Law (JD) | Cornell University
Law (JD)
Law School
Program Website
Taxonomy Codes
CIP:
22.0101
HEGIS:
1401.00
NYSED:
13633
Program Description
Cornell Law offers a highly rated national law curriculum leading to the three-year J.D. degree. The curriculum reflects a broad range of ideas current in American legal education.
Students can earn their J.D. degree with honors in International Law:
J.D. with Honors in International Legal Affairs
J.D./LL.M. Program with honors in International and Comparative Law
Special Academic Options
J.D./LL.B. Program with Jindal Global Law School
The Law School offers a three-year J.D./LL.B. or J.D./B.A.-LL.B. advanced standing program with Jindal Global Law School. Participants, who are nominated by Jindal Global Law School and admitted by Cornell, complete two years of advanced study at Jindal Global Law School before arriving at Cornell.
Students satisfactorily complete 62 credits at Cornell over two years.
Following completion of studies at Cornell, the participants receive a J.D. from Cornell University, in addition to a B.A./LL.B. or LL.B. degree from Jindal Global Law School.
J.D. - Master En Droit Degree Program
This program is offered jointly by Cornell Law School and the Université de Paris I - Panthéon-Sorbonne as a four-year joint degree program. At the completion of the program students will receive both the Master en Droit and the Juris Doctor degree. Participants will spend their first two years at Cornell Law School and their final two years at the Université de Paris I.
Applicants
Applicants must be completely fluent in both English and French.
American applicants must have the customary undergraduate training for admission to law school.
French applicants must have the Baccalaureate degree and at least two years of advanced study at a French institution.
Students may apply to the program in their initial application to the Law School or following matriculation.
Admitted students must have a baccalaureate or first-level Master degree before arriving at Cornell.
Degree Requirements
Students must satisfactorily complete 62 credits at Cornell over two years.
Students complete the final year of the J.D. in the coursework in Paris.
Students must complete the requirements for the Paris I Master degree, before earning the J.D. degree from Cornell and a Master Degree (at the M1 and/or M2 level) from the Université Paris I.
In some cases, the timing of the dual degree program may require students to receive their J.D. degree in August and sit for a U.S. bar exam in February rather than July.
J.D. and M.I.L.R. Degrees (Sequential Degree option)
The School of Industrial and Labor Relations at Cornell University offers a two-semester program for outstanding Law School graduates that leads to the Master of Industrial and Labor Relations (M.I.L.R.) degree. Both recent graduates and those working in the field of law may apply.
The program provides general coverage of industrial and labor relations and is suitable for those having little prior course work in the field. The M.I.L.R. program is normally completed in four semesters; however, law graduates who enter the special program can complete the program in one year.
An applicant must be a graduate of a school of law and meet the normal requirements for admission to the School of Industrial and Labor Relations. A candidate deficient in preparation in the social sciences is advised to do additional work before entry.
J.D. and M.P.A. Degrees
Cornell Law School and the Cornell Institute for Public Affairs (CIPA) offer a four-year program that leads to a J.D. degree and a Master of Public Administration degree. Applicants must apply to, and be accepted by, both schools.
First year is spent entirely in one school.
Second year, entirely in the other school.
Third year and fourth years are spent mostly in the Law. School, but students must generally take at least one course each semester to fulfill CIPA requirements.
Applicants to the MPA program from the Cornell Law School may apply up to twelve (12) credits from the Law School toward their MPA degree, subject to approval of the Director of Graduate Studies of the Cornell Institute for Public Affairs (CIPA).
Please consult the Cornell Law School Registrar for more information.
Taxonomy Code
Policies and Procedures
Leaves of Absence
A student must
receive their J.D. within 84 months of beginning law study.
1.
To apply for a leave, a student must submit a written petition to the Administrative Committee describing the reasons for the leave. In the event a student is incapacitated due to medical/psychological problems, a petition for a leave of absence may be submitted by a parent, spouse, or any other person designated by the student in advance.
