Students at Northeastern University School of Law gain unparalleled networking opportunities from the moment they walk in the door. While many law schools talk about offering work experience, Northeastern Law has been the nation’s leader in experiential legal education for five decades. Northeastern launched its Cooperative Legal Education Program in 1968 and today offers the largest and most extensive hands-on professional program in the country. Students devote several of their upper-level terms to working full-time as legal professionals. Through the co-op program, students have the opportunity to experience various fields of law in multiple practice settings.
Northeastern Law students gain real work experience and networking opportunities that far exceed the offerings of other law schools. With more than 1,500 employers in more than 40 states and a number of countries around the world, Northeastern students create professional networks in legal offices ranging from large firms in Boston to government agencies in Washington, D.C., to human rights organizations in Geneva. Through these connections and with access to the more than 8,000 alumni, Northeastern Law students graduate with not only a resumé packed full of experience but also a network that is unrivaled.
The School of Law offers a curriculum that provides students the tools they will need to pursue a successful legal career. In their first year, JD students complete required coursework. In their second and third years, they explore areas of interest by completing multiple full-time co-ops and taking courses that provide insight into many areas of the law.
Interdisciplinary Graduate Certificates
The School of Law offers JD students the option to pursue one of the following interdisciplinary graduate certificates:
- Health Law and Policy
- Human Rights Law
- Legal Design
- Poverty Law and Economic Justice
- Privacy Law
- Women, Gender, Sexuality, and the Law
Dual Degrees
The School of Law offers multiple dual degrees.
For a more comprehensive description of policies, procedures, and requirements pertaining to the JD program, please refer to the School of Law's website.
Complete all courses and requirements described below.
Milestones
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Public Interest Requirement 1 | ||
| Upper-Level Rigorous Writing Requirement 2 | ||
| Experiential Education Requirement 2 | ||
| Co-op Requirement: Co-ops corresponding to three terms 3 | ||
| Note: All courses used to satisfy JD requirements must be completed with a passing grade. Students must satisfactorily complete all JD requirements, including the public interest requirement, the upper-level rigorous writing requirement, the experiential education requirement, and the co-op requirement. | ||
First-Year Course Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Fall Term | ||
| LAW 6100 | Civil Procedure | 5 |
| LAW 6105 | Property | 4 |
| LAW 6106 | Torts | 4 |
| LAW 6160 | Legal Skills in Social Context: Foundations of Social Justice Project | 2 |
| LAW 6165 | Legal Skills in Social Context: Foundations of Legal Research and Writing | 2 |
| Spring Term | ||
| LAW 6101 | Constitutional Law | 4 |
| LAW 6102 | Contracts | 5 |
| LAW 6103 | Criminal Justice | 4 |
| LAW 6161 | Legal Skills in Social Context: Social Justice Project | 2 |
| LAW 6166 | Legal Skills in Social Context: Legal Research and Writing | 2 |
Upper-Level Course Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Professional Responsibility | ||
| LAW 7443 | Professional Responsibility | 3 |
| Electives | ||
| Complete 46 credits of elective coursework. | 46 | |
Rules and policies applicable to elective coursework are described in the School of Law Student Information Handbook.
Program Credit Requirement
83 total credits required.
- 1
Information about the public interest requirement is provided in the Student Information Handbook.
- 2
The same course cannot be used to satisfy both the rigorous writing and experiential education requirements.
- 3
Transfer students should consult the Student Information Handbook for applicable requirements. All students with questions about satisfying co-op requirements should consult the Center for Co-op and Career Development.
- 4
To fulfill the experiential requirement, transfer students who have not completed LAW 6160 and LAW 6161 must take at least 6 credits from the Experiential Education Courses list below.
Experiential Education Courses
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Advanced Legal and Interdisciplinary Research | ||
| AI for Lawyers: Uses, Risks, and Regulation | ||
| Alternative Dispute Resolution | ||
| Civil Rights and Restorative Justice Clinic | ||
| Community Business Law Clinic | ||
| Domestic Violence Clinic | ||
| Estate Planning | ||
| Family Violence Immigration Practicum | ||
| Immigrant Justice Practicum | ||
| Intellectual Property Law Clinic | ||
| International and Foreign Legal Research | ||
| Laboratory Seminar in Applied and Critical Legal Design | ||
| Law and Economic Development | ||
| Law Practice Management: Access to Justice | ||
| Legal Interviewing and Counseling | ||
| Legal Research and Writing 2 | ||
| Legal Writing Workshop | ||
| Negotiation | ||
| Prisoners' Rights Clinic | ||
| Public Health Advocacy Clinic | ||
| Transactional Drafting Seminar | ||
| Trial Practice | ||
| U.S. Legal Research |