J.D. Program

At its essence, the lawyering profession is one that seeks the truth in every situation, works to restore equality, and strives to make people and organizations whole again. Explore our J.D. Program — from our 1L curriculum that will introduce you to both lawyering skills and extralegal competencies to our upper-level curriculum that begins to shape your career with a concentrated focus on your chosen areas of legal practice.

The Dickinson Law Difference

Learning the law isn’t only about leading a lucrative career, it’s about justice. It’s about giving a voice to others. Your Dickinson Law experience will help you see issues from the client’s perspective and tackle challenges with empathy and intelligence. Because as a 21st-century lawyer, it’s your responsibility to bring the world together along the fault lines of change. If that’s a responsibility you hold close to your heart, Dickinson Law is where you belong.

A J.D. structured around experience.

FIRST YEAR
The Dickinson Law curriculum is curated to maximize experiential learning and stay true to our mission of preparing lawyers who are skilled communicators and ready for any challenge. Our emphasis on problem-solving and working with clients positions you to practice greatness from day one. Your first-year required courses include:

• Civil Procedure (4)
• Constitutional Law I (3)
• Contracts (4)
• Criminal Law (3)
• Law Practice: Contexts & Competencies (2)
• Law Practice: Critical Skills (2)
• Legal Analysis and Writing I: Objective (2)
• Legal Analysis and Writing II: Persuasive (2)
• Legal Research I (1)
• Legal Research II (1)
• Property (4)
• Race and the Equal Protection of the Laws (1)
• Torts (4)

SECOND AND THIRD YEARS
Start defining your path. Your second and third years at Dickinson Law are distinguished by “The Lawyer As...” electives you choose and the experiential learning opportunities you pursue. Required upper-level courses are:

• Experiential Learning (12 credits)
• Professional Responsibility (3 credits)
• Seminar (2-3 credits)
• Civil rights, equal protection, or social justice (2-3 credits)

EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING
You’ll practice law in a real-world setting in one of the following capacities:

• in one of Dickinson Law’s in-house clinics;
• as an extern with a government agency, federal or state prosecutor or public defender’s office, or nonprofit entity; or
• by full immersion in a legal setting in Washington, D.C., The Hague, Netherlands, Harrisburg, or in other settings, which may be approved in appropriate circumstances.

Students must earn at least 6 of the required 12 credits through the above means. The remaining experiential learning skills and simulation courses.

Where you belong.

Our close-knit community means you’ll collaborate at every turn, lifting one another up to be better practitioners of the law. Your classmates come from all over the country, and the median age is 24. Forty-four percent of the incoming class of 2020 identifies as a person of color, and almost a fifth are members of the LGBTQ+ community. And they represent many impressive undergraduate programs, including Brown University, Dickinson College, Georgetown University, Penn State, the University of Texas at Austin, the University of Maryland-College Park, the University of Toronto, the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and more.

You’ll bond with them outside the classroom through any number of our extracurricular groups and activities, like yoga, intramural sports, and affinity groups.

COME TOGETHER IN CARLISLE.
Dickinson Law is located in the best-of-both-worlds town of Carlisle. Serene and picturesque so you can focus on the demands of your legal education, or take a break at our year-round Farmers Market or on a nearby 46-mile stretch of the Appalachian Trail. When you need to put your skills to the test, we’re close to major business and legal hubs in Harrisburg, Hershey, Washington, D.C., Baltimore, New York City, and Philadelphia.

Now you can familiarize yourself with our community and all it has to offer before you visit us in-person! Experience Dickinson Law today by taking our virtual tour.

Take our Virtual Tour