Student Life

Students who choose the University of Colorado Law School generally seek the very best all-around legal education combined with a great location, a supportive community, top specialties, interdisciplinary study, dedicated faculty, a public service tradition, and so much more. Colorado Law is distinguished by the extraordinary quality of its students. As a competitively selective school, its students rank in the top tier, represent a rich blend of geographic and ethnic backgrounds, and bring experiences of leadership, career achievement, and community service. Although competitiveness among students with such elite qualifications is typical at many law schools, CU Law students have a proud history of putting collegiality first. 

Commitment to Diversity

Colorado Law is proud to have been one of the earliest law schools in the nation to graduate lawyers of color. The first students of color entered the University of Colorado Law School in 1898 and the first woman graduated in 1908. Colorado Law’s commitment to diversity is evident throughout the Law School. We seek students with not only the academic credentials to excel in a rigorous legal education program, but also a desire to join a diverse community of future lawyers committed to the service of others. Student organizations offer support and networking opportunities.

Journals

Colorado Law is home to three nationally respected student-led law journals. These journals provide legal research, writing, editorial, and publishing experience to competitively chosen second- and third-year law students, with a select number of third-year students serving as prestigious Editorial Board members. Subscribers include government agencies, judicial courts, law school and government libraries, judges, attorneys, faculty, and alumni.

• University of Colorado Law Review (founded in 1928)
• Colorado Natural Resources, Energy, and Environmental Law Review
• Journal on Telecommunications & High Technology Law

Student Organizations

Colorado Law’s student organizations reflect the diverse interests and concerns of its active student body. Students increase their knowledge in specific areas, gain leadership experience, and work closely with fellow students, faculty, alumni, and legal professionals with similar passions. The Student Bar Association serves as the school’s student government, represents the interests of law students generally, allocates funding to other organizations, and administers the school’s honor code with the Honor Council.

• Aerospace Law and Policy Association
• American Bar Association, Law Student Division
• American Civil Liberties Union
• American Constitution Society
• Asian Pacific American Law Students Association
• Black Law Students Association
• Business Law Association
• Christian Legal Society
• Colorado Election Law Project 
• Construction and Real Estate Law Association
• Diversity Awareness Now
• Doman Society of International Law 
• Environmental Law Society
• Federalist Society for Law and Public Policy Studies
• J. Reuben Clark Law Society
• Jewish Law Students Association
• Juvenile and Family Law Club 
• Latino Law Students Association
• Law Students for Reproductive Justice 
• Legal Alternative Dispute Resolution Club 
• National Lawyers Guild
• Native American Law Students Association
• OUTlaw
• Phi Delta Pi
• Public Interest Students Association
• Republican Law Society
• Sports and Entertainment Law Student Association 
• Student Animal Legal Defense Fund
• Student Bar Association
• Student Trial Lawyers Association
• Technology and Intellectual Property Society 
• Women’s Law Caucus

Honor System

Members of the legal profession are held to the highest standards of ethical and professional conduct, and Law School faculty and students are expected to maintain the same level of professional competence and integrity in their work. The Colorado Law School Honor Code, subscribed to by all students, is a system of rules administered by student officers and demands the highest ethical conduct. Law students have considerable individual freedom and responsibilities, such as being able to take unproctored exams.