Northwestern University

Northwestern Pritzker School of Law, informally referred to as Northwestern Pritzker, is located in Chicago, Illinois and has one of the smaller student populations with just under 800. Class sizes also remain fairly small. By offering joint degrees and many clinic opportunities, Northwestern has become a first-rate destination for law students.

Northwestern Pritzker students have the option of enrolling in the Accelerated JD (AJD) program in which students can complete their degree in five semesters instead of six. Some students decide to enroll in joint-degree programs. These include a JD/PhD, a MSJ/MSL with the Medill School of Journalism, or a JD/MBA with the Kellogg School of Management.

First years are required to take a year-long Communication and Legal Reasoning class. Other mandatory courses include torts, contracts, civil procedure, criminal law, property and constitutional law. First years must also participate in moot court competitions, in which they have to present briefs and argue cases in front of a court filled with alumni and faculty. Northwestern Law has also enjoyed recent success at the Jessup International Moot Court Competition, which is the biggest competition of its kind in the world.

Another key element of the curriculum is the clinics; each year more than 120 students enroll in clinical courses. Through the Bluhm Legal Clinic, students help clients with real-life cases. The clinics include the Center on Wrongful Convictions, the Supreme Court Clinic, the Federal Appellate Clinic, the Children and Family Justice Center, the MacArthur Justice Center, the Entrepreneurship Law Center, the Center for International Human Rights, the Investor Protection Center and the Fred Bartlit Center for Trial Advocacy.

Outside of the classroom, students have the opportunity to write and edit the six legal journals on campus. These publications include the “Northwestern University Law Review,” “Northwestern Journal of Technology and Intellectual Property,” and “Journal of Law and Social Policy.” Many students also choose to take on externships; the programs include seminars that go along with 12 to 15 hours a week spent in a Chicago institution like the ACLU or Legal Assistance Foundation. There are also opportunities to study abroad in places like Australia, Belgium, Argentina and Singapore. With more than 50 student organizations on campus, Northwestern Pritzker Law is known for creating well-rounded lawyers who can excel inside and outside the classroom.