The College of Law welcomes candidates who have completed, or who expect to complete, an undergraduate degree in law (i.e. Bachelor of Laws or LL.B. degree) from a foreign legal education institution to apply to this accelerated J.D. program that can be completed in as little as two years.
Ideal candidates for this program will possess excellent undergraduate academic marks, professional experience, and highly proficient English-language reading, writing and speaking skills. Students who have completed a Master of Laws (LL.M.) Program in the United States are encouraged to apply. It is also preferred that eligible candidates with an LL.M. degree sit for a state bar examination before enrolling in the Accelerated J.D. Program for Foreign Law Graduates.
We will review original transcripts from foreign legal education to identify up to 29 course credits (one-third of the total 87 credits necessary to obtain the J.D. degree) that will be transferred in to the College and satisfy up to one full year of coursework in our J.D. program.
Applicants are presumed to be considered for admission into our On-Campus J.D. Program (Residential). In exceptional circumstances, students may elect to pursue the accelerated J.D. program in our Hybrid/Online J.D. program (JDinteractive).
Curriculum
Academic requirements are submit to change. Students should refer to the current Academic Handbook for an updated list of degree requirements.
Year One:
Students in the Accelerated J.D. Program for Foreign Law Graduates must attend J.D. Orientation, held each year during the week before classes start, and complete the Lower Division Curriculum of required courses:
- Civil Procedure
- Constitutional Law I
- Contracts
- Criminal Law
- Property
- Torts
- Legal Communication and Research I & II
- Professional Responsibility
Year Two:
In the second year, students must complete the Upper Division Requirements:
- Administrative Law or Statutory/Legislative Course
- Constitutional Law II
- Legal Communication & Research III (or equivalent writing course)
- Six credits of experiential learning courses
- Students must also complete elective courses needed to reach the minimum 87 credits necessary to obtain the J.D. degree
Due to the accelerated nature of the program, we encourage students to spend their time engaging in subjects tested on the bar examination (i.e. Evidence, Business Associations, Family Law, etc.). Each student will receive personalized academic advising. Students may be limited from pursuing co-curricular and extra-curricular opportunities, such as joint-degree programs, Syracuse Law Review, some trial teams, etc.
Skills Competency Requirement of the New York Bar Examination: Section 520.18 to the Rules for the Admission of Attorneys and Counselors at Law (22 NYCRR 520.18) states that applicants seeking admission in New York must establish that they have acquired skills and professional values necessary to competently practice law. Answers to “Frequently Asked Questions” about this requirement can be found here.
Students enrolled in the Accelerated J.D. program may be able to satisfy the requirements of Pathway 2 (completion of 15 credits of practice-based experiential coursework). It is more likely that Accelerated J.D. students can satisfy this requirement through Pathway 4 (one continuous 6-month apprenticeship) or Pathway 5 (one year of full-time practice, or two years of part-time practice in another jurisdiction) described in section 520.18.
Read more about the Skills Competency Requirement.