Today the law school, which is located in downtown Detroit, Michigan, has an annual enrollment of about 550 students. Its offerings consist of full- and part-time JD programs, a dual JD/MBA program, and a joint and international degree program. Through the school's Degrees of the Americas Program, students can choose from the following four international study options: the globally enriched JD degree; the Canadian and American Dual JD Program; the JD/L.E.D. degree; and the JD/JD/L.E.D. degree which consists of an American JD from UDM Law, a Canadian JD from the University of Windsor, and the Mexican Bachelor of Arts in Law from the Instituto Tecnologico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey.
Through traditional theory and doctrine-based coursework, as well as practical learning opportunities, UDM's curriculum prepares students for the transition from law school to the working world. Every student is expected to complete two Law Firm Program Courses prior to graduation. These courses provide training in skills commonly used by first year lawyers at firms, government agencies, non-profit organizations, and corporate legal departments.
UDM also promotes experiential training through externship opportunities with approved public sector agencies, law offices, and judges. Additionally, students are invited to work with pro bono lawyers through the Mobile Law Office, which travels to community centers in the Detroit area to provide legal assistance to those in need. Issues that cannot be addressed immediately by the Mobile Law Office are referred to one of UDM's clinics or to an agency that can better address the issue.
Clinical offerings at UDM consist of the Urban Law Clinic, the Immigration and Asylum Clinic, the Mediation Training and Mediation Clinic, the Veterans Clinic and Project SALUTE, the Veterans Appellate Clinic, the Criminal Trial Clinic, the State Appellate Defender Criminal Appellate Clinic, the Consumer Defense Clinic, and the Mortgage Foreclosure Clinic.
The Career Services Office works with the Alumni Relations and Development Office at UDM to sponsor the Lunch with a Lawyer Program. Through the program, students are given the opportunity to interact with attorneys, judges, and business leaders on campus. The Career Services Office provides a variety of other career development opportunities for students and alumni alike.
The UDM School of Law has published the University of Detroit Mercy Law Review since 1931. In recent years the review's articles have been cited in the opinions of the US Supreme Court, the US Circuit Court of Appeals, and several state supreme courts.
Student involvement is encouraged in the more than 30 student organization offerings, such as Amnesty International, the Animal Legal Defense Fund, the Criminal Law Society, Health Law, the Moot Court Board of Advocates, and the Veteran's Law Society.
Lloyd A. Semple has served as the Dean of UDM School of Law since 2009. He initially joined the school in 2004 as a distinguished visiting professor, teaching courses in corporate law and business transactions. Prior to that, he spent more than 40 years with a corporate law firm in Detroit and also served as outside counsel for a number of business enterprises. Semple graduated from Yale University with honors and holds a JD from the University of Michigan.
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