In extraordinary circumstances, e.g., where the student’s conduct has been unusually disruptive to the Law School or University community or where the student’s conduct suggests that remaining in school poses a significant risk to the health or safety of the student or others in the Law School or University community or a significant risk of disruption to the Law School or University environment, the Dean, in consultation with the Administrative Committee, may require the student to take a leave of absence.
2.
Leaves are typically granted for one year only. Where the leave begins during a given semester, the student would normally be expected to return at the beginning of that same semester the following year. Prior to the expiration of the leave, a student may request, in writing, a one-year extension of the leave. Only in extraordinary circumstances will a leave be extended beyond two years, and decisions to extend a leave beyond two years may be made only by the Dean in consultation with the Administrative Committee. Only in extraordinary circumstances will a student who has already taken one leave of absence be granted a second leave of absence.
3.
If a leave of absence is granted, the Law School and/or the University will maintain jurisdiction over the adjudication of any Law School and/or University disciplinary action involving the student. A student may be required to participate in the adjudication of the disciplinary action while on leave.
4.
In certain circumstances, the Committee may attach written conditions to the leave. For example, where a leave of absence is requested for health reasons, the leave may be conditioned on counseling or health treatment while on leave of absence or other requirements appropriate to the conditions giving rise to the leave.
5.
Before the end of the semester in which the leave is scheduled to expire, the student must notify the Administrative Committee that they expect to return to school at the beginning of the following semester. Included in the notification must be a statement that the student has not been charged with any crime during the period of the leave or, if a student has been charged with a crime, the full details of the incident(s) leading to the charge. If conditions have been attached to the leave, the student must demonstrate that such conditions have been satisfied.
6.
As a general matter, a student will not be permitted to resume his or her studies unless the Administrative Committee is satisfied that the student has the ability to complete law school and the judgment and integrity to function as a member of the profession. For example, in the event that the leave of absence was granted due to health reasons, the Administrative Committee must be satisfied that the problems which precipitated the leave are resolved and that the student is able to handle all of the physical or emotional stress, as applicable, of attending law school, and that there is no significant risk of danger to the student or others or of disruption to the Law School or University environment. The Committee may require the student to make available relevant health records, to permit the Committee to communicate directly with the student’s physicians or counselors, and, in appropriate circumstances, to undergo additional health evaluation.
7.
Reentry may be conditional. For example, a student may be required to engage in regular and ongoing medical, psychiatric or psychological treatment when specifically related to the conditions giving rise to the leave if the Committee believes that, without such ongoing treatment, the individual will not be able to function effectively as a student or will pose a significant risk to the health or safety of himself or others or a significant risk of disruption to the Law School or University environment.
8.
If the Administrative Committee determines that the student will not be permitted to return to the Law School, that decision may be appealed to the Dean of the Law School. The Dean’s decision will be final.
9.
The Law School may modify its leave policy in light of experience and consistent with the law.
10.
To request a health leave please email or make an appointment here or by email with the Health Leaves Coordinator, who will work with you to facilitate consultations between you, your healthcare provider, Student Disability Services, and the Law School before granting a Health Leave of Absence. You can review the current Cornell University Health Leave of Absence policy
J.D. Academic Deficiency
A J.D. student who receives a grade of D+ or below in a first-year course will be regarded as having an academic deficiency in that course that must be remedied. The student must either repeat the course or take an upper-class course or courses to be designated by the Dean of Students in order to remedy this gap in the student’s legal education.
A J.D. student will be placed on informal academic probation if, at the close of the first year of law study or the end of any subsequent term, the student’s semester merit point ratio is less than the bottom 5% of the class. Informal probation is neither reported on the student’s transcript nor to employers but rather requires that the student meet with the Dean of Students to approve the student’s course selection and planning to achieve the faculty-adopted learning outcomes.
