Why St. Mary's University?

St. Mary's University School of Law is distinguished by its Marianist and Hispanic-serving identity, offering a unique blend of practical legal education, a nationally recognized advocacy program, and the nation's first fully online J.D. program.

St. Mary's University is a less selective JD program with an acceptance rate of approximately 50.3%. The median entering 1L profile is a 3.49 GPA and 152 LSAT, with the 25th–75th percentile bands at 3.14–3.69 GPA and 150–155 LSAT. The full-time first-year class is approximately 277 students. Recent graduates have placed most heavily in Texas, Colorado, and Georgia — useful context if your geographic preference shapes your school list. In the 2025 ABA reporting cycle, St. Mary's University admitted 5 transfer students into the 2L class. 8 1Ls transferred out.

Visit St. Mary's University's site

Specialty strengths

Advocacy and Trial Skills, consistently recognized for competitive excellence in moot court and mock trialClinical Legal Education and Social Justice, through its Center for Legal and Social JusticeInternational and Comparative Law, with LL.M. programs and study abroad opportunitiesBusiness and Transactional Law, supported by the Bennie W. Bock II Center for Business and Transactional LawLegal Malpractice and Ethics, highlighted by its unique national journalTerritorial Law, with faculty expertise and dedicated courses

Class profile

US News rank: #150
Median GPA: 3.49; 25th–75th: 3.14–3.69
Median LSAT: 152; 25th–75th: 150–155
Acceptance rate: 50.3%
Class size (FT 1L): 277
Transfers admitted (2025): 5; ABA 2025 reporting cycle

2025 transfer admit profile

Actual GPAs of students St. Mary's University admitted as transfers in the 2025 ABA cycle.

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

8 1Ls transferred out of St. Mary's University in the same cycle — context for how portable St. Mary's University's 1L credit is among admissions committees elsewhere.

Top employment markets

1Texas
2Colorado
3Georgia

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 St. Mary's University's practical training. Mention specific clinic names in your "Why St. Mary's University" essay where they align with your interests.

Consumer Protection Clinic
Students represent clients in disputes involving deceptive trade practices and consumer fraud.
Criminal Justice Clinic
Students gain experience in criminal defense, representing indigent clients in various criminal matters.
Family Law Clinic
Students assist clients with family law issues such as divorce, child custody, and support.
Immigration & Human Rights Clinic
Students provide legal services to immigrants and individuals seeking human rights protections.
Microenterprise & Community Development Clinic
Students offer transactional legal services to microbusinesses and community-based nonprofits.
Real Estate Clinic
Students work on real estate cases, developing skills in property law.

Notable journals

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

The St. Mary's Law Journal— Publishes articles of significant scholarly merit and practical use across a wide variety of legal issues.
St. Mary's Journal on Legal Malpractice and Ethics— The only law review in the nation focusing solely on legal malpractice and ethics issues.
The Scholar: St. Mary's Law Review on Race and Social Justice— Focuses exclusively on legal issues that impact minorities across the world.

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.

Jeffrey Addicott
National Security Law, Director of the Warrior Defense Project
Michael S. Ariens
Constitutional Law, American Legal History, Professional Responsibility
Andrea Beleno Harrington
Microenterprise and Community Development, Transactional Law
Chenglin “Gary” Liu
Torts, Products Liability, Wills, Trusts and Estates, Chinese Law, Law and Economics, Public Health Law
Adam MacLeod
Jurisprudence, Property, Contracts, Intellectual Property, Private Law Theory
Jena Martin
Business and Human Rights, Securities Regulation, Corporate Governance, International Law
Robert William “Bill” Piatt
Immigration Law, Human Rights, Anti-discrimination Law, Law and Language
Sígrid Vendrell-Polanco
Territorial Law, Criminal Law, Employment Law, Negotiations
Heather Trick
Evidence, Children's Legal Issues, Education Law, Law Firm Management
John LoCurto
Public Health Law, Health Care Fraud, Waste and Abuse, HIPAA Privacy and Security

What makes St. Mary's University distinctive

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

·Offers the nation's first fully online J.D. program accredited by the American Bar Association
·A Marianist and Hispanic-serving institution committed to inclusive excellence and a vibrant community
·Houses the Center for Legal and Social Justice, which integrates clinical programs, pro bono work, and externships
·Provides unique study abroad programs, including institutes in Innsbruck, Austria, and China, and a spring break in Mexico
·Home to the Bennie W. Bock II Center for Business and Transactional Law, expanding business law curriculum and clinical offerings
·The Sarita Kenedy East Law Library is the largest legal information center in San Antonio and the surrounding area

Using this for your "Why St. Mary's University" 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 St. Mary's University

What is the median GPA and LSAT at St. Mary's University?▾

St. Mary's University's most recent entering 1L class had a median GPA of 3.49 and a median LSAT of 152. The 25th–75th percentile range was 3.14–3.69 GPA and 150–155 LSAT. Per ABA 509 disclosures.

What is St. Mary's University's acceptance rate?▾

St. Mary's University's most recent reported acceptance rate was approximately 50.3%, per ABA 509 disclosures.

What clinics does St. Mary's University offer?▾

St. Mary's University's notable clinical programs include: Consumer Protection Clinic, Criminal Justice Clinic, Family Law Clinic, Immigration & Human Rights Clinic, Microenterprise & Community Development Clinic. Visit the school's official clinical programs page for the full list.

What journals does St. Mary's University publish?▾

St. Mary's University's notable student-edited journals include: The St. Mary's Law Journal, St. Mary's Journal on Legal Malpractice and Ethics, The Scholar: St. Mary's Law Review on Race and Social Justice.

Where do St. Mary's University graduates work?▾

St. Mary's University graduates concentrate employment in Texas, Colorado, Georgia, per the school's most recent ABA 509 employment summary.

How many transfer students does St. Mary's University admit?▾

St. Mary's University admitted 5 transfer students into the 2L class in the 2025 ABA reporting cycle.

Schools similar to St. Mary's University

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

#150

Santa Clara University

Mcgeorge School of Law

Southwestern Law School

GPA 3.51 · LSAT 154

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Sources (3) — 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.