The J.D. program at the University of Mississippi School of Law prepares you to actually practice law, not just to think like a lawyer. Because we believe that lawyers come in as many forms as there are law students, we provide you with a legal education to fit your future career and maximize your options.
We also integrate professional skills throughout our curriculum. Our J.D. Program begins with a strong foundation in heavily-tested bar exam subjects, such as Torts, Contracts, Property, Civil Procedure, Criminal Law and Constitutional Law. Students benefit from a full year of legal research and writing, culminating with appellate brief writing and oral argument.
Our innovative Skill Session for first-year students devotes the two weeks prior to spring semester to an intensive skills course. Students enroll in Contract Negotiation and Drafting, with each student participating in simulations of contract discussions and the work of converting those talks into robust documents. Our second-year and third-year students choose among 20 Skill Session courses ranging from Trial Practice and Small Business Drafting to Legal Spanish and Legal Entrepreneurship. The availability of a full spectrum of offerings allows our upper level students to focus on litigation, transactional work, public service lawyering, estate planning, real estate, sports law, entertainment law and intellectual property.
The University of Mississippi School of Law also offers 8 clinical programs, a Pro Bono Initiative and a Clinical Externship Program. Clinical students receive temporary admission to the bar and represent real clients. These programs provide students the opportunity to actually practice law with the close support and guidance of clinical professors and supervising attorneys.