2022-2023 Registration Guide
Registration Guide 2022-2023
Provided by: Office of Academic Services
The Guide has been compiled by the Office of Academic Services and accurate as of the time of original publication. Please refer to www.suffolk.edu/law
REGISTRATION
Registration Rules and Regulations The Law School offers courses with limited enrollment, seminars and open enrollment courses. Students may not enroll in courses that overlap in time. Please note: Not all courses are offered every semester. Check both the Fall and Spring semester elective listing when making course selections. Elective Section – Restricted Classes offered in the evening division that are also offered in the day division are not available for registration by day students until after all evening students are registered. This includes intersession courses.
Trial Practice Rule Students may enroll in only 1 Trial Practice/Trial Advocacy course during their law school career.
HYB Hybrid Course – Courses for which more than one-third of the instruction is online.
WEB Web Course - Courses for which all instruction is online.
Legal Writing Requirement
Legal Writing Requirement notations on elective list:
x Paper required for course which may qualify for writing requirement x+ Paper required for course which may qualify for writing requirement with permission from the instructor x++ Paper required for course which may qualify for writing requirement with permission from an Associate Dean and Adjunct Faculty Member
Credit Requirements – Day Students
Day students are required to enroll in a minimum of 27 credits per year, and may enroll in 12-16 credits each semester. Enrollment in more than 27 credits in year two will not reduce the 27 credit requirement of year three. Only credits earned in summer sessions may be applied to the final semester.
Year 1
Year 2
Year 3
30
27
27
Credit Requirements – Evening Students
Evening students are required to enroll in a minimum of 21 credits per year, and may enroll in 9-12 credits each semester. Enrollment in more than 21 credits in year two and/or year three will not reduce the 20 credit minimum required in year four . Only credits earned in summer sessions may be applied to the final semester.
Year 4
Year 1
Year 2
Year 3
22
21
21
20
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REGISTRATION
JD Dual Degree Students
Students enrolled in dual degree programs are held to the same standard as a day or evening student in regard to credits, whether enrolled in the Graduate School, Law School or both schools in a semester (see above).
LL.M.
• Full-time LL.M. students must enroll in a minimum of 9 (and a maximum of 14) credits per semester. With the approval of the assistant dean, up to 6 credits earned in summer school may be applied to reduce these semester requirements. A Full-time LL.M. student may not register for more than 14 credits in a semester without the prior approval of the assistant dean and the associate deans. • Part-time LLM students must enroll in a minimum of 4 (and a maximum of 8) credits per semester. With the approval of the assistant dean, up to 6 credits earned in summer school may be applied to reduce these semester requirements. Part time LL.M. students may not register for less than 4 credits per semester without the prior approval of the assistant dean.
Credit Overload
Students requesting overload credits are cautioned that additional credits may not be used to reduce credits in a subsequent semester nor as credit to satisfy degree requirements. Any day or evening student requesting to overload by enrolling in more than 12 credits as an evening student or in more than 16 credits as a day student must file a petition.
ABA Standard 304 (e) precludes a student from enrolling in more than 20% of total course work in a semester.
• Day students may not request to overload for more than 17 credits.
• Evening students may not request to overload for more than 13 credits.
Credit Underload
Any day or evening student needing to reduce the minimum credit requirement for the fall or spring semester, to less than 12 credits for day students, or less than 9 credits for evening students must file a petition. Students are cautioned that a reduced course load may require enrollment in a Summer Session or an additional semester to make up the reduced credits.
Please note: Students on an F1 or J1 visa may not drop below full time status (minimum standard) as determined by his/her academic program.
Full Time
Part Time
12 Credits
9 Credits
JD:
9 Credits
4 Credits
LL.M.:
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REGISTRATION
Credit for Clinical and Other Non-ClassroomActivities
1. Cumulative limit on credits for ungraded, non-classroom work and clinical fieldwork. A student may count no more than 16 credits of ungraded non-classroom work and clinical fieldwork toward the degree. A student may not count more than 12 credits of clinical fieldwork toward the degree. These limits do not apply to the seminar component of an in-house clinic or an externship. Example: Student takes an eight-credit in-house clinic, for which four credits are assigned to the seminar component and four to the fieldwork. Only the four credits for fieldwork count toward the credit restrictions in this subsection.
Example: Student takes an externship that includes a two-credit seminar and three credits for fieldwork. Only the three credits of fieldwork count toward the credit restrictions in this subsection.
