As a lawyer, you will face a unique set of challenges every day, from negotiating complex agreements to successfully arguing motions in court. That is why DePaul College of Law offers theoretical instruction that will prepare you to tackle cutting edge legal problems, along with creative approaches to practical skills training. In the classroom and in the field, DePaul’s comprehensive curriculum prepares you for legal practice and beyond.

Find the Program That Fits You

DePaul’s full-time day and evening programs give you more flexibility and options in planning your legal education. In addition to the core JD curriculum, you can choose from a variety of certificate programs, dual degrees, including our Programs of Excellence. Whether you pursue a traditional JD track or a dual degree program, DePaul prepares you to succeed.

• JD Degree Requirements
• Certificates
• Programs of Excellence
• Joint Degrees

 

JD Degree Requirements

Law School Full-Time Day and Evening Program Options

The College of Law has both a full-time day and an evening program option. At the end of their first year, students may change from the evening program to full-time day or vice versa by filing a program change request form with the Office of Student Affairs. The form is available on the College of Law website under Registration. Students may only change their status once while they are enrolled in law school.

Students are advised that a program change may affect their financial aid. For financial aid information, they should see a financial aid counselor in the Office of Financial Aid on the 9th floor of the DePaul Center.

Note that, after JD Day students complete their first-year required courses and after JD Evening students complete their first three semesters of required courses, students may take day or evening courses, regardless of the student's program.

Graduation with a JD requires that the student complete 86 credit hours. Under the College of Law's semester system, one credit hour is granted for 50 minutes of classroom or direct faculty instructional time per week, multiplied by 15, and at least 120 minutes of additional out-of-class student work each week, or an equivalent amount of work for other courses and activities, multiplied by 15. The standard course extends over a fourteen-week semester, followed by a  final examination period. Courses or other credit-bearing activities that occur over a different time period must incorporate the same total amount of instructional time and additional assigned work per credit hour as a standard course. At a minimum, students must complete 42.5 hours for 1 unit of credit; 85 hours for 2 units of credit; 127.5 hours for 3 units of credit; and 170 hours for 4 units of credit.

Credit is earned if a student receives an A through a D, or PA grade. 

Time to Degree Limitation

JD Day students are expected to complete the degree in three years. JD Evening students are expected to complete the degree in four years. The maximum time to complete the JD program, if a student takes an approved leave of absence, is five years. Students who are unable to complete the degree within this time frame are required to confer with the Assistant Dean for Student Affairs in the College of Law. ?Pursuant to the American Bar Association Standards of Accreditation, all JD students must complete their degree no later than 84 months after commencing law study. 

Maximum and Minimum Credit Hours

First-year JD Day students take 14-15 credit hours per semester. First-year JD Evening students take 9-11 credit hours per semester.

Upper level JD Day students may register for a maximum of 16 credit hours per semester. After their third semester, JD Evening students may register for a maximum of 12 credit hours per semester.?

JD Day students must take a minimum of 12 credit hours per semester except that JD Day graduating seniors in their final semester need only take the number of credit hours necessary for them to graduate. JD Evening students must register for a minimum of 9 credit hours per semester except that graduating seniors need only take the number of credit hours necessary for them to graduate. ?

No Credit for Course Work Taken Prior to Matriculation in the JD Program

The American Bar Association Standards provide that credit for a JD degree shall only be given for course work taken after the student has matriculated in a law school. A law school may not grant credit toward the JD degree for work taken in a pre-admission program.

Core Required Courses

Course	Title	Semester Hours
LAW 101	APPLIED LEGAL SKILLS *	1
LAW 105	CONTRACTS *	4
LAW 112	LEGAL ANALYSIS RESEARCH AND COMMUNICATION I *	2
LAW 115	LEGAL ANALYSIS RESEARCH AND COMMUNICATION III	3
LAW 119	LEGAL ANALYSIS RESEARCH AND COMMUNICATIONS II *	3
LAW 120	CIVIL PROCEDURE *	4
LAW 130	PREPARING TO PRACTICE I *	0
LAW 131	PREPARING TO PRACTICE II *	0
LAW 140	CONSTITUTIONAL LAW *	4
LAW 160	PROPERTY *	4
LAW 170	TORT LAW *	4
LAW 481	LEGAL PROFESSION	3
LAW 506	CRIMINAL LAW *	3

*

Courses that are counted toward the BA for students in the 3+3 (BA/JD) program.  These courses will be completed in the combined final year of the undergraduate degree and first year of the law degree.

Experiential Education Requirement 

Students must complete at least six credit hours of experiential education courses from the list of approved courses below. Most, but not all, courses are offered for three credit hours. 

