The JD Program

Major: Law
Degree Awarded: Juris Doctor (JD)
Calendar Type: Semester
Total Credit Hours: 85.0
Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) code: 22.0101
Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) code:
23-1011

About the Program

The Kline School of Law offers a rigorous law curriculum that aims to prepare students for the realities of practice, combining the classic foundation of legal education with the experiential components that are so vital to both Drexel University’s mission and to legal employers today. Students have the option of completing the JD in the traditional three years, or through an accelerated two-year program designed to get students into the legal workforce faster with the same essential skills and knowledge.

Students spend their first year on campus being introduced to the foundations of legal analysis, skills, and professionalism in a diverse learning community. The program includes traditional first-year courses such as contracts, property, and criminal law, as well as a critical introduction to lawmaking and statutory interpretation through a Legislation & Regulation course. The first year also includes a comprehensive legal methods course taught by full-time faculty which instructs students on the fundamentals of legal writing and analysis. 

The remaining curriculum exposes students to a broad array of topics relevant to the study of law. Students are required to complete courses in professional responsibility, legal writing and other practice skills, and statutory law. Students must also complete at least 50 hours of pro bono work, documented with the Law School's Experiential Learning Office.

The Experiential Education Program

Students are required to complete either a co-op placement or a clinical experience in order to graduate. This requirement provides students with an integrated learning experience that prepares them for the complexities of modern-day practice.

The cooperative education program (co-op) allows upper-level students to spend a semester at a single legal placement. The Kline School of Law has relationships with a wide-ranging selection of co-op partners including judicial chambers, private law firms, in-house counsel offices, and non-profit organizations, but has also assisted many students in creating opportunities in other practice jurisdictions. Students are not paid for their work but will instead receive academic credits for their co-op experiences and for a lawyering practice seminar that must be taken in conjunction with the co-op. 

Clinical experiences offer students the chance to represent real clients in a clinical setting. Clinical offerings include a Civil Litigation Field Clinic, Criminal Litigation Field Clinic, Federal Litigation and Appeals Clinic, Community Lawyering Clinic, and an Entrepreneurial Law Clinic. These experiences are paired with seminar time that guides students through reflection on their work and its impact on the community.

In addition to the co-op and clinical requirement, students may also take advantage of a broad selection of simulation courses that involve in-depth trial practice, advocacy, litigation, transactional practice, and alternative dispute resolution.

About the Concentrations

The Thomas R. Kline School of Law builds on some of the strengths for which Drexel University is nationally known by offering five optional concentrations. These are areas in which there are expanding employment opportunities and a need for specialized knowledge and skills: intellectual property, health, business and entrepreneurship, criminal law, and civil litigation and dispute resolution. These concentrations consist not only of specialized courses taught in the classroom, but also experiential learning opportunities such as co-ops and simulations.

Dual Degrees

For those law students interested in pursuing expertise in another area of study, the School also offers several dual degrees combining law with other subjects, including Law and Business Administration (JD/MBA), Law and Clinical Psychology (JD /PhD), Law and Public Health (JD/MPH), and Law and Public Policy (JD/MPP). For more details about dual degree opportunities, visit the Thomas R. Kline School of Law Dual Degree website.

Additional Information

For more information about the JD program, visit the the Thomas R. Kline School of Law website.

Degree Requirements

A total of 85.0 semester credits are required to graduate with a minimum of 64.0 credits of "in-class" coursework. (See the Law School Student Handbook for courses that do not count.)

Professional Practice Requirement

To better prepare our students for the legal profession, students are required to complete either a law co-op or a law clinic.

Pro Bono Requirement

Students must fulfill a minimum of 50 hours of qualifying pro bono service, documented with the Law School's Experiential Learning Office.

