Dean’s Welcome
West Virginia University College of Law provides students a unique opportunity to attend a small public law school within a nationally recognized research university. Here you can join diverse students from around the globe who come together in the beautiful mountains of West Virginia to experience public legal education with the intimacy of a fine private law school. Small class sizes and an excellent faculty-student ratio tell part of the story, but not all.
What makes the West Virginia College of Law experience different is the commitment of the faculty, staff, and students to an excellent, inclusive, exciting, and supportive educational community in which each student can pursue an individual vision of success in the legal profession.
Our faculty members are outstanding teachers, scholars, and leaders in legal education. What distinguishes our faculty from others, however, is the remarkable commitment they have in mentoring students to help them achieve individual goals. The faculty can be found supervising student articles for publication, assisting in obtaining prestigious federal judicial clerkships, or providing guidance for student-led symposia exploring cutting edge and relevant topics. In addition, whether our faculty members teach corporate securities or civil disobedience, each one exemplifies the duty of a lawyer to serve the public interest.
To fulfill its commitment to individual student success and to improving the profession by producing the leaders of the future, the West Virginia University College of Law has a rapidly developing curriculum that combines the best of traditional legal education with new courses and opportunities necessary to practice law in a global economy in the 21st Century.
The West Virginia University College of Law offers an excellent legal education in a beautiful location that offers activities that allow students and faculty alike to establish the work-life balance so important to a life in the law. The College of Law is fortunate to be located in Morgantown, West Virginia, which is repeatedly ranked one of the best small college towns as well as one of the best areas for outdoor recreation. We are committed to helping you fulfill your dream of becoming a lawyer and a leader in the profession.
Joyce E. McConnell
William J. Maier, Jr. Dean
& Thomas R. Goodwin Professor of Law