THE
MISSION
Founded by Thomas Jefferson in 1819, the University
of Virginia School of Law is a world-renowned training
ground for distinguished lawyers and public servants.
Consistently ranked among the top law schools in
the nation, Virginia has educated generations of
lawyers, instilling in them a commitment to leadership,
integrity, and community service. A faculty of
nationally acclaimed experts in their fields and
outstanding teachers lead Virginia’s
1,100 students to appreciate the power of law to shape human
behavior and to influence political, social, and cultural life.
Virginia is justly famous for its collegial environment
that bonds students and faculty, and student satisfaction
is consistently cited as among the highest in American law schools.
Intellectual challenges are met in a spirit of cooperation. Small
first-year sections promote individual inquiry while providing
support and friendship. Students learn together, reading each
other’s work and freely sharing course outlines and other
materials, confidently relying on the nation’s oldest
student-run Honor System to maintain the highest ethical standards.
Virginia has a national reputation for producing highly skilled
lawyers with a healthy combination of legal acuity and personal
balance. American Lawyer magazine once identified Virginia
as one of only two law schools in the country with graduates
practicing in each of the nation’s top 100 law firms.
THE
UNIVERSITY
With a total student body of approximately 18,500
and a faculty of more than 2,000, the University
of Virginia has achieved national prominence in
many disciplines and has been ranked first or second among the nation's public universities since 1984, a judgment based on faculty strength, student achievement, satisfaction of alumni, and numerous other factors.
The University is proud to be recognized as a
major research institution with an uncommonly strong
commitment to teaching. It also maintains a strong
tradition of student self-government. Forever marked
by the vision and foresight of Thomas Jefferson,
the architectural heritage confers a sense of place, and
Jefferson’s original buildings are still in use. In the
Jeffersonian tradition, the University maintains the best traditions
of the past, yet is boldly oriented to the future.
THE
GROUNDS
At Virginia, your legal studies will
take place in what is perhaps the most appealing physical
environment found at any law school
in the country. The David A. Harrison III Law Grounds
reflect a recent $46 million expansion and renovation
project funded entirely by private support from alumni
and friends. Surrounded by inviting gardens and an
elegant, tree-lined lawn, the setting reflects Jefferson’s
conviction that locating an intellectual
community within a beautiful environment fosters learning
and personal growth.
The Law Grounds feature new classrooms, seminar
rooms, and moot courtrooms, comprehensive computer
facilities, an expanded library with a three-story
reading room, new dining facilities, attractive
offices for student organizations, and numerous
student lounges. Map
THE
COMMUNITY
Charlottesville is a city of contrasts.
Nestled in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains
two hours southwest of Washington, D.C., the city is
cosmopolitan and relaxed. A picturesque and thriving
metropolitan area of more than 130,000, Charlottesville
has kept its small-town feeling. Area restaurants
are featured in publications such as Gourmet magazine
and The
New York Times, and an impressive array of
local wineries offers award-winning vintages.
The hometown of the Dave Matthews Band, Charlottesville’s
many nightclubs and music festivals create a thriving
scene for live music. Free concerts are a staple
of warm Friday evenings on the historic Downtown
Mall; the Dogwood Blues Festival is another herald
of the area’s gorgeous spring season.
Cultural opportunities abound. Theater, opera,
and music are community fixtures.
Jefferson’s Monticello and the nearby
homes of James Madison and James Monroe feature
classic architecture and rich history. Each fall
the University hosts the nationally acclaimed Virginia
Film Festival and in the spring gathers the nation’s
literary luminaries for the Virginia Festival of
the Book.
Law students seeking a community in which they
can relax, find plentiful entertainment, and appreciate
abundant natural beauty to balance the intense
rigors of law study will find a home in Charlottesville.
Law
Student Guide to
Charlottesville