Required Courses
LAW 550STorts4.0
LAW 552SContracts4.0
LAW 554SCivil Procedure4.0
LAW 555SLegislation and Regulation3.0
LAW 556SProperty4.0
LAW 558SCriminal Law4.0
LAW 560SConstitutional Law4.0
LAW 565SLegal Methods I3.0
LAW 566SLegal Methods II3.0
LAW 830SProfessional Responsibility2.0-3.0
Electives and Menu Requirements including:50.0-49.0
One Upper-Level Writing Course (WUL)
One Statutory Course
One Professional Practice Course
Total Credits85.0
Upper-Level Writing (WUL) Courses (may also be used as electives once requirement is fulfilled):
LAW 610SReproductive Rights & Justice2.0-3.0
LAW 611SSex, Gender, & the Law3.0
LAW 614SSupreme Court Seminar3.0
LAW 640SEducation Law2.0-3.0
LAW 647SThe Rights of Children2.0
LAW 673SCrime and Community2.0
LAW 741SEstate Planning2.0
LAW 790SToxic Torts2.0
LAW 791SRegulating Patient Safety2.0
LAW 793SMental Health Law *3.0
LAW 805SPublic Interest Law and Policy2.0
LAW 827SImmigration Litigation2.0
LAW 832SContract Theory Seminar2.0-3.0
LAW 836SLegal History2.0-3.0
LAW 838SFoundations of Legal Analysis2.0
LAW 840SLiterature and The Law Seminar2.0
LAW 842SLaw and Mind Sciences2.0
LAW 844SLaw and Social Movements3.0
LAW 848SCourts and Public Policy2.0-3.0
LAW 882SLitigation Drafting2.0
LAW 884SContract Drafting2.0
LAW 910SAppellate Advocacy2.0
LAW 920SDrexel Law Review **1.0-6.0
LAW T880SSpecial Topics in LAW1.0-5.0
Statutory Courses (may also be used as electives once requirement is fulfilled):
LAW 620SAdministrative Law4.0
LAW 622SEmployment Discrimination3.0
LAW 623SElection Law3.0
LAW 624SEnvironmental Law3.0
LAW 642SSpecial Education Law2.0-3.0
LAW 674SHealth Care Fraud and Abuse2.0
LAW 675SFederal Criminal Law2.0
LAW 676SWhite Collar Crime2.0-3.0
LAW 700SBusiness Organizations3.0-4.0
LAW 701SFederal Income Tax4.0
LAW 702SEnterprise Tax4.0
LAW 706SSecured Transactions3.0
LAW 708SPayment Systems3.0
LAW 710SBankruptcy3.0-4.0
LAW 711SSales3.0
LAW 714SSecurities Regulation3.0
LAW 740STrusts and Estates3.0
LAW 760SCopyright3.0
LAW 761SPatents3.0
LAW 764STrademarks & Unfair Competition3.0
LAW 792SFood and Drug Law3.0
LAW 796SInsurance Law2.0
LAW 820SImmigration Law3.0-4.0
LAW 821SEuropean Union Law2.0-3.0
LAW 826SRefugee and Asylum Law2.0
Professional Practice Courses (may also be used as electives once requirement is fulfilled):
LAW 924SEntrepreneurial Law Clinic6.0
LAW 931S
LAW 654S
Law Co-op
and Lawyering Practice Seminar
8.0-9.0
LAW 933S
LAW 654S
Co-op Intensive
and Lawyering Practice Seminar
12.0
LAW 941S
LAW 942S
Criminal Litigation Clinic I
and Criminal Litigation Clinic II
12.0
LAW 943S
LAW 944S
Civil Litigation Clinic I
and Civil Litigation Clinic II
12.0
LAW 947S
LAW 948S
Federal Litigation and Appeals Clinic
and Federal Litigation and Appeals Clinic II
12.0
LAW 950S
LAW 951S
Community Lawyering Clinic I
and Community Lawyering Clinic II
12.0
Free Electives ***
Any other unspecified LAW course numbered 550S and above may count as a JD elective
*

If paper option

**

If WULOption

***

May require permission to enroll

Business and Entrepreneurship Concentration

Concentration Required Courses
LAW 700SBusiness Organizations4.0
LAW 701SFederal Income Tax4.0
LAW 702SEnterprise Tax4.0
Six (6) credits from the following electives: *6.0
Secured Transactions
Bankruptcy
Sales
Private Equity and Venture Capital Law
Transactional Lawyering
Securities Regulation
Employment Law
Nonprofit Organizations
Sports Law
Employee Benefits Law
Legal Regulation of Investment Advisers
Legal Regulation of Investment Companies
Broker/Dealer Regulation
Banking Law
Trusts and Estates
Real Estate Transactions
Essentials of Intellectual Property Law
European Union Data Privacy and Protection
Health Care Finance
Insurance Law
International Business Transactions
Contract Drafting
Accounting for Lawyers
Compliance Skills: Auditing, Investigation & Reporting
Experiential Requirement - Select one of the following:6.0
Entrepreneurial Law Clinic
Law Co-op
Co-op Intensive
Total Credits24.0
*

 Other courses may be approved by the Director.

