Transfer

Hoping to continue your law school career at Case Western Reserve? We'd love to consider you to join our class, whether you're taking courses toward a degree at your current university (visiting status) or transferring to finish your degree at CWRU.

If you have any questions about applying with advanced standing as a second-year student, please feel free to contact our admissions office: 800.756.0036 or lawadmissions@case.edu.

Students Seeking Visiting Status

Students enrolled in other law schools who wish to take courses at Case Western Reserve University School of Law for credit toward the other school's degree requirements may apply to attend as a Visiting Student.

Visitor applicants must submit the following:

• A completed application, including the application fee (waived for LSAC electronic applicants);
• A statement explaining your reason for wishing to take courses at Case Western Reserve University School of Law;
• An original CAS report;
• An official transcript of completed law school work;
• A letter of good standing from your dean;
• A letter from your dean indicating that your school will accept academic credits from Case Western Reserve University School of Law; and
• An official class rank after all completed law school work.

Application Process

Students currently enrolled in an accredited law school may apply for admission with advanced standing. The number of transfer applicants that we accept depends on the number of spots available in the second-year class. The primary factor in the admission decision is prior law school performance. Undergraduate grades and your LSAT score will also be considered.

Transfer applicants must submit:

• A completed application, including the application fee (waived for LSAC Electronic Applications);
• Personal statement;
• Two letters of recommendation;
• An original CAS report;
• An official transcript of completed law school work;
• A letter of good standing from your dean; and
• An official class rank after all completed law school work.

The law school transcript and class standing must be based upon all coursework completed.

Early Decision Program for Transfer Applicants

As a transfer applicant, you have the option of applying Early Action. Applications received and complete by March 30 will be reviewed and decisions made by April 30. Completed applications must include final grades from your first semester at law school. Offers of early decision will be conditioned upon your successful completion of all first year courses at the law school from which you are transferring.

Regular Decision Process for Transfer Applicants

The deadline for applying with advanced standing through our Regular Decision Process is July 1. Applications will be reviewed as they become complete and candidates will be notified of final decisions within two weeks after the file becomes complete.

Financial Aid for Transfer Applicants

We have our own Office of Financial Services, which assists you with the student loan process. We encourage you to begin the financial aid application process before receiving an offer of admission, because it may take up to four months to process the application. While we will process late financial aid applications, these funds may not be available by the start of the semester.

Transcript Evaluation and Transfer Credits

How will my law school transcript be evaluated?

Transfer students who enroll at the law school typically receive advanced standing for up to 31 credit hours for coursework taken at another law school. Subject to approval by the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, credit will be granted only for courses in which transfer students received grades of "C" or better.

Early Action Transfer applicants will have equal access to our special curricular offerings in the fall semester. The Associate Dean for Academic Affairs will work closely with faculty to ensure ample opportunity for admission to high-demand courses for our Regular Decision Transfer applicants as well.

Transfer students must complete any Case Western Reserve School of Law course requirements for which substantially comparable transfer credit was not granted. These include:

• LLEAP I - IV (leadership, fundamental lawyering skills, including research and writing, and professionalism);
• Law, Legislation and Regulation;
• Constitutional Law;
• The Writing Requirement; and
• Professional Responsibility

Career Development Office Information for Transfer Applicants

Early Action vs. Regular Decision

Your transfer application status will affect the timing of your entry into the Career Development Office (CDO) process.

Because admitted Early Action Transfer candidates are notified by April 30 and have submitted their Seat Deposit by May 15, they enter the CDO process ahead of many CDO deadlines and program opportunities. (The first deadline for students planning to submit interview bids is early July and our first interview program is in early August.) Admitted Regular Decision Process Transfer applicants typically enter the CDO process in the late summer.

Available to admitted Early Action candidates who have paid their seat deposit:

• Personalized career counseling with a member of the CDO
• In-person or telephone appointments to discuss your second summer job search, participating in the Fall Interview Program, and preparing for interviews
• Review of your resume and cover letter
• Access and a password for our online interview program and job posting system
• Emails about Fall Interview Program events, employers, and deadlines
• Information about participating in other national, regional, and local fall job fairs.

Available to Regular Decision Applicants who have paid their seat deposit:

• Personalized career counseling with a member of the CDO
• Depending upon timing of admission, one-on-one appointments to discuss your second summer job search, participating in the school-year Interview Program, preparing for interviews, and review of your resume and cover letter
• Access and a password for our online interview program and job posting system
• Information about participating in other school-year national, regional, and local fall job fairs

The Fall Interview Program includes:

• On-campus interviews (starting with Early Interview week in mid-August and continuing throughout the Fall semester);
• Off-campus interviews in Chicago, New York, Washington D.C., New England, and Southern California;
• Resume Collect;
• Resume Direct

Contact the Career Development Office

Case Western Reserve University School of Law
11075 East Boulevard
Cleveland, OH 44106
Direct: 216.368.6353
Fax: 216-368-4713
Email: lawjobs@case.edu

Law Journals and Orientation for Incoming Transfers

Orientation

We offer an Orientation program prior to the start of Fall classes, which is specially designed to assist you as a new transfer student. The orientation includes:

• An introduction to administrative services at Case Western Reserve School of Law
• An opportunity to take care of administrative matters, including course registration, computer and university services, and locker and mail folder acquisition

Available to admitted Early Action candidates who have paid their seat deposit:

Early Action Transfer candidates who have paid their Seat Deposit will be able to compete for a second-year slot in one of the academic journals: Law Review, Journal of International Law and Health Matrix.

You will be selected on the basis of a writing competition that begins after the spring semester. All second-year associates then participate in a dedicated journal seminar, which provides academic and technical support for student scholarship from senior scholars, research librarians and notes advisers.

Early Action candidates also have the opportunity to join the Canada-U.S. Law Journal, a joint publication with the University of Western Ontario faculty of law, which conducts its selection in the early fall semester upon a review of grades, a citation exam and an interview. There is no seminar associated with the Canada-United States Law Journal.

Available to Regular Decision Transfer Applicants who have paid their seat deposit:

Depending on the availability of student slots at the end of the summer, Regular Decision Transfer candidates may have a limited opportunity to compete for a position on one of the four academic journals. Regular Decision Transfer candidates will also have the opportunity to join the Canada-U.S. Law Journal.