The faculty Administrative Committee will consider whether a J.D. student should be dropped for scholastic deficiency: a. if at the close of the first year of law study or at the end of any subsequent term (not including the student’s final term), the student’s cumulative merit point ratio is less than 2.8 or b. if in the judgment of the Administrative Committee of the faculty, the student’s work at any time is markedly unsatisfactory. Work is considered markedly unsatisfactory if, in each of two successive terms, the merit point ratio for the work of each term (considered separately) is lower than 2.8.
J.D. Class Rank
As a matter of faculty policy Cornell Law School does not release the academic rankings of our students. Interested individuals, including employers, have access to the top 10% approximate cumulative grade point cut for the most recent semester of completion for the J.D. students. In addition, at the completion of the second semester and every semester thereafter the top 5% approximate cumulative grade point average is also available. In general, J.D. students are not ranked. However, the top five students in each class are ranked and are notified of their rank. Current information is available on the Law School Registrar’s website.
Transferring to J.D. Program from an ABA – Approved Law School
Students transferring into Cornell Law School from another ABA-approved law school may receive up to 32 credit hours toward the 84 credit hours required for a J.D. degree. The amount of credit is determined by the Registrar upon enrollment after reviewing the particular courses taken by the transfer student and will not be
reassessed at a later time.
Transferring to J.D. Program from Cornell Law School’s General LL.M. Program
Candidates for the LL.M. degree who wish to transfer to the J.D. program must submit a transfer application no later than April 1. The transfer procedures and requirements will, in general, be the same as those applicable to J.D. students at other law schools who seek to transfer into the Cornell J.D. program (including the requirement of an acceptable admissions test). However, at least one letter of recommendation should be from a Cornell Law faculty member who has taught the student. Only LL.M. students who have elected to be graded on the J.D. scale and curve will be considered for transfer to the J.D. class. Cornell LL.M. students who are accepted into the J.D. program as transfers are eligible to receive up to 24 law credits obtained in pursuit of the LL.M. degree toward the J.D. degree requirements and must complete an additional four semesters at Cornell enrolled in J.D. courses.
Cornell LL.M. students who transfer into the J.D. program are ineligible to receive the pending LL.M. degree.
Program Information
Instruction Mode: In Person
Location: Ithaca, NY
Minimum Credits for Degree: 84
Program Requirements
Students must complete:
28.5 credits of required first year courses.
One Professional Responsibility course.
One Writing course.
The courses which meet this requirement vary each semester. Consult the course catalog for more information.
This course must be taken for a letter grade.
Six Credits of Experiential Learning.
Students may take up to 12 credit hours of graduate level courses related to legal training outside the Law School, subject to the approval of the Dean of Academic Affairs during their second and third years.
Students must adhere to the following restrictions when choosing elective coursework:
three credits of supervised writing per semester, for a total of 12 credits
three credits of supervised experiential learning, with a one semester enrollment limit
two credits of directed reading per semester, for a total of eight credits
two credits of supervised teaching per semester, for a total of eight credits
twenty total credits of externship over the four upper-class semesters
no undergraduate coursework may be counted towards the JD.
Additionally, students may take a maximum of 20 credits outside of regularly scheduled courses. Courses outside of regularly scheduled courses include:
Externships, the Pro Bono Scholars program, directed reading, supervised writing, supervised teaching (including Lawyering Honors Fellows), supervised experiential learning, courses taught in other divisions, and practicums.
Students are limited in their course load – they must be registered for a minimum of 12 credit hours each semester (to enroll in fewer credits, consult the Dean of Students). Students must have Dean of Students' approval to exceed 17 credits in any one semester.
Concentrations
Concentrations allow for the in-depth study of a single field. Students may concentrate in any of the following fields:
Advocacy
Business Law and Regulation
Conflict Resolution
General Practice
Law, Inequity and Structural Exclusion
Public Law
Technology and Law
Each concentration requires the completion of 14 credit hours (including a writing course) in the designated area. Up to 4 hours of an externship may be counted towards the concentration – based on the recommendation of the faculty member supervising the externship, with approval from the associate dean for academic affairs.