Civil Litigation and Dispute Resolution Concentration 

The Civil Litigation and Dispute Resolution concentration is available to students enrolled in the LAW major, in the Juris Doctor program.

To earn the concentration, students must complete the following:

Required Courses
LAW 634SEvidence4.0
LAW 902SIntroduction to Trial Advocacy3.0
LAW 646SMediation and Arbitration3.0
LAW 882SLitigation Drafting2.0
or LAW 900S Pre-Trial Advocacy
Select 4 credits from the following list of electives:4.0
Intro to Interviewing, Counseling, and Negotiations
Federal Courts
Civil Litigation Remedies
Class Actions/Other Complex Litigation
Conflict of Laws
Advanced Evidence
Pennsylvania Family Law Practice
Pennsylvania Practice
E-Discovery & Digital Evidence
Criminal & Civil Rights Litigation Strategies
Patent Litigation & Strategy
Products Liability
Law of Medical Malpractice
Expert Witnesses
Immigration Litigation
Courts and Public Policy
Litigation Legal Research
Improvisation for Lawyers
Starting & Managing Law Pract
Legal Decision Technology
Alternative Dispute Resolution Competition Team
Advanced Trial Advocacy: Civil
Advanced Trial Advocacy: Courtroom Technology & Advocacy
Adv Trial Ad: Trials/Century
Appellate Advocacy
Deposition Skills & Technology
Trial Team
One Experiential Course from the following:9.0-12.0
Law Co-op
and Lawyering Practice Seminar *
Co-op Intensive
and Lawyering Practice Seminar *
Civil Litigation Clinic I
and Civil Litigation Clinic II
Federal Litigation and Appeals Clinic
and Federal Litigation and Appeals Clinic II
Community Lawyering Clinic I
and Community Lawyering Clinic II **
Total Credits25.0-28.0
*

Placement must involve litigation or ADR work.

**

Project must involve litigation or ADR work.

Criminal Law Concentration

Required Courses
LAW 634SEvidence4.0
LAW 670SCriminal Procedure: Investigations3.0
LAW 671SCriminal Procedure: Prosecution & Adjudication3.0
LAW 902SIntroduction to Trial Advocacy3.0
Experiential Requirement-Select one of the following: *6.0-12.0
Law Co-op
Co-op Intensive
Criminal Litigation Clinic I
and Criminal Litigation Clinic II
Electives-Four credits from the following:4.0
Sentencing Law
Health Care Fraud and Abuse
Federal Criminal Law
White Collar Crime
Juvenile Justice Law
Death Penalty Law
Criminal & Civil Rights Litigation Strategies
Inside-Out: Crime and Inequality in the United States
Criminal Law Legal Research
Advanced Trial Advocacy: Criminal
Advanced Trial Advocacy: Courtroom Technology & Advocacy
Adv Trial Ad: Trials/Century
Federal Reentry Court Practicum
Pennsylvania Innocence Project Practicum
Total Credits23.0-29.0
*

 Co-op must be criminal law related. Alternate placements may be approved in exceptional circumstances.  Students must seek approval from the concentration director before beginning the placement.

Health Law Concentration

Concentration Required Courses
LAW 780SHealth Care Quality Regulation3.0
LAW 781SHealth Care Business Regulation3.0
LAW 782SHealth Policy Colloquium2.0
LAW 784SHealth Care Finance2.0
Experiential Requirement7.0-10.0
Select one of the following:
Law Co-op
Co-op Intensive
Concentration Electives6.0
Select 6 credits from the following: *
Administrative Law
Health Care Fraud and Abuse
Business Organizations
Nonprofit Organizations
Bioethics
Products Liability
Law of Medical Malpractice
Toxic Torts
Regulating Patient Safety
Food and Drug Law
Mental Health Law
Insurance Law
*

Selected courses from the School of Public Health may also be used as electives. Contact the concentration director.

