The curriculum is designed to give students a great deal of freedom and flexibility. Apart from a group of core courses, most of which are taught in the first-year, students may select from a large number of courses, seminars and clinical offerings. They may choose to concentrate — to varying degrees — in one or more areas of law or to gain exposure to a broad number of areas. Students should realize, however, that the ability to predict one’s future practice area or areas is not always perfect. Therefore, many students may benefit from taking a relatively wide range of courses.
Despite the freedom to choose that students are given during their second and third years, there are some subjects that probably ought not to be ignored. Included within this category is a course that offers some perspective on the practice of law — such as a jurisprudential or international law offering, or a comparative or legal history offering; business organizations; a course which deals with regulation — such as administrative law or an environmental or labor law offering; and a course which offers some taste of practice; such as a clinical or trial advocacy offering, moot court, or alternate dispute resolution.
William L. Andreen
Clarkson Professor of Law
Admission Requirements
Students applying for the Juris Doctor program at The University of Alabama must register with the LSAC Credential Assemble Service. Students will need to supply Law School Admission Test (LSAT) scores, their cumulative undergraduate grade point average, along with your personal statement, resume, and letters of recommendations. A Graduate Record Examination score will be considered in place of a LSAT score.
The Alabama Scholars Admission Program streamlines the application process for students in good standing or graduates from specific Alabama universities and colleges. Students will still apply online through the LSAC website.
Students of The University of Alabama are potentially eligible to apply through the 503 Alternative Admission Program. Criteria for this application are subject to change. Please e-mail admissions@law.ua.edu to request an application.
Students considering transferring to The University of Alabama School of Law must complete one year of law school and provide first and second semester grades, a statement explaining why you desire to enroll with advanced standing, a letter of good standing and class rank from your current institution, a Credential Assemble Service report, and other documentation based on individual factors. Transfer students apply online through the LSAC website.
Law Students Classifications
Law students are classified as following:
P1: 0 - 24.999 earned hours
P2: 25 - 48.999 earned hours
P3: 49 earned hours and above
Degree Requirements
Students are required to earn 90 semester hours of credit for work in the Law School, including all required courses, a seminar course, and six hours of experiential courses. Students also must maintain, in the judgement of the faculty, a satisfactory record of honorable conduct befitting a prospective member of the legal profession.
| Code and Title | Hours | |
|---|---|---|
| First Year Courses | ||
| LAW 600 | Contracts | 4 |
| LAW 601 | Property | 4 |
| LAW 602 | Torts | 4 |
| LAW 603 | Criminal Law | 4 |
| LAW 608 | Civil Procedure | 4 |
| LAW 609 | Constitutional Law | 4 |
| LAW 610 | Legal Research/Writing I | 2 |
| LAW 648 | Legal Research/Writing II | 2 |
| LAW 713 | Intro to Study of Law | 1 |
| LAW 742 | Legislation & Regulation | 2 |
| Second and Third Year Courses | ||
| LAW 660 | Legal Profession | 3 |
| One Seminar Course 1 | ||
| Professional or Experiential Courses (consist of clinical courses, externships, and simulation courses (including Trial Advocacy).) | 6 | |
| Elective Courses (required to fulfill the 90-hour requirement) | ||
| Students must complete 90 semester hours | ||
| Footnotes | |
|---|---|
| 1 | A seminar course allows student to study specialized areas of the law in a highly-interactive small-class environment. All seminars include a substantial writing assignment, adequate to demonstrate the ability of the students to perform in-depth legal research, to engage in legal reasoning, and to express themselves in a clear, concise and persuasive manner. Seminars typically include opportunities for student to make oral presentations, as well as opportunities to revise their written work based on comments from other students and the professor. With the exception of the general requirement of a substantial writing assignment, professors may tailor the requirements of the class to suit their pedagogical objectives and the subject matter of the course. |
To be in good standing, a student must maintain a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.33 and not be on probation for any other reason.
Once a student has matriculated into the JD program they must complete the degree requirement in no less than 24 months and no more than 6 calendar years from the point of matriculation.
