For practical training, 2022
University of St. Thomas School of Law
Founded in 1999, the University of St. Thomas School of Law is an ABA-accredited law school in downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota, offering an innovative curriculum that emphasizes professional formation and the education of the whole person. We strive to help each student develop the professional and ethical values that are vital to long-term success in our profession, enabling them to become lawyers who lead their communities by serving them.
For student quality of life, 2021
Gold-standard employment, 2021
Degrees and Programs
J.D. Program
Our program combines practical skills, theoretical knowledge and mentoring with a mission that inspires our commitment to social justice and excellence.
Ethics & Compliance Programs
Online and on-campus master’s degree programs offered in partnership with the St. Thomas Opus College of Business.
LL.M. in U.S. Law
A one-year degree program for international attorneys who want to expand their knowledge about the U.S. legal system.

Interim Dean
Joel A. Nichols
The University of St. Thomas School of Law is led by Interim Dean Joel A. Nichols. He received his Juris Doctor, with high honors, from Emory Law School, and a Master of Divinity from the Candler School of Theology at Emory University. Nichols earned a Bachelor of Arts, summa cum laude, from Abilene Christian University.
Associate Deans

Lisa Montpetit Brabbit
Associate Dean for External Relations and Programs



Michael Robak
Director of the Schoenecker Law Library, Associate Dean and Clinical Professor of Law

Thought Leaders
World-class Faculty
Our professors are leading experts in their fields and our students’ biggest supporters. They not only teach, they create opportunities for law students to work side-by-side with them on research, writing and advocacy work. In 2021, St. Thomas Law’s faculty was ranked #23 in the nation for scholarly impact.

An Engaged Legal Community
Minnesota Bench and Bar
St. Thomas Law is located in the heart of downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota, right in the middle of a dynamic legal and business community.
School of Law News
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Julie Craven Named Ombudsperson for Archdiocese
Julie Craven, associate director of St. Thomas Law’s Initiative on Restorative Justice and Healing, has been named as ombudsperson for victim-survivors of clerical sexual abuse in the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis. She succeeds Twin Cities attorney Victoria Newcome Johnson, who had served as ombudsperson since May 2020. The ombudsperson position was created in… The post Julie Craven Named Ombudsperson for Archdiocese appeared first on Newsroom | University of St. Thomas.
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Q&A With School of Law Alumna Amanda Harrington ’19 J.D.
Amanda Harrington ’19 J.D. is the manager of Be@School, a program of the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office (HCAO) that works to address the barriers to school attendance for K-12 students. Its goal is to keep students out of the juvenile justice system for violating compulsory education laws by facilitating early interventions and providing services. The… The post Q&A With School of Law Alumna Amanda Harrington ’19 J.D. appeared first on Newsroom | University of St. Thomas.
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Hearing From and Learning Alongside Inmates
A recent visit to the Minnesota Correctional Facility in Stillwater provided students in the law school’s Restorative Justice, Law and Healing course the opportunity to learn about the rehabilitation efforts of a local prison community, and to sit beside convicted men in the Restorative Justice 101 course offered at the facility. Below are reflections about… The post Hearing From and Learning Alongside Inmates appeared first on Newsroom | University of St. Thomas.
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Religious Liberty Legal Clinic Files Brief in Support of Preserving Sacred Land Threatened by Mining
The University of St. Thomas School of Law Religious Liberty Appellate Clinic has filed an amicus curiae brief in the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in the case Apache Stronghold v. United States. The brief is filed on behalf of five leading religious liberty scholars at law schools around the nation. The brief argues… The post Religious Liberty Legal Clinic Files Brief in Support of Preserving Sacred Land Threatened by Mining appeared first on Newsroom | University of St. Thomas.