Intellectual Property Concentration

Concentration Required Courses
LAW 700SBusiness Organizations4.0
LAW 760SCopyright3.0
LAW 761SPatents3.0
LAW 764STrademarks & Unfair Competition3.0
Electives *6.0
First Amendment
Media Law
Administrative Law
Transactional Lawyering
Blockchain & Cryptocurrency Law
Entertainment Law
Patent Prosecution
Patent Litigation & Strategy
Internet Law
Intellectual Property Legal Research
Professional Practice Experience - Select one of the following:6.0-10.0
Entrepreneurial Law Clinic
Law Co-op
Co-op Intensive
Total Credits25.0-29.0
*

Other electives or variations may be permitted as approved by the concentration director.

Sample Plan of Study

First Year
FallCreditsSpringCredits
LAW 550S4.0LAW 555S3.0
LAW 552S4.0LAW 556S4.0
LAW 554S4.0LAW 558S4.0
LAW 565S3.0LAW 566S3.0
 15 14
Second Year
FallCreditsSpringCredits
LAW 560S4.0LAW 830S (recommended term)2.0-3.0
Electives/Menu Requirements10.0Electives/Menu Requirements12.0-11.0
 14 14
Third Year
FallCreditsSpringCredits
Electives/Menu Requirements14.0Electives/Menu Requirements14.0
 14 14
Total Credits 85

Program Level Outcomes

  • Learning Outcome 1: Graduates will demonstrate competency in analysis and problem-solving.
  • Learning Outcome 2: Graduates will demonstrate competency in legal research.
  • Learning Outcome 3: Graduates will demonstrate the ability to communicate clearly and effectively both orally and in writing.
  • Learning Outcome 4: Graduates will demonstrate competency in legal practice.
  • Learning Outcome 5: Graduates will demonstrate an understanding of their professional and ethical responsibilities in serving clients, the profession, and society.
  • Learning Outcome 6: Graduates will demonstrate that they possess the professional attributes to effectively serve clients, the profession and society.

Please see the Kline Learning Outcomes page for fully detailed program-level outcomes for the Juris Doctor degree.

