Overview
Applicants
697
Acceptance Rate
56%
Median Undergrad GPA
3.61
Accepted Applicants Who Attend
152
Test Scores
LSAT
25th-75th percentile
(enrolled students)
(enrolled students)
152 - 157
Deadlines
Application Deadlines
May 1
Application Process
Rolling Admissions
Yes
Application Fee
$0
CAS Service Used
Yes
Applicants accepted in terms other than fall
No
Transfer Applicants Accepted
Yes
Deferred Admission
Yes
Other Admission Factors
Academic
LSAT Score
Undergraduate GPA
Selectivity Rating
Faculty Information
Student/Faculty
6:1
Total Faculty
48
33
Female
13
Underrepresented Minorities
Students Say
Students at Samford University鈥檚 Cumberland School of Law say their school is 鈥渁 little bit of a hidden gem鈥 and 鈥渁 great place to become a lawyer.鈥 The bar-passage rate is stellar. There are eight joint-degree programs and a 鈥渄iverse array鈥 of available courses. 鈥淧ractical skills are the strength鈥 here, though. The legal writing program is reportedly outstanding. Students have an 鈥渋ncredible amount of opportunity to get experience in trial competition.鈥 鈥淎s far as trial advocacy goes, you cannot find a better school in the country,鈥 vaunts a 3L. 鈥淧racticing litigation attorneys train students in specialized trial advocacy programs, and the trial teams consistently win major national tournaments.鈥 Externships and a wealth of community service programs also provide 鈥渦nmatched鈥 opportunities to gain practical experience.
Cumberland is a small school with small class sizes, and it is home to 鈥渁 diverse faculty with impeccable credentials.鈥 The professors are 鈥渁n amazing group.鈥 鈥淭here is always going to be that jerk who is a complete know-it-all and thinks he hung the moon in any law school,鈥 and Cumberland is no exception. As a rule, though, these professors are 鈥渆xtremely knowledgeable鈥 and 鈥渉ilarious yet simultaneously intimidating.鈥 They 鈥渉ave practice experience, which is helpful in class because it allows for personal experiences to be introduced,鈥 and they 鈥渆mphasize what will actually be useful and necessary鈥 when you are representing clients. 鈥淎 wonderful open-door policy鈥 is another plus. 鈥淧rofessors are willing to meet with students and discuss the subject matter at any point outside of class,鈥 and they 鈥済enuinely want to help students in whatever way they can.鈥 鈥淚 don鈥檛 even know why they put 鈥榦ffice hours鈥 in their syllabi,鈥 adds a happy 2L. Students also rave about their 鈥渉ands-on,鈥 accessible, and 鈥渧ery personable鈥 administration. 鈥淭hey actually know students鈥 names and want to help.鈥 And if you want to 鈥渟hoot the breeze鈥 with the dean, you can.
Students report that 鈥渢he campus is beautiful and is extremely convenient to all areas of Birmingham.鈥 The 鈥渃omfortable鈥 and 鈥渁wesome鈥 library is 鈥渁 great place to study.鈥 鈥淎lso, the library resources are exceptional,鈥 and the librarians are 鈥渨onderful鈥 if you are in a bind. However, the 鈥渙utdated鈥 classrooms aren鈥檛 the greatest. They 鈥渃an feel a little cramped,鈥 and they are 鈥渨indowless.鈥 鈥淚n some ways, that is a good thing because it keeps you from getting distracted,鈥 explains a 1L. 鈥淭he technology in the classrooms isn鈥檛 the best,鈥 either.
Students are pretty satisfied with their career prospects, although the 鈥渆xtremely helpful鈥 Career Development Office 鈥渃ould do a better job marketing the school鈥檚 graduates outside of the Birmingham legal market,鈥 laments a 2L. 鈥淭he alumni network of this school is incredible,鈥 beams a 2L. 鈥淐umberland alums are always looking to hire the bright young Cumberland graduates. And if an alum can鈥檛 help you out, they are always willing to refer you to someone who can.鈥
Cumberland is a small school with small class sizes, and it is home to 鈥渁 diverse faculty with impeccable credentials.鈥 The professors are 鈥渁n amazing group.鈥 鈥淭here is always going to be that jerk who is a complete know-it-all and thinks he hung the moon in any law school,鈥 and Cumberland is no exception. As a rule, though, these professors are 鈥渆xtremely knowledgeable鈥 and 鈥渉ilarious yet simultaneously intimidating.鈥 They 鈥渉ave practice experience, which is helpful in class because it allows for personal experiences to be introduced,鈥 and they 鈥渆mphasize what will actually be useful and necessary鈥 when you are representing clients. 鈥淎 wonderful open-door policy鈥 is another plus. 鈥淧rofessors are willing to meet with students and discuss the subject matter at any point outside of class,鈥 and they 鈥済enuinely want to help students in whatever way they can.鈥 鈥淚 don鈥檛 even know why they put 鈥榦ffice hours鈥 in their syllabi,鈥 adds a happy 2L. Students also rave about their 鈥渉ands-on,鈥 accessible, and 鈥渧ery personable鈥 administration. 鈥淭hey actually know students鈥 names and want to help.鈥 And if you want to 鈥渟hoot the breeze鈥 with the dean, you can.
