Program Overview

Overview

The Juris Doctor degree at Miami Law is a full-time program combining a rigorous academic curriculum with professional training in critical lawyering skills. The 88-credit degree program is a full-time program requiring three academic years of study.

Admission Requirements

To be considered for admission to University of Miami School of Law, an applicant must have earned a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited college or university prior to enrolling at the School of Law.

Curriculum Requirements

• 1L Required Courses: 29 credits
  • LAW 11: Civil Procedure I
  • LAW 12: Contracts
  • LAW 13: Elements
  • LAW 14: Property
  • LAW 15: Torts
  • LAW 16: Criminal Procedure
  • LAW 17: U.S. Constitutional Law I
  • LAW 19: Legal Communication and Research I
  • LAW 29: Legal Communication and Research II
• 2 Upper Level Writing Requirements (minimum of 2 credits per requirement): 2-4 credits
• Skills Requirement (minimum of 6 credits from a list of courses designated as skills courses): 6 credits
• Professional Responsibility/Ethics Requirement: 2-3 credits
  • One course designated as ethics/professional responsibility course
• Electives: 48-56 credits
• Total Credit Hours: 88

Curriculum Requirements for Dual Degree Programs

• 1L Required Courses: 29 credits
  • LAW 11: Civil Procedure I
  • LAW 12: Contracts
  • LAW 13: Elements
  • LAW 14: Property
  • LAW 15: Torts
  • LAW 16: Criminal Procedure
  • LAW 17: U.S. Constitutional Law I
  • LAW 19: Legal Communication and Research I
  • LAW 29: Legal Communication and Research II
• 2 Upper Level Writing Requirements (minimum of 2 credits per requirement): 2-4 credits
• Skills Requirement (minimum of 6 credits from a list of courses designated as skills courses): 6 credits
• Professional Responsibility/Ethics Requirement: 2-3 credits
  • One course designated as ethics/professional responsibility course
• JD Electives: 36-50 credits
• Additional Electives Taken in Fulfillment of Both Dual/Joint Degrees: 6-12 credits
• Total Credit Hours: 88

Curriculum Requirements: Business of Innovation, Law, and Technology Concentration

• Required Courses: 11-12 credits
  • LAW 100: Business Associations
  • LAW 105: Federal Income Tax I
  • LAW 200: Administrative Law
• Distributional Courses: 8-10 credits
• Approved Electives: 6-8 credits
• Total Credit Hours: 26-28

Curriculum Requirements: Litigation and Dispute Resolution Concentration

• Required Courses: 13 credits
  • LAW 208: Evidence
  • LAW 211: Civil Procedure II
  • LAW 780: Litigation Skills I Workshop: Pretrial
• Writing Requirement: At least one of the two graduation writing requirements must be litigation focused
• Additional Course Requirements: 12 credits
• Approved Electives:
• Total Credit Hours: 25

Curriculum Requirements: Social Justice & Public Interest Concentration

• Required Courses:
  • LAW 200: Administrative Law
  • LAW 217: Constitutional Law II
  • LAW 297: LAW PRACTICE: SYSTEMIC ADVOCACY
• Distributional: Experiential Learning: 3 credits
• Approved Electives: 9 credits
• Research Requirement: 2 credits
• Engagement and Reflection Requirement:
  • LAW 852: Social Justice Research Capstone Seminar
• Total Credit Hours: 26

Curriculum Requirements: Social Justice & Public Interest Area of Focus

• Required Courses:
  • LAW 200: Administrative Law
  • LAW 217: Constitutional Law II
  • LAW 297: LAW PRACTICE: SYSTEMIC ADVOCACY
• Approved Track Electives: 6 credits
• Research Requirement: 2 credits
• Total Credit Hours: 15

Curriculum Requirements: Business Compliance and Sustainability Concentration

• Required Courses:
  • LAW 100: Business Associations
  • LAW 154: Corporate Compliance and Risk Management
  • LAW 200: Administrative Law
• Distributional Courses: 6-8 credits
• Approved Electives: 6-8 credits
• Total Credit Hours: 23-27

Curriculum Requirements: Business Compliance and Sustainability Area of Focus

• Required Courses:
  • LAW 100: Business Associations
  • LAW 154: Corporate Compliance and Risk Management
• Distributional Courses: 1-5 credits
• Approved Electives: 2-4 credits
• Total Credit Hours: 14-16

Curriculum Requirements: Environmental Law Concentration

• Required Courses:
  • LAW 200: Administrative Law
  • LAW 213: Environmental Law
• Distributional Courses: 6 credits
• Writing Requirement: 2 credits
• Approved Electives: 10 credits
• Total Credit Hours: 25

Curriculum Requirements: Environmental Law Area of Focus

• Required Courses:
  • LAW 200: Administrative Law
  • LAW 213: Environmental Law
• Distributional Courses: 3 credits
• Approved Electives: 5 credits
• Total Credit Hours: 15

Curriculum Requirements: Immigration, Asylum, Citizenship Area of Focus

• Required Course:
  • LAW 335: Immigration Law
• Distributional Courses: 6-11 credits
• Approved Electives: 0-5 credits
• Total Credit Hours: 14

Curriculum Requirements: Health Law Area of Focus

• Required Courses:
  • LAW 200: Administrative Law
  • LAW 755: HEALTH LAW AND POLICY
• Approved Electives: 8 credits
• Total Credit Hours: 15

Sample Plan of Study

• Year One:
  • Fall:
    • LAW 11: Civil Procedure I
    • LAW 12: Contracts
    • LAW 13: Elements
    • LAW 15: Torts
    • LAW 19: Legal Communication and Research I
  • Spring:
    • LAW 14: Property
    • LAW 16: Criminal Procedure
    • LAW 17: U.S. Constitutional Law I
    • LAW 29: Legal Communication and Research II
    • Elective
• Year Two:
  • Fall: Upper Level Law Courses
  • Spring: Upper Level Law Courses
• Year Three:
  • Fall: Upper Level Law Courses
  • Spring: Upper Level Law Courses
• Total Credit Hours: 88

Mission

The University of Miami School of Law J.D. program offers graduate training culminating in a Juris Doctor in Law. It is the mission of the School of Law to use legal training and knowledge to produce lawyer-citizens who understand the perpetually dynamic nature of modern legal practice, and who exercise democratic values, problem-solving skills, and leadership capabilities in whatever positions they assume.

Student Learning Outcomes

1. Students will demonstrate advanced proficiency in high-level legal reasoning, fact analysis, and critical thinking.
2. Students will demonstrate advanced proficiency in written and oral communications as it relates to the discipline.
3. Students will demonstrate advanced knowledge of the ethical responsibilities of a lawyer, and demonstrate advanced proficiency in analyzing and applying the rules of professional responsibility.