Since 1900, Stetson University College of Law has stood on the leading edge of innovation in legal education, teaching its first trial advocacy course in 1902 and opening the first legal clinic in Florida in 1938. Over its 115-year history, Stetson has taken a holistic approach to legal education, preparing lawyers and leaders for a life of professional excellence through teaching, mentoring, and skills training, where learning takes place inside and outside the classroom. We place students first, creating a transformative educational experience that combines academic rigor with social responsibility. Our students and faculty engaged in more than 25,000 hours of public service last year.
Stetson consistently leads the nation with top rankings in advocacy and legal writing. In addition, we have one of the largest outplacement programs in the country, with enough placement opportunities every semester for every second and third year student to participate. Our new Veteran’s Law Institute, designed to increase legal services to the growing population of military personnel, veterans, and their families in the Tampa Bay area, allows students to provide assistance with VA disability benefits appeals and help qualified members of the military, veterans, and their families obtain free legal services.
Stetson students can also participate in one of our many advocacy competition teams. These teams consistently bring home state, regional, national, and world titles. Students learn to become skilled mediators, negotiators, trial attorneys, and appellate advocates.
Continuing to look to the future, faculty members are engaged in implementing our updated strategic plan, which provides overarching strategies to embrace personal and professional integrity, to develop leaders in our communities, and to encourage social responsibility. Moving to the operational phase of the plan, faculty implemented a program to provide academic and career mentoring to all first-year students. The Strategic Plan Implementation Committee will continue to create distinctive and unique programs, as well as improve existing programs, to reinforce the value of our education, and the opportunities for our graduates.