Why Cleveland State University College of Law?

Class profile

US News rank

#136

Median GPA

3.50

25th–75th: 3.11–3.76

Median LSAT

154

25th–75th: 151–157

Acceptance rate

48.5%

Class size (FT 1L)

135

Transfers admitted (2025)

2

ABA 2025 reporting cycle

2025 transfer admit profile

Actual GPAs of students Cleveland State University College of Law admitted as transfers in the 2025 ABA cycle.

25th percentile

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Suppressed (small cohort)

Median

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50th percentile

75th percentile

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Suppressed (small cohort)

2 1Ls transferred out of Cleveland State University College of Law in the same cycle — context for how portable Cleveland State University College of Law's 1L credit is among admissions committees elsewhere.

Top employment markets

1. 1Ohio
2. 2Illinois
3. 3Texas

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 Cleveland State University College of Law's practical training. Mention specific clinic names in your "Why Cleveland State University College of Law" essay where they align with your interests.

• Animal Law Clinic
  Students represent nonprofit animal organizations and advocates to address cruelty and promote animal welfare through litigation and legislative initiatives.
• Appellate Practice Clinic
  Students represent underprivileged communities before state and federal appeals courts, learning to perfect appeals, author briefs, and present oral arguments.
• Civil Litigation Clinic
  Students represent clients in a wide range of civil cases before courts and administrative agencies, covering areas like civil rights, employment, and consumer concerns.
• Pardon, Clemency And Reentry Clinic
  Students assist individuals seeking pardons or clemency and help with record-sealing and expungement to overcome collateral consequences of convictions.
• Pretrial Justice Clinic
  Students advocate for indigent defendants during the initial bail process, working to reduce disparities in the criminal justice system.
• Terry Gilbert Wrongful Conviction Clinic
  Students work to reverse injustices by reviewing case files, conducting investigations, and analyzing legal claims for prisoners with viable claims of actual innocence.

Notable journals

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

• Cleveland State Law Review— The flagship journal publishing scholarly articles on a broad range of legal topics.
• Journal of Law and Health— Focuses on legal aspects of medicine and health sciences, drawing articles from various disciplines.
• Global Business Law Review— Focuses on international and global business law issues.
• Et Cetera— The online companion journal to the Cleveland State Law Review, designed for quicker dissemination of legal scholarship.

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.

• Carolyn Broering-Jacobs
  Legal Writing, Civil Litigation, Appellate Advocacy
• Brian E. Ray
  Cybersecurity, Data Privacy, AI Law and Policy, Comparative Constitutional Law
• Milena Sterio
  International Law, International Criminal Law, Human Rights, Maritime Piracy
• Heidi Gorovitz Robertson
  Environmental Law, Energy Law, Property Law
• Robert J. Triozzi
  Criminal Justice Reform, Criminal Pretrial Practice
• Deborah Hoffman
  Business Law, Entrepreneurship, Legal Technology (Blockchain)
• Pamela A. Daiker-Middaugh
  Family Law, Clinical Teaching, Juvenile Law
• Jonathan P. Witmer-Rich
  Criminal Procedure, Criminal Law Theory
• Christa Laser
  Intellectual Property Law
• Mark J. Sundahl
  Global Space Law

What makes Cleveland State University College of Law distinctive

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

• ·One of the first law schools in Ohio to admit women and students of color, with a long history of social justice.
• ·Home to nationally recognized centers including the Center for Cybersecurity & Privacy Protection and the Global Space Law Center, the first academic center in the nation focused solely on outer space law.
• ·Offers a P. Kelly Tompkins Leadership & Law Program, one of the first in the country to provide core leadership training to law students.
• ·Provides an ABA-accredited online J.D. program, designed for flexibility and accessibility.
• ·Features innovative 'Pop-Up Practicums' offering short-term, hands-on legal work opportunities in areas important to students.
• ·Offers various dual degree programs, allowing students to earn a J.D. and a graduate degree from Cleveland State University concurrently.

Frequently asked about Cleveland State University College of Law

Schools similar to Cleveland State University College of Law

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