Juris Doctor Degree

Skills Requirement

Beginning with the entering J.D. class of 2009 (2010 for part time students), every student must satisfy the skills requirement (2 credits). To satisfy this requirement, an upper-division course must include a substantial amount of class time devoted to professional skills instruction, skills exercises or activity that calls upon the individual student to perform or practice the skill, and critique by the instructor of the individual students' skills performance. Such professional skills may include trial and appellate advocacy, alternative methods of dispute resolution, counseling, interviewing, negotiating, problem solving, factual investigation, organization and management of legal work, and drafting. The only courses fully satisfying this requirement are those certified by the faculty member as spending approximately 2 hours per week of class time on honing skills. Students may split the skills requirement over two courses, where the faculty have certified to the Office of Academic Records that each course fulfills half of the requirement (e.g. Depositions I and Depositions II).