Students may only receive recognition for only one concentration. The Law School will grant a certificate after graduation.
Degree Requirements for the J.D. with Honors in International Legal Affairs
Students must be admitted to the program after the 1L year and prior to 3L year, by completing a short application for admission to the JD-ILA program. Once admitted to the program, students are expected to meet the following requirements.
Students must satisfactorily complete 89 semester credit hours.
Students must complete:
28.5 credits of required first year courses.
One Professional Responsibility course.
One Writing course.
The courses which meet this requirement vary each semester. Consult the course catalog for more information.
This course must be taken for a letter grade.
Six Credits of Experiential Learning.
Students may take up to 12 credit hours of graduate level courses related to legal training outside the Law School, subject to the approval of the Dean of Academic Affairs during their second and third years.
Students must adhere to the following restrictions when choosing elective coursework:
three credits of supervised writing per semester, for a total of 12 credits
three credits of supervised experiential learning, with a one semester enrollment limit
two credits of directed reading per semester, for a total of eight credits
two credits of supervised teaching per semester, for a total of eight credits
twenty total credits of externship over the four upper-class semesters
no undergraduate coursework may be counted towards the JD.
Additionally, students may take a maximum of 20 credits outside of regularly scheduled courses. Courses outside of regularly scheduled courses include:
Externships, the Pro Bono Scholars program, directed reading, supervised writing, supervised teaching (including Lawyering Honors Fellows), supervised experiential learning, courses taught in other divisions, and practicums.
Additionally, students in the JD-ILA program must take coursework from the following three groups of courses:
Group 1
Course List
Code
Title
Hours
Select two courses:
LAW 6561
International Human Rights
or
LAW 6791
Public International Law
Consult with the Director for International Programs regarding additional courses that may satisfy group 1.
Group 2
Course List
Code
Title
Hours
Select one of the following:
1-4
LAW 6161
Comparative Law: The Civil Law Tradition
LAW 7440
Law and Social Change: Comparative Law in Africa
LAW 6177
Comparative Legal Studies
LAW 7698
Comparative Private Law
Must be taken at the Paris Summer Institute, together with a supervised writing on a comparative law topic during the following Fall semester.
Group 3
Course List
Code
Title
Hours
Select at least three additional international or comparative law electives totaling a minimum of seven credit hours from the following list of courses from Group 3:
LAW 6193
The Practice of International Arbitration
LAW 6231
Comparative Copyright and Knowledge Protection
LAW 6330
Environmental Law and Policy
LAW 6344
International Labor Law: Workers’ Rights in the Global Economy
LAW 6451
Indigenous Peoples and American Law
LAW 6465
Global M and A Practice
LAW 6584
International Trade Law
LAW 6625
Law and Society in North Korea
LAW 6661
Constitutional Law of the European Union
LAW 6681
International Law and Foreign Direct Investment
LAW 6745
Doing Business in the Middle East
LAW 7267
Comparative Contract Law
LAW 7282
Gender and International Human Rights
LAW 7295
Global Labor and Employment Law
LAW 7311
Immigration and Refugee Law
LAW 7321
International Criminal Law
LAW 7358
International Environmental Law
LAW 7360
International Financial Regulation
LAW 7589
Seminar in National Security Issues and Policy
LAW 7785
Law of Genocide and War Crimes Trials
LAW 7801
Asylum and Convention Against Torture Appellate Clinic
LAW 7805
Advanced Labor Law Clinic
LAW 7814
Advanced Transnational Disputes Clinic
LAW 7842
Immigration Law and Advocacy Clinic II
LAW 7843
Immigration Law and Advocacy Clinic III
LAW 7855
International Human Rights: Litigation and Advocacy Clinic I
LAW 7857
Farmworker Legal Assistance Clinic I
LAW 7858
Farmworker Legal Assistance Clinic II
LAW 7859
Farmworker Legal Assistance Clinic III
LAW 7860
International Human Rights: Litigation and Advocacy II
LAW 7864
Farmworker Legal Assistance Clinic IV
LAW 7871
Labor Law Clinic
LAW 7878
International Human Rights Clinic: Litigation and Advocacy III
LAW 7914
Gender Justice Clinic
LAW 7915
Gender Justice Clinic II
LAW 7916
Gender Justice Clinic III
LAW 7917
Gender Justice Clinic IV
LAW 7959
Transnational Disputes Clinic
Courses may not be offered each semester. Additional courses may be offered to satisfy group 3, consult with the Director for International Programs for more information.
