A personal statement must accompany your application. The personal statement should be a 1-3 page essay that provides some insight into your character. The personal statement is also your opportunity to inform the Admissions Committee of any information that you believe supports your application.

Additionally, Faulkner University is a Christian university and Faulkner Law believes that the study of law is uniquely intertwined with faith. Therefore, as scholarships are considered, it is recommended that each applicant respond to the following promot within their personal statement: "Faulkner Law has cultivated a caring Christian environment within a rigorous academic setting where the Anglo-American legal tradition is studied and difficult topics such as the nature of law and the importance of legal reasoning are discussed. Please discuss how you would contribute and benefit from this environment." Students who wish to be considered for the Faith & Law Scholarship must respond to this prompt.

Attach your résumé here.

In addition to a bar examination, there are character, fitness, and other qualifications for admission to the bar in every U.S. jurisdiction. Applicants are encouraged to determine the requirements for any jurisdiction in which they intend to seek admission by contacting the jurisdiction. Addresses for all relevant agencies are available through the National Conference of Bar Examiners.

If the answer is "Yes" to any of the following questions, you are required to submit a full written explanation as an addedum to your application in the Attachment section. This addendum shall include dates, charges, identification information of arresting agency and court, sentencing information, and/or resolution. Any addendum failing to adequately address the circumstances surrounding a disclosed incident or the resolution to said incident shall cause delays or disqualification during the applicant review process. Please note that there are character, fitness and other qualifications for admission to the Bar; and the School of Law encourages each applicant to determine what those requirements are in the state(s) in which the applicant intends to practice.

1. Have you ever been academically dismissed, suspended, expelled, placed on probation, received a warning, or requested to withdraw for any reason by any school, college or university? No statute, court order, legal or administrative proceeding expunging the information required herein from any record, or dismissing, vacating or setting aside any academic action listed above or reliance upon an individual purporting to authorize any person to deny the existence of such matter shall excuse less than full disclosure.

2. Have you ever as a juvenile or adult been served with a criminal summons, questioned, arrested, taken into custody, indicted, charged with, tried for, pleaded guilty to or convicted of, or ever been the subject of an investigation concerning the violation of any law, regulation or policy, including but not limited to any internal investigation conducted by an employer or public agency? (Include all traffic tickets/offenses in your answer, except that you need not list parking tickets/offenses.) No statute, court order or legal proceeding expunging the information required herein from any record, or dismissing, vacating or setting aside any arrest, accusation or conviction, or purporting to authorize any person to deny the existence of such matter shall excuse less than full disclosure.

3. Have you ever been a party or otherwise involved in ANY legal proceeding, civil or criminal?

4. Are you now, or have you ever been, addicted to or had a substance abuse problem with, or have you undergone treatment or counseling for the use of, narcotics, drugs, or intoxicating liquors?

5. In the past 5 years, have you received treatment for a serious nervous, emotional, or mental illness which would adversely impact your ability to practice law?

6. Have you ever been granted a license to practice a business, profession, or trade, and had that license suspended or revoked?

Faulkner University, Thomas Goode Jones School of Law

Admission Standards

Faulkner University?s Thomas Goode Jones School of Law is a faith-oriented law school affiliated with the Churches of Christ and embraces a Christian world view. Faulkner Law produces exceptional attorneys of distinguished moral character. Reflecting this, the Faulkner Law Admissions Committee will evaluate each applicant as a whole.

To be eligible for consideration for admission to Faulkner Law, an applicant must have a bachelor?s degree from a university accredited by an accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. An application for admission filed during the senior year of college, prior to receiving the degree, can be approved by Faulkner Law, subject to the applicant?s receipt of the degree before the commencement of classes. Each applicant must have taken the Law School Admission Test (LSAT) or the Graduate Record Examination (GRE); the LSAT is preferred. If an applicant takes both the LSAT and the GRE, the LSAT score will be used.

The admissions selection process is based on a number of factors designed to identify an applicant?s probability for academic and professional success, as well as to build an incoming class that is diverse and supportive of Faulkner Law?s Christian environment. The applicant?s cumulative undergraduate GPA and LSAT or GRE score are critical, but the Admissions Committee will also seriously consider an applicant?s employment experience, graduate work, specific educational institutions attended, extracurricular activities, professional and faith-oriented letters of recommendation, community service, evidence of leadership, military service, and any other relevant information.

Faulkner Law conducts a rolling admissions process. The Admissions Committee will make a determination once an applicant?s file is complete. Applicants are accepted, denied, or placed on hold for later consideration, and applicants will be notified of their status as soon as a decision is made. The Admissions Committee will review applicants placed on hold later in the admissions process to make a final determination on their enrollment status.

Faulkner Law seeks applicants who share its faith mission and Christian world view, while also striving to provide access to legal education to those from under-represented groups in the legal profession.

Scheduling Options

Faulkner Law offers two scheduling options:

(1) Full-time J.D. Schedule (a full load of on-campus, weekday classes over three years. Reduced course load options are available.)

(2) Executive J.D. Schedule (reduced load of blended classes over four years. Blended classes will meet on campus every other weekend on Friday evenings and Saturdays and will have an asynchronous distance education component during the week.)

The Personal Statement

A personal statement must accompany your application. The personal statement should be a 1-3 page essay detailing the reasons you wish to study law, and why you want to study at Faulkner Law. The personal statement is your opportunity to inform the Admissions Committee of any information that you believe supports your application. Relevant information could include extracurricular achievements, work experience, or personal challenges.

