Juris Doctor (Professional Program: JD)
Admission Requirements
- Prior Degrees Bachelor's degree in any field.
- Test Required LSAT or GRE. See the School of Law website for details on test guidelines.
- Transcripts Required.
- Letters of Recommendation Applicants must submit at least one letter of recommendation but are encouraged to submit two to three letters. Up to four letters will be accepted.
- Personal Statement Required. Statements should be 2-4 double-spaced pages. While a writing topic is not specified, applicants are encouraged to include examples of leadership, community involvement, talents, and achievements. The Personal Statement is an opportunity to offer the Admission Committee personal details to supplement LSAT scores, transcripts, and academic credentials.
- Resume/Curriculum Vitae Required.
- Transfer Policy Transfer applications are accepted year-round and do not need to follow the regular JD application deadline. Only students in good academic standing and who have completed 24-30 semester hours from an ABA-approved law school will be considered for admission. In addition to the application and personal statement, all transfer applicants must provide a copy of the law school report (CAS), as well as a complete official transcript and letter of good standing from the Law School previously attended. Students who wish to transfer to the University of Illinois Chicago School of Law must complete an LSAC application online.
- Minimum English Competency Test Score (for international applicants)
- The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) exam is the most widely used proficiency exam. UIC accepts TOEFL scores for up to two (2) years after the test administration. Original scores must be sent directly from Educational Testing Services (ETS) to the Office of Admissions at the University of Illinois Chicago School of Law (UIC Law) in order for the scores to be valid. The TOEFL code for UIC Law is 1344. UIC Law School requires a minimum TOEFL score of 90 and 20 on the writing section.
- For information on test taking locations, please see the TOEFL Requirements section of the International Supplement Form.
- The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) exam is the most widely used proficiency exam. UIC accepts TOEFL scores for up to two (2) years after the test administration. Original scores must be sent directly from Educational Testing Services (ETS) to the Office of Admissions at the University of Illinois Chicago School of Law (UIC Law) in order for the scores to be valid. The TOEFL code for UIC Law is 1344. UIC Law School requires a minimum TOEFL score of 90 and 20 on the writing section.
- The International English Language Testing System (IELTS) is also accepted by UIC Law. UIC Law accepts a minimum IELTS score of 7.
- Other Requirements for International Applicants
- Academic Translations International applicants are required to use the JD CAS services provided by LSAC for the translation and evaluation of degrees and course work.
- Documents Photocopy of valid, biographical passport.
Degree Requirements
- Minimum Required Semester Hours 90 hours: 50 required core hours (including 3 semester hours of credit in clinical or externship fieldwork) and 40 elective hours.
- GPA Requirement Students must achieve and maintain a cumulative grade point average of 2.25/4.00 or higher.
- Course Work
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| First-Year Core Courses | ||
| Contracts I | ||
| Property | ||
| Torts | ||
| Lawyering Skills I: Objective Analysis, Writing, and Research | ||
or LAW 404 | Lawyering Skills I: Objective Analysis, Writing, and Research - Civil Rights | |
| Expert Learning | ||
| Contracts II | ||
| Civil Procedure I | ||
| Criminal Law | ||
| Constitutional Law I | ||
| Lawyering Skills II: Advocacy | ||
| Other Required Courses | ||
| Civil Procedure II | ||
| Constitutional Law II | ||
| Evidence | ||
or TADR 457 | Trial Lawyer: Evidence | |
| Lawyering Skills III: Appellate Advocacy | ||
| Professional Responsibility | ||
| Lawyering Skills IV: Drafting General Practice (OR another Lawyering Skills IV course) a | ||
| Experiential Learning | ||
Clinic/Externship (3 semester hours of fieldwork) | ||
| Electives | ||
40 hours of elective courses. Students may use their electives to pursue one of the concentrations listed below. | ||
- a
A complete list of courses for this requirement is available on the Lawyering Skills IV webpage.
Concentrations
JD candidates can pursue a concentration in one of the eight areas listed below. Each concentration has specific requirements and elective courses a student may take in order to earn the concentration. Concentration candidates must graduate with a cumulative overall GPA of 3.00/4.00 and a GPA of 3.25/4.00 in course work taken to fulfill the concentration.
