# Thomas Goode Jones School of Law

The Thomas Goode Jones School of Law (FaulknerLaw, Jones Law, JLS, or JSL) is the law school of Faulkner University, located in Montgomery, Alabama.

## History

Jones School of Law was founded in 1928 by Montgomery County Circuit Judge Walter B. Jones. The law school is named after Jones' father, Thomas Goode Jones, a Confederate veteran who was governor of Alabama and U.S. District Judge for the Northern and Middle Districts of Alabama.
Faulkner University acquired Jones School of Law in 1983.
Faulkner University's Thomas Goode Jones School of Law is fully accredited by the American Bar Association (ABA). Graduates are eligible to sit for the bar exam in any state.

## Admissions

For the class entering in 2023, the school accepted 247 (58.25%) of applicants, with 118 of those accepted enrolling, a 47.77% yield rate. One student was not included in the acceptance statistics. The class consists of 119 students. The median LSAT score was 150 and the median undergraduate GPA was 3.21. Its 25th/75th percentile LSAT scores and GPA were 148/152 and 2.77/3.57. Six students were not included in the LSAT calculation and two not included in the GPA calculation.

## Rankings

In 2024, U.S. News & World Report ranked Thomas Goode Jones tied for No.176 out of 196 ABA accredited law schools.

## Bar examination passage

In 2023, the overall bar examination passage rate for the law school’s first-time examination takers was 66.67%. The Ultimate Bar Pass Rate, which the ABA defines as the passage rate for graduates who sat for bar examinations within two years of graduating, was 89.29% for the class of 2021.

## Employment

According to the schools's official ABA-required disclosures for 2022 graduates, within ten months after graduation 54% of the 50 member graduating class was employed in full-time positions requiring bar passage (i.e. as attorneys) and 12% were employed in full-time JD advantage positions. Positions were in various size law firms, most being in 1-10 attorney firms with none in firms of 250 or more attorneys, three graduates obtained local or state judicial clerkships and one a federal clerkship. 13 were employed in public interest, government, higher education, or business employment. 26% of the class was unemployed.

## Costs

Tuition at Thomas Goode Jones School of Law for the 2023-2024 academic year was $39,900.00, while projected living expenses for 2020-2021 was $28,400.00.

## Programs

Thomas Goode Jones School of Law offers a joint JD / LL.M in dispute resolution, as well as a JD program.

## Notable recent alumni

* Charles Williamson ‘Will’ Barfoot (JD 2001), member of the Alabama State Senate
* Bobby Bright (JD 1982), former member of the United States House of Representatives representing Alabama's 2nd congressional district
* Tommy Bryan (JD 1983), associate justice of the Supreme Court of Alabama
* Perry Hooper Jr. (JD 1979), former member of the Alabama House of Representatives (1984 – 2003)
* Charles Larimore Jones (1932 – 2006) (JD 1981), attorney, educator, former an architect of the U.S. Air Force's forward air control doctrine
* Patrice ‘Penni’ McClammy (JD 2002), attorney and member of the Alabama House of Representatives
* Durell Peaden (JD 1987) former member of the Florida Senate
* Reginald I. Vachon (1937 – 2020) (JD 1969), mechanical engineer, business executive, lawyer, inventor, and former president of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers
* Tom Whatley (JD 1998), former member of the Alabama State Senate
* Alisa Kelli Wise (JD 1995), associate justice of the Supreme Court of Alabama

## Notable faculty

* John Eidsmoe, former professor of law emeritus.
* Allison Garrett, assistant professor of law (2004 to 2007); as of 2024, chancellor of the Oklahoma State System of Higher Education