
Inter American University of Puerto Rico School of Law was established in 1961 in San Juan. It is a professional law school within Inter American University of Puerto Rico, rather than an undergraduate campus or a separate law firm.
The school developed to educate lawyers for Puerto Rico's legal system, which draws on both civil-law and U.S. legal traditions. It received American Bar Association approval in 1969. That history matters to applicants because a law degree's professional recognition, language of instruction, and bar-examination implications deserve closer attention than they would for many other graduate programs.
The School of Law is a specialized academic unit, not a collection of undergraduate colleges. Its principal professional credential is the Juris Doctor, or J.D.; applicants interested in other legal studies should check the current academic catalog for available programs and admission rules.
J.D. coursework addresses legal analysis, research, and subjects relevant to practice in Puerto Rico. The school also has a legal-assistance clinic and a student-edited legal journal, which offer different kinds of practical and scholarly experience. Applicants should distinguish a course or clinical placement from a guaranteed opportunity: prerequisites, selection procedures, and available places can differ.
The School of Law is in Hato Rey, an urban district of San Juan, Puerto Rico. Its setting puts students near courts, government offices, and legal employers, although access to a particular placement depends on the employer and the student's qualifications.
Hato Rey is served by San Juan's Tren Urbano rail system. Students considering a commute should check the route from their prospective home, class hours, and the time needed to reach a station. Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport serves the San Juan area and is most relevant to students traveling between Puerto Rico and other destinations.
The School of Law's educational purpose centers on preparing students for legal work and engagement with the needs of Puerto Rican society. Its place within Inter American University of Puerto Rico also connects it to the university's stated emphasis on education, service, and ethical development.
The university has a Christian, ecumenical heritage. That institutional background should not be confused with a religious qualification for law-school applicants. Prospective students comparing schools may find it more useful to examine how stated commitments appear in the current curriculum, clinical work, and student conduct policies than to treat a mission statement as evidence of an individual outcome.
Name of the institution
Inter American University of Puerto Rico-School of LawLevel of institution
Four or more yearsControl of institution
PrivateSetting type
City: LargeInstitutional Category
Degree - granting, graduate with no undergraduate degreesInstitution size category
Under 1,000Inter American University of Puerto Rico-School of Law is institutionally accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, an accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Accreditation confirms that the school meets quality standards and is required for students to receive federal financial aid.
Master's degree
Doctor's degree - research/scholarship
Doctor's degree - professional practiceData last updated on November 2, 2026
Data sources: IPEDS 2024-25, Peterson 2026, College Scorecard 10/2026, Clery 2024 (2023-24), OpenAlex 2026
Figures on this profile come from federal and third-party datasets in the editions listed above and are refreshed periodically, so they may differ from what the institution currently reports. Confirm costs, deadlines and requirements with the school before making decisions.