With approval of the Assistant Dean for External Education, a student may also satisfy an elective requirement by:
taking a similar course in other divisions of the University
taking an approved course in the law school's Semester Abroad Program or by taking a course offered by the Paris Summer Institute
completing a supervised writing project in international or comparative law
making a substantial contribution to the Cornell International Law Journal.
Students are limited in their course load – they must be registered for a minimum of 12 credit hours each semester (to enroll in fewer credits, consult the Dean of Students). The Dean of Students must approve enrollment exceeding 18 credits in any one semester.
Students are encouraged to consult with the Director for International Programs to discuss course selection before doing their pre-registration as course offerings are not guaranteed each semester.
J.D. Degree/LL.M. Program With Honors in International and Comparative Law
Cornell Law offers a pathway to earn both a J.D. degree and an LL.M. degree with Honors in International and Comparative law in three years. The pathway is designed primarily for students with a strong interest in International and Comparative Law. The program is referred henceforth as the "J.D./LL.M program," but individuals in the program receive two degrees: a Cornell J.D. Degree and an LL.M. degree with Honors in International and Comparative Law.
Students may apply for admission to the J.D./LL.M. program upon initial application to the Law School. Alternatively, they may apply for admission to the program after matriculation, provided the application is made before completion of their first year.
The J.D./LL.M program requires 20 upper-class credits in courses focused on international and comparative law, in addition to the credits required for the J.D. degree.
In total, students must satisfactorily complete 104 total credits.
The 20 required credits must come from the following three groups:
Group 1
Course List
Code
Title
Hours
Select two courses:
LAW 6561
International Human Rights
or
LAW 6791
Public International Law
Consult with the Director for International Programs regarding additional courses that may satisfy group 1.
Group 2
Course List
Code
Title
Hours
Select one of the following:
1-4
LAW 6161
Comparative Law: The Civil Law Tradition
LAW 6177
Comparative Legal Studies
LAW 7440
Law and Social Change: Comparative Law in Africa
LAW 7698
Comparative Private Law
Must be taken at the Paris Summer Institute, together with a supervised writing on a comparative law topic during the following Fall semester.
Remaining electives may come from the following list of courses:
Course List
Code
Title
Hours
LAW 6193
The Practice of International Arbitration
LAW 6231
Comparative Copyright and Knowledge Protection
LAW 6330
Environmental Law and Policy
3-4
LAW 6344
International Labor Law: Workers’ Rights in the Global Economy
1.5
LAW 6451
Indigenous Peoples and American Law
LAW 6465
Global M and A Practice
LAW 6584
International Trade Law
LAW 6625
Law and Society in North Korea
LAW 6632
Transnational Corruption and the Law
LAW 6661
Constitutional Law of the European Union
LAW 6681
International Law and Foreign Direct Investment
LAW 6745
Doing Business in the Middle East
LAW 7267
Comparative Contract Law
LAW 7282
Gender and International Human Rights
LAW 7295
Global Labor and Employment Law
LAW 7311
Immigration and Refugee Law
LAW 7321
International Criminal Law
LAW 7358
International Environmental Law
LAW 7360
International Financial Regulation
LAW 7589
Seminar in National Security Issues and Policy
LAW 7785
Law of Genocide and War Crimes Trials
LAW 7801
Asylum and Convention Against Torture Appellate Clinic
LAW 7805
Advanced Labor Law Clinic
1-6
LAW 7814
Advanced Transnational Disputes Clinic
LAW 7842
Immigration Law and Advocacy Clinic II
2-5
LAW 7843
Immigration Law and Advocacy Clinic III
LAW 7855
International Human Rights: Litigation and Advocacy Clinic I
LAW 7857
Farmworker Legal Assistance Clinic I
