Learning Outcomes: J.D. Program

• Graduates will demonstrate competence in the courses that are required of all students.
• Graduates will demonstrate competence in one or more specialized areas of U.S. or international law.
• Graduates will demonstrate understanding of the theories, historical development, and application of U.S. law.
• Graduates will demonstrate understanding of legal procedures and the basic structure of government.

• Graduates will identify the key facts, issues, reasoning, holdings, assumptions, and policies that underlie judicial decisions and independently critique them.
• Graduates will understand and apply principles of statutory interpretation.
• Graduates will determine the applicable legal rules from multiple sources of law and seek to reconcile any competing principles.
• When analyzing legal problems, graduates will identify relevant issues, apply governing law, anticipate contrary arguments, evaluate potential outcomes, and formulate coherent strategies.

• Graduates will be professional in their interactions.
• Graduates will advocate persuasively.
• Graduates will write accurately, follow accepted rules of grammar and citation, and use appropriate tone and organization.

• Graduates will find governing law and relevant secondary sources.
• Graduates will identify relevant facts, ascertain methods for discovering those facts, and evaluate the facts obtained.

• Graduates will propose solutions to problems that take into account applicable law, client interests, changed circumstances, alternative options, and practical constraints.
• Graduates will manage their time to meet deadlines.

• Graduates will identify and resolve ethical issues consistent with the profession’s ethical standards.
• Graduates will demonstrate commitment to the profession by helping to meet the legal needs of their communities and by promoting the fair administration of justice.
• Graduates will recognize differing perspectives in resolving legal issues.