Dean's Message

Dear Alumni and Friends,

There are many stories and pictures in this issue of Saint Louis Brief that will bring to you a strong sense of the vitality and warmth of those who comprise the law school community at Saint Louis University. Now in my sixth year as a member of this community, I feel blessed by the opportunity for daily interactions with students, faculty, staff and alumni. Teaching Evidence to our students is such fun! Visiting with alumni is inevitably a confirming and heartening occasion. Working daily with our fine faculty and staff, in a spirit of team work and “can do” optimism, is energizing.

As you read about Omen Safavi, Matt Jagger, Marguerite Roy, Robin Connelley and Vinita Ollapally, you will see why I am optimistic about the future of our legal profession. Our law students are talented, smart and well-rounded. They have a strong sense of community. They will do good work and contribute mightily to the profession and their communities. Indeed, they follow in the footsteps of the thousands of law graduates from Saint Louis University who preceded them.

The Fall 2004 entering class of just over 300 students was chosen from a pool of nearly 2000 applicants. Fortysix percent of our students come from Missouri, twenty-three percent from Illinois, and the rest from thirty-two other states and foreign countries. Women comprise fifty-three percent of our entering class; eleven percent of our students are minorities. Our average full-time student had a 3.5 undergraduate grade point average and scored a 157 (72nd percentile for all test takers) on the Law School Admissions Test. One hundred and twenty-seven different undergraduate institutions are represented by the 2004 entering class. Saint Louis University is our biggest feeder school; it is followed in numbers by Washington University, the University of Illinois and Notre Dame. Our new students are a very talented and diverse group of young women and men. Another article in this issue of Saint Louis Brief is titled, “Women of the Seventies.” Seven of our alumnae who graduated in the 1970s are featured. It was not until the 1970s that significant numbers of women entered law school. They were pioneers. The nature of the profession and the nature of legal education have changed profoundly with the arrival of women — and for the better. I know you will enjoy their stories. Finally, please permit me a word of thanks to our many alumni who serve as School of Law Class Agents. Their volunteer work in support of the Annual Fund produced a record level of giving to the law school last year. We are able to do so much for our students and their teachers because of the Annual Fund. It provides that critical margin of excellence. And thanks to all of you who responded so generously to the appeal of your fellow alums!

Sincerely Yours,
Jeffrey E. Lewis
Dean and Professor of Law