1-6
LAW 7858
Farmworker Legal Assistance Clinic II
1-6
LAW 7859
Farmworker Legal Assistance Clinic III
1-6
LAW 7860
International Human Rights: Litigation and Advocacy II
1-6
LAW 7864
Farmworker Legal Assistance Clinic IV
1-6
LAW 7871
Labor Law Clinic
1-6
LAW 7878
International Human Rights Clinic: Litigation and Advocacy III
1-6
LAW 7914
Gender Justice Clinic
1-6
LAW 7915
Gender Justice Clinic II
1-6
LAW 7916
Gender Justice Clinic III
1-6
LAW 7917
Gender Justice Clinic IV
LAW 7959
Transnational Disputes Clinic
4-6
Courses may not be offered each semester. Additional courses may be offered to satisfy group 3, consult with the Director for International Programs for more information.
Participation in the Paris Summer Institute, which is strongly encouraged. Students that choose to participate in the Paris Summer Institute must register for at least 4 credits within the program.
A thesis option, which requires satisfactory completion of a five-credit thesis.
Courses that are taken—in accordance with the law school's rules and regulations and if related to international, comparative, or foreign law—in other divisions of Cornell University, including its area studies programs (East Asia, South Asia, Southeast Asia, Institute for African Development, Latin American Studies and the Institute for European Studies) (with approval of the Assistant Dean for External Education)
With approval from the Assistant Dean for External Education, a course in the Law School's Semester Abroad Program may be taken as a substitute for one of the required Group 1 or Group 2 courses.
Additional Program Requirements
Students must maintain an overall grade point average of at least 3.0 to be awarded the LL.M. degree with Honors in International and Comparative Law at graduation.
In no event may a J.D./LL.M. program student receive a total of more than 12 credits toward the required 20 credits from summer/winter intersession courses, including credits earned from the Paris Summer Program.
Students in the J.D./LL.M. program must comply with the credit hour and degree requirements for the Cornell J.D. degree in addition to completing an additional 20 credit hours for the LL.M. as set out above.
J.D./LL.M. students will be allowed to take a maximum of 21 credits per semester during the second and third years.
University Graduation Requirements
Requirements for All Students
In order to receive a Cornell degree, a student must satisfy academic and non-academic requirements.
Academic Requirements
A student’s college determines degree requirements such as residency, number of credits, distribution of credits, and grade averages. It is the student’s responsibility to be aware of the specific major, degree, distribution, college, and graduation requirements for completing their chosen program of study. See the individual requirements listed by each college or school or contact the
college registrar’s office
for more information.
Non-academic Requirements
Conduct Matters
. Students must satisfy any outstanding sanctions, penalties or remedies imposed or agreed to under the Student Code of Conduct (Code) or Policy 6.4. Where a formal complaint under the Code or Policy 6.4 is pending, the University will withhold awarding a degree otherwise earned until the adjudication process set forth in those procedures is complete, including the satisfaction of any sanctions, penalties or remedies imposed.
Financial Obligations
. Outstanding financial obligations will not impact the awarding of a degree otherwise earned or a student’s ability to access their official transcript. However, the University may withhold issuing a diploma until any outstanding financial obligations owing to the University are satisfied.
Learning Outcomes
Possess knowledge of the substantive and procedural law required for effective participation in the legal profession. Graduates will be able to:
Identify and describe legal terms, concepts, theories, rules, and principles.
Understand how the law operates in domestic and global contexts.
