The school is named after S.J. "Joe" Quinney (1893 - 1983), a prominent Utah attorney who also helped develop the Alta Ski Area.
In 2019 Elizabeth Kronk Warner became the 12th Dean of the S.J. Quinney College of Law, succeeding Robert Adler who had been in place since 2014. She is the first woman and Native American named to deanship in the school's 106-year history.[5]
The James E. Faust Law Library (formerly the S.J. Quinney Law Library) is integrated into the law school building. The first, parts of the second, and the sixth floors of the building are open to the public; materials located on upper floors can be retrieved for public patrons.
A new $62.5 million[7] law building was opened on September 1, 2015, which is LEED Platinum certified and includes a café, secured-access student study areas, a furnished and landscaped roof-top terrace, and a 450-person moot courtroom.[8]
The moot courtroom of the S.J. Quinney College of Law.
Reputation
According to the USNWR 2024 Law School Rankings, the S.J. Quinney College of Law was named a "Top Tier" Law School and is currently ranked #28 out of 196 law schools in the United States.[9] Utah Law has the second lowest student to faculty ratio at 4.2:1, behind only the University of Arizona. Utah Law also has the third highest first-time in-state bar passage rate, and its environmental law program is ranked #7 nationally.
Several University of Utah law students have been chosen for prestigious internships and clerkships, including four graduates who have served as clerks to Supreme Court Justices.[10] Tyler R. Green, a 2005 graduate of the University of Utah S.J. Quinney College of Law clerked for Justice Clarence Thomas during the October 2009 term.
Admissions, and bar passage
The 2023 incoming class of 108 students had a median LSAT score of 165 and median GPA of 3.87.[11]
The overall bar passage rate in 2009 was about 85.5%, with 75% passing in February and 90% passing in July.[11]
Costs
The total cost of attendance (indicating the cost of tuition, fees, and living expenses) at S.J. Quinney School of Law for the 2017–2018 academic year was $26,758 for residents and $50,816 for non-residents.[12]
Organizations
Campus organizations[13] in alphabetical order include:
Business Law Society – student organization for anyone interested in the law and business. Events focus on how the law and business intersect.
Federalist Society[14] – The Federalist Society for Law and Public Policy Studies is a group of conservatives and libertarians interested in the current state of the legal order.[15]
Global Justice Think Tank[16] – for research on contemporary global issues in partnership arrangements.
J. Reuben Clark Law Society[19][20] – The JRCLS is an international organization of law school students and graduates with over 65 chapters throughout the world. Although closely associated with the LDS Church, membership in the church is not required to join JRCLS.[21]
Jackie Chiles Law Society[22] – a student organization named after the famous Seinfeld attorney, Jackie Chiles.
Minority Law Caucus – a student organization at the University of Utah S.[13]
NRLF – Natural Resources Law Forum: Open to all S. J. Quinney students, with interests in environmental law and responsible outdoor recreation.
OUTLaws – The OUTLaws is an association of LGBT and allied students.[13]
PALS – The Persian American Legal Society (PALS), founded by Solmaz Copeland in 2009, dedicated to enhancing the awareness and appreciation of Iranian and other Middle Eastern cultural traditions.[13]
Public Interest Law Organization (PILO) - to promote scholarship, activism, and career opportunities for law students interested in working for the public interest. This includes local, state, and federal government, as well as non profits and other organizations.
SIPLA – The Student Intellectual Property Law Association is open to all University of Utah students.
Sports Law Club - It provides a forum for students interested in sports law
Student Bar Association (SBA)[24] – The SBA is the official student government of the College. It plans student activities, organizes the mentor program for 1L students and other programs such as social events, philanthropies, and intramural sports. The SBA also serves as the Student Advisory Committee (SAC) and elected student government of the College of Law. As voting members of the College Council, SBA Board members represent the student body to the law school faculty and administration.[13]
Women's Law Caucus promotes interest in issues of particular concern to women.
Scholarly publications
The S.J. Quinney College of Law currently publishes three legal journals:[25]
