Why Charleston School of Law?

Charleston School of Law emphasizes practical, hands-on legal education with a strong commitment to public service and a student-centric culture.

Charleston School of Law is a less selective JD program with an acceptance rate of approximately 56.6%. The median entering 1L profile is a 3.51 GPA and 152 LSAT, with the 25th–75th percentile bands at 3.26–3.75 GPA and 149–154 LSAT. The full-time first-year class is approximately 224 students. Recent graduates have placed most heavily in South Carolina, New York, and North Carolina — useful context if your geographic preference shapes your school list. In the 2025 ABA reporting cycle, Charleston School of Law admitted 9 transfer students into the 2L class, with a median 1L GPA of 2.50. 5 1Ls transferred out.

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Specialty strengths

Experiential Learning and Public ServiceBusiness and Transactional LawMaritime LawCriminal LawPublic Policy

Class profile

US News rank: #171
Median GPA: 3.51; 25th–75th: 3.26–3.75
Median LSAT: 152; 25th–75th: 149–154
Acceptance rate: 56.6%
Class size (FT 1L): 224
Transfers admitted (2025): 9; ABA 2025 reporting cycle

2025 transfer admit profile

Actual GPAs of students Charleston School of Law admitted as transfers in the 2025 ABA cycle.

25th percentile: —; Suppressed (small cohort)
Median: 2.50; 50th percentile
75th percentile: —; Suppressed (small cohort)

5 1Ls transferred out of Charleston School of Law in the same cycle — context for how portable Charleston School of Law's 1L credit is among admissions committees elsewhere.

Top employment markets

1South Carolina
2New York
3North Carolina

Where the most recent graduating class concentrated employment, per the school's ABA 509 employment summary. Use this as a signal of where the alumni network and OCI recruiting pipeline are strongest.

Signature clinics

Clinical programs that define Charleston School of Law's practical training. Mention specific clinic names in your "Why Charleston School of Law" essay where they align with your interests.

Parole Clinic
Students assist individuals with parole-related legal matters.
Mediation Clinic
Students assist in mediating disputes, often for parties meeting federal poverty guidelines.
Family Law Clinic (Charleston Pro Bono Legal Services)
Students provide legal representation to families in need, including child advocacy.
Housing Clinic (Charleston Pro Bono Legal Services)
Students help low-income families with housing-related legal issues.
Domestic Violence Clinic (Charleston Legal Services)
Students assist individuals in domestic violence situations.
Criminal Prosecution Clinic (Ninth Circuit Solicitor's Office)
Students gain experience in criminal prosecution in conjunction with the Solicitor's Office.

Notable journals

Student-edited publications you could write for or cite as a research interest.

Charleston Law Review— Fosters knowledge and insight through traditional legal scholarship.
MALABU (Maritime Law Bulletin)— Focuses on legal issues related to maritime law.
RESOLVED: Journal of Alternative Dispute Resolution— Publishes articles on practical issues in mediation, arbitration, and dispute resolution.
Journal for Law and Public Policy— Encourages debate on issues at the intersection of law and society, with an emphasis on policy proposals.

Faculty highlights

Well-known faculty grouped by primary specialty. If a professor's scholarship aligns with your interests, name them in your essay and reference a specific paper or course.

Jonathan A. Marcantel
Dean and Professor of Law
Margaret Lawton
Vice Dean, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs & Professor of Law
Jean Steadman
Business and Transactional Law, Contracts, Sales
Suzanne Chapman
Director of the Center for Trial Advocacy, Legal Research, Analysis, & Writing
Michelle Mensore Condon
Director of Externships & Public Service and Pro Bono
Kevin Eberle
Director of Clinics, Legal Research, Analysis, & Writing
Seth Gordon
Constitutional Law
Katie Brown
Associate Dean for Information Resources, Legal Technology, Artificial Intelligence
Gordon Schreck
Maritime Law (Adjunct Professor)
Jeffrey Yungman
Public Interest Law (Adjunct Professor)

What makes Charleston School of Law distinctive

Programs, history, or institutional features that set this school apart beyond rank.

·Required 50 hours of pro bono service for graduation, reflecting the motto 'Pro Bono Populi' (for the good of the people).
·Student-centric culture with highly accessible faculty, recognized by The Princeton Review for faculty accessibility and quality of teaching.
·Robust experiential learning opportunities including clinics, externships, internships, and advocacy programs.
·An advanced LL.M. program in Admiralty and Maritime Law, leveraging Charleston's historic port location.
·The Public Policy Institute, dedicated to advancing nonpartisan, evidence-based solutions through research and community collaboration.

Using this for your "Why Charleston School of Law" essay

Strong "Why X Law School" essays are concrete and specific to the school — not interchangeable templates. Use these facts to anchor your essay, then layer on what you've found from the school's own faculty pages, clinical program descriptions, and journal listings.

Important note: admissions committees actively reject AI-written personal statements and "Why X" essays. Use this page as research material to write your own essay — never as a template to copy. Authentic, specific, personally-grounded reasoning is the only thing that wins these essays.

Frequently asked about Charleston School of Law

What is the median GPA and LSAT at Charleston School of Law?▾

Charleston School of Law's most recent entering 1L class had a median GPA of 3.51 and a median LSAT of 152. The 25th–75th percentile range was 3.26–3.75 GPA and 149–154 LSAT. Per ABA 509 disclosures.

What is Charleston School of Law's acceptance rate?▾

Charleston School of Law's most recent reported acceptance rate was approximately 56.6%, per ABA 509 disclosures.

What clinics does Charleston School of Law offer?▾

Charleston School of Law's notable clinical programs include: Parole Clinic, Mediation Clinic, Family Law Clinic (Charleston Pro Bono Legal Services), Housing Clinic (Charleston Pro Bono Legal Services), Domestic Violence Clinic (Charleston Legal Services). Visit the school's official clinical programs page for the full list.

What journals does Charleston School of Law publish?▾

Charleston School of Law's notable student-edited journals include: Charleston Law Review, MALABU (Maritime Law Bulletin), RESOLVED: Journal of Alternative Dispute Resolution, Journal for Law and Public Policy.

Where do Charleston School of Law graduates work?▾

Charleston School of Law graduates concentrate employment in South Carolina, New York, North Carolina, per the school's most recent ABA 509 employment summary.

How many transfer students does Charleston School of Law admit?▾

Charleston School of Law admitted 9 transfer students into the 2L class in the 2025 ABA reporting cycle, with a median 1L GPA of 2.50.

Schools similar to Charleston School of Law

Other schools at a comparable rank tier — useful for building a transfer list, balanced 0L application list, or essay-research shortlist.

#171

City University of New York

GPA 3.54 · LSAT 154

#171

Roger Williams University

GPA 3.43 · LSAT 150

#171

University of Massachusetts-dartmouth

GPA 3.36 · LSAT 152

#168

New England Law | Boston

GPA 3.37 · LSAT 154

#168

St. Thomas University (florida)

GPA 3.42 · LSAT 156

#168

Willamette University

GPA 3.48 · LSAT 154

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Sources (10) — verify any fact above

Generated from public sources via search-grounded AI on 4/27/2026. If any fact looks wrong, click through to verify and let us know.