The J.D. Program Course of Study
New York Law School’s curriculum systematically integrates theory and practice. The traditional study of legal doctrine and institutions is always measured against the perspectives of legal practitioners. Fusing these perspectives gives the Law School’s graduates an extraordinarily rich and strong basis on which to build a productive, responsible, and rewarding life in the profession.

The full-time faculty and instructional staff of 71 teach all the required courses and most of the elective courses. They have broad experience in law practice, public as well as private, and are actively engaged in legal scholarship. The Law School also enjoys the contributions of 93 adjunct faculty members, consisting of attorneys, judges, and other public officials who offer many elective courses each year in the fields of their expertise.

Students choose from two primary course sequences: the full-time day program and the part-time evening program. Full-time students usually complete the 86 credits required for the Juris Doctor in three years; part-time students in four years. The required courses include Applied Analysis; Civil Procedure; Contracts I and II; Constitutional Law I and II; Criminal Law; Evidence; Property; Torts; and The Legal Profession. Students also complete two courses emphasizing the development of professional legal skills: a two-semester course on Legal Reasoning, Writing, and Research; and a one-semester course on Lawyering.

More than 175 electives allow students to customize their programs. Elective courses are grouped under the following descriptive subject headings:

• Advocacy, Clinical, Workshop, and Related Courses
• Commercial and Corporate Law
• Constitutional and Public Law
• Criminal Law
• Externships
• Family Law
• Intellectual Property and Media Law
• International and Comparative Law
• Jurisprudence, Legal History, Philosophy, and Sociology
• Labor and Employment Law
• Property and Real Estate Law
• Legal Reasoning, Writing, and Research
• Multiple Jurisdiction Laws
• New York City Law
• Procedure and Dispute Resolution
• Required Courses
• Taxation
• Torts
• Urban and Contemporary Issues