Engage effectively in legal research, analysis, and problem-solving in a time frame appropriate to legal practice. Graduates will be able to analyze common law and statutory authority independently and critically to:
Spot relevant issues.
Identify controlling authority and accurately assess the weight of authorities.
Apply governing rules to legally relevant fact patterns.
Marshal relevant facts and governing rules to reach reasoned, well-supported conclusions that address the issues at hand.
Employ deductive reasoning and analogy to devise strategies and solutions for complex legal issues in academic environments and in various practice settings.
Communicate effectively in both oral and written form as counselors and advocates. Graduates will be able to:
Identify appropriate audience(s) and tailor written and oral advocacy accordingly.
Convey legally relevant information objectively and persuasively.
Explain complex legal concepts orally and in writing in a manner that both members of the legal profession and the public can understand.
Interact respectfully and effectively with persons of all backgrounds and levels of skill and training, demonstrating professionalism both in person and online.
Write and speak clearly and concisely in a well-organized, well-reasoned manner.
Assess complex fact patterns in a professional conversation, deposition, or oral argument and provide meaningful legal analysis during that discourse.
Employ active listening skills.
Possess the practical skills fundamental to exceptional lawyering and client representation. Graduates will be able to:
Work effectively in teams and independently.
pose creative solutions to complex problems independently and through collaboration with peers, senior members of the profession, and interdisciplinary teams.
Engage in culturally competent interactions in an increasingly global legal community connected across countries and cultures through technology, immersive study, and transnational practice.
Appreciate the impact of their professional conduct and counsel in diverse professional settings, both formal and informal, in person and online.
Reflect on and draw lessons from experience to improve their own performance and provide effective professional feedback to others.
Arrange their affairs in a professional manner, including by meeting deadlines, keeping scheduled appointments, attending, and preparing appropriately for client and court meetings, and responding promptly to administrative offices, clients, and colleagues.
Regularly reflect on their unique aptitudes and capacities and proactively consider how these capabilities align with the broad variety of legal skills and practice settings, taking timely and appropriate steps to seek support when necessary.
Conduct themselves with the highest moral and ethical standards. Graduates will be able to:
Demonstrate knowledge of the ethical rules and expectations which govern members of the legal profession.
Apply those ethical expectations throughout their course of study and careers in interactions with courts, clients, and colleagues.
Apply the law governing lawyers to resolve ethical, moral, and other professional dilemmas.
Understand what the governing law is.
Exercise with due care the role entrusted to them as officers of the legal system and public citizens, having special responsibility for the quality of justice.
Program Calendar
Fall 2025
Academic Calendar
Date
Event
August 25, 2025
First Day of Instruction
October 11-19, 2025
Fall Break
November 26-30, 2025
Thanksgiving Break
December 3, 2025
Last Day of Instruction
December 4-7, 2025
Study Days
December 8, 2025
First Day of Exams
December 20, 2025
Last Day of Exams
December 20, 2025
Last Day of Term
Winter 2026
Academic Calendar
Date
Event
December 26, 2025
First Day of Term
December 26, 2025
First Day of Instruction
January 17, 2026
Last Day of Instruction
January 17, 2026
Last Day of Term
Spring 2026
Academic Calendar
Date
Event
January 13, 2026
First Day of Term for 1L Students
January 13, 2026
First Day of Instruction for 1L Students
January 20, 2026
First Day of Term for UL Students
January 20, 2026
First Day of Instruction for UL Students
February 15-17, 2026
February Break
March 28-April 5, 2026
Spring Break
April 29, 2026
Last Day of Instruction
April 30-May 3, 2025
Study Days
May 4, 2026
First Day of Exams
May 16, 2026
Last Day of Exams
May 16, 2026
Last Day of Term
Summer 2026
Academic Calendar
Date
Event
May 28, 2026
First Day of Term
May 28, 2026
First Day of Instruction
June 21, 2026
No Classes
July 5, 2026
No Classes
August 16, 2026
Last Day of Instruction
August 17, 2026
Last Day of Term
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