Thurgood Marshall School of Law facts for kids

The Thurgood Marshall School of Law (TMSL) is a special law school at Texas Southern University in Houston, Texas. It's a public university that is also a historically Black college or university (HBCU). This means it was first created to provide education for Black students when other schools didn't allow them. TMSL helps students become lawyers by offering degrees like the Juris Doctor (J.D.) and Master of Law (LL.M.). It's also part of important groups like the Thurgood Marshall College Fund.

History of Thurgood Marshall School of Law

How TMSL Started

The story of TMSL began in 1946 because of a court case called Sweatt v. Painter. A Black man named Heman M. Sweatt wanted to study law at the University of Texas School of Law. However, he was not allowed to join because of his race. At that time, the law in Texas said that schools for white and Black students had to be separate.

To try and stop Mr. Sweatt from winning his case, the state of Texas quickly created a new university. This university was meant to offer higher education, including law, for Black students. It opened in 1946 as the "Texas State University for Negroes." Later, in 1951, its name was changed to Texas Southern University. The law school within it became the Thurgood Marshall School of Law.

New Programs at TMSL

In 2016, TMSL started offering a new advanced degree called a Master of Laws (LL.M.) in Immigration and Naturalization Law. This program was the first of its kind in the entire country. It helps students learn deeply about immigration law.

Meeting Important Standards

In 2017, the American Bar Association (ABA) had some concerns about the school. The ABA is a group that sets rules for law schools. They found that TMSL needed to improve how it treated all students fairly. They also needed to make sure they were sharing all required information.

The school was asked to create a plan to ensure fairness for everyone. They also had to make sure they were admitting students who could succeed and pass the bar exam. By 2020, TMSL had worked hard and met all the ABA's standards.

Becoming a Student at TMSL

How Students Are Chosen

For students who wanted to start in the fall of 2024, 1,914 people applied to TMSL. Out of those, 682 were accepted, which is about 35% of applicants. From the accepted students, 209 decided to enroll at TMSL.

Students who enrolled had an average score of 150 on the LSAT. The LSAT is a special test that helps law schools decide who to admit. Their average college GPA (Grade Point Average) was 3.21.

Student Diversity at TMSL

As of October 2024, TMSL had 551 students. The student body is very diverse. There were 298 African-American students, 26 Asian-American students, 50 White students, 167 Hispanic students, and 4 American Indian or Alaska Native students. This means that 495 students were from different racial or ethnic backgrounds.

TMSL's National Ranking

For the year 2025, U.S. News & World Report ranked TMSL. The school was ranked between No. 178 and No. 195 out of 196 law schools. This means it is in the top 90% of law schools in the country.

Passing the Bar Exam

After students finish law school, they must pass a test called the bar examination to become a licensed lawyer. For students who took the Texas Bar Examination for the first time in July 2024, 75.91% of TMSL students passed. For all other states in 2023, 63.45% of TMSL students passed on their first try.

After Graduation: Jobs

According to information from 2022, 53% of TMSL graduates from the Class of 2022 found full-time, long-term jobs that required a law degree. They found these jobs within nine months after graduating.

Cost of Attending TMSL

For the 2018-2019 school year, the estimated cost to attend Thurgood Marshall was about $43,095 for students who live in Texas. For students from other states, the cost was about $50,318. This cost includes tuition and other fees.

TMSL Library and Resources

The TMSL Library

The law school has a large library inside its building. This library holds over 350,000 books and other learning materials. It's a great place for students to study and do research.

TMSL Legal Clinics

TMSL also has special centers called legal clinics. These clinics give students real-world experience and help the community.

• Earl Carl Institute for Legal and Social Justice, Inc.: This group works to find solutions for legal and social problems. They focus on issues that affect minority communities.
• Center for Legal Pedagogy: This center helps create new and better ways to teach law.
• Institute for International and Immigration Law: This institute trains students who want to work in international law or immigration law.

Famous People Who Went to TMSL

Many successful people have graduated from the Thurgood Marshall School of Law. Here are a few:

• Roberto R. Alonzo (J.D., 1984), a member of the Texas House of Representatives.
• Stephanie Flowers (J.D., 1991), a lawyer and member of the Arkansas State Senate.
• Sylvia Garcia (J.D., 1978), a U.S. Representative for Texas.
• Al Green (J.D., 1974), a U.S. Representative for Texas.
• Kenneth M. Hoyt (J.D., 1972), a United States District judge.
• Hank Johnson (J.D., 1979), a U.S. Representative for Georgia.
• Harry E. Johnson (J.D., 1986), president and CEO of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Project Memorial Foundation.
• Leslie D. King (J.D., 1973), a justice on the Mississippi Supreme Court.
• Chokwe Antar Lumumba (J.D. 2008), the mayor of Jackson, Mississippi.
• Colion Noir (J.D., 2012), a lawyer and activist for gun rights.
• Morris Overstreet (J.D., 1975), the first African-American elected to a statewide office in Texas.
• Belvin Perry (J.D., 1977), a former chief judge in Florida.
• Senfronia Thompson (J.D., 1978), a member of the Texas House of Representatives.
• Craig Washington (J.D., 1969), a former U.S. Congressman for Texas.
• Brian C. Wimes (J.D., 1994), a judge for the United States District Court.