The University of Dayton School of Law is dedicated to preparing graduates for the practice of law anywhere in the nation. Our diverse and practical curriculum combines both traditional and innovative courses and teaching methods, with a variety of opportunities for students to develop their professional legal skills throughout the curriculum.

Our curriculum begins with a solid grounding in the traditional courses that educate students in the basic principles of public and private law, and therefore serve as the foundation for advanced studies. These courses include Civil Practice and Procedure, Contracts I, Criminal Law, Criminal Procedure, Introduction to Legal Skills, Legal Profession I and II, Legislation, Real Property I, Torts I and II, and Values and Perspectives.

After the first year, students will take eleven more core required courses that will continue to develop their understanding of fundamental legal concepts and their practical skills. These courses include Business Organizations, Commercial Transactions, Constitutional Law, Contracts II, Evidence for the Litigator or Fundamentals of Evidence, Professional Responsibility, Professional Skills Evaluation, Real Property II, and Wills and Trusts. Students will also complete a capstone course or clinical experience, and an externship, which are all designed to provide students with experience-based learning.

To further diversify their education, students will also select one of the three tracks we offer: Advocacy and Dispute Resolution; Personal and Transactional Law; or Intellectual Property, Cyberlaw and Creativity. Completing the track requirements will give students an in-depth knowledge of a particular area of the law.

Finally, students will choose from the variety of electives we offer to complete the semester hours necessary for graduation. They will be able to select electives that are of particular interest to them either to increase their breadth or their depth of knowledge of a particular area of the law.