The Office of Admissions requires submission of a personal statement of no more than 1,000 words to assist the admissions committee in evaluating your application. Your personal statement should discuss:

1. why you wish to study law;
2. why you believe that you will be a successful law student and lawyer;
3. why you are interested in St. Thomas (including whatever aspects of the St. Thomas Law mission and educational program are meaningful to you); and
4. how your lived experiences, potentially including family circumstances; economic or social background; challenging situations you have overcome; and leadership, service, volunteer, or work experiences, will enrich the St. Thomas Law learning community.

Because teamwork, self-direction, and relationship skills will be important to your success as a law student and lawyer, efforts to highlight these aspects of your background are appreciated.

You also have the opportunity to include any additional information outside the personal statement that will assist the admissions committee in assessing your record. Topics you may wish to address could include reasons you did not perform to your potential academically while in college or on the LSAT, as well as any other information you would like the admissions committee to consider that is not already reflected in your application materials.

This section is optional.

Attach any additional information that will assist the admissions committee in assessing your record. Topics you may wish to address in an optional addendum include:

how you would contribute to or support diversity at the School of Law;

any life experiences or challenges that affected your academic record or LSAT score; or

any other information you want us to consider that is not already reflected in your application.

This section is optional.

If you indicated that you attended another law school and you selected "yes," that you were in good standing with your former law school at the time of your departure, please ask the academic dean of your former law school to submit a letter of good standing to the Office of Admissions, University of St. Thomas School of Law.

If you selected "no," please explain why and upload the attachment.

Please attach your résumé.

If you answer "yes" to any of the following questions, you must include an attachment describing the dates, circumstances, causes, and outcomes, related to the event. Failure to provide truthful answers or failure to inform the Office of Admissions of any updates or changes to your answers may result in the revocation of admission or disciplinary action by the University of St. Thomas School of Law or denial of permission to practice law by the state in which you seek admission.

As many of the graduates from the University of St. Thomas School of Law apply for admission to the Minnesota Bar, these character and fitness questions closely track the questions that the Minnesota Board of Law Examiners asks as part of the bar application process if you apply for admission to the Minnesota Bar. The full set of Minnesota Bar Application Character and Fitness questions can be found at this link: https://ble.mn.gov/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Sample-Minnesota-Bar-Application.pdf

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.

1. Have you EVER been charged with, arrested for, pleaded guilty to, or been convicted of:

a) a felony or the equivalent,
b) a gross misdemeanor or the equivalent, or
c) any violation of ANY law (other than a non-criminal traffic/vehicle violation). (Common examples of other non-traffic violations that must be disclosed here, even if the citation was non-criminal, include underage drinking, public intoxication, and disorderly conduct.) (You MUST disclose this requested information even if the charges were dismissed or you were acquitted, the conviction was stayed or vacated, the record sealed or expunged, or you were told by anyone, including a judge or attorney, that you need not disclose this information.)

2. Have you EVER been ticketed for, cited for, charged with, arrested for, pleaded guilty to, or been convicted of a violation of ANY traffic or vehicle law, other than a paid parking violation or a criminal offense already disclosed in the prior question, or has your driver?s license EVER been canceled, suspended, or revoked for any reason? )You MUST disclose this requested information even if the charges were dismissed or you were acquitted, the conviction was stayed or vacated, the record sealed or expunged, or you were told by anyone, including a judge or attorney, that you need not disclose this information. This question includes both moving and non-moving violations (such as vehicle registration, inspection, or equipment violations), as well as any unpaid parking violations.)

3. Are you currently under court jurisdiction regarding any violation or alleged violation of law due to court ordered probation of any kind, a diversion program, a continuance for dismissal, a suspended prosecution, or any other type of case resolution that remains ongoing or pending?

4. Have you EVER been accused of, charged with, or found to have committed civil fraud, criminal fraud, misconduct, or dishonorable conduct in ANY legal, administrative, or military proceeding, or in any decision or finding made by an administrative agency:

a) in your individual capacity?

b) as an officer or director of a corporation, as a member of a partnership, or as a fiduciary of a trust?

5. Have you EVER been warned, placed on probation, suspended, requested to discontinue your studies, allowed to discontinue your studies in lieu of discipline, expelled, dismissed, or otherwise disciplined, by a post-secondary school, college, university, or law school due to:

a) academic performance?

b) conduct in any way related to alcohol or other drugs?

c) any other reason?

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

6. Have you EVER been discharged or terminated from any employment or other work position for any reason of have you EVER been requested (formally or informally) to resign from or terminate any employment or other work position?( This question includes positions as an employee and other positions as an independent contractor, intern/extern, volunteer worker, etc.)