Academics
Students may take relevant courses in other programs and apply credit toward the J.D.; a maximum of 9 credits may be applied. The following joint degrees may be earned: J.D./M.B.A. (Juris Doctor/Master of Business Administration), J.D./M.H.A. (Juris Doctor/Master of Health Administration with Medical College of Virginia), J.D./M.P.A. (Juris Doctor/Master of Public Administration with Virginia Commonwealth), J.D./M.S.W. (Juris Doctor/Master of Social Work with Virginia Commonwealth), and J.D./M.U.R.P. (Juris Doctor/Master of Urban and Regional Planning with Virginia Commonwealth).
The School of Law offers concentrations in corporate law, criminal law, entertainment law, environmental law, family law, intellectual property law, international law, juvenile law, labor law, litigation, maritime law, securities law, sports law, tax law, torts and insurance, Intellectual Property Certification, Environmental Law Certification, and Family Law Certification. In addition, third-year students may participate in either the outplacement clinic or the school’s in-house Children’s Law Center, with Youth Advocacy and Mental Disabilities clinics. The outplacement clinic allows students to work in various legal offices in the community and is complemented by a classroom component. The clinical programs, supervised by a staff attorney, allow students to represent clients in business, civil, criminal, and judicial matters. Students may also participate in the D.C. Summer Environmental Internship Program in Washington, D.C. Credit varies for these programs. Special lecture series include the Allen Chair Lecture, Emroch Lecture, Austin Owen Lecture, and Legal Forum. There is a study-abroad option. Students may study international law for 5 weeks at Emmanuel College in Cambridge, England, or for a semester at any one of 9 foreign universities with which the law school has an exchange program. There is an academic support program for all students.
To earn the J.D., candidates must complete 86 total credits, of which 38 are for required courses. The following first-year courses are required of all students: Civil Procedure, Constitutional Law, Contracts, Criminal Law, Environmental Law, Lawyering Skills I and II, Property, and Torts. Required upper-level courses consist of Professional Responsibility, upper-level Lawyering Skills III and IV, and upper-level writing requirements. The required orientation program for first-year students lasts 3 days and includes network and computer training and an introduction to lawyering skills as well as the law school administration, faculty, staff, student organizations, and law student advisers.
In order to graduate, candidates must have a GPA of 2.0 and have completed the upper-division writing requirement.