Business Law
JD degree candidates pursuing the Concentration in Business Law must complete at least 16 semester hours.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses | ||
| Business Associations | ||
| Income Taxation | ||
| One of the following courses: a | ||
| Accounting for Lawyers | ||
| Introduction to Financial Accounting | ||
| One of the following courses: | ||
| Clinic: Community Enterprise and Solidarity Economy Law Clinic b | ||
| Lawyering Skills IV: Business Planning and Drafting | ||
| LSIV: Contract Drafting and Review | ||
| One of the following courses: c | ||
| Secured Transactions | ||
| Sales Transactions | ||
| Elective courses: d | ||
| Antitrust Law | ||
| Bankruptcy Law | ||
| International Business Transactions | ||
| International Trade Law | ||
| Securities Regulation | ||
| U.S. Intellectual Property Survey | ||
| U.S. Trademark Law | ||
- a
This requirement may be waived with the approval of the faculty director and the Vice Dean for Academic Affairs. If the requirement is waived based on content that does not carry academic credit toward the JD degree, additional elective credits must be completed to fulfill concentration requirements.
- b
Concentration candidates who take this experiential learning component must take both the class and clinic/placement components.
- c
If both of these courses are completed, one may count as a concentration elective.
- d
A concentration candidate may petition the faculty director and the Vice Dean to apply to have up to 3 hours of courses not included in the list of required and elective courses satisfy the concentration requirements.
Criminal Law and Procedure
JD degree candidates pursuing the Concentration in Criminal Law and Procedure must complete a minimum of 16 semester hours, including 8 hours of required courses.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses | ||
| Criminal Procedure: Adjudication | ||
| Criminal Procedure: Investigation | ||
| One of the following: | ||
| Trial Advocacy | ||
| Trial Advocacy: Accelerated | ||
| Trial Lawyer: Advocacy | ||
| Electives a | ||
| Counseling and Negotiations | ||
| Cyber Crime, Information Warfare and Economic Espionage | ||
| Expert Witnesses | ||
| Externship: Criminal Law Fieldwork b | ||
| Externship: Restorative Justice Class b | ||
| Federal Courts | ||
| Federal Criminal Law | ||
| Human Rights, Race, and Mass Incarceration | ||
| International Criminal Law | ||
| Independent Study in Law c | ||
| Jury Selection | ||
| Lawyering Skills IV: Drafting: Criminal Litigation | ||
| Litigation Technology | ||
| White Collar Crime | ||
- a
If approved in advance by the Vice Dean for Academic Affairs and the faculty director and, if necessary, the appropriate person in the UIC college offering the course, a student may take one graduate-level course at UIC in criminal justice, forensic science, or another highly relevant field.
- b
Concentration candidates who take this experiential learning component must take both the class and placement components.
- c
Topic must be approved in advance by the Vice Dean for Academic Affairs and the faculty director.
Critical Race and Gender Studies
JD degree candidates pursuing the Concentration in Critical Race and Gender Studies must complete a minimum of 16 semester hours, including 10 hours of required courses.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses | ||
| Human Rights, Race, and Mass Incarceration | ||
| Critical Race Feminism | ||
| Social Justice Lawyering | ||
| Independent Study in Law b | ||
| Electives a | ||
| Clinic: Fair Housing Class | ||
| Clinic: Fair Housing Clinic | ||
| Clinic: Community Enterprise and Solidarity Economy Law Class | ||
| Clinic: Community Enterprise and Solidarity Economy Law Clinic | ||
| Clinic: International Human Rights Class | ||
| Clinic: International Human Rights Clinic | ||
| Constitutional Civil Rights | ||
| Criminal Procedure: Investigation | ||
| Criminal Procedure: Adjudication | ||
| Employment Discrimination | ||
| Externship: Restorative Justice Class | ||
| Externship: Restorative Justice | ||
| Externship: Local Government and Non-Profit Fieldwork bc | ||
| Externship: Criminal Law Fieldwork bc | ||
| Immigration Law and Procedure | ||
| Special Topics in Law b | ||
- a
If approved in advance by the Vice Dean for Academic Affairs and the faculty director and, if necessary, the appropriate person in the UIC college offering the course, a student may take up to 4 credits from a related graduate program at UIC.
- b
Topic, placement, or course must be approved in advance by the faculty director.
