🎓 J.D. Program Overview
The J.D. program at Stanford Law School is a three-year, full-time course designed to provide students with a rigorous legal education. It emphasizes academic excellence, practical skills development, and public service.
📚 Curriculum Structure
First-Year (1L) Courses
First-year students focus on foundational courses that establish a broad understanding of the U.S. legal system:
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Autumn Quarter: Civil Procedure, Contracts, Torts, Legal Research & Writing
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Winter Quarter: Criminal Law, Constitutional Law, Federal Litigation, one elective
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Spring Quarter: Federal Litigation, Property, electives
The 1L curriculum ensures all students gain a strong grounding in core legal principles.
Upper-Level (2L & 3L) Courses
In the second and third years, students have flexibility to tailor their studies through courses, seminars, and clinics:
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Total Units: Completion of first-year courses plus 78 quarter units of electives, totaling 111 units
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Electives: 3–8 units of electives
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Legal Research & Writing Electives: 0–5 units
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Discussion Seminars: Participation in first-year discussion seminars
Students can specialize in areas such as corporate law, international law, and public interest law.
📝 Admissions Requirements
Applicants must:
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Hold or expect to hold a bachelor’s degree or international equivalent before starting the program
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Submit LSAT or GRE scores, typically by February 1 for the February 15 application deadline
Admissions are highly competitive. The median LSAT for admitted students is 173, with a median undergraduate GPA of 3.92.
📌 Additional Information
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Joint Degrees: 28 joint-degree programs allow students to combine law with disciplines like business, engineering, or public policy
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Student-Faculty Ratio: Approximately 4.3:1, providing strong access to faculty
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Federal Clerkships: A high percentage of graduates secure prestigious federal clerkships
