Juris Doctor (J.D.)

Learning Outcomes

The School of Law’s program of instruction prepares students to effectively engage in the legal community through a well-rounded legal education. Our curriculum is designed to teach students about the law and to help them develop skills necessary to use knowledge in practice. Our students will:

• Know and understand both substantive and procedural law, necessary for entry and increasing success within the legal profession;
• Engage in legal analysis and reasoning, conduct efficient and effective legal research, apply problem-solving skills, and present findings, analyses, and recommendations efficiently and effectively in both written and oral communication;
• Demonstrate an understanding of and commitment to the professional integrity and ethical responsibilities of serving the legal profession and the clients and community they serve;
• Develop a range of professional skills that facilitate the values and responsibilities of the legal profession, which may include written and oral advocacy, negotiation, persuasion, and mediation skills.
• Identify and recognize the importance of cross-cultural competency to professionally responsible representation and the obligation of lawyers to promote a legal system that provides equal access and eliminates bias, discrimination, and racism.

Degree Requirements

A candidate for a J.D. degree must complete the following requirements:

1. The required curriculum: Advanced Legal Analysis, Agency & Partnership, Civil Procedure, Constitutional Law I and II, Constitutional Criminal Procedure, Contracts I and II, Corporations, Criminal Law, Evidence, Family Law, Federal Income Tax, Legal Writing I and II, Professional Responsibility, Property, Sales and Leases, Torts, and Trusts and Estates.
2. Eighty-six (86) academic credits of work, of which at least 64 must be Classroom Course Credits. Classroom Course Credit is defined as academic work completed and evaluated in the context of a regularly scheduled class, seminar, or clinic. Externship hours may not exceed 18 credits.
3. A minimum cumulative G.P.A (Grade Point Average) of 2.00.
4. A minimum grade of C minus (C-) in each required course, except scholarly writing and experiential learning courses. A minimum grade of C or higher is required in scholarly writing and experiential learning courses to satisfy the requirement.
   Note: A grade of Pass is equivalent to a grade of C or higher for pass/fail courses.
5. The upper-level scholarly writing requirement may be completed through a seminar course or journal comment.
6. A minimum of six credits of experiential learning courses, including Externship I (live client training) and at least one other designated course.
7. All degree requirements must be completed no later than 84 months after a student has commenced law study at Wilmington University School of Law or a law school from which transfer credit has been accepted for use towards the degree.

Required Curriculum

Wilmington University School of Law offers a structured yet flexible curriculum to teach the essential skills and theory we believe all lawyers should know. By requiring the first two years of courses, including three semesters of legal research and writing, all students will learn to read, write, think, and analyze like a lawyer.

Our curricular design ensures student access to and instruction on all bar-tested subjects. This eliminates the stress of choosing between bar-tested subjects or interesting electives. The third year is dedicated to students’ exploration of specific areas of the law through electives, expansion of their knowledge on the Delaware bar exam subjects, and experience of different types of legal work through externships. Electives will be taught by practitioners who are experts. This also provides students with a greater connection to the Delaware legal community and beyond.

Scholarly Writing

All students will complete a scholarly writing project prior to graduating. This research driven assignment can be completed through participation in a journal or seminar course. The requirement must be met by submission of an acceptable law review article or by a research paper that meets the required format and process. The paper format should be that of a law review comment with footnotes and consist of no fewer than twenty-five (25) pages. The process of developing the paper must include the scheduling of discussion and review of written scope notes, outlines, and drafts, as well as the final product. A grade of C or higher is required.

Experiential Learning

Wilmington University School of Law encourages all students to complete Externship I in the final semester of the required curriculum (4^th semester for full time, 6^th semester for part time). Wilmington University School of Law offers externships for variable credit in the third year for full time students and fourth year for part time students. Students may take at least six (6) up to eighteen (18) credits of Externship credits, depending on other non-classroom courses.

The final year at Wilmington University School of Law encourages students to engage in experiential learning by applying the doctrine learned through the required coursework to the practice of law. Experiential Learning for academic credit through externships and simulation courses provides opportunities to explore practice areas through direct engagement, helps to build professionalism, increase experience, and expand networking skills. Experiential learning can include both externships and simulation experiences.