- c
Concentration candidates who take an experiential course must take both the class and clinic/placement components.
- Independent Research Component As part of the concentration, candidates must complete a substantial research paper on a topic related to the concentration. The paper may build upon a paper completed in another course or for a law journal project or advocacy competition, if disclosed and approved in advance by the Vice Dean for Academic Affairs and the faculty director of the concentration.
Health Equity, Law, and Policy
JD degree candidates pursuing the Concentration in Health Equity, Law, and Policy must complete a minimum of 16 semester hours, including 11 hours of required and selective courses.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses | ||
| Administrative Law | ||
| Health Law: Quality and Safety | ||
| Health Law: Structure and Financing | ||
| Independent Study in Law a | ||
| One of the following: b | ||
| Health Policy Practicum | ||
| Public Health Law and Ethics | ||
| Electives | ||
| Antitrust Law | ||
| Assisted Reproductive Technology: Law and Practice | ||
| Bioethics and the Law | ||
| Cancer Rights and Law | ||
| Clinic: Community Enterprise and Solidarity Economy Law Clinic ac | ||
| Clinic: Fair Housing Clinic ac | ||
| Clinic: International Human Rights Clinic ac | ||
| Clinic: Patent Clinic ac | ||
| Clinic: Veterans Clinic ac | ||
| Disability Law | ||
| Employment Law | ||
| Environmental Law | ||
| Externship: Criminal Law Fieldwork b | ||
| Externship: Local Government and Non-Profit Fieldwork b | ||
| Externship: Restorative Justice ab | ||
| Food, Drug, and Cosmetics Law | ||
| Health Information Privacy | ||
| Healthcare Compliance | ||
| Immigration Law and Procedure | ||
| Law Review: Comment a | ||
| Lawyering Skills IV: Drafting: Health Law | ||
| Medical Negligence | ||
| Products Liability | ||
| RIPL: Comment a | ||
| Special Topics in Law a | ||
- a
Topic, placement, or course must be approved in advance by the Associate Dean for Law & Health Sciences.
- b
Courses in addition to those listed above may be approved by the Vice Dean for Academic Affairs and the Associate Dean for Law and Health Sciences to satisfy the interdisciplinary selective course requirement. Enrollment in courses offered by colleges other than the Law School may require notice to or approval by the appropriate college and the instructor of record, and may be subject to enrollment limits on law students.
- c
Concentration candidates who take this experiential learning component must take both the class and clinic/placement components.
Intellectual Property Law
JD degree candidates pursuing the Concentration in Intellectual Property Law must complete a minimum of 16 semester hours, including 10 hours of required courses.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses | ||
| Concentration candidates may choose to focus their concentration in Patent Law or Trademark/Copyright Law. | ||
| Patent Law Track: | ||
| U.S. Patent Law | ||
| One of the following practical courses: | ||
| Clinic: Patent Class a | ||
| Clinic: Patent Clinic a | ||
| Patent Law Planning and Practice | ||
| RIPL: Comment | ||
| Trademark/Copyright Law Track: | ||
| U.S. Copyright Law | ||
| U.S. Trademark Law | ||
| One of the following practical courses: | ||
| Clinic: Trademark Class a | ||
| Clinic: Trademark Clinic a | ||
| RIPL: Comment | ||
| Electives | ||
| Art and Cultural Heritage Law | ||
| Clinic: Patent Class a | ||
| Clinic: Patent Clinic a | ||
| Clinic: Trademark Class a | ||
| Clinic: Trademark Clinic a | ||
| Entertainment Law | ||
| International Intellectual Property Law | ||
| Intellectual Property in a Digital Environment | ||
| Intellectual Property Licensing | ||
| Patent Law Planning and Practice | ||
| Sports Law | ||
| U.S. Copyright Law | ||
| U.S. Intellectual Property Survey | ||
| U.S. Patent Law | ||
| U.S. Trademark Law | ||
| U.S. Trade Secret Law | ||
| Video Game Law | ||
- a
Concentration candidates who elect to take the Patent or Trademark Clinic must take both the class and clinic components.
- b
Special Topics in Law course subjects must be related to intellectual property to qualify for elective credit. Students must contact the Center for approval.
