Editing Belmont University College of Law

{{Infobox Law School
|class_canceled=Yes
|temp_pass_fail_grading=Optional
|pass_fail_grading_notes=Optional P/F after grades are released (allowed to pick a maximum of 7 credit hours total to make P/F instead of letter grades)
|pass_fail_grading_url=https://www.reddit.com/r/LawSchool/comments/fjp4kt/complete_list_of_grading_changes_corona_spring/fmudydy/
|established=2011
|parent=Belmont University
|city=Nashville
|state=TN
|country=US
|geocode_fail=No
|full_time_students=276
|ranking=138
|bar_pass_rate=97
|unsubsidized_annual_tuition=44,470
|website=www.belmont.edu/law
|aba_profile=https://officialguide.lsac.org/Release/SchoolsABAData/SchoolPage/SchoolPage.aspx?sid=199
|name=Belmont University College of Law
|head=[[Alberto Gonzales]]
|bar pass rate=97.18%
|annual tuition=$44,470
|aba profile=[https://officialguide.lsac.org/Release/SchoolsABAData/SchoolPage/SchoolPage.aspx?sid=199 Belmont Law]
|students=276
|acceptance rate=52.45%
|employment=94%
}}
'''[[Belmont University]] College of Law''' is a private [[Law school in the United States|law school]] in [[Nashville, Tennessee]]. Founded in 2011, the College of Law was accredited by the [[American Bar Association]] in 2013, the earliest possible time allowed by accreditation guidelines.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://www.bizjournals.com/nashville/blog/2013/06/belmont-law-program-receives.html|title=Belmont law program receives accreditation|website=Nashville Business Journal|language=en|access-date=2019-08-19}}</ref> Although relatively young, Belmont Law has established a strong reputation in Tennessee for its high bar passage and employment statistics.{{short description|Law school in Nashville, Tennessee}}

== History ==
Belmont University announced plans for the College of Law in 2009, with the first class beginning in 2011.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|url=http://www.nationaljurist.com/content/belmont-university-announces-college-law|title=Belmont University announces College of Law|last=|first=|date=2009-10-19|website=The National Jurist|url-status=live|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2019-09-07}}</ref> Belmont Law was accredited by the [[American Bar Association]] in 2013, making it the first new accredited law program in Tennessee in over 50 years <ref name=":0" /> and the first new law school in Middle Tennessee in nearly 100 years.<ref name=":1" /> Belmont Law achieved [[American Bar Association]] accreditation in the earliest possible time allowed by accreditation guidelines.<ref name=":0" />

== Curriculum ==
The college's curriculum includes the [[Juris Doctor]] (J.D.) with specialized certificate programs available in Criminal Law, Health Law, and Entertainment Law.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://officialguide.lsac.org/Release/SchoolsABAData/SchoolPage/SchoolPage.aspx?sid=199|title=School Detail Information|website=Law School Admission Council|access-date=2019-05-06}}</ref> The College of Law curriculum focuses on creating practice-ready attorneys with a practicum requirement in each semester to help students become proficient in the “practice” of law.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web|url=https://www.newsweek.com/insights/legal-insight-2017/belmont-university-college-law|title=Legal Insight 2017|last=|first=|date=2017|website=Newsweek|url-status=live|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2019-09-07}}</ref> These practicums give instruction in all aspects of the practice of law, such as legal writing, legal research, client interviewing, document drafting, litigation, negotiation, and more.<ref name=":2" />

In 2017, a dual JD/MBA program was launched, allowing students to take classes for both degrees concurrently and complete requirements for both degrees within three years.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nashvillepost.com/business/legal/article/20857679/belmont-launching-joint-jdmba|title=Belmont launching joint JD/MBA|last=|first=|date=2017-04-10|website=Nashville Post|url-status=live|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2019-09-07}}</ref>

== Facilities ==
[[File:Belmont Law Baskin Center.jpg|alt=Belmont Law Baskin Center|thumb|'''Belmont Law Baskin Center''']]
The law school is housed in the Randall and Sadie Baskin Center, a 75,000-square-foot LEED Gold building atop a five-level underground garage.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nashvillepost.com/business/development/blog/20466909/belmont-law-building-earns-leed-gold|title=Belmont law building earns LEED Gold|date=2012-10-31|website=Nashville Post|access-date=2019-08-19}}</ref> The Baskin Center houses more than a dozen large classrooms, a trial courtroom, an appellate court room, faculty offices, student commons, and a two-story law library. <ref>{{Cite web|url=https://officialguide.lsac.org/Release/SchoolsABAData/SchoolPage/SchoolPage.aspx?sid=199|title=School Detail Information|website=officialguide.lsac.org|access-date=2019-09-19}}</ref>

== Organizations and Publications ==
Students can hone their oral and written advocacy skills through local and national competition through the Board of Advocates program, which includes mock trial, moot court, and transactional teams.<ref name=":2" />

The College of Law publishes four academic journals, the Belmont Law Review,<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.belmontlawreview.org/|title=Belmont Law Review|website=Belmont Law Review|language=en-US|access-date=2019-09-08}}</ref> Criminal Law Journal,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.belmontcriminallaw.com/|title=Belmont Criminal Law Journal|website=www.belmontcriminallaw.com|access-date=2019-09-08}}</ref> Entertainment Law Journal, and Health Law Journal.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.belmonthealthlaw.com/|title=Belmont Health Law Journal|website=www.belmonthealthlaw.com|access-date=2019-09-08}}</ref>

