95 percent passing rate paces schools that had most students taking exam

Graduates of the Wayne State University Law School who took the Michigan Bar Examination for the first time in July 2007 had the best passing rate among law schools in the state that had more than 30 graduates taking the exam. Ninety-five percent (130 out of 137) of those who earned their law degree at WSU passed the bar entry exam.

The results mark the second straight year that approximately 95 percent of WSU Law School graduates passed the challenging exam on the first try. The overall first-time passing rate for graduates of all schools was 86 percent.

“This achievement is a testimony to the hard work and determination of our students as well as the expertise and dedication of an outstanding faculty,” said Frank Wu, dean of the Wayne State University Law School. “We are extremely proud of our most recent alumni for their superior performance. The high passing rate on the bar exam demonstrates that we are fulfilling our primary mission of providing students with the tools and resources necessary for successfully entering the legal community.”

The three other law schools with substantial numbers of graduates taking the bar exam for the first time, and their pass rates, were Michigan State University (90 percent), University of Detroit Mercy (87 percent) and Thomas M. Cooley Law School (74 percent). The University of Michigan, which had 29 students taking the bar exam compared to 137 from Wayne State, had the highest overall passing percentile, with 96 percent.

Wayne State University Law School graduates serve the legal profession and the public in every state and more than a dozen countries. The school boasts more than 11,000 living alumni, who include prominent local, state and federal judges as well as thousands of attorneys in private and corporate practice.

Wayne State University is a premier institution of higher education offering more than 350 academic programs through 11 schools and colleges to more than 33,000 students.