More Applicants, Broader Reach: inside UC Klekamp Law’s incoming class

The University of Cincinnati Donald P. Klekamp College of Law is welcoming a new generation of students across its JD, LLM and MLS programs amid a significant increase in interest in a UC Klekamp Law education, with JD applications reaching their highest level in a decade.

The College received 1,613 applications for the entering JD class—an 18% increase over the previous year and a 61% increase over the past two years. The application total represents the highest volume in the past 10 years and the second highest in the past 20 years.

That growing interest has helped shape a JD class that reflects UC Klekamp Law’s expanding reach, as well as the range of backgrounds and experiences students bring to the study of law.

The College’s entering class includes 163 new JD students, five new JD transfer students and two LLM-to-JD transfer students, for a total of 170 students.

The class also continues to demonstrate strong academic credentials. The median LSAT score is 159, matching last year’s median, while the median undergraduate GPA increased to 3.85, up from 3.8 last year. Students in the entering JD class have LSAT scores ranging from 149 to 170 and GPAs ranging from 2.99 to 4.08.

Ohio remains the largest source of students, but nearly half of the new JD class—48%—comes from outside the state. In all, students represent 22 states. After Ohio, Kentucky, Florida, Indiana and Michigan are the most represented states.

The class also draws from 68 colleges and universities, adding to the range of perspectives represented at the College. The five most represented undergraduate institutions are the Ohio State University, the University of Cincinnati, Miami University, the University of Kentucky–Lexington and Xavier University.

The newest JD class also demonstrates that there is no single path to law school. Students arrive at UC Klekamp Law with undergraduate degrees spanning 31 majors and experiences shaped by different educational, professional and life paths. Political science is the most represented major, followed by psychology, with criminal justice, economics and history tied for third.

The students range in age from 20 to 46. Sixteen percent are first-generation college students. Ten percent of students come from the Appalachian region.

The College’s LLM in U.S. Legal Studies program welcomed its 14th cohort this fall, with 13 participants from eight countries and four continents. The incoming group includes 12 students pursuing an LLM degree and one graduate certificate student. Ten students are joining the program through partner universities in Colombia, Italy, France and Ecuador, while Spain joins the program’s roster of represented countries for the first time. The College also welcomed its first student from the University of Deusto in Spain, expanding a partnership that has already supported summer placements, field-study opportunities and other academic collaborations.

The College is also expanding its network of international partnerships, recently signing new agreements with National Chengchi University in Taiwan, the University of Lima in Peru and the University of Desarrollo in Chile. These partnerships will create new opportunities to welcome students from additional regions while also opening doors for faculty and student collaboration. Existing partnerships have already supported opportunities including international summer placements, field-study hosts, visiting faculty and faculty travel to partner institutions.

Now in its fourth year, the MLS program continues to expand legal education beyond the traditional JD, welcoming 18 new students from fields including healthcare, human resources, compliance, arts administration, real estate, banking and finance, IT and higher education. While several students are from Ohio, the new class also represents Alabama, Florida, Indiana, Illinois, Louisiana, Missouri, Pennsylvania, and Texas. In addition, 14 students are enrolled in our four new certificate programs: Business Compliance, IT and Cyber Law, Healthcare Administration Regulation, and Sports Law.

Together, the new JD, LLM and MLS students reflect the growing reach of UC Klekamp Law—from prospective attorneys beginning their legal careers to international lawyers expanding their knowledge of U.S. law and professionals adding legal expertise to their fields. As interest in the College continues to grow, so does the range of students who see UC Klekamp Law as a place to advance their education and careers.

Images provided by Joey Yerace, UC Klekamp Law Marketing Dept.