to individual needs, which is remarkable at a school of only 200 students," but it does a good job overall, and it does "ask for student and faculty input whenever making major decisions, such as new hires or curriculum changes." UW also just completed a massive renovation of the facilities, including "fantastic" new moot courtrooms.

Students Say - Campus Life
"If you want to be away from the distractions of an awesome night life, lots of shopping, and tons of cultural events so that you can focus on law school, Laramie may be the perfect place for you," says a second-year optimist. For other, glass-half-empty types, "Laramie is quite possibly the most boring place on the face of the earth." Still, this relative isolation and small classes really fosters close relationships, and "many of these people are going to be life-long friends." "My class is like a 75-member family," says a 2L. Keep in mind that "it's a very small world here," which "can be a blessing or a curse." Granted, "there's a lot of drama," but "it's more like siblings fighting-we get [upset], and we're fine an hour later." The atmosphere "is not ultra-competitive, more of a cooperative environment. We cheer for the high-achievers and encourage those who aren't." This cohesive group "takes care of one another, and [is] quick to help each other in tough times." For fun, students "participate in intramural sports" and other activities outside of the school; "Because it is a small town, it is easy to find classmates and law students out in the community almost all the time." Most of the student body is the expected just-outof- college, mid-twenty-something, but there are a fair number of older students, which the school embraces by "inviting students' spouses, kids, dogs and friends to school functions."