Michigan State University College of Law
The Michigan State University College of Law (Michigan State Law or MSU Law) is the law school of Michigan State University, a public research university in East Lansing, Michigan. Established in 1891 as the Detroit College of Law, it was the first law school in the Detroit, Michigan area and the second in the state of Michigan. In October 2018, the college began a process to fully integrate into Michigan State University, changing from a private to a public law school. The integration with Michigan State University was finalized on August 17, 2020.
Michigan State University College of Law
1891
Michael Sant’Ambrogio (acting)
East Lansing, Michigan, United States
784[2]
51 full time, 73 part time[2]
108th (tie) (2024)[3]
77.46% (2022 first-time takers)[4]
The college is nationally ranked #108 by U.S. News & World Report out of 196 ABA approved schools.[5][3] By counting flagship journals not separately ranked by Washington & Lee School of Law (W&L Law) in its Law Journal Rankings, Michigan State Law Review was the 63rd highest-ranked flagship print journal in 2022 with a score of 14.55 out of 100 and, per W&L Law, the 99th overall law journal.[6]
For the class entering in 2023, the school had a 39.37% acceptance rate, 35.37% of those accepted enrolled, and entering students had a median LSAT score of 159 and a median undergraduate GPA of 3.55.[7]
For the 2022 graduating class, 72.25% of graduates obtained full-time, long-term bar-passage-required employment (i.e., employment as attorneys), and 11.45% were not employed part- or full-time in any capacity, within 10 months after graduation.[8]
Notable alumni include current Governor of Michigan Gretchen Whitmer, current Michigan Supreme Court Chief Justice Elizabeth T. Clement, former Michigan Supreme Court Justice and mayor of Detroit Dennis Archer, former Michigan Supreme Court Justice and United States federal judge George Clifton Edwards Jr., former Michigan gubernatorial candidate Geoffrey Fieger, former Michigan Senate majority leader and former U.S. Representative Mike Bishop, and former mayor of East Lansing Mark Meadows.
Law journals at the law school are nationally ranked and include:
Additionally, the school also publishes Spartan Lawyer, the law college's bi-annual magazine.[29] Formerly, the school published the Journal of Business & Securities Law.[30]
The Michigan State University College of Law changed its official logo and seal. As of May 10, 2024, the official logo no longer includes the depiction of Lady Justice.[31][32]
The new logo combines the Michigan State University wordmark with the name of the college, and it must always be used as shown without any alterations. Similarly, the official seal and helmet must also be used as shown, without any modifications. When using the seal, it should be in conjunction with the wordmark, and the wordmark should be larger in size. The acceptable colors for both the logo and seal are all CMYK green, black, and white.[32]
The new logo for the Michigan State University College of Law is a departure from the previous design. Here are the key features:
Overall, the new logo aims to convey a sense of professionalism, unity, and modernity while representing the Michigan State University College of Law.[32]
Bar examination passage[edit]
In 2022, the overall bar examination passage rate for the law school’s first-time examination takers was 77.46%. The Ultimate Bar Pass Rate, which the ABA defines as the passage rate for graduates who sat for bar examinations within two years of graduating, was 88.26% for the class of 2020.[4]