== Employment ==
Statistics for the class of 2018 indicate 96% of students are employed in some capacity, with 95% employed in bar passage required or J.D. advantage positions.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nashvillepost.com/business/education/belmong-university/article/21069151/of-note-17-may-2019|title=Of Note: 17 May 2019|date=2019-05-17|website=Nashville Post|access-date=2019-08-19}}</ref> Most graduates remain in state, with 89% employed in Tennessee. <ref name=":3">{{Cite web|url=https://news.belmont.edu/college-of-law-announces-record-employment-rate-for-class-of-2018/|title=College of Law Announces Record Employment Rate for Class of 2018|last=Hefner|first=April|date=2019-05-16|website=Belmont University News & Media|language=en-US|access-date=2019-10-17}}</ref> Of those employed, 63% work at a law firm, 14.5% work in business or industry, 18.5% work in government or judicial clerkships, and 4% work in public interest. <ref name=":3" />

Belmont Law's [[Law School Transparency]] under-employment score is 6.4%, indicating the percentage of the Class of 2018 unemployed, pursuing an additional degree, or working in a non-professional, short-term, or part-time job nine months after graduation.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.lstreports.com/schools/belmont/|title=Belmont University|website=Law School Transparency|access-date=2019-08-19}}</ref>

== Bar Passage ==
On the July 2019 bar exam, 97.18% of Belmont Law's first-time test takers and 94.52% of its total takers passed, <ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.tnble.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/July-2019-TN-School-Statistics.pdf|title=July 2019 UBE TN School Statistics|last=|first=|date=|website=Tennessee Board of Law Examiners|url-status=live|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=}}</ref> the highest of any law school in Tennessee and +23.62% above the state's overall 70.90% pass rate. <ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nashvillepost.com/business/legal/article/21090709/belmont-tops-in-bar-passage|title=Belmont tops in bar passage|website=Nashville Post|language=en|access-date=2019-10-17}}</ref> In 2018, 94.52% of Belmont Law's first-time test takers and 90.79% of its total takers passed the bar exam,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nashvillepost.com/business/legal/article/21026113/notes-vanderbilt-belmont-top-bar-exam-results|title=Notes: Vanderbilt, Belmont top bar exam result|date=2018-10-08|website=Nashville Post|access-date=2019-08-19}}</ref> ranking 12th in the nation for bar passage. <ref>{{Cite web|url=https://abovethelaw.com/2019/10/the-top-50-law-schools-by-first-time-bar-exam-pass-rates-2018/|title=The Top 50 Law Schools By First-Time Bar Exam Pass Rates (2018)|last=Zaretsky|first=Staci|website=Above the Law|language=en-US|access-date=2019-10-17}}</ref>

== Costs ==
Tuition costs for the year 2019 are $44,470,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.usnews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-law-schools/belmont-university-03203|title=Law School Overview|website=U.S. News and World Report}}</ref> with 49% of students receiving scholarships. <ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.belmont.edu/law/_pdf/Standard_509_Report-12-17-2018.pdf|title=BELMONT UNIVERSITY - 2018 Standard 509 Information Report|last=|first=|date=|website=American Bar Association Standard Disclosures|url-status=live|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=}}</ref> Belmont Law ranks #104 in terms of highest tuition among full-time law students based on 283 tuition rates from 194 law schools, with in-state tuition counting separately. <ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ilrg.com/rankings/law/view/197|title=Belmont University|last=|first=|date=|website=Public Legal|url-status=live|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2019-09-11}}</ref>

== Board of Advocacy Achievements<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.belmont.edu/law/academics/boa.html|title=Board of Advocates|last=|first=|date=|website=Belmont University|url-status=live|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2019-09-08}}</ref>==
{| class="wikitable"
!National Champion
!Year
|-
|L. Edward Bryant, Jr. National Health Law Transactional Moot Court
|2019
|-
|Emory Civil Rights and Liberties Moot Court Competition
|2019
|-
|National Health Law Moot Court Competition, Southern Illinois University
|2015
|-
!National Finalist
!Year
|-
|American Association for Justice Mock Trial Competition
|2017
|-
!Regional Champion
!Year
|-
|American Bar Association National Appellate Advocacy Competition
|2019
|-
|American Association of Justice Student Trial Advocacy Competition
|2019
|-
|American Bar Association's National Appellate Advocacy Competition (NAAC)
|2018
|-
|American Bar Association's National Appellate Advocacy Competition (NAAC)
|2017
|-
|American Association for Justice Mock Trial Competition
|2017
|-
|American Association for Justice Mock Trial Competition
|2015
|-
!Regional Finalist
!Year
|-
|American Bar Association National Appellate Advocacy Competition
|2019
|-
|National Moot Court Competition, New York City Bar Association
|2016
|-
!Best Brief/Memo
!Year
|-
|Emory Civil Rights and Liberties Moot Court Competition
|2018
|-
|L. Edward Bryant, Jr. National Health Law Transactional Moot Court Competition
|2017
|-
!Best Oral Advocate
!Year
|-
|Emory Civil Rights and Liberties Moot Court Competition
|2019
|-
|National Moot Court Competition, New York City Bar Association (Regional)
|2014
|}

== References ==
{{reflist}}

{{coord missing|Tennessee}}

[[Category:Law schools in Tennessee]]
[[Category:Belmont University]]
[[Category:2011 establishments in Tennessee]]