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Why Wake Forest University?

Wake Forest University School of Law distinguishes itself through a strong commitment to its 'Pro Humanitate' motto, fostering a close-knit community, and providing extensive experiential learning opportunities to develop practice-ready, service-oriented lawyers.

Wake Forest University is a very selective JD program with an acceptance rate of approximately 33.0%. The median entering 1L profile is a 3.79 GPA and 165 LSAT, with the 25th–75th percentile bands at 3.60–3.90 GPA and 159–166 LSAT. The full-time first-year class is approximately 158 students. Recent graduates have placed most heavily in North Carolina, Florida, and Washington, DC — useful context if your geographic preference shapes your school list. In the 2025 ABA reporting cycle, Wake Forest University admitted 6 transfer students into the 2L class, with a median 1L GPA of 3.66. 5 1Ls transferred out.

Specialty strengths

Experiential Learning and Clinical ProgramsHealth Law & PolicyBusiness Law and Corporate GovernanceIntellectual Property LawCriminal Law and Justice

Class profile

US News rank
#30
Median GPA
3.79
25th–75th: 3.60–3.90
Median LSAT
165
25th–75th: 159–166
Acceptance rate
33.0%
Class size (FT 1L)
158
Transfers admitted (2025)
6
ABA 2025 reporting cycle

2025 transfer admit profile

Actual GPAs of students Wake Forest University admitted as transfers in the 2025 ABA cycle.

25th percentile
Suppressed (small cohort)
Median
3.66
50th percentile
75th percentile
Suppressed (small cohort)

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

Top employment markets

  1. 1North Carolina
  2. 2Florida
  3. 3Washington, DC

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

  • Appellate Advocacy Clinic
    Students represent clients in civil and criminal appeals, handling cases from start to finish in various appellate courts.
  • Environmental Law & Policy Clinic
    Students work on cases and policy initiatives to protect natural resources and address environmental issues.
  • Innocence & Justice Clinic
    Students investigate claims of innocence, particularly those involving potential DNA evidence, to help overturn wrongful convictions.
  • Intellectual Property Law Clinic
    Students assist clients with intellectual property matters, supporting innovation, creativity, and entrepreneurship.
  • Medical-Legal Partnership Clinic
    Students collaborate with healthcare providers to address legal issues impacting the health outcomes of low-income patients.
  • Veterans Legal Clinic
    Students provide legal assistance to veterans, often focusing on discharge upgrades and benefits claims.

Notable journals

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

  • Wake Forest Law ReviewGeneral legal scholarship, publishing five print issues and monthly online articles.
  • Wake Forest Journal of Law & PolicyInterdisciplinary exploration of legal issues intersecting with public and social policy.
  • Wake Forest Journal of Business and Intellectual Property LawLegal scholarship related to business and intellectual property law.

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.

Torts

  • Andrew R. Klein· also Civil Procedure, Higher Education Law

Experiential Learning

  • Allyson E. Gold· also Medical-Legal Partnership, Poverty Law

Health Law & Policy

  • Mark Hall· also Bioethics

Legal Writing

  • Christine Nero Coughlin· also Professional Responsibility
  • Abigail Perdue· also Judicial Externships

Clinical Legal Education

  • Steve Virgil· also Nonprofit Law, Poverty Law

Business Law

  • Alan Palmiter· also Corporate Governance, Securities Regulation

Criminal Law

  • Ronald F. Wright· also Sentencing, Prosecution

Administrative Law

  • Sidney Shapiro· also Environmental Law, Regulatory Policy

What makes Wake Forest University distinctive

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

  • ·The university's motto, 'Pro Humanitate' (For Humanity), deeply influences the law school's curriculum and commitment to public service.
  • ·Intentionally small class sizes, including first-year sections of approximately 40-50 students, foster a close-knit academic community and accessible faculty.
  • ·A robust Experiential Education program offers numerous clinics, externships, and practical skills courses, allowing students to gain real-world legal experience.
  • ·The Wake Forest in Washington D.C. Program provides opportunities for students to gain hands-on experience through externships in government agencies, NGOs, and judicial placements in the nation's capital.
  • ·Offers an online Master of Legal Studies (MLS) program designed for non-lawyer professionals to gain advanced legal knowledge in areas like Business Law and Compliance, Health Law and Policy, and Human Resources.

Using this for your "Why Wake Forest 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 Wake Forest University

What is the median GPA and LSAT at Wake Forest University?

Wake Forest University's most recent entering 1L class had a median GPA of 3.79 and a median LSAT of 165. The 25th–75th percentile range was 3.60–3.90 GPA and 159–166 LSAT. Per ABA 509 disclosures.

What is Wake Forest University's acceptance rate?

Wake Forest University's most recent reported acceptance rate was approximately 33.0%, per ABA 509 disclosures.

What clinics does Wake Forest University offer?

Wake Forest University's notable clinical programs include: Appellate Advocacy Clinic, Environmental Law & Policy Clinic, Innocence & Justice Clinic, Intellectual Property Law Clinic, Medical-Legal Partnership Clinic. Visit the school's official clinical programs page for the full list.

What journals does Wake Forest University publish?

Wake Forest University's notable student-edited journals include: Wake Forest Law Review, Wake Forest Journal of Law & Policy, Wake Forest Journal of Business and Intellectual Property Law.

Where do Wake Forest University graduates work?

Wake Forest University graduates concentrate employment in North Carolina, Florida, Washington, DC, per the school's most recent ABA 509 employment summary.

How many transfer students does Wake Forest University admit?

Wake Forest University admitted 6 transfer students into the 2L class in the 2025 ABA reporting cycle, with a median 1L GPA of 3.66.

Schools similar to Wake Forest University

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

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