Transfer Students

Transfer students are those who have satisfactorily completed at least one year of law study at a law school approved by the American Bar Association (ABA) and are in good academic standing. Transfer applicants are required to submit:

1. A completed application;
2. $50.00 application fee (non-refundable);
3. Two letters of recommendation, at least one of which should be from a law professor;
4. Ensure a current CAS report is available for retrieval;
5. A statement explaining the reasons for requesting transfer;
6. Official transcript of all prior law school work either directly to the law school or to the CAS;
7. A letter of good academic standing from the appropriate law school official, which includes the applicant’s class standing;
8. Upon acceptance, per section 305 (b)(2) of the Academic Code in the Student Handbook, transfer students must apply to the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs in writing by filing a petition for the requested transfer credits.
9. Upon acceptance, and prior to registration, an official transcript for all undergraduate, graduate, or professional study undertaken, must be forwarded directly to the Office of Admission.

The Office of Admissions prefers and recommends the use of the Law School Assembly Service (LSAC) for application and document processing. Students who are unable to utilize the LSAC service may submit their downloaded application and documents electronically or via mail. Regardless of submission method, all applicants are considered equally based upon their application materials.

If you are disabled or have difficulty accessing the LSAC website or our website, please call the Office of Admissions for assistance at (404) 872-3593. Please note that the LSAC website is not currently accessible for visually impaired applicants using screen readers. However, you may call the LSAC technical support services at (215) 968-1393 for assistance in completing the application through the LSAC website.

The credit allowed for prior law study is determined on a case-by-case basis. In no case, however, will transfer credit be granted for more than the total credits required in the first-year, full-time curriculum at John Marshall. Further, under no circumstances shall transfer credit be granted for prior law work in which the grade earned was less than that grade required for graduation, i.e. usually the grade of a “C”.

Dean’s Office Regulations Regarding Transfer Students and Transfer Credits

Admission of Transfer Students

1. Students currently enrolled at other ABA accredited law schools who apply to this Law School for permission to transfer and matriculate in order to complete their legal education will be accepted only if they are in good academic standing
   at the institution from which they are transferring and have demonstrated sufficient academic strength in their prior law study.
2. The Dean will determine whether the applicant shall be admitted and, if admitted, the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs shall determine the extent of credit to be granted for the applicant’s prior law study. As a general principle, no
   transfer credit shall be granted for prior law study which earned a grade less than a C. Before making a final determination on a transfer request, the Dean may request in writing that the transfer candidate provide additional information
   pertinent to the decision. The Dean may, in his or her sole discretion, submit any transfer request to the Admissions Committee for consultation and advice on whether the Dean should approve or deny the transfer request.
3. The Dean’s determination of a transfer request shall be communicated to the transfer candidate in writing.

Approval of Transfer Credits

1. Eligibility. The Law School considers courses for transfer of credit from other ABA accredited law schools from which a student transfers in good academic standing and with the certification by letter of the Dean of the school from which the student is transferring.
2. Procedure. Upon application to Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School, the student who wishes consideration of transfer credit must include an official transcript from the prior law school and a letter from the dean of the former law school certifying the student’s good academic standing.Upon matriculation at John Marshall, the student must apply to the Associate Dean in writing by filing a petition for transfer of credit. The Associate Dean may grant or deny all, some or none of the requested transfer credits. An aggrieved student may appeal to the Dean. The appeal must be filed in the Dean’s Office no later than seven (7) days following the date of notification by the Associate Dean of the action on the petition. This appeal shall be limited to a written statement. There shall be no right of personal appearance.
3. Terms for Transfer. The Associate Dean will consider courses taken at another law school from which a student has transferred for credit where the course was taken at a school accredited by the American Bar Association, the course was completed with a grade of “C” or better, and the course was completed no more than one (1) year before the date of application to Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School. The maximum number of credit hours which will be accepted for transfer to Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School from another law school is thirty (30) hours.
4. Hours Not Grades Transferred. Where transfer credits are approved by the Associate Dean, the credit hours only are accepted. Grades from the former law school are not transferred, will not be posted on the student’s John Marshall Law
   School transcript, and will not be considered in the calculation of a student’s John Marshall Law School grade point average.
5. Transcript. The name of the former school and the number of credits accepted for transfer will be posted on the student’s JMLS transcript.
6. Class Rank. Transfer students will not be given a class rank.