2. Limit on non-classroom ungraded activities in one semester. A student may not receive more than two units of credit in any semester for non-classroom ungraded activities, as opposed to regular course work. Non-classroom ungraded activities which count toward the two-credit-per-semester limit include directed study; law journal work (including Law Review, Transnational Law Review, Journal of Health & Biomedical Law , Journal of High Technology Law) ; Moot Court, including Moot Court teams and Journal of Trial and Appellate Advocacy; research assistantships; and concentration thesis credits. The fieldwork component of an externship does not count towards this two-credit limit. Example: Student takes an externship which includes a two-credit seminar and three ungraded credits for fieldwork. The student may still receive two credits in that semester for other non- classroom ungraded activities. Example: Student receives two ungraded credits for work on a law school journal. The student may not receive additional ungraded credits in the same semester for a directed study, research assistantship or concentration thesis. The student may receive credits for the ungraded fieldwork component of an externship in that semester. Disclaimer: The Law School reserves the right to cancel a course due to low enrollment or for other reasons. Should this occur, students will be notified by Email. The Law Faculty reserve the right to change the schedule of classes, the program of instruction, the requirements for credits or degrees, and any rule or regulation established for the government of the student body in the school. Any such change may be made applicable to students already enrolled in the Law School.
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REGISTRATION
Who Can Register?
To be eligible to register you must have:
•
Fulfilled tuition obligations.
• Submitted proof of vaccination booster
If you received the booster on campus or uploaded your documentation of an off-campus booster to the student health portal, you will not be blocked from registration because of the booster requirement. If you are one of the few students who did not do this, you will be blocked from registration until you comply and health services has had a chance to verify your documentation. Students have received multiple emails about the booster requirement and how to comply. Please review those emails and the University’s Booster page . If you have additional questions, please email COVIDQUESTIONS@suffolk.edu.
• Completed Emergency Contact Information.
•
Submitted local address information.
•
Reviewed Student Handbook.
Registration holds will be placed on students who have not complied with any of these requirements. To check holds go to Self Service > Registration Holds
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REGISTRATION
HOW TO REGISTER FOR CLASSES – SELF SERVICE
To register for classes at Suffolk University Law School, you will need to log into WebAdvisor.
Self Service Registration
• To log into Self Service, enter your Login ID and Password which is the same as your email login/password. If you need assistance logging in, contact the Suffolk University Service Desk at 617-557-2000 or by email. • Prior to registering for classes, it is advised that you review your Degree Audit which is located in WebAdvisor.
Search & Select Courses to add to your Planned Schedule Students must place classes of interest on their Planned Schedule using Self Service in order to register. Be sure to verify prerequisites are complete before beginning Self Service Registration. Placing classes on your Planned Schedule does not guarantee registration in the courses(s). • Once you have logged into Self Service, select the Search for Sections tile to begin planning your schedule. • Enter Term (e.g. Fall Law 2022, Spring Law 2023, Summer Law 22/SU1, 22/SU2, 22SU ) and at least one other search criteria, (eg. Subject, Course Type, or Days/ Times). • Click on the “Add” button to see more Section Details and to “Add Section” to your planned schedule. Continue to Search and Add Classes of interest to your Planned Schedule. • Classes placed on your Planned Schedule will be marked as “Scheduled” on Search for Sections. Scheduled does not mean you are registered for the course. • To review your Planned Schedule click on the Academics Tab>Register for Classes which is located on the left side of the screen. You can add and remove classes from your planned schedule. Courses in conflict are indicated in red on the grid and are noted on the class in conflict. Courses that are on your planned schedule which have not been registered are indicated by the color tan. Your assigned registration date/time will display above your planned schedule for the term.
The Register button(s) will be greyed out until you are eligible for registration.
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Registering for Classes
On or after your assigned registration day, you may register your courses from your Planned Schedule.
• You may register your courses from the Self Service home page or from within the Academics>Register for Classes option. The Register feature will only display if you are eligible to register for classes. If you do not see the option, check the notification area located at the top right of the screen. • Using the Register option from the home page will display all courses on your planned schedule. Check off which courses you would like to take and click the Register button. Select the Go to Schedule button to see the registered courses which are indicated by the color green on your Planned Schedule. • You may also use the “Register” buttons under each course within the Academics>Register for Classes area located on the left side of screen. • Using the “Register Now” option located above the planned schedule will attempt to register all courses on your schedule. Registration results will display, If there is an issue with the registration, it will be noted in the upper right notification area as well as on the left side of your planned schedule. Any number of courses may be added or dropped from your planned schedule. Student course loads will be checked at the time of registration. Other reasons a registration may fail are course conflicts, prerequisites and class availability. Add to and Manage My Waitlist Students may add themselves to a waitlist for closed courses. Students may not be added to a waitlist if they are currently registered for another section of the same course.
To add yourself to a waitlist:
• Select Search for Sections and place the course on your planned schedule.
• Go to your planned schedule which is located under the Academics Tab>Register for Classes. Clicking on the Waitlist button located beneath the course information will place you on the waitlist for that course. • Students will be emailed if a space becomes available. It is extremely important to check your Suffolk email for the notification. The opening will be offered to the next student if no action is taken by the deadline stated in the email. • Students should Drop Waitlist from their planned schedule if they do not intend on registering so the next student on the waitlist may be offered the available seat in the class.
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To register for a waitlisted course once you have received approval. • Login to Self Service
• Select Academics>Register for Classes located on left side of screen
• Click the “Register” button located under the course you want to register.
