Alabama's independent law school since 1915, offering affordable part-time legal education with flexible weeknight and Saturday classes.
Birmingham School of Law offers two degree tracks: the Traditional Track leading to a J.D. eligible for Alabama bar admission, and the Executive Juris Doctor Only Track (non-licensure). The Traditional Track requires 34 academic courses (27 required, 6 electives, plus Lawyering Fundamentals) completed over four years of part-time study. Classes meet weeknights and Saturdays year-round (fall, spring, summer terms). The curriculum emphasizes legal knowledge, analysis skills, legal processes, and the role of law in society. A new Huntsville pilot program offers in-person classes for the first two terms before students transfer to Birmingham.
Applicants must hold a bachelor's degree and maintain a minimum 2.75 GPA. LSAT scores are not required unless the applicant's degree is from a foreign country. The school reviews academic records and employment history in admission decisions. Beginning Fall 2026, students may only enter the program in Fall terms. The school does not require LSAT for domestic applicants.
Located in downtown Birmingham in a renovated historic building at 231 22nd Street South, the campus includes an auditorium, mock courtroom, law library, computer lab, and multimedia classrooms. The school also offers parking and facility rental options. A new Huntsville satellite location provides initial coursework before students relocate to the main Birmingham campus.
Graduates are eligible to take the Alabama Bar Examination and practice law throughout Alabama. However, the school is not ABA-accredited and does not seek accreditation, so graduates generally cannot practice in other states. The July 2023 bar passage rate was 12.5% for first-time takers and 8.57% for repeat takers, significantly below Alabama's ABA-accredited law schools (82.20%). Notable alumni include federal judges, U.S. representatives, senators, and prominent trial attorneys.