Georgetown Law’s first-year program is meticulously structured to lay a robust groundwork for advanced legal studies. It serves as an immersive introduction to the core domains of substantive law, while simultaneously honing the critical analytical, research, and writing proficiencies essential for every practicing lawyer. This foundational year is your first step in utilizing the Georgetown Law Curriculum Guide to shape your legal education.
First-Year Curriculum: Building Your Legal Foundation
The initial year at Georgetown Law involves a 30-credit curriculum of mandatory courses designed to provide a comprehensive overview of fundamental legal principles. For those looking to further enhance their practical skills right from the start, there’s an optional one-credit simulation course available during “Week One” in early January. To complement classroom learning, “1L 101” sessions, led by faculty and administrators, offer invaluable insights into effective case reading and briefing, material synthesis, and exam preparation strategies. The Georgetown Law Curriculum Guide provides detailed schedules and course descriptions to help you navigate these initial academic offerings.
Curriculum Options: “A” and “B”
Georgetown Law’s full-time program presents two distinct first-year curricula: Curriculum “A” and Curriculum “B.” Both curricula maintain the same credit load and adhere to the same faculty-recommended grading standards, ensuring academic rigor across the board. Curriculum “A,” offered to four full-time sections, represents the traditional law school experience, mirroring the structures of leading law schools nationwide. In contrast, Curriculum “B,” available to one full-time section, delivers an innovative, integrated approach to legal education. Consult the Georgetown Law Curriculum Guide to explore which curriculum best aligns with your learning style and academic interests.
Curriculum “A”: The Traditional Legal Education Path
Students enrolled in Curriculum “A” will undertake courses covering foundational legal areas. These include Civil Procedure, Constitutional Law I: The Federal System, Contracts, Criminal Justice, Legal Practice: Writing and Analysis, Property, and Torts. Additionally, the spring semester features a First-Year Elective, a 3-credit course chosen from legislative/regulatory law and international/comparative/transnational law categories. For in-depth course descriptions and the most current schedules, refer to the first-year schedules within the Georgetown Law Curriculum Guide. This guide is your essential resource for planning your academic path in Curriculum “A.”
Curriculum “B”: An Innovative and Integrated Approach
Students in Curriculum “B” experience a curriculum designed for integrated learning. The courses include Bargain, Exchange, and Liability; Democracy and Coercion; Government Processes; Foundations of American Legal Thought Seminar; Legal Practice: Writing and Analysis; Legal Process and Society; and Property in Time. The Georgetown Law Curriculum Guide is indispensable for Curriculum “B” students, offering detailed course descriptions and up-to-date schedules. This section of the guide is specifically tailored to help Curriculum “B” students understand their unique academic journey.
Week One Simulations: Experiential Learning from Day One
All first-year students have the option to participate in “First-Year Week One Simulations,” an intensive one-week, 1-credit course held in January. These simulations are crafted by Georgetown Law faculty to replicate real-world legal scenarios, providing a practical arena to develop crucial legal skills. Students engage in conflict resolution, trial techniques, client interviewing and counseling, legal drafting, strategic planning, problem-solving, teamwork, stress management, presentation skills, and professionalism, all while enhancing their emotional intelligence. The emphasis on immediate feedback and reflection within these courses provides a supportive environment to refine these skills before entering professional practice. Week One Simulations not only introduce experiential learning but also offer a tangible glimpse into the competencies required for effective lawyering, aligning with Georgetown Law’s experiential education programming as detailed in the Curriculum Guide.
First-Year Small Section Program: Community and Personalized Attention
Each of the five full-time sections at Georgetown Law comprises approximately 100 students who attend classes together, fostering a cohort experience. In the fall semester, further personalization is achieved through smaller groups of about 30 students for one required course, and Legal Practice: Writing and Analysis is also taught in these smaller settings. These reduced class sizes encourage active participation and allow faculty to employ teaching methodologies optimized for smaller groups. These small sections are instrumental in building a close-knit peer community during the pivotal first year. Study groups and lasting friendships often emerge from these sections, and faculty members frequently become informal mentors. Professors often host gatherings outside of class, like brunches or dinners, to enhance interaction and mentorship, enriching the first-year experience as outlined in the Georgetown Law Curriculum Guide.
Upperclass Curriculum: Specializing Your Legal Expertise
Beyond the first year, full-time students progress by enrolling in 10 to 16 credits each semester, accumulating the 85 credits needed for graduation. After fulfilling the required upperclass courses, students have extensive elective credits available to tailor their legal portfolio. Georgetown Law’s upperclass course catalog is remarkably broad and deep, offering numerous specializations and areas of focus. The Georgetown Law Curriculum Guide becomes an even more vital tool in these upper years, alongside the Registrar’s Course Registration Information page, academic advisors, and career counselors, in planning your specialized curriculum.
Throughout your upperclass journey, you must meet specific degree requirements to ensure a well-rounded legal education. The Georgetown Law Curriculum Guide helps you track these requirements and plan your course selections accordingly.
Key Upperclass Requirements:
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Upperclass Legal Writing Requirement: This requirement is designed to refine the research and writing skills initiated in the first year, crucial for independent scholarly work post-graduation. Students select topics, develop outlines, draft, and finalize a substantial paper (6000+ words excluding footnotes) under faculty guidance in designated seminars or supervised research projects. The Georgetown Law Curriculum Guide lists seminars fulfilling this requirement (“WR” notation in course schedules).
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Professional Responsibility Requirement: Successful completion of an upperclass Professional Responsibility course is mandatory for every student. The Georgetown Law Curriculum Guide indicates courses meeting this requirement, typically found within the Legal Profession/Professional Responsibility cluster. It’s important to note that J.D. students must fulfill this requirement through J.D. program courses, not those in the Graduate Program.
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Experiential Requirement: Students matriculating in Fall 2016 or later must accrue a minimum of 6 credits in experiential courses. The Georgetown Law Curriculum Guide and the Experiential Learning section of the website provide details on eligible courses and opportunities.
Navigating Your Curriculum: Resources and Further Information
For comprehensive details on all academic requirements for the J.D. degree, the Student Handbook of Academic Policies is an essential resource. However, for course-specific information, schedules, and to explore the vast academic offerings at Georgetown Law, the Georgetown Law Curriculum Guide remains your central, most user-friendly tool. Use it to plan your semesters, understand course content, and ensure you are on the path to a successful and fulfilling legal education at Georgetown Law.