International Human Rights Law
JD degree candidates pursuing the Concentration in International Human Rights Law must complete a minimum of 16 semester hours, including 10 hours of required courses.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses | ||
| Clinic: International Human Rights Class | ||
| Clinic: International Human Rights Clinic | ||
| International Human Rights Law | ||
| International Law | ||
| Electives | ||
| At least 6 semester hours from the following: | ||
| Clinic: International Human Rights Advanced | ||
| Comparative Constitutional Law and Human Rights | ||
| Comparative Human Rights | ||
| Human Rights, Race, and Mass Incarceration | ||
| Independent Study in Law a | ||
| International Criminal Law | ||
| Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Law Seminar | ||
| Special Topics in Law a | ||
- a
Topic or course must be approved in advance by the Associate Dean for Academic Programs and the faculty member designated as the director of the concentration.
Sustainability
JD degree candidates pursuing the Concentration in Sustainability must complete a minimum of 16 semester hours, including 9 hours of required courses.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses | ||
| Real Estate: Energy Law | ||
| Real Estate: Natural Resources Law | ||
| Real Estate: Transactions | ||
| One of the following courses: | ||
| Environmental Law | ||
| Real Estate: Environmental Controls and Concerns | ||
| Electives | ||
| Real Estate: Commercial Transactions | ||
| Real Estate: Construction Law | ||
| Real Estate: Historic Preservation Laws | ||
| Real Estate: Land Use Control and Zoning | ||
| Real Estate: Public Finance Law | ||
| Special Topics: Real Estate and Sustainability Law | ||
| Practice-Oriented Electives | ||
| Candidates may select only one of the following two practical courses: | ||
| Externship: Sustainability | ||
| Moot Court Competition b | ||
- a
Special Topics in Law and Independent Study course subjects must be related to real estate to qualify for elective credit. Please contact the Center for approval.
- b
Concentration candidates interested in this course must contact the Center.
Trial Advocacy and Dispute Resolution
JD degree candidates pursuing the Concentration in Trial Advocacy and Dispute Resolution must complete a minimum of 15 semester hours, including two hours of credit in experiential learning.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses | ||
| Student must complete one of the following courses: | ||
| Trial Advocacy | ||
| Trial Advocacy: Accelerated | ||
| Trial Lawyer: Advocacy | ||
| Clinical and Externship Courses | ||
| Candidates must complete at least two hours from the following: | ||
| Clinic: Fair Housing Class a | ||
| Clinic: Fair Housing Clinic a | ||
| Clinic: Pro Bono Litigation Gen/Fed Class a | ||
| Clinic: Pro Bono Litigation Clinic a | ||
| Clinic: Veterans Class a | ||
| Clinic: Veterans Clinic a | ||
| Externship: Criminal Law Fieldwork b | ||
| Externship: Local Government and Non-Profit Fieldwork b | ||
| Externship: JD Advanced b | ||
| Trial Advocacy Courses | ||
| Candidates must complete at least two hours from the following: c | ||
| Trial Advocacy: Advanced | ||
| Conflicts of Law | ||
| Criminal Procedure: Adjudication | ||
| Criminal Procedure: Investigation | ||
| Deposition Practicum | ||
| Expert Witnesses | ||
| E-Discovery | ||
| Federal Criminal Law | ||
| Jury Selection | ||
| Lawyering Skills IV: Drafting: Civil Litigation | ||
| Lawyering Skills IV: Drafting: Criminal Litigation | ||
| Litigation Technology | ||
| Dispute Resolution Courses | ||
| Students must complete at least two semester hours from the following list: c | ||
| Alternative Means of Dispute Resolution | ||
| Arbitration | ||
| Counseling and Negotiations | ||
| Externship: Restorative Justice Class | ||
| Externship: Restorative Justice | ||
| Family Law | ||
| Labor Law | ||
| Mediation and Mediation Advocacy | ||
- a
Concentration candidates who take an experiential course must take both the class and clinic/field placement components.
- b
Concentration candidates interested in these opportunities should contact the Program Director.
- c
TADR 410, TADR 411, TADR 412, and TADR 413, taken for participation in a trial team Trial Advocacy/ADR Dispute Resolution Team Competition, Barristers’ Board, Moot Court Competition Team, or Moot Court Executive Board, may be applied by exception towards Trial Advocacy electives. Credit will not be applied until a request has been made to the Program Director and that request has been approved.