Course	Title	Semester Hours
Select at least six credit hours of the following:		6
LAW 213	DOMESTIC VIOLENCE PRACTICUM
LAW 246	PATENT & TRADEMARK SEARCHING
LAW 286	INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS LAW PRACTICUM
LAW 287	ADVANCED INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS LAW PRACTICUM
LAW 290	ANATOMY OF A DEAL: FROM INCEPTION TO CLOSING
LAW 312	TRIAL ADVOCACY II
LAW 319	PROSECUTING & DEFENDING CRIMINAL CASES
LAW 363	RESTORATIVE JUSTICE
LAW 369	LITIGATION LAB
LAW 400	BUSINESS TRANSACTIONS AND DOCUMENTATION
LAW 419	LITIGATION STRATEGY: PRE-TRIAL, CIVIL
LAW 429	LEGAL CLINIC I
LAW 438	MEDIATION
LAW 450	TRIAL ADVOCACY I
LAW 453	COMMERCIAL ARBITRATION
LAW 460	BUSINESS PLANNING
LAW 469	LITIGATION STRATEGY: INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
LAW 475	NEGOTIATIONS
LAW 514	LEGAL CLINIC II
LAW 524	EXTERNSHIP PROGRAM
LAW 538	NATIONAL TRIAL TEAM
LAW 555	ADVANCED LEGAL RESEARCH
LAW 564	EXTERNSHIP SEMINAR
LAW 566	FIELD CLINIC SEMINAR
LAW 567	FIELD CLINIC PRACTICE
LAW 641	PRACTICAL LEGAL RESEARCH
LAW 712	THE PRACTICE OF HEALTH CARE LAW
LAW 751	HEALTH LAW MOOT COURT

Advanced Writing Requirement

Course	Title	Semester Hours
Select one of the following:
LAW 250	SENIOR RESEARCH SEMINAR
LAW 227	CHILDREN'S HUMAN RIGHTS UNDER INTERNATIONAL LAW
LAW 258	WOMEN'S HUMAN RIGHTS UNDER INTERNATIONAL LAW
LAW 379	TAX RESEARCH AND WRITING
LAW 427	APPELLATE TECHNIQUE
LAW 428	INDEPENDENT STUDY
LAW 429	LEGAL CLINIC I (Advanced Criminal Appeals)
LAW 455	LEGAL DRAFTING
LAW 514	LEGAL CLINIC II (Advanced Criminal Appeals?)
LAW 559	FOREIGN EXCHANGE: MADRID, SPAIN (Master's Thesis)

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Requirement

JD students matriculating Autumn 2022 or later must complete one course from the list of approved courses below.  These courses include substantial engagement with the legal system's relationship with social inequality, racism, and/or other forms of bias; and/or include substantial opportunities for students to learn about and practice skills in cross-cultural competence.

Courses that meet both the Diversity Requirement and the Experiential Education Requirement can be counted for both requirements.  Courses that meet both the Diversity Requirement and the Advanced Writing Requirement can be counted for both requirements.

Course	Title	Semester Hours
Select at least one of the following:		2-3
LAW 202	EMPLOYMENT DISCRIMINATION
LAW 206	SEX, GENDER, AND THE LAW
LAW 213	DOMESTIC VIOLENCE PRACTICUM
LAW 227	CHILDREN'S HUMAN RIGHTS UNDER INTERNATIONAL LAW
LAW 232	CATHOLIC SOCIAL JUSTICE & THE LAW
LAW 250	SENIOR RESEARCH SEMINAR (Critical Race Theory; Citizenship; Crimmigration; Feminist Jurisprudence; When Justice Fails; or other approved topic)
LAW 258	WOMEN'S HUMAN RIGHTS UNDER INTERNATIONAL LAW
LAW 286	INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS LAW PRACTICUM
LAW 301	SPECIAL TOPICS IN LAW ( Trauma-Informed Lawyering; Human Rights in Latin America; Transnational Criminal Law; Reproduction and the Law; or other approved topic)
LAW 313	JUVENILE JUSTICE
LAW 321	ADOPTION LAW
LAW 363	RESTORATIVE JUSTICE
LAW 372	ELECTION LAW
LAW 378	ANTISEMITISM, THE HOLOCAUST, AND THE LAW
LAW 390	POST-CONFLICT JUSTICE
LAW 429	LEGAL CLINIC I (Asylum and Immigration Law; Civil Litigation and Health Law; Civil Rights; Croak Civil; Croak Criminal; Criminal Appeals)
LAW 434	PUBLIC HEALTH LAW
LAW 449	PREDATORY LENDING
LAW 477	FIRST AMENDMENT: FREEDOM OF SPEECH AND RELIGION
LAW 482	INTERNATIONAL PROTECTION OF HUMAN RIGHTS I
LAW 487	HOUSING LAW
LAW 498	EDUCATION LAW & POLICY
LAW 501	RACE, RACISM AND UNITED STATES LAW
LAW 502	HATE CRIME LAW
LAW 503	CIVIL RIGHTS
LAW 514	LEGAL CLINIC II (Asylum and Immigration Law; Civil Litigation and Health Law; Civil Rights; Croak Civil; Croak Criminal; Criminal Appeals)
LAW 516	IMMIGRATION LAW AND POLICY
LAW 517	ASYLUM AND REFUGEE LAW AND POLICY
LAW 523	MISSION-BASED LAWYERING: LEGAL PRACTICE IN THE NON-PROFIT SECTOR
LAW 529	CHILDREN & THE LAW
LAW 546	POVERTY LAW
LAW 561	COMMUNITY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
LAW 567	FIELD CLINIC PRACTICE (Family Law)
LAW 583	STUDY ABROAD: MADRID, SPAIN
LAW 585	STUDY ABROAD: HEREDIA, COSTA RICA
LAW 587	GLOBAL GOVERNANCE DURING TIMES OF CRISIS
LAW 588	STUDY ABROAD: BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA
LAW 593	STUDY ABROAD: HAVANA, CUBA
LAW 702	ELDER LAW
LAW 706	HEALTH POLICY AND THE LAW
LAW 709	HEALTH EQUITY AND THE LAW
LAW 716	DISABILITY LAW