• The Registration Result will be displayed under the course and will be the color green on your planned schedule if successful.
Drop a Class Students wishing to drop a class will do so within Self Service on the
Academics Tab>Register for Classes screen. • Below the course details, click the Drop button
• Select sections to drop and click Update
• Status will change to “Not Registered”
• To remove class from your planned schedule “X” the course on the grid.
l
Registration Approval Before you can register for Suffolk Law courses, there are just a few things you need to do first.
To be eligible to register, you must have:
• Fulfilled your tuition obligations for the current semester
• Submitted proof of Booster
• Completed Orientation II (if you’re a second -year day or evening student)
• Completed your emergency contact information
• Submitted your local address information
• Reviewed the Student Handbook
A registration hold will be placed on your account if you haven't fulfilled these requirements. To check your status, go to Registration Holds in Self- Service.
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COURSE SELECTION
Course Offerings
• The Course Offerings provides a link to the Fall 2022 course listing, the Spring 2023 course listing, and by the Academic Year. At the Academic Year tab you will learn whether a course is offered only in the fall, only in the spring, or whether the course will be offered in both the fall and the spring. While you are only able to register for the fall 2022 semester, please review all 2022-2023 course offerings, so that you will not be disappointed with course selection choices in the spring 2023 semester. Do not rely solely on the Search and Register feature on Web Advisor.
• SYNONYM (SYN) numbers are listed on the Course Offerings, and will need to be used for Express Registration.
• Information relative to the Legal Writing Requirement and Prerequisites is provided on the Course Offerings List, and in individual course descriptions.
• Please review course prerequisites, meeting times, and enrollment limitations. Students are encouraged to review course descriptions and/or consult with faculty members scheduled to teach the course with any questions.
Check out the Course Offerings and plan accordingly.
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COURSE SELECTION
Professional Responsibility
Professional Responsibility is a required course. It must be taken by Day Division and Evening Division students any time after the first year.
Course Description: Power of courts over the legal profession, admission to practice, lawyer discipline, peer regulation, law firms, lawyer-client relationship, withdrawal, fees, division of fees, confidentiality, conflict of interest, competence and diligence, legal malpractice, limiting liability, raising claims and defenses, ethics in presenting evidence, fraud, perjury, duty to court and adverse parties, role of lawyer as advisor, intermediary, negotiator and mediator, preservation of client’s funds and proper ty, duty to use I.O.L.T.A. account, advertising and solicitation, contact with unrepresented persons and public service. Judicial ethics will be referred to only briefly in class. Students are expected to actively participate in the class discussion. The Model Rules of Professional Conduct will be the primary source, but reference will also be made to differences in the Massachusetts Rules , the Code of Professional Responsibility and common law principles.
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COURSE SELECTION
Popular Courses 2021-2022
Day
Evening
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COURSE SELECTION
Areas of Focus Students who are no longer required to complete the Base Menu but still want guidance as to which upper level courses they should consider in light of their own study and practice interests are encouraged to review Suffolk Law's Areas of Focus.
Bankruptcy Law
Intellectual Property
Civil Litigation
International Law
Civil Rights and Human Rights Law
Juvenile and Family Law
Labor and Employment Law
Corporate Finance and Business
Criminal Law
Law and Public Service
Dispute Resolution
Patent Law
Diversity and Social Justice
Real Estate and Land Use
Environmental and Energy Law
Taxation
Health and Biomedical Law
Torts and Personal Injury Law
Immigration Law
Each Area of Focus lists courses that students interested in a particular area might want to take as preparation for or to learn more about practice in that specialty. Each of the sections has been developed and prepared by faculty members teaching in the practice area, and is aimed at providing guidance and direction to students as they select courses, externships and pursue other related activities. Areas of Focus can be reviewed online, and in the Areas of Focus section of this Guide. The lists of courses are not intended to be all-inclusive, and there can be significant diversity in the programmatic elements chosen by particular students. Please note that not all courses listed for each category will be offered every semester or every year.
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COURSE SELECTION
Concentrations Several academic concentrations enhance the curriculum at Suffolk University Law School, offering law students an opportunity to obtain advanced training in a substantive field. The Law School was one of the first schools in the country to develop academic concentrations and it continues to be innovative in its commitment to inclusion of the concentrations in its legal education program. Suffolk's academic concentrations were created and approved by the faculty to complement and build upon the Law School's broad and basic legal curriculum. Students enrolled in the concentrations sharpen their legal reasoning skills by pursuing a cumulative program of specialized courses. The concentrations provide students planning to enter a particular area of the law with the opportunity to focus their academic preparation and potentially enhance their legal careers.
While it’s not required to declare a concentration, specialization can be an advantage in today’s competitive job landscape.
Suffolk University Law School offers the following concentrations:
Business Law and Financial Services
Health and Biomedical Law
Intellectual Property
International Law
Legal Innovation and Technology
Trial and Appellate Advocacy
Students can review required courses for each concentration online, and in the Concentrations section of this Guide.
