First Year Guidelines

Guidelines for First-Years (Rising L-2s)

Recommended Fall Courses
- Business Organizations 1
- Constitutional Law 1
- Taxation: Federal Income Tax
- Evidence
- Elective
These are known as THE BIG FOUR. It is recommended that you take them in your second year to avoid conflicts with third year electives. Taxation is not required for students who matriculated on or after June 1, 2004. However, a knowledge of basis tax law is essential for every lawyer, and the faculty strongly urge you to take the basic Federal Tax course. In addition, Federal Income Tax is a prerequisite to all our tax sequences, and it is important that it be taken in the Fall of your second year to be able to take the Tax Sequences. Business Organizations 1, Evidence and Constitutional Law 1 are required for graduation of all students. Be aware that Evidence is offered in the Spring Semester, also. If you do not take it in the Fall, take it in the Spring. However, if you are interested in the Tax Sequence, it is advisable to take Evidence in the fall.

THE BIG FOUR are difficult courses. If your GPA is below a 2.5, it is recommended that you take only the BIG FOUR. If your GPA is above 2.5, consider taking a skills course so as to begin meeting the skills requirement. If your GPA is above 3.0, consider a substantive course, e.g., a course tested on the bar exam you intend to take. Your faculty advisor can help you identify bar courses.

Elective: Consider Criminal Practice: an Introduction (2 hours) or Civil Practice: an Introduction (2 hours), pre-requisites to third year clinic courses. Both of these are also skills courses.

At the end of your first year, you will have completed 31 credits. Eighty-eight hours are needed for current L-1s. Thus you will need 57 credits to graduate. You will need 3 semesters of 14 credits and one semester of 15 credits.
Recommended Courses for Summer Starters:
- Business Organizations 1
- Constitutional Law 1
- Taxation: Federal Income Tax
- Estates, Wills & Trusts
- Criminal Practice: An Introduction ~ OR ~ Civil Practice:
An Introduction Summer Starters will have completed 34 credits at the end of Spring Semester. You will need 54 credits to graduate, viz., 2 semesters of 13 credits and two semesters of 14 credits.
Recommended Spring Second Year Courses:
- Constitutional Law 2 (tested on every Bar)
- Business Organizations 2
- Evidence (if not taken in Fall)
It is advisable that you take these courses your Second Year to avoid potential conflicts in your third year with other bar courses.

When you meet with your advisor, plan your last two years in law school. Take a course, if possible, in every area of law tested on the Bar in your state. The Bar-Bri Digest lists all courses for all states.
In your planning review the recommended sequence for the follow courses:
- Tax Specialization
- Estate Planning Specialization
- Bankruptcy Specialization Our Bankruptcy