Electives

Elective courses are open to all students who meet the prerequisites for the course in question. For information on specializations, see the section on Certificates.????

Credit Hour Limitations

Non-Classroom Credit Hours: 12-Credit Limit

With the exception of students enrolled in the Third Year in Practice (3YP) program, a JD student may earn a maximum of 12 credit hours for non-classroom (indirect instruction) courses. Courses that count toward the 12-credit non-classroom limit include the following:

Course	Title	Semester Hours
Limit of 12 credit hours of the following:		12
LAW 114	LEGAL ANALYSIS RESEARCH AND COMMUNICATIONS TEACHING ASSISTANTS
LAW 204	LAW REVIEW
LAW 217	JOURNAL FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE
LAW 224	ASP TA
LAW 236	JOURNAL OF SPORTS LAW AND CONTEMPORARY PROBLEMS
LAW 298	GENERAL TEACHING ASSISTANT
LAW 303	BUSINESS AND COMMERCIAL LAW JOURNAL
LAW 336	JOURNAL OF ART TECHNOLOGY & INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY EDITORIAL BOARD
LAW 411	GUIDED RESEARCH
LAW 428	INDEPENDENT STUDY
LAW 436	JOURNAL OF HEALTH CARE LAW EDITORIAL BOARD
LAW 524	EXTERNSHIP PROGRAM
LAW 536	NATIONAL MOOT COURT COMPETITION
LAW 537	INTERNATIONAL MOOT COURT COMPETITION
LAW 539	INTERSCHOLASTIC COMPETITION
LAW 567	FIELD CLINIC PRACTICE
LAW 961	INTENSIVE FIELD PLACEMENT
LAW 962	ADVANCED INTENSIVE FIELD PLACEMENT

?Distance Education Credit Limit 

American Bar Association rules specify that JD students may earn a maximum of 28 credit hours toward the JD degree for distance education courses. The College of Law offers both fully online and hybrid courses. A hybrid course is a course in which some, but not all, of the instructional time is online. All fully-online courses, and some hybrid courses, qualify under the ABA rule as distance education courses. ?? ?

Third Year in Practice (3YP) Program

The Third Year in Practice Program (3YP) provides qualifying students with a unique third-year experience engaging in the actual and simulated practice of law. Students admitted to the 3YP program are required to complete 24 credit hours of experiential courses, including an Intensive Field Placement of 5-9 credit hours and the Third Year in Practice Seminar. In addition, students will be able to choose from an array of professional skills, practicum, legal drafting and clinic courses to create a fully immersive third year in practice.

Required Courses for 3YP Students

Course	Title	Semester Hours
LAW 960	3YP SEMINAR	2
LAW 961	INTENSIVE FIELD PLACEMENT	5-9

Optional Courses for 3YP Students

Course	Title	Semester Hours
LAW 962	ADVANCED INTENSIVE FIELD PLACEMENT	5-9
LAW 963	ADVANCED INTENSIVE FIELD PLACEMENT TUTORIAL	1

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First-Year Curriculum

Explore sample schedules for the full-time and part-time JD programs.