The history of TMSL can be traced back to a 1946 lawsuit implicating protections for racial minorities under the U.S. Constitution, Sweatt v. Painter, brought by Heman M. Sweatt, and tried by
Thurgood Marshall.[4] The Texas Constitution mandated
separate but equal facilities for whites and blacks. Sweatt was refused admission to the
University of Texas School of Law because he was black. In order to pre-empt the possibility of Sweatt obtaining a successful court order, the legislature passed Texas State Senate Bill 140, which established a university to offer courses of higher learning in law, pharmacy, dentistry, journalism, education, arts and sciences, literature, medicine, and other professional courses. It opened in 1946 as the "Texas State University for Negroes," and later changed its name in
Texas Southern University in 1951.
In 2016, TMSL began to offer a
Master of Laws in Immigration and Naturalization Law. The program is the first Masters of Law program in the nation to focus on
immigration law.[5]
In 2017, The
American Bar Association (ABA) formally censured the school as "being out of compliance with its nondiscrimination standard as well as the standard that requires disclosure of information to the ABA. More specifically, an ABA site visit team found evidence of gender discrimination and sexual harassment at the law school" and was "required to establish a plan to eliminate gender discrimination and sex harassment." Months prior, the ABA had also "found
Texas Southern (TMSL) out of compliance with the standards meant to ensure schools only admit students who appear capable of graduating and passing the bar."[6] In 2020, the ABA concluded TMSL is in compliance with all accreditation standards.[7]
As of October, 2021, 50% of the student body was African-American, 5% Asian-American, 9% White, 30% Hispanic, and 6% Other.
Of the 1,745 students who applied to TMSL to start in fall 2021, 666 were accepted (for a 38% admission rate), and 11% of those offered admission enrolled. These enrolled students had an average LSAT score of 151, and an average college GPA of 3.10.[9]
For July 2023 first time takers, TMSL students had a bar examination passage rate of 68%.[3]
Employment
According to Thurgood Marshall's official 2022 ABA-required disclosures, 53% of the Class of 2022 obtained full-time, long-term, JD-required employment nine months after graduation.[10]
Costs
The total estimated cost of attendance (indicating the cost of tuition, fees) at Thurgood Marshall for the 2018-2019 academic year is $43,095 for residents and $50,318 for nonresidents.[9]
TMSL Library
The TMSL Library housed within the law school building has over 350,000 volumes and volume equivalents.[11]
TMSL Legal Clinics
Earl Carl Institute for Legal and Social Justice, Inc.: An institute dedicated to identifying potential implementable solutions to legal and social issues disproportionately impacting minority communities
Center for Legal Pedagogy: It serves as a study and creation center of instructional design for legal education
Institute for International and Immigration Law: An institute dedicated to providing specialized academic and practical legal training for students planning a career in international or immigration law[12]
Publications
Thurgood Marshall Law Review - The law review was established in 1970 and is a legal research and writing forum for legal scholars and practitioners from around the world.
The Thurgood Marshall School of Law Gender, Race, and Justice Law Journal - A student-run organization whose primary purpose is to publish a journal of legal scholarship.
Notable alumni
Notable graduates of TSML include the following:
Roberto R. Alonzo (J.D., 1984), Member of the Texas House of Representatives