Welcome from Dean David H. Getches
April 25, 2009 |
Dean's Welcome to Class of 2011
Colorado Law is completing one of its best years ever. This is the third year in our spectacular new, LEED-certified Wolf Law Building where we have hosted more than 10,000 visitors for conferences, seminars, court hearings, and meetings. Our signature strengths are reflected in national and international recognition for centers in natural resources, energy, high technology, entrepreneurship, and constitutional law. We are adding to our capacity in Indian law, international law, experiential education, and business. The accomplishments of our students, alumni, and faculty are terrific. Let me share a few facts.
Our Students Are Accomplished Leaders
- Measured by selectivity statistics, Colorado Law is among the 20 most competitive law schools in the United States, admitting only 22% of its applicants last year. This year we received a record 3,078 applications for the Class of 2012!
- Above all, Colorado Law prides itself in the leadership, character, and diversity of its students who come from more than 100 colleges in nearly every state, bringing qualities, experience, and backgrounds that enrich the learning environment.
- Colorado Law’s graduates passed the Colorado bar exam at a rate of 93.2% in 2007 on their first attempt, placing Colorado Law in the top 25 schools for bar passage.
- 25.4% of the Class of 2008 obtained judicial clerkships.
- Colorado Law students excelled in national moot court and trial competitions. Colorado Law teams won first place this year’s Regional National Trial Competition as they did last year; first place in the American Association for Justice regional student advocacy competition; and emerged victorious over 54 teams from 34 law schools in the Constance Baker Motley National Moot Court Competition.
Our Faculty Has National Stature
- Colorado Law boasts a student-to-faculty ratio of 12.6, ensuring close contact between students and faculty, and placing Colorado Law in the top 20 for student-faculty ratio amongst the most selective schools.
- Since 2004, Colorado Law faculty have published more than 100 law review articles, 11 university press books, 5 casebooks, a hornbook, and a five-volume treatise.
- In a 2007 survey of law faculty, University of Chicago Professor Brian Leiter ranked Colorado Law 33rd in scholarly impact based on frequency of citations.
- Five new extremely talented and diverse faculty members will join the faculty this fall.
Our Academic Program is Innovative
- Colorado Law recently received a $5 million endowed grant to establish the Schaden Chair in Experiential Learning – the largest gift in the history of Colorado Law enabling the school to be leader in this field of teaching.
- Our Clinical Education Program is expanding as students serve the Colorado community and accomplish impressive trial and appellate victories.
- Colorado Law expanded its writing curriculum, adding three new upper-division classes to offer students intensive training in advanced legal writing.
Our Alumni Are Accomplished Leaders
- In April, Law Week Colorado declared, “CU Alums Rule State.” Governor Bill Ritter, Secretary of State Bernie Buescher, and Attorney General John Suthers are all Colorado Law alumni, as is Senate President Brandon Shaffer.
- More than 150 Colorado graduates serve as judges.
Whatever the vagaries of popular magazine rating systems, Colorado Law ranks among with the nation’s top law schools according to several fundamental quality measures.
The state of Colorado has been hit by severe economic impacts as nearly all other states have. Fortunately, prudent management of our resources in the past and the generosity of donors equip Colorado Law to move forward to 2009-10 with no palpable reductions in our educational programs. We are maintaining scholarship funding at the same level, and will continue to recruit stellar faculty. Colorado Law’s future is bright by any measure and we will continue to focus on developing our program of legal education, our students, and our faculty in ways that will last.
We are exhilarated about the year ahead. Colorado Law has served the legal profession and the nation for 117 years. We look forward to our continued success as well as that of our students and alumni.
All the best,
David H. Getches, Dean
and Raphael J. Moses Professor of Natural Resources Law