Résumé

A résumé is a required attachment to your application. As with your Personal Statement, your application cannot be marked complete and reviewed by our Admissions Committee without the attachment of a résumé. A résumé often proves to be significantly helpful during our Admission Committee's candidate deliberation process.

Credential Assembly Service

The Credential Assembly Service (CAS) is administered by the Law School Admission Council (LSAC) and serves as a central collection agency of college transcripts required for law school admissions decisions. The Credential Assembly Service analyzes undergraduate work, combines the analysis with the LSAT scores, and produces a Credential Assembly Service law school report for the applicant and the School of Law. Registration can be made through LSAC's website at LSAC.org. A CAS report is required for each applicant to be considered for admission to the Thomas Goode Jones School of Law.

Law School Admission Test (LSAT) or Graduate Record Examination (GRE)

The LSAT is an aptitude test used by law schools throughout the country and is administered by the Law School Admission Council. The test is given multiple times per calendar year at centers throughout the country. The LSAT is a strong predictor of how a student will perform in law school and on the bar exam. The School of Law strongly encourages students to prepare thoroughly for the LSAT before taking it. If taken more than once, the School of Law will use the highest of all scores. Please refer to the paragraph above for registration details.

The GRE is an aptitude test measuring verbal reasoning, quantitative reasoning, and analytical writing. It is administered multiple times per calendar year at testing centers and online. Applicants can register for the GRE through Educational Testing Service (ETS) at ets.org. The GRE Law School Code for Faulkner Law is: 2846.

Letters of Recommendation

At least two letters of recommendation, but no more than four, must accompany each application. Faulkner Law encourages applicants to submit at least one letter of recommendation from a professor or legal professional. Further, Faulkner Law also encourages applicants to submit a letter of recommendation from a church or faith community leader. However, if a student wishes to be considered for the Faith and Law Scholarship, a letter from a church or faith community leader is required. At least one of the two required letters must be dated within one year of the application date.

Accreditation Statement

Faulkner University?s Thomas Goode Jones School of Law is approved by the Council of the Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar of the American Bar Association, 321 North Clark Street, Chicago, IL 60654, 312-988-6738.

Faulkner University is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award Associate, Baccalaureate, Master's and Juris Doctor degrees. Contact the Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, Georgia 30033-4097 or call 404-679-4500 for questions about the accreditation of Faulkner University.

Bar Licensure Information

Graduates of Faulkner University?s full-time and flexible Juris Doctor schedules are eligible to sit for the bar examination in every U.S. state, territory, and the District of Columbia. Graduates of Faulkner University?s executive Juris Doctor schedule are eligible to sit for the bar examination in every U.S. state, territory, and the District of Columbia, except New York, which has not adopted the ABA standards for distance education. (See Rules of the N.Y. Court of Appeals for the Admission of Attorneys and Counselors at Law § 520.3(c).) Therefore, the Faulkner University full-time and flexible Juris Doctor schedules meet the educational requirements for licensure in every U.S. state. The Faulkner University executive Juris Doctor schedule meets the educational requirements for licensure in every U.S. state except New York. There are, however, character, fitness, and other qualifications for admission to the bar in every U.S. jurisdiction (beyond educational requirements). Applicants are encouraged to determine the requirements of any jurisdiction in which they intend to seek admission by contacting the jurisdiction. For more information, please visit the National Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE) Jurisdiction Information page at https://www.ncbex.org/jurisdictions. Additional consumer information is available on the law school?s website at https://law.faulkner.edu/about-faulkner-law/aba-required-disclosures/.

Nondiscrimination Statement

Faulkner University's Thomas Goode Jones School of Law does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, disability, or veteran status in any of its educational policies, admissions, financial aid, employment, educational programs, or activities. Although the School of Law does not discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation, sexual conduct outside of biblical marriage (see, e.g., Gen. 2:24; Matt. 19:5-6; Eph. 5:31, 33; I Tim. 3:2; and Tit. 1:6) is inconsistent with the University?s religious traditions, values, affiliation, and purpose. Therefore, in accordance with ABA Standard 205 and Interpretation 205-2, the School of Law does not knowingly employ individuals who engage in such conduct; the School of Law also expects its students to avoid using the law school?s (or University?s) facilities, resources, name, or symbols to advocate such conduct. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in accordance with Standard 205 and Interpretation 205-2, the School of Law exercises a preference in the employment of faculty and staff for those qualified applicants who are members of the Churches of Christ whose lifestyles are consistent with the mission of the School of Law and with the beliefs and values of the Churches of Christ. In cases where no qualified applicant is a member of the Churches of Christ, the School of Law exercises a preference in employment for those whose religious beliefs and lifestyles are consistent with the mission of the School of Law and with the beliefs and values of the Churches of Christ.

Faulkner Law Checklist

The following is a checklist for your completion of the application process. A complete applicant file consists of the following:

1. Official Application Form with each question answered and signed (or electronically certified) by the applicant
2. Personal Statement (must be electronically attached)
3. Résumé (required and attached)
4. Letters of Recommendation (minimum of two, maximum of four. At least one letter must be dated within one year of application date.)
5. Registration with the Credential Assembly Service (CAS)
6. Law School Admission Test (LSAT) score (received from the Credential Assembly Service) or Graduate Record Examination (GRE) score (received from ETS). Please note: The GRE code for Faulkner Law is 2846.

APPLICANTS ARE EXPECTED TO READ, UNDERSTAND, AND COMPLY WITH LSAC'S ETHICAL STANDARDS, AVAILABLE HERE.