Students report that 鈥渢he campus is beautiful and is extremely convenient to all areas of Birmingham.鈥 The 鈥渃omfortable鈥 and 鈥渁wesome鈥 library is 鈥渁 great place to study.鈥 鈥淎lso, the library resources are exceptional,鈥 and the librarians are 鈥渨onderful鈥 if you are in a bind. However, the 鈥渙utdated鈥 classrooms aren鈥檛 the greatest. They 鈥渃an feel a little cramped,鈥 and they are 鈥渨indowless.鈥 鈥淚n some ways, that is a good thing because it keeps you from getting distracted,鈥 explains a 1L. 鈥淭he technology in the classrooms isn鈥檛 the best,鈥 either.
Students are pretty satisfied with their career prospects, although the 鈥渆xtremely helpful鈥 Career Development Office 鈥渃ould do a better job marketing the school鈥檚 graduates outside of the Birmingham legal market,鈥 laments a 2L. 鈥淭he alumni network of this school is incredible,鈥 beams a 2L. 鈥淐umberland alums are always looking to hire the bright young Cumberland graduates. And if an alum can鈥檛 help you out, they are always willing to refer you to someone who can.鈥
Career overview
Pass Rate for First-Time Bar Exam
78%
% of graduates who are employed within ten months of graduation
92%
Career Services
On campus summer employment recruitment for first year JD students
Yes
On campus summer employment recruitment for second year JD students
Yes
# of Employers that Recruit on Campus Each Year
100
Employers who most frequently hire graduates
Bradley, Arant, Boult & Cummings; Burr & Forman; Balch & Bingham; Cabaniss, Johnston, Gardner, Dumas & O'Neal; Sirote & Permutt; Alabama Attorney General's Office; Maynard Nexsen; Starnes Davis Florie, Carr Allison; Legal Services Alabama; Huie Fernambucq & Stewart; District Attorneys Offices for Jefferson, Montgomery and Mobile Counties; Baker, Donelson, Lightfoot, Franklin & White;
Graduates Employed by Area
64%
Private Practice
9%
Business/Industry
7%
Government
6%
Public Interes
4%
Judicial Clerkships
1%
Academic
Graduates Employed by Region
93%
South
2%
MidWest
2%
Mountain
2%
South West
1%
Pacific
Prominent Alumni
Joel F. Dubina
11th Circuit Court of Appeals
Cordell Hull
Founder of United Nations
Howell E. Jackson
U.S. Supreme Court
Horace H. Lurton
U.S. Supreme Court
Doug Jones
Former U.S. Senator
Dates
Financial Aid Rating
May 1
Financial Aid Statistics
Average Annual Total Aid Package Awarded
$51,502
% Students Receiving Some Aid
98%
Expenses per Academic Year
Tuition
$44,536
Estimated On-Campus Room and Board
$0
Estimated Off-Campus Room and Board
$20,139
Estimated Cost for Books / Academic Expense
$2,400
Fees
$700
Student Body Profile
Total Enrollment
437
Parent Institution Enrollement
5,619
Number of Foreign Countries Represented
13
Average Age at Entry
24
% Out-of-State
41%
% International
0%
Demographics
48.00%
% Under-represented Minorities
100% are full time
0% are part time
58% female
42% male
Campus Life
Students Say
Politically, liberals are seen occasionally, but the overall population leans 鈥減retty far to the right.鈥 Academically, there may be 鈥渁 behind-the-scenes competitiveness,鈥 but the atmosphere looks and feels 鈥渃ooperative and collegial.鈥 鈥淢ost students are more than willing to help their classmates succeed.鈥
Socially, Cumberland is a decidedly 鈥淪outhern school.鈥 Hospitality is paramount, and 鈥渆ven the slightly awkward students are still warmly received.鈥 鈥淭here is a real community at Cumberland,鈥 relates a 2L. 鈥淲e study together, hang out together, and have formed a tight bond with each other,鈥 adds another 2L. 鈥淭here is a friendliness and warmth that you just won鈥檛 find at other schools.鈥 鈥淲e interact with each other like friendly colleagues; we compete with each other like sibling rivals; and we support each other through the trials of life and death like family,鈥 reflects an already wistful 3L. 鈥淭he school creates a 鈥榳ork hard鈥 culture but constantly has entertaining social events.鈥 Weekly bar reviews around the affordable, growing city of Birmingham are reportedly well attended. In the spring, Cumberland celebrates Rascal Day in honor of its long-deceased canine mascot from the 1930s. There鈥檚 food and live music, and the dean and the school president lead a march through campus.
Socially, Cumberland is a decidedly 鈥淪outhern school.鈥 Hospitality is paramount, and 鈥渆ven the slightly awkward students are still warmly received.鈥 鈥淭here is a real community at Cumberland,鈥 relates a 2L. 鈥淲e study together, hang out together, and have formed a tight bond with each other,鈥 adds another 2L. 鈥淭here is a friendliness and warmth that you just won鈥檛 find at other schools.鈥 鈥淲e interact with each other like friendly colleagues; we compete with each other like sibling rivals; and we support each other through the trials of life and death like family,鈥 reflects an already wistful 3L. 鈥淭he school creates a 鈥榳ork hard鈥 culture but constantly has entertaining social events.鈥 Weekly bar reviews around the affordable, growing city of Birmingham are reportedly well attended. In the spring, Cumberland celebrates Rascal Day in honor of its long-deceased canine mascot from the 1930s. There鈥檚 food and live music, and the dean and the school president lead a march through campus.
More Information
% of Classrooms with Internet Access
100%
Admissions Office Contact
Contact
Cat Miaoulis
Director of Admission
Director of Admission
Address
800 Lakeshore Drive
Birmingham, AL 35229
Birmingham, AL 35229
Phone
800-888-7213
Email
lawadm@samford.edu