Certificate in Governmental Affairs
JD candidates interested in a certificate in Governmental Affairs must complete the following courses:
| Code and Title | Hours | |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses | ||
| LAW 638 | Political & Legisl. Processes | 2 |
| LAW 744 | Legislative Drafting | 2 |
| Elective Courses | 12 | |
| Immunity Doctrine Seminar | ||
| Employment Law | ||
| Immigration Law | ||
| Antitrust Law | ||
| Water Law | ||
| Health Care Law | ||
| Environmental Law I | ||
| Securities Regulation | ||
| Public International Law | ||
| Judicial Opinion Drafting | ||
| Law & Religion | ||
| Law & Economics | ||
| Special Topics in Law (Democratic Institutions, Educational Law, Law & Public Policy, Reproductive Rights) | ||
| Health Care Liability | ||
| International Human Rights Law | ||
| Other Courses as Approved by the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs | ||
| Total Hours | 16 | |
International & Comparative Law Certificate
JD candidates interested in a certificate in International & Comparative Law must complete the following courses:
| Code and Title | Hours | |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses | ||
| Approved Study Abroad Program | ||
| LAW 671 | Intl. Business Transactions | 3 |
| LAW 710 | Public International Law | 3 |
| Elective Courses | 10 | |
| The Law of War | ||
| Immigration Law | ||
| International Trade Law | ||
| Intl Environmental Law Seminar | ||
| International Taxation | ||
| International Human Rights Law | ||
| WMD Law & Policy | ||
| Other Courses as Approved by the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs | ||
| Total Hours | 16 | |
Public Interest Law Certificate
JD candidates interested in a certificate in Public Interest Law must complete the following courses:
| Code and Title | Hours | |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses | ||
| LAW 769 | Poverty Law | 2 |
| LAW 821 | Public Interest Lawyering | 2 |
| 50 hours of community service | ||
| Clinic Requirement - 2 to 4hrs of Appellate, Childrens, Civil, Criminal, Entrepreneurship, Domestic Violence, or Mediation clinic | 2 to 4 | |
| Elective Courses | 12 | |
| Privacy & Data Security Law | ||
| Consumer Protection | ||
| Employment Law | ||
| Gender & The Law | ||
| Immigration Law | ||
| Family Law I | ||
| Labor Law | ||
| Administrative Law | ||
| Environmental Law I | ||
| Alt. Dispute Resolution | ||
| Public International Law | ||
| Law & Religion | ||
| Employment Discrimination | ||
| Law & Economics | ||
| Civil Rights Actions | ||
| Special Topics in Law (Law & Public Policy) | ||
| Criminal Procedure: Pretrial | ||
| Crim Pro: Post-Conviction | ||
| Intl Environmental Law Seminar | ||
| Environmental Law II | ||
| Mediation Practice & Process | ||
| Crim Procedure: Trial | ||
| Juvenile Justice Jurisprudence | ||
| International Human Rights Law | ||
| Spanish for Lawyers | ||
| Mental Health Law | ||
| Lawyers & Social Change | ||
| Appellate Advocacy Clinic | ||
| Criminal Defense Clinic | ||
| Domestic Violence Law Clinic | ||
| Entrepr./Nonprofit Clinic | ||
| Children's Rights Law Clinic | ||
| Mediation Law Clinic | ||
| Civil Law Clinic | ||
| Total Hours | 18-20 | |
| Footnotes | |
|---|---|
| 1 | Limited to Non-Profit and (non-judicial) Government Office placements. Students who believe that a particular judicial externship will relate to the kind of public interest practice the student wishes to pursue may petition the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs for approval. No more than a total of five credits of externships may count toward the 12-hour elective requirement for the Certificate. |
| 2 | No more than a total of four hours of clinical work may count toward the 12-hour elective requirement for the Certificate — in addition to the existing requirement that students complete a four-hour clinic to obtain the Certificate. |
| 3 | Limited to Non-Profit and (non-judicial) Government Office placements. Students who believe that a particular judicial externship will relate to the kind of public interest practice the student wishes to pursue may petition the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs for approval. No more than a total of five credits of externships may count toward the 12-hour elective requirement for the Certificate. |