School of Law Faculty

Tabatha Abu El-Haj, PhD, LLM, JD (New York University; Georgetown University Law Center; New York University School of Law). Professor. Constitutional law (specifically, First Amendment and election law), popular constitutionalism, administrative law, and the sociology of law.
Bret D. Asbury, JD (Yale Law School). Professor. Civil procedure; law and literature.
Lindsey Barrett, LLM, JD (Georgetown University Law Center). Assistant Professor. Consumer privacy regulation; artificial intelligence.
Adam Benforado, JD (Harvard Law School). Professor. Law and mind sciences, corporate law and contract law.
Susan Brooks, JD (New York University). Professor. Clinical and co-op education; family law; children's rights; legal ethics.
Chapin Cimino, JD (University of Chicago Law School). Professor. Contract law; constitutional law; law and humanities; higher education law.
David S. Cohen, JD (Columbia University School of Law). Professor. Constitutional law; civil rights; sex discrimination.
Clare Keefe Coleman, JD (Villanova University School of Law) Director of International Student Programs. Associate Professor. Writing specialist.
Rose Corrigan, PhD (Rutgers University) Associate Dean for Undergraduate Education. Associate Professor. Women, public law, American politics and policy.
David DeMatteo, PhD, JD (MCP Hahnemann University; Villanova University School of Law) Director of the JD-PhD Program in Law and Psychology. Professor. Psychopathy, forensic mental health assessment, drug policy; offender diversion.
Tracye Edwards, JD (Duke University). Assistant Professor. Human Resources Compliance.
Robert Field, PhD, MPH, JD (Columbia University). Professor. Department of Health Management and Policy. Drexel University Kline School of Law. Health policy; public health law; health administration and management; public health ethics.
Daniel M. Filler, JD (New York University School of Law) Dean. Professor. Criminal law and procedure; sentencing and death penalty; law and society; law and humanities.
Richard H. Frankel, LLM, JD (Georgetown University Law Center; Yale Law School) Associate Dean for Experiential Learning, Director of the Civil Litigation and Dispute Resolution Program. Professor. Appellate litigation, access to justice in areas including consumer, administrative, and immigration law.
Barry Furrow, JD (Harvard Law School) Director of the Health Law Program. Professor. Health law; torts.
Eamon Gallagher, JD (Drexel University Kline School of Law) Director of the Entrepreneurial Law Clinic. Corporate transactional law; entrepreneurship and law
Deborah Gordon, JD (New York University School of Law) Associate Dean of Academic Affairs. Professor. Trusts and estates, gift tax, legal methods.
Wendy Greene, LLM, JD (George Washington University School of Law; Tulane University School of Law) Director of the Center for Law, Policy, and Social Action. Professor. Natural hair discrimination; race and the law; employment law
Nicole Iannarone, JD (Yale Law School). Associate Professor. Financial industry regulation; consumer and securities issues; law and technology.
Aimée Kahan, JD (University of Pennsylvania School of Law) Director of Strategic Initiatives. Associate Professor. Health care quality, patient safety, and risk management
Anil Kalhan, MPPM, JD (Yale School of Management; Yale Law School). Professor. Immigration and citizenship law, constitutional law, comparative law and criminal law.
Lauren Katz-Smith, JD (Drexel University Kline School of Law). Assistant Clinical Professor. Child advocacy; public interest law.
Nancy C. Kraybill, JD (University of California-Los Angeles School of Law) Director of Academic Skills. Professor. Arbitration, mediation, civil litigation and academic skill development.
Elizabeth Kukura, LLM, JD (London School of Economics and Political Science; Temple University School of Law; New York University School of Law). Associate Professor. Reproductive rights; women’s health care.
Amy Landers, JD (University of California) Associate Dean for Faculty Research, Director of the Intellectual Property Law Program. Professor. Patents and intellectual property law.
Anat Lior, LLM, JSD (Radzyner Law School; Yale Law School). Assistant Professor. Artificial Intelligence governance; insurance and emerging technologies; intellectual property.
Amy Montemarano, JD (Rutgers University School of Law – Camden). Associate Professor. Legal research and writing.
Kevin P. Oates, LLM, JD (Temple University School of Law; Pace University School of Law) Senior Associate Dean of Students and Administration. Professor. Legal methods; evidence; conflicts of law; legal ethics.
Karl Okamoto, JD (Columbia University School of Law). Professor. Entrepreneurship; business organizations; corporate law; venture finance; securities law.
Reena E. Parambath, JD (Temple University School of Law) Director of the Co-op Program. Professor.
Pammela Quinn, JD (Duke University School of Law). Associate Professor. International law and enforcement of legal norms at the international and domestic levels.
Rebecca Rich, JD (University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; Boston College Law School) Assistant Dean for the Law Library and Technology Services. Assistant Teaching Professor. Disability law; law and technology; administrative law; bioethics.
Arly Smith-Pearson, JD (Tulane University School of Law) Supervising Attorney. Civil Litigation Field Clinic. Civil litigation.
Gwen Roseman Stern, JD (Temple University School of Law) Director of Trial Advocacy Program. Professor. Medical malpractice and product-liability law, trial advocacy and community awareness of legal procedures.
Donald F. Tibbs, PhD, LLM, JD (Arizona State University; University of Wisconsin Law School; University of Pittsburgh School of Law). Visiting Professor. The overlapping issues of law, civil rights, criminal procedure, race and punishment and professional responsibility.
Lisa Tucker, JD (Harvard Law School). Associate Professor. Legal methods; United States Supreme Court practice, family law.
Emma Tuohy, JD (Temple University Beasley School of Law) Director of the Federal Litigation and Appeals Clinic. Immigration law.
Emily B. Zimmerman, JD (Yale Law School) Director of the Criminal Law Program. Professor. Legal methods; criminal law and procedure.

Emeritus Faculty

Amelia Boss, JD (Rutgers-Camden School of Law) Director of Business & Entrepreneurship Law Program.. Trustee Professor Emerita. Commercial law, including electronic payment systems, bankruptcy and contracts.
Roger J. Dennis, JD (Northwestern University School of Law) Founding Dean Emeritus. Professor Emeritus. Corporate law; business organizations; civil procedure; law and economics.
Terry Jean Seligmann, JD (New York University School of Law) Arlin M. Adams Professor of Legal Writing Emerita. Professor Emerita. Legal methods; education and special education law.
Norman P Stein, JD (Duke University School of Law). Professor Emeritus. Pension law; employee benefits; tax law.