Academics
In addition to the J.D., the law school offers the LL.M. The following joint degrees may be earned: J.D./M.B.A. (Juris Doctor/Master of Business Administration) and J.D./M.S. (Juris Doctor/Master of Science in taxation).
The School of Law offers concentrations in corporate law, criminal law, environmental law, family law, international law, juvenile law, labor law, litigation, securities law, tax law, torts and insurance, constitutional law, and health law. In addition, students may enroll in the Housing Rights, Criminal Justice, Child Advocacy, Mediation, Not-For-Profit Organizations, Securities Arbitration, or Political Asylum clinics. Each are worth 6 credits. Upper-class students may choose from a large number of 2- to 3-credit seminars. First-year students take 1 required substantive course in a small section of 25 to 30 students. Students may enroll in the Externship Program for 3 credits; they may work for judges or in nonprofit or government agencies, dealing with civil and criminal matters. Faculty-supervised independent study is worth from 2 to 6 credits. The law school offers special problems seminars, in which 3 to 5 students work closely with a professor in a tutorial setting on a topic of current interest. In addition, the law school offers an extensive Pro Bono Student Volunteer Program, in which more than 400 students have donated their efforts to assist attorneys and other agencies with cases. Through the Unemployment Action Center, students provide assistance to unemployed persons seeking benefits. A Visiting Scholar Program brings to the law school a distinguished scholar for a visit of 3 to 4 days; the visiting scholar teaches classes, gives a lecture, and meets informally with students and faculty. Annually scheduled lectures involve experts in bankruptcy law, family law, legal ethics, and health law, as well as features by distinguished jurists, scholars, and practitioners. The law school offers summer programs in Nice, France, in cooperation with the University of Nice Law School, in Sydney, Australia in cooperation with the University of New South Wales Faculty of Law, and in Sorrento, Italy in conjunction with Naples University. A winter study abroad in Curacao is also available. Hofstra law students may also participate in a seminar abroad with any other E.A.C.L.E. institution. An exchange program with Soochow University (China) will be available shortly. Students must meet with the Assistant Dean for Student Affairs with any request for student tutorial support services. Incoming students may be selected by the tutorial committee to participate in a voluntary enhancement program taught by faculty. The Director of Multicultural Student Affairs is responsible for minority student affairs, minority recruitment and admissions, the coordination of the law school’s Enhancement Program and the coordination of the Dwight L. Greene Scholarship Program. Specific initiatives to support the students of color include: an Open House for minority applicants, Law Day for admitted students of color, a Minority Student Orientation Program for incoming students, a first-year reception, mentoring programs, and other programs throughout the year. Chapters of BALSA, LALSA, and APALSA are very active at the law school. The most widely taken electives are Business Organizations; Criminal Procedure; and Wills, Trusts and Estates.
To earn the J.D., candidates must complete 87 total credits, of which 39 are for required courses. They must maintain a minimum GPA of 2.0 in the required courses. The following first-year courses are required of all students: Appellate Advocacy, Civil Procedure I and II, Contracts I and II, Criminal Law, Introduction to International & Comparative Law, Legal Writing and Research, Property, and Torts I and II. Required upper-level courses consist of Constitutional Law I and II, Lawyer’s Ethics or Ethics and Economics of Law Practice, and Upper-class writing requirements I and II. The required orientation program for first-year students is a 3-day program that includes legal method classes taught by faculty members, general lectures, panels concerning student services, and social activities. “Continuing orientation” is available throughout the year.
In order to graduate, candidates must have a GPA of 2.0, have completed the upper-division writing requirement, and completed 2 upper-level writing requirements.