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Chase College of Law

Juris Doctor (JD) Program

Put Your Passion into Practice

Whether you want to become a trial lawyer, advise business executives, consult with nonprofits, or utilize your law degree in the media, government relations, or any of hundreds of other ways it can advance a career, we offer multiple ways to get there.

Graduation requirements

All students must:

Coursework

Required courses for all first-year students are designed to provide a grounding in legal research, analysis, and fundamental doctrines of law.

Full-time

  • Legal Analysis and Problem Solving
  • Basic Legal Skills−Research
  • Basic Legal Skills−Writing
  • Civil Procedure I and II
  • Contracts I and II
  • Property I and II
  • Torts I and II

Evening

  • Legal Analysis and Problem Solving
  • Basic Legal Skills - Research
  • Basic Legal Skills - Writing I and II
  • Legal Studies I and II
  • Torts I and II

Students who began classes in May take Contracts (combined Contracts I and II) as a first-year summer course, and students who began in August take Contracts as a second-year summer course.

Part-time day

  • Legal Analysis and Problem Solving, Contracts I and II, Torts I and II, Basic Legal Skills - Research and Basic Legal Skills - Writing I and II

Full-time

  • Constitutional Law I and II
  • Criminal Law
  • Evidence
  • Selections from courses that are commonly tested on bar examinations (Business Organizations, Family Law, Remedies, Uniform Commercial Code Basics, Wills and Trusts)
  • Electives 

Evening

  • Civil Procedure I and II
  • Criminal Law
  • Professional Responsibility
  • Experiential course
  • Students who began first-year classes in May take Property (combined Property I and II) as a second-year summer course, and students who began in August take Contracts (combined Contracts I and II) as a second-year summer course.

Part-time day

  • Flexible scheduling

Full-time

  • Selections from courses that are commonly tested on bar examinations (Business Organizations, Family Law, Remedies, Uniform Commercial Code Basics, Wills and Trusts)
  • Electives

Evening

  • Constitutional Law I and II
  • Evidence
  • An online course, clinic, or externship
  • Selections from courses that are commonly tested on bar examinations (Business Organizations, Family Law, Remedies, Uniform Commercial Code Basics, Wills and Trusts)
  • Electives

Students who began first-year classes in August take Property (combined Property I and II) as a third-year summer course. 

Part-time day

  • Flexible scheduling that includes courses that are commonly tested on bar examinations and electives.

Fourth-year evening courses

  • Selections from courses that are commonly tested on bar examinations (Business Organizations, Family Law, Remedies, Uniform Commercial Code Basics, Wills and Trusts) 
  • Electives
  • An online course, clinic, or externship

Fourth-year part-time day courses

  • Flexible scheduling that includes courses that are commonly tested on bar examinations and electives

Electives are available to full-time, evening, and part-time day students. An elective course is typically offered at least twice during the period in which students in an entering class may enroll in elective courses, alternating as day or evening classes. Some electives with historically small class sizes may be offered at only one time, but are open to students in either the day or evening divisions.

View a full list of electives in our course catalog

Flexible Learning

The Part-Time Day Program is designed for those who work evenings, are stay-at-home parents, or have other commitments that prevent study in the evening. Students in the day program will take classes with the full-time division students.

  • Classes typically meet three days per week, although students are occasionally required to attend events on other days.
  • Classes will typically be scheduled between 9:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m.
  • Students take four to five years to complete their degree, depending on whether they enroll in summer courses.
  • Summer courses are optional.

All students have the same opportunities to participate in co-curricular and extra-curricular activities, including involvement in the school's centers & institutes, law review, competition teams, and externship and clinical programs.

All students must also complete upper-level writing requirements, a pro-bono service requirement, and a skills requirement.

Chase Law has been a leader in educating non-traditional students for over 100 years. As one of the first three law schools in the nation to provide part-time evening legal education, we understand the unique needs of students who pursue a part-time legal education.

Flex-Place is an enhanced course delivery system, which builds on our legacy of ensuring access to legal education.

Flex-Place incorporates the importance of building community with faculty and fellow students along with the flexibility of remote learning.

  • Up to thirty credit-hours earned entirely on-line (combination of synchronous and asynchronous delivery methods)
  • Up to one-third of remaining “class-hours” earned synchronously via zoom and/or asynchronously via other delivery methods
  • Most semesters will require on-campus classes only once or twice per week
  • Program typically completed in four or four-and-one-half years.

Benefits to Flex-Place

Remote:

  • Reduces Commute
  • Balances Work and Family Commitments
  • Supports Wellness
  • Lowers Costs

In-Person:

  • Builds Community
  • Supports Networking and Learning Interactions
  • Allows Hands-On Experiential Learning
  • Grants Direct Access to Campus and Student Resources