University of Wyoming - College of Law

“Small but mighty,” University of Wyoming’s College of Law is the state’s premiere law school. Its intimate size guarantees that “you are a name and a face, not a number,” and its students are privy to “individualized attention and amazing opportunities.” The school offers some phenomenal programs including “excellent environmental and natural resources law” and many “practical experiences…through the legal clinics…and the summer trial institute.” The “legal clinics [allow] students [to] get actual lawyering experience help[ing] low-income individuals in many different areas of law, and several students have even had the opportunity to argue in front of the state supreme court.” Even more impressive, “the WY Supreme Court and the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals come here and hear oral arguments at least once a year in our state of the art moot court room.” The school is also “very affordable, even for out of state students.” It is also “one of the few to still give merit-based scholarships 2L and 3L year for substantial amounts.” And many laud the fact that the university “is not a school that tries to be a lawyer factory. They focus on quality, not quantity.”
Students at Wyoming also speak glowingly of their professors. To begin with, the faculty “is more than happy to address specific legal questions, issues about students' future practice of law, or to just chat.” They’ve even been known “to share a beer on [a] Friday.” And a 1L shares, “the professors are not guarded in ivory towers but [are] always available (they usually supply their cell numbers) for supplemental questions as well as mentoring relationships.” This openness also extends to the administration which most find to be “very accessible and strongly committed to ensuring a successful education for the students enrolled here.” They “do a great job of advocating on our behalf and are wonderful overall advocates of the school and University in general.”
Importantly, students find career services to be “a great resource.” They help to “facilitate job opportunities…by hosting weekly panels from regional professionals/alumni, workshops on interviewing and résumé writing, as well as developing externship programs throughout the region for Wyoming students.” One pleasantly surprised 2L interjects, “The director will look over your résumé at a moment’s notice. The faculty here [has] an open door policy so you don’t need to make appointments—you can stop by their offices at any time and they will take the time to meet with you.” Certainly, attending law school “in a state with only one law school provides students the best opportunity for judicial clerkships, clinic placements, and internships.” Also of note, “For students that wish to stay in the Rocky Mountain inter-west region, the job opportunities are plentiful—especially for energy related legal careers.”

Though most students are recent graduates and in their mid-twenties, the school nets a number of older students as well. And while Wyoming encourages its students to invite their “spouses, kids, dogs and friends to school functions,” many feel these efforts often fall short. As an insightful 1L shares, “I would agree that the administration could do more to embrace the needs of individual students sometimes. There are a lot of married/parent students and sometimes the schedule of events is hard for those students.” One 3L feels “successful completion of competitions is highly regarded, yet competitions are held at times when one is required to hire a baby sitter.” Fortunately, the small classes really help to foster relationships and many students find “lifelong friends.” Furthermore, many find their peers “very friendly” and insist “the competition is not cutthroat,” and that there is “a great sense of community pride” and “more of a cooperative environment.” “We cheer for high achievers and encourage those who aren’t.” Indeed, this student body “takes care of one another and [is] quick to help each other in tough times.”
Hometown Laramie is a “quaint community” and while “winters may be harsh, the summers are beautiful and the people are friendly.” In addition, “there is most always a sports event or cultural event to attend and hiking, skiing, and snowshoeing are close, as is Cheyenne to get in some bigger shopping or attend an oral argument.” The university is a “very short drive to big cities like Denver;” however, “if you are a fan of the outdoors…this is a perfect place for you.” And the best part is that “because it’s a small town, it is easy to find classmates and law students out in the community almost all the time.”