"At BSL, I can acquire a law degree with all it's possibilities, without giving up my career achievements to date." Desiree Alexander Class of 2004 Manager, Envirolab

"BSL was a great choice for me. After graduation, I passed the Bar Exam on my first attempt and immediately found employment in the DA's office." Jeff Bradley Graduate of 2002

"Being able to pursue my current career during the day and attend classes in the evening has been invaluable to me." Jodi Dunn, Class of 2005 Equipment Sales Manager.

Program Approved By Alabama Supreme Court and Legislature.

Although the Birmingham School of Law is not accredited by the American Bar Association, our graduates are eligible to take the Alabama State Bar Examination pursuant to the authority granted by the Alabama Legislature and the Alabama Supreme Court. Upon receiving a passing score on the exam and meeting all other admission requirements, our graduates are admitted to practice law in the state of Alabama.

Program Costs

Each two (2) credit hour course is $350; one (1) credit hour course is $175; and student fees are $125 per semester, regardless of the number of courses taken. (Program costs are subject to change without notice.)

Financing Your Education

The Birmingham School of Law has a long standing tradition of keeping program costs at affordable levels. Because the costs are so reasonable, most students are able to pay the total cost of their legal education without outside assistance.

Students are given two options for payment of costs each semester:

1. payment in full by cash, check, money order or credit card (Mastercard or Visa); or
2. payment under BSL's installment plan, which requires payment of 1/3 of the costs at the time of registration with payment of balance in equal monthly installments during the semester.

Since Birmingham School of Law is not nationally accredited, nor affiliated with an accredited 4-year university, students attending BSL are not eligible for federally guaranteed student loans. In addition, for the same reason, the law school cannot provide certification for deferment of the student's outstanding federally guaranteed student loans.

A few scholarships are available for students who distinguish themselves academically at BSL. Currently none are available for incoming freshman.

The Student Body

BSL has a diverse student body of more than 450 students of all ages and backgrounds from across the state of Alabama. Many different undergraduate majors are represented as there is no "correct" pre-law major. See My BSL Story.

Although a large majority of our student body is employed full-time, 70% attend at least 4 nights a week year round (fall, spring and summer semesters).

Outstanding professional associations such as Sigma Delta Kappa, Future Trial Lawyers Association, and Association of Trial Lawyers of America, afford students an opportunity to facilitate the goals of the school as well as enhance their own law school experience.

Curriculum

The curriculum at BSL is designed to provide a base of legal knowledge and analytical skills, as well as an understanding of the legal processes and the role of law in our society. A total of 80 semester hours is required for graduation and the award of the Juris Doctor (J.D.) Degree. (See curriculum chart.)

A three or four-nights-a-week program is available, enabling graduation within 3-4 years or less. [Students are required to complete a minimum of 3 courses per semester, year round.] (See graduation plans.)

Required courses comprise 70 hours of the 80 hours required to graduate. The balance, or 10 semester hours, are elective course hours. Each course meets one night a week for a minimum of two academic hours, or 100 minutes (summer classes meet longer.) Successful completion of a course affords two semester hours.

Elective courses have included:

Administrative Law	Environmental Law	Advanced Legal Research	Health Care Law
Alternative Dispute Resolution	Insurance	Appellate Practice	Intellectual Property
Bankruptcy	International Law	Employment Law	Judicial/Legal Internship
Damages	Law and Medicine	Disability Law	Law Office Practice
Discrimination Law	Advanced Legal Writing	Workman's Compensation	Municipal Law
Education Law	Moot Court	Elder Law	Statutory Remedies/Rights-Land
Real Estate Transactions	Debtor Creditor Law	Immigration Law

NOTE: ALL INCOMING FRESHMEN WILL BE REQUIRED TO TAKE FUNDAMENTALS OF LEGAL RESEARCH (a Friday course) DURING THEIR FIRST SEMESTER OF ATTENDANCE AND FUNDAMENTALS OF LEGAL WRITING THEIR SECOND SEMESTER.

Research Libraries

Learning to research and write legal memoranda and briefs is an integral part of the law school experience. To support this, BSL's Law Library offers primary and secondary legal materials in print, on CD-ROM and through on-line media. In addition, a library staff is available to assist students with the use of the library for research.

Birmingham School of Law subscribes to WESTLAW on-line computer research services. Training in the use of WESTLAW is part of a first-year course, Fundamentals of Legal Research. Students have access to WESTLAW through their home computer as well as in the library's computer lab.