Externship Program

The School of Law offers externship opportunities with local, state, and federal government agencies, judges, legal services organizations, public interest and private organizations, and private law firms. Externships provide opportunities for students to engage in supervised practice at external offices and partner organizations working on real matters with real clients. Through the externship program, experienced attorneys at host organizations provide extensive feedback on work performed during the externship. Externships are comprised of two components: a weekly seminar and an external law practice setting. The seminar component is taught by the Associate Dean of Experiential Learning. During the weekly seminar, students engage in discussions surrounding the substantive and practical skills needed to succeed in the practice of law. Seminars include discussions of ethical issues and encourage students to be reflective and intentional in their practice. Every externship placement is supervised by the Associate Dean of Experiential Learning and a practicing attorney from the host organization. Students are welcome to find their own externship opportunities for credit, provided the prospective host organization complies with Wilmington University School of Law’s approval process and such opportunity is approved by the Associate Dean of Experiential Learning.

Simulation Experience Courses

Students can practice valuable lawyering skills through intensive simulation exercises in the classroom.  These courses are considered simulation experiential learning courses.  Examples include trial advocacy and mediation skills training.

Required Courses

Co-Curricular Activities for Non-Classroom Course Credit

Law Journals

Law Review is a legal journal published by second- and third-year students, with the advice of faculty. Members not only write scholarly commentaries on recent developments in legislative and court decisions, but also analyze and edit student and non-student works, preparing those selected for publication. Students with high academic averages are invited to become members following completion of their first year, and, to a limited extent their second year. All first-year students may enter a writing competition held over the summer from which additional members are chosen.

Four levels of participation are possible with a law review:

• First semester candidacy
• Second semester candidacy
• Associate editor
• Law review board

Selection of students who may participate at each level is governed by the rules of each review. In general, however, a student who wishes to begin participation on one of the reviews does so by researching and writing a student note under the supervision of a Notes and Comments Editor. After one year of service on a review, students may serve as associate editors to assist with the editing and production of the reviews. The boards of editors consider and select the written products for inclusion in upcoming issues, manage business and daily operation, and oversee production of the reviews. Upon completion of all assigned responsibilities, candidates and editors obtain course credit.

Students should enroll in one of the following courses appropriate to the level of participation. A maximum of 4 credits may be earned for law review participation in any combination of the courses below.

Law Review I (1 cr.) is restricted to candidates in the first semester of participation on a law review. Non-graded (CR/NC) credit is awarded upon completion of the required hours of assigned editorial and staff duties.

Law Review II (1 cr.) is restricted to candidates in the second semester of participation on a law review. Graded credit is awarded upon satisfactory completion of a student note and all assigned editorial and staff duties.

Law Review Associate Editor (1 cr.) This course is restricted to students who have satisfactorily completed one year of law review service but who are not members of the board of editors. Non-graded (CR/NC) credit is awarded upon completion of the required hours of assigned editorial and staff duties.

Law Review Board (1 cr.) is restricted to students who are members of a law review board of editors. Non-graded (CR/NC) credit is awarded upon completion of the required hours of assigned editorial and staff duties.

Satisfying Scholarly Writing Requirement through Law Review Participation

A student member of Law Review may satisfy the scholarly writing requirement by completing a note or comment that is found by the editorial board of the publication to be of publishable quality and that is approved by a faculty member as meeting the criteria for the scholarly writing requirement (a minimum of 25 pages, exclusive of footnotes or end notes). A grade of C or higher is required.

Moot Court, Trial Teams, and Other Inter-School Competitions

Moot court and trial competition teams give students an opportunity to prepare and advocate cases in a courtroom environment. Mediation, negotiation, or counseling competitions add to the diversity of lawyering experiences against other law schools that students can hone their skills and simulate real world experiences. The skills students develop preparing for various types of interschool competitions provide invaluable training for their career.

Student Program Options

Full Time Day J.D. Program

Full Time Day J.D. Program

The three-year, full-time day program focuses on full-time, in-person instruction during the first and second year, allowing students flexibility to engage in experiential learning starting in their fourth semester. After completing the required courses, students explore other areas of the law through a combination of elective classes and externships within the greater Wilmington legal community and beyond.

Part Time Day J.D. Program

Part Time Day J.D. Program

In the four-year, part-time day program, students take nine (9) to twelve (12) credits per semester. This option features in-person instruction during the first three years, allowing students the flexibility to engage in experiential learning starting in their third year. After completing the required courses, students explore other areas of the law through a combination of elective classes and externships within the greater Wilmington legal community and beyond.

Part Time Evening J.D. Program

Part Time Evening J.D. Program

In the four-year, part-time evening program, students take eight (8) to twelve (12) credits per semester through a combination of in-person and online instruction. After completing the required courses, students explore other areas of the law through a combination of elective classes and externships within the greater Wilmington legal community and beyond.