All concentrations at Suffolk have an open admissions policy. Any interested students are welcome and encouraged to enroll. Students who wish to enroll in a concentration should file an Academic Concentration Notice of Enrollment with the Office of Academic Services. Concentration enrollment may occur as soon as a student completes the first year in law school in good standing. Participation in a concentration is only noted on a student's Law School transcript if the student is able to satisfy the concentration's requirements by the time of graduation. No adverse notation is made on a graduating student's Law School transcript if the student opts not to complete the concentration or does not meet the concentration's requirements.
Concentration or Area of Focus?
If Concentrations do not quite fit a student's needs, we highly recommend they review Suffolk Law's Areas of Focus, which students can declare to lay out long-term career goals.
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COURSE SELECTION
Perspectives
Recommended not Required
All students should take at least one of the Perspectives courses listed below before graduation. The purpose of the recommendation is to help students develop an analytical perspective on our legal system, by viewing it through the lens of another discipline, probing the foundations, values or assumptions underlying our legal institutions, or studying alternatives to our own doctrinal approach to legal problem
Advanced Con Law Cannabis Law
Landlord/Tenant: Residential
Law and Economics
Diversity / Inclusion in the Legal Profession
Law and Literature
Education, Equality & the Law
Law and Philosophy
Laws of War
Employment Discrimination
Leadership/Character
Federal Indian Law and the Rights of Indigenous Peoples in the U.S
Legal History Seminar
Government Lawyer: Legislation
Mass Incarceration
Housing Discrimination
Mental Health Law
Housing in America: the Effects and Remedies of Unconstitutional Segregation
Military Law
Human Rights Protection in Europe
Movement Lawyering
Human Rights Survey
Positive Psychology
Immigration Law
Race, Gender and the Law
International Law
Religion and the Law
International Intellectual Property
Islamic Law
Jurisprudence: Law and Adjudication
Justice, Morality and Film
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COURSE SELECTION
Bar Related Courses
Preparing for the bar exam begins with choosing courses that are regularly tested on the state bar exam.
Multistate Bar Exam
Subject Matter Tested:
Suffolk Law School Related Courses
Civil Procedure
Civil Procedure, Federal Courts, Adv Svy:Civ, Crim,Prop
Constitutional Law
Constitutional Law, Adv Const Law
Contracts
Contracts, Advanced Survy:Cont,Evid,Torts
Criminal Law and Procedure
Criminal Law
Evidence
Evidence, Advanced Survey of Core Legal Principles
Real Property
Property, Land Use, Conveyancing, Adv Svy:Civ, Crim, Prop
Torts
Torts, Advanced Survy: Cont,Evid, Torts
Multistate Essay Exam
Subject Matter Tested:
Suffolk Law School Related Courses
Business Associations
Business Entity Fundamentals, Torts
Civil Procedure, Federal Courts, Advanced Civil Procedure, Adv Svy: Civ, Crim, Property
Civil Procedure
Conflict of Laws
Conflict of Laws
Constitutional Law
Constitutional Law, Criminal Procedure, Adv Const Law
Contracts (including Article 2 [Sales] of the UCC)
Contracts. Commercial Law Sales and Leases
Criminal Law and Procedure
Criminal Law, Criminal Procedure,
Evidence
Evidence, Adv Svy: Cont,Evid, Torts
Family Law
Family Law
Real Property
Property, Adv Svy:Civ,Crim, Property
Torts
Torts, Advanced Torts, Adv Svy:Cont,Evid, Torts
Trusts and Estates
Drafting Wills & Trusts, Trusts & Estates,
Uniform Commercial Code
Commercial Law Survey, Secured Transactions
Multistate Performance Test
Subject Matter Tested:
Suffolk Law School Related Courses
Adv Svy: Civ, Crim, Prop, Adv Svy:Cont, Evid, Torts
Substantive MBE Topics, Essays and MPTs
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COURSE SELECTION
Research Assistantship A student who has completed the first year of legal study may serve as a Faculty Research Assistant. This position offers a student the opportunity to work with a full-time faculty member or adjunct faculty member (with approval of an associate dean) on a supervised project relating to the faculty member's course offerings or scholarly activities. Such a project is intended to provide the student with supervised research and writing instruction, in addition to an opportunity for the student to engage in analytical discourse with the faculty supervisor. The project may result in a paper or detailed memorandum prepared by the student. A student should expect to devote a minimum of 90 hours as a Research Assistant. A time log of hours worked must be submitted at the end of the term, and certified by the faculty member. A Research Assistant Registration Form must be signed by the student and faculty member. The completed form must be filed with the Office of Academic Services. Students are not able to self- register for a Research Assistantship. The student and faculty member should meet regularly to discuss all aspects of the student's project. The student's work as a Research Assistant is graded on a Credit/No Credit basis. Although the student is awarded two credits for completion of the Research Assistantship, the grade is not included in the calculation of the student's grade point average. Depending on the nature and scope of a student's work, a student's written project may be submitted to the faculty supervisor for satisfaction of the law school's legal writing requirement. All written work must be completed in accordance with the provisions of the law school's Academic Integrity regulations (Rule II-F). A student may not receive more than two units of credit in any semester for non-classroom ungraded activities, as opposed to regular course work. Non-classroom ungraded activities which count toward the two-credit-per-semester limit include directed study; law journal work (including Law Review, Transnational Law Review, Journal of Health & Biomedical Law , Journal of High Technology Law ); Moot Court, including Moot Court teams and Journal of Trial and Appellate Advocacy; research assistantships; and concentration thesis credits.
