Concentrations

The Child and Family Law Concentration is a course of study and a set of experiences that are designed to elevate a student’s familiarity with child and family law while developing important professional skills and contacts in the legal community.  Students who complete the program will have knowledge of the law and basic competence in the subject area so that they may enter the legal profession ready to practice. 

Child and family law work forms a significant part of many Chase graduates’ practice.  This Certificate of Concentration is designed to make its holders more qualified to practice in the area of child and family law and more desirable to employers.  Moreover, participation in the program provides a supportive community within the law school and networking opportunities in the practice community. 

Course Work

Students must complete 15 credit hours in order to complete a certificate in this concentration. Students who successfully complete the
concentration will receive a Certificate of Concentration and a notation on their Chase transcript. Students must pass all courses within the program with a 2.5 or higher. They must include:

• Family Law (3 Credits).  Family Law is a prerequisite/co-requisite for all other courses in the program.    
• Children and the Law or Juvenile Justice Seminar (3 Credits; Research Paper That Meets AWR-R Standards in the Course)     
• Six Credits of Experiential Learning, including one Simulation Course and One Live-Client Course:    
  • Simulation Course (2-3 Credits)
    • Accepted Simulation Courses:
      DV Prosecution and Trial; Interviewing, Counseling and Negotiation; Trial Advocacy; Pre-Trial Litigation; Mediation; or Mediation (Family Focus)
  • Live-Client Course (3-4 Credits)
    • Accepted Live-Client Courses:
      Children’s Law Center Clinic or a Field Placement in Juvenile Law, Family Law, Children’s Law, Domestic Relations, Domestic Violence, or other related topic
• Electives (3+ Credits)
  • Currently-Accepted Electives: 
    Client-Centered Practice; Bioethics; Domestic Violence Seminar; Education Law; Law; Family Law Drafting Lab; Federal Taxation; Poverty Law; Reproductive Technologies; Special Education; Tax; Women and the Law 

Community Service

Students must complete 15+ hours of community service in a child or family-serving agency approved in advance by Chase faculty.

Court Observations

Students must complete a minimum of two hours of observation in a domestic relations/family court and complete a reflection.  A reflection form will be available on the Concentration web page.

Leadership Activity

Students must complete a minimum of 20 hours participating in a child or family law-related leadership activity.  Sample activities may include: writing an article for a bar journal, sitting on the board of a legal non-profit, participating in a leadership training program for lawyers, or providing community education workshops on a particular issue. This activity must be approved in advance by Chase faculty. 

Annual Programs

Chase faculty will offer annual twice-a-year cohort meetings and advising sessions, and annual networking opportunities with practitioners, Chase graduates and employers in the local area.  

Submission Form

Submit this checklist form to the registrar, Jenny Young, at youngj3@nku.edu or to NH 317 (or GH 330E) upon completion. 

If you have questions or need information about the Certificate of Concentration, please contact: 

Professor Amy Halbrook
Nunn Hall 545
halbrooka1@nku.edu
9859) 572-6405