J.D. Curriculum

With access to more than 250 courses and seminars each year, Virginia Law students explore learning the law through a variety of opportunities. After first-year course requirements are met, students can choose from a range of options — among them, intensive short courses taught by real-world practitioners, seminars and advanced theory courses focused on developing skills in writing legal scholarship, and practical hands-on courses like clinics, trial advocacy and public speaking. Students have access to study-abroad and dual-degree programs, externships that allow students to work while earning academic credit, and independent and directed research projects supervised by faculty with whom they choose to work.

Your First Year

In the fall, first-year students are automatically enrolled into the courses listed below. Two required courses in the first and second semesters are "small-section" classes consisting of about 35 students, which helps bond classmates from the start. Two classes each semester are intentionally section-exclusive in order to keep them small. In the spring, students choose two electives in addition to the required courses. Course Descriptions for First-Year Classes

FALL

Civil Procedure (4 credits)
Contracts (4)
Criminal Law (3)
Torts (4)
Legal Research and Writing I (1)

SPRING

Constitutional Law (4 credits)
Property (4)
Legal Research and Writing II (YR) (2)
5-7 hours of electives


 

1L Sample Weekly Schedule

Fall (16 total credits)

MONDAY

8:30-9:50 Torts
10-11 Contracts
2:10-3:30 Civil Procedure
3:40-4:40 Criminal Law

TUESDAY

8:30-9:50 Torts
10-11 Contracts
2:10-3:30 Civil Procedure

WEDNESDAY

8:50-9:50 Legal Research and Writing I
10-11 Contracts
3:40-4:40 Criminal Law

THURSDAY

8:30-9:50 Torts
10-11 Contracts
2:10-3:30 Civil Procedure
3:40-4:40 Criminal Law

FRIDAY

10-11 Contracts

Spring (16 total credits)

MONDAY

10-11:20 Property
2:10-3:30 Constitutional Law
3:40-5 Evidence (3 credits)

TUESDAY

10-11:20 Property
11:30-12:50 Environmental Law (3)
2:10-3:30 Constitutional Law

WEDNESDAY

10-11 Legal Research and Writing II (YR)
3:40-5 Evidence

THURSDAY

10-11:20 Property
11:30-12:50 Environmental Law
2:10-3:30 Constitutional Law

 

2L Sample Weekly Schedule

Fall (14 total credits)

MONDAY

10-11:20 Federal Courts (4 credits)
2:10-3:30 Patent Law (3)
3:40-5 Evidence (4)

TUESDAY

10-11:20 Regulation of the Political Process (3)

WEDNESDAY

10-11:20 Federal Courts
2:10-3:30 Patent Law
3:40-5 Evidence

THURSDAY

10-11:20 Regulation of the Political Process
3:40-5 Evidence

FRIDAY

10-11:20 Federal Courts

January Term (1 credit)

MONDAY-FRIDAY (ONE WEEK)

9:30-12 Virginia and the Constitution (1)

Spring (14 total credits)

Independent Research (2)

MONDAY

10-11:20 Corporations (Law & Business) (4)

TUESDAY

11:30-12:50 Administrative Law (3)
1-2 Professional Responsibility (2)

WEDNESDAY

10-11:20 Corporations (Law & Business)

THURSDAY

11:30-12:50 Administrative Law
1-2 Professional Responsibility
7-9 p.m. Trial Advocacy (3)

 

3L Sample Weekly Schedule

Fall (12 total credits)

Directed Research (1 credit)
Independent Research (1)
Seminar in Ethical Values (periodic meetings at instructor discretion, yearlong course)

MONDAY

8:30-9:50 Trusts and Estates (3)
1-2 Remedies (3)

TUESDAY

1-2 Remedies

WEDNESDAY

8:30-9:50 Trusts and Estates
1-2 Remedies
4-6 Supreme Court Litigation Clinic (yearlong; 4 credits each semester)

Spring (17 total credits)

Directed Research (1 credit)
Independent Research (2)
Seminar in Ethical Values (earns 1 credit in spring)

TUESDAY

8:50-9:50 Antitrust (3)
11:30-12:50 Land Use Law (3)

WEDNESDAY

8:50-9:50 Antitrust
4-6 Supreme Court Litigation Clinic (4)

THURSDAY

8:50-9:50 Antitrust
11:30-12:50 Land Use Law
4-6 Property Theory (3)