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COURSE SELECTION
Directed Study A student who has completed the first year of legal study may undertake a Directed Study, completing a substantial project of research and writing on a topic of academic interest under the guidance of a member of the full-time faculty or other faculty (with approval of an Associate Dean). To undertake supervised research, a student must first identify a faculty member willing to supervise the project. After agreeing upon a topic, the student and the faculty supervisor both sign a Directed Study Registration Form describing the topic and agreeing to fulfill the requirements of this option. This form is available from the Office of Academic Services and the completed form must also be filed with that office. Each Directed Study is considered a new course requiring a unique course number for which we need to register you. The student must submit an outline and complete draft to the faculty supervisor for review and comment, prior to the submission of the completed paper. The final paper must be submitted to the faculty supervisor by the date set in the approved proposal, which may be no later than the end of the examination period for the semester in which the paper is completed. The faculty supervisor will grade the paper on a Credit/No Credit basis. Although the student is awarded two credits for completion of the project, the grade is not included in the calculation of the student's grade point average. You may also submit the paper to the faculty supervisor for satisfaction of the law school's legal writing requirement. All written work must be completed in accordance with the provisions of the law school's Academic Integrity regulations (Rule II-F). A student may not receive more than two units of credit in any semester for non-classroom ungraded activities, as opposed to regular course work. Non-classroom ungraded activities which count toward the two-credit-per-semester limit include directed study; law journal work (including Law Review, Transnational Law Review, Journal of Health & Biomedical Law , Journal of High Technology Law ); Moot Court, including Moot Court teams and Journal of Trial and Appellate Advocacy; research assistantships; and concentration thesis credits. You should expect to devote a minimum of 90 hours to the project. A time log of hours worked must be submitted at the end of the term, and certified by the faculty member.
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COURSE SELECTION
Teaching Assistantship A student who has completed the first year of legal study may serve as a Teaching Assistant. Teaching assistants (TA) work under the direct supervision of an individual member of the faculty to support and enhance student learning. A TA’s particular duties and responsibilities will depend on the needs of the supervising faculty member. Because faculty members rely on TAs to interact with students and respond correctly to their inquiries, only students who have demonstrated a high level of understanding in the relevant subject matter will be qualified to serve as a TA. Selected students will be required to complete up to 2 hours of training regarding their responsibilities under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (“FERPA”) prior to starting their work as a TA. TAs are required to sign a statement acknowledging their obligations and responsibilities under FERPA. Enrollment is limited to students selected by a supervising faculty member. The Office of Academic Services provides a Teaching Assistant Registration Form that must be signed by the student and faculty member. The completed form must be filed with the Office of Academic Services. Students may not self-register as a Teaching Assistant. Students who serve as a TA for course credit are not eligible to work as a paid TA or Research Assistant in the same semester. In order for students to receive 2 credits, they must work a minimum of 90 hours as a TA. A time log of hours worked must be submitted at the end of the term , and certified by the faculty member. Work as a TA is graded on a Credit/No Credit basis. This grade is not included in the calculation of the student's grade point average. Students receiving credits for their work as a TA are subject to law school regulation II-G: Credits for Clinical and Other Non-Classroom Activities.
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COURSE SELECTION
Summer Boston Suffolk University Law School offers a summer program open to students who have completed the first year of law school in good standing at an American Bar Association-accredited law school. Suffolk students may register online.
Key Details
6-week or 12-week sessions
•
• All classes start at 5:30 p.m. or 7:35 p.m. • Classes in Summer will be offered online • Available to current law students in good standing at any ABA-accredited law school (including Suffolk Law)
Any Suffolk student may take up to 6 credits (12 classroom hours per week) without special permission. Evening students may take up to 6 credits without special permission. Any Suffolk student wishing to enroll in more than 6 credits must file a petition for approval.
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COURSE SELECTION
Study at NUI Galway, Ireland Located on the scenic west coast of Ireland, the National University of Ireland at Galway (NUI Galway) is a prestigious research university and an integral part of the Irish national university system. Through a partnership with Suffolk University Law School and NUI Galway, Suffolk law students are able to study international and comparative law in Galway earning three law school credits. The courses run from late May through early June.
Students have the opportunity to visit institutions of local legal culture, and interact with their Irish peers. Galway is a thriving college town, with great vitality in music and performing arts. Students can contact Professor Sara Dillon with any questions, or find more information on the Suffolk Law School website.
