With renowned specializations in tax law and international law, the NYU School of Law is one of the most prestigious law schools in the world with a faculty that features distinguished experts in virtually every field of law. Located in lower Manhattan in the idyllic setting of Greenwich Village, the NYU Law School is the oldest law school in New York city and has been educating lawyers for almost 200 years. The Law Schools admits a large class of 450 students each fall but with over 7,000 applicants annually, acceptance is among the most competitive in the country. True to its New York home, NYU is also a notably international academic setting with students attending from all over the world and the home of the Hauser Global Law School Program and the Guarini Institute for Global Legal Studies.
Education
First year students at NYU School of Law take a traditional course load plus a two semester course titled “Lawyering” and a class that covers that process of legal in an in-depth, practical manner. The two semester class in “Lawyering” is intended to give students a foundation in the skills required to be effective in both legal writing and research as well as various parts of advocacy. In their second semester, first year students choose one elective from the following options: Constitutional Law, Corporations, Criminal Procedure: Police Practices, Income Taxation, Intellectual Property, International Law, and Property.
Along with their classes in their second year, students must also complete a substantial writing requirement which can be satisfied with one long writing or two shorter writings. Both options require faculty supervision. In their final year, students specialize in one of the 16 concentration areas offered at NYU School of Law. Prior to graduation, students must also complete a class in professional responsibility, 6 experiential learning credits (three of which are earned in the “Lawyering” class), as well as course in Constitutional Law and Property Law.
Additional Programs
The NYU School of Law offers one of the most focused and prestigious Master of Law (LL.M) degrees in the country. In total, the Law School offers an LL.M in nine distinct practice areas including its renowned Graduate Tax Program, the most prestigious tax program for lawyers in the country. The LL.M program is a mixture of traditional classes, clinical work, and simulations to gain additional practical experience.
In addition to the LL.M program, NYU School of Law offers an intense Doctor of Judicial Science (JSD) degree which is geared towards students who intend to pursue a career in legal academia. The goal of the JSD program is to produce written dissertation to be published in the most prominent legal journals.
The Law School also offers joint degrees with the Taxation graduate program and International Law. The Law School also has partnerships with the University of Melbourne and the University of Singapore that allows for dual degrees to be received from both institutions. These international joint degrees reflect the NYU School of Law commitment to international studies in law and the legal practice.
Career and Career Placement
NYU School of Law has a history of producing some of the most adept lawyers in the country. Their graduates have tremendous success finding long term employment with over 96% finding jobs within 10 months of graduation. NYU School of Law also has a deep tradition of careers in the public sector with almost 15% of their graduates accepting positions specifically in the public interest sector. As expected, the overwhelming majority of NYU School of Law graduates stay in the state of New York to practice.
The Law School’s career services center is one of the most extensive in the country and begins working with students immediately in the first year of law school. The center maintains 16 full time career counselors–the largest staff in the country. Due to its resources, the career center at the NYU School of Law provides its students with a complete suite of services from interviews to counseling sessions through their time at the Law School.
Experiential Learning/Distance Education
NYU School of Law is a pioneer in the field of experiential learning showcased by its dedicated Experiential Learning Lab. The Lab is national leader in providing new methods for practical learning in the study of law including simulations and clinical programs. The Experiential Learning Lab has deep connections to other fields so that the learning is grounded in the interdisciplinary nature of the practice of law.
The School of Law also has a deep commitment to its legal clinics employing over 15 full time staff to advance the missions of its 44 different legal clinics. In the legal clinics, students build on their classroom studies alongside tenured professors who are experts in their field of study.
The Law School requires full time, residential attendance with at least 12 hours (and no more than 15) per semester. However, the Graduate Tax Program as NYU School of Law does allow for some portion of the course work to be completed online.
Student Life
Set in Greenwich Village in heart of lower Manhattan, the NYU School of Law offers one of the most unique academic experience for its students. Along with the rich cultural life of New York City, the Law School offers its students an abundance of opportunities with student run organizations and publications. Students socialize at the many events including the annual Fall Ball or the Dean’s Cup–a basketball tournament against nearby Columbia Law contested by students and faculty.
Students at NYU School of Law also have access to the University’s rich health and wellness facilities as well as host of housing options, all located in the heart of Manhattan.