Eligibility
First and second year JD day students and second and third year evening JD students with a GPA of 2.67 and in academic good standing. Students with a lower GPA may submit a petition to participate in the program. As the academic program will be over by early to mid June, participants are strongly urged to pursue externships or other legal work for the rest of the summer. Students interested in externship placement in Ireland or other international locations should contact Professor Amy Van-Zyl Chavarro, early in the process. All such externships can be completed for credit.
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COURSE SELECTION
January 2023 Intersession
Intersession courses provide an opportunity for students to enroll in an intensive one week session of learning critical skills necessary in the practice of law.
Intersession courses will begin on January 9, 2023 and end on January 13, 2023 in both the day and evening divisions. A Make-Up day will be held on Saturday, January 14 should any Intersession class day need to be canceled due to inclement weather. All other courses will begin on January 17, 2023.
Eligibility:
• Courses are available to upper class JD students and LLM students. Students who enroll in Intersession January 2023 classes must also be registered for courses in the Spring 2023 semester. • There is no additional tuition charge beyond the Spring 2023 semester for those students who through the use of Intersession and the Spring 2023 semester enroll in no more than 16 credits as a day student and in no more than 12 credits as an evening student. • Financial Aid is not available for the Intersession course alone and must be combined with regular Spring 2023 classes for financial aid eligibility. Refunds will NOT be available until after Spring 2023 classes begin. Please plan accordingly.
•
All classes are limited
• Only one January Intersession course may be taken. Registration for January 2023 Intersession courses will occur in November 2022.
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COURSE SELECTION
Exam Schedule – Tentative
The complete Fall 2022 Exam Schedule is posted on the Suffolk Law School website.
Students should ensure that they have reviewed all examination rules and regulations and laptop examination rules
Students who require accommodations based on a permanent or temporary disability should review the Accommodations for Exams Policy. All students seeking exam accommodations should request accommodations no later than 60 days prior to the exam period to allow adequate time for scheduling the logistics involved with these requests. Any student who has three examinations in 53 hours may request that one be rescheduled. Such requests are handled by the Assistant Dean for Academic Services. It is expected that students will sit for all examinations as scheduled. Examinations are rescheduled by the Dean of Students Office only in extremely limited circumstances, such as requests that relate to the health of the student, or close family member, or death of a family member. Any rescheduled examination will be administered on a date no earlier than the date originally set. Please note that ExamSoft may not be available for rescheduled examinations. Tentative examination schedules are available to students at the time of course pre- registration. Students are therefore expected to have reviewed and considered the examination schedule for all courses in which they enroll.
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AREAS OF FOCUS
Areas of Focus Bankruptcy
The practice of Bankruptcy law focuses the rights and obligations of debtor/creditor and related parties under the Bankruptcy Code.
The bankruptcy lawyer must use both transactional and litigation skills in practice. Bankruptcy is a dispute resolution process, governed by the federal bankruptcy code, by which a debtor reorganizes or dissolves debts according to priority established by law. A bankruptcy lawyer represents the debtor or creditors in the process. Reorganized or dissolved debts implicate many types of financial instruments, contracts, employment relations, property and family law. Practice in this area is circumscribed by the federal procedural rules and also by many focused Bankruptcy rules, both local and nationwide. Within a single bankruptcy, there may be many disputes that require independent resolution through litigation or settlement. Bankruptcy lawyers can work for large or small firms, in-house or state and federal government and public interest organizations.
Recommended Courses
Bankruptcy Introduction
Federal Courts
Bankruptcy Reorganizations
Secured Transactions
Commercial Law Survey
Other Relevant Courses
Accounting for Lawyers
Conflict of Laws
Administrative Law
Consumer Law
Banking Law
Evidence
Bankruptcy Moot Court Team
Mediation
Basic Federal Income Taxation
Negotiation
Business Entity Fundamentals
Negotiation & Mediation
Commercial Law Sales and Leases
Pretrial Civil Litigation
Commercial Paper
Statutory Interpretation
Recommended Extracurricular Activities
Competition Teams: The Bankruptcy Law Moot Court Team competes in the Duberstein Moot Court Competition held in New York City. Other opportunities for students include the Moot Court Honor Board, Negotiation Team, National Trial Team, and National Moot Court Team.
Suffolk Business Law Association : A student organization for students interested in practicing business law in a variety of contexts.
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AREAS OF FOCUS
Civil Litigation Many of our graduates are among the most successful trial lawyers in New England. They practice in large firms and in small offices, serve as in-house counsel, and handle all types of cases from corporate disputes to civil rights claims. Many have gone on to become highly respected judges. One of the principal advantages of a litigation career is that it presents a rare opportunity in today's world to be a generalist. Your clients and their issues will provide you with a series of windows onto the world that most specialists will never have a chance to peer through. The successful trial lawyer must have sufficient intellectual curiosity and a mind agile enough to move from one field to the next, as the demands of the cases require. A litigator must possess strong legal writing skills. But she must also have a strong affinity for other people, the sensitivity to understand their stories and their problems, the ability to communicate those stories to judges and jurors, and a desire to serve as her clients' champion in the courtroom. The life of a courtroom advocate is often highly stressful, but also exhilarating and rewarding.
Recommended Courses
Bankruptcy Introduction
Negotiation
E-Discovery Law
Negotiation & Mediation
Evidence
Trial Advocacy
Mediation
Trial Advocacy: Intensive
Other Relevant Courses
Advanced Civil Procedure
Federal Courts
Advanced Legal Writing
Insurance Law
Advanced Torts
Interviewing and Counseling
Appellate Practice
Massachusetts Practice
Conflict of Laws
Medical Malpractice
Pre-Trial Civil Litigation
Consumer Law
Employment Discrimination Law
It is highly recommended that you participate in one of the clinics, or participate in an externship in a litigation-related placement. The clinics provide an invaluable opportunity to learn hands-on legal skills working directly with clients under the supervision of experienced clinical professors. Finally, Suffolk provides an abundance of opportunities, through the Moot Court Board and otherwise, to participate in mock trial competitions and appellate advocacy competitions, either as an individual or as a member of a team. Students interested in litigation practice should consider taking part in one of these extracurricular activities.
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Civil Rights and Human Rights Law Today there is a wide variety of opportunity to practice civil rights and human rights law, both within the United States and internationally. Civil rights and human rights lawyers may work in private practice, for non-profit institutions, for advocacy organizations, for government agencies, international bodies, or in other specialized environments. They may become involved in problems of discrimination on the basis of race, gender, religion, sexual preference, age, or disability, police misconduct, freedom of expression, issues of genocide or "ethnic cleansing," children's rights, slavery, international trafficking that exploits vulnerable populations, war crimes, and a myriad of other issues addressed by the Bill of Rights to the United States Constitution and the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Civil rights and human rights litigation is often highly stressful and frequently enormously frustrating. It seldom leads to great material rewards. It is, however, extremely rewarding. Significant civil rights and human rights cases demand consideration of a complex matrix of political, policy, humanitarian and legal factors. Not only persistence and passion, but also creativity and imagination are required. This work provides an unparalleled opportunity to be of service and to employ one's talents and skills on behalf of clients whose legal needs are not met in the marketplace. Students who intend to seek employment in the civil rights and human rights arena are strongly advised to seek opportunities while in law school for part-time employment or volunteer work in this area. Employers generally place a high premium on a demonstrated commitment to civil rights and human rights in hiring. Because civil rights and human rights involve such a broad range of problems, there is no standard menu of courses to prepare for a career in this area. Everyone headed toward a career in civil rights and human rights should probably take one or more upper level constitutional law courses, one or more survey courses in human rights and a course in international law. Beyond that, one's interests will determine which specialized courses to take.
Recommended Courses
Human Rights Survey
International Law
Other Relevant Courses
Advanced Civil Procedure
Human Rights Project
Human Rights Protection in Europe
Advanced Topics in Constitutional Law
Children and Disability Law
Immigration Law
Children & the Law
International Environmental Law
Civil Disobedience
Laws of War
Mass Incarceration
Criminal Procedure
Massachusetts Housing Law
Education, Equality and the Law
Mental Health and Disability Law (Galway)
Employment Discrimination Law
Military Law
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AREAS OF FOCUS
Federal Courts
Privacy Law
Federal Indian Law
Race, Gender and Law
First Amendment: Media Law
Clinics
Health Law Clinic
Juvenile Defenders Clinic
Human Rights and Indigenous Peoples Clinic
Suffolk Defenders Program
Innocence Clinic Summer Programs and Externships
Domestic Externships
International Externships
Suffolk offers multiple opportunities to participate in summer programs and externships, both in the United States and abroad, that provide valuable experience in this area. For further information on U.S.- based summer externships, students should contact Mary Sawicki. For information on internationally- focused summer externships, students should contact Amy Van Zyl-Chavarro. In addition, professors who teach civil rights and human rights courses, or who teach international law, can be another great resource for advice with respect to such programs. There are also a number of moot court teams that participate in constitutional law and international law problems that provide extracurricular opportunities to gain experience in this area.
Corporate Finance and Business Anyone who expects to work as a lawyer, whether in a law firm or in-house, representing for-profit or non-profit business organizations, should have a grounding in the core business courses: Business Entity Fundamentals; Basic Federal Income Tax; Taxation of Business Entities; and Accounting for Lawyers. This kind of work is divided in to five sub-categories and include several suggested courses that may be helpful for each of them. Large corporations . Law firm and in-house lawyers practicing corporate and finance law deal in almost every kind of business issue, from drafting and reviewing purchase and supply contracts, to structuring, negotiating, and drafting documents in mergers and acquisitions, to advising corporate directors on governance issues, to doing securities offerings, or organizing hedge funds. Helpful courses include: Commercial Paper, Secured Transactions; Corporate Finance; Securities Regulation; Negotiation; Antitrust. Financial Institutions . Lawyers for financial institutions may find themselves engaged in the regulation of the business, or in the documentation, administration, or workout of loans. Helpful courses include: Bankruptcy; Commercial Paper; Secured Transactions; Commercial Lending/Finance Practicum; Banking Law; Investment Management Regulation; Private Placements/Venture Capital.
Emerging and Small Businesses . A business law practice may be geared to smaller or family-owned businesses, or start-up businesses, particularly those requiring venture financing. These businesses are
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more likely to be organized in non-corporate forms. Counseling these businesses is often going to require some passing familiarity (whether to perform the work or to spot issues that need to be referred to specialists) with estate planning, bankruptcy, accounting, and real estate, among others. Small company lawyers are also frequently called upon for business and strategic advice. Helpful courses include Business Planning; Conveyancing; Trusts and Estates; Negotiation; and Private Placement/Venture Capital. Non-Profits . Many businesses and other private sector organizations are organized as non-profit or other eleemosynary corporations. Hospitals, education institutions, cultural organizations, foundations, charitable societies, and non-governmental organizations can be large and complex, and involve legal issues much like those facing profit-based corporations. They are often funded by charitable contributions or other fund-raising activities. Helpful courses include: Corporate Finance; Estate and Gift Tax; Administrative Law; Education Law; Medicare and Medicaid. Insurance Industry . Representing insurance companies, apart from what is known as "insurance defense" litigation, presents particular issues of regulation and organization. The insurance industry is highly complex, and legal work can involve, among other things, traditional corporate governance work, traditional finance industry issues, drafting policy provisions, dealing with agency networks and distributions issues, negotiating and drafting reinsurance treaties, licensing and other regulatory issues, litigation with policy-holders over coverage issues, rate-making in state administrative agencies, and insurance company insolvency (which is regulated by the individual states). Helpful courses include: Insurance Law; Administrative Law; Securities Regulation; Admiralty Law. Extra-curricular activities include the Suffolk Business Law Association; Sports and Entertainment Law Association; Tax Moot Court; Securities Moot Court. The Business Law and Financial Services Concentration also facilitates placement in business law related externships.
Recommended Courses
Basic Federal Income Taxation
Business Entity Fundamentals
Other Relevant Courses
Accounting for Lawyers
Entrepreneurship, VC, and the Law
Administrative Law
Estate and Gift Taxation
Admiralty Law
Federal Taxation of Property
Antitrust
Inside Job: In-House Counsel
Banking Law
Insurance Law
Bankruptcy Introduction
International Investment Law
Bankruptcy Reorganizations
Investment Management Regulation
Business Planning
Negotiation
Commercial Law Sales and Leases
Private Placements and VC Practicum
Commercial Law Survey
Secured Transactions
Commercial Paper
Securities Regulation
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AREAS OF FOCUS
Conveyancing
Taxation of Business Entities
Corporate Finance
Tax of Exempt Organizations
Trust and Estates
Criminal Law From the theories of punishment which inform the creation of laws that define crime, through the procedures and rules which regulate the courts through the prosecution and defense of those statutes, into the theory and politics of punishments, the study of criminal law touches every aspect of legal education. Unlike most other areas of legal study, criminal law is public law, meaning that the state is both the accuser and the victim; the state manages the courts and often supplies the attorneys of the accused. Therefore, the good of the generalized population is the touchstone of criminal law, rather than the vindication of the harm against an individual. To that end, criminal law starts with the creation of statutes defining crimes, procedural rules enacted by legislatures or courts, and administrative laws regulating the punishment and incarceration of wrongdoers. Add on top of all of this the state and federal constitutional provisions that ensure that the awesome power of the state, once turned toward a citizen, is restrained and applied equally and fairly. In some cases, international laws and treaties will also act as a check on the ill use of power against an accused. Increasing the complexity of the modern study of criminal law is the fact that what was once primarily a local or state created and run system has been increasingly federalized so that single acts might be the subject of multiple state and federal prosecutions. Criminal punishments are no longer focused exclusively on street level actions but include punishments to aid in regulation of contracts, financial institutions, production and sale of goods, environmental protections, taxation and a whole host of other legal relationships once regulated by civil law alone. Because of these interwoven legal structures, and because each criminally charged act is intensely fact bound, criminal law is still the area of law where the most litigation -- pre-trial, trial, and appeal --- occurs. Therefore, a rich understanding of lawyering skills is critical to the practice of criminal law. Just as the study of criminal law touches all aspects of law, so too does the practice of criminal law. Historically, many of Suffolk's graduates have found careers as prosecutors and defense attorneys. Equally important is our graduates’ work in legislatures crafting laws and as Judges in state and federal courts hearing criminal cases. Additionally, a solid understanding of criminal laws in specific regulated areas (finance, the environment, product export, intellectual property etc.) is critical to success as a lawyer in those fields.
Recommended Courses
Criminal Law
Evidence
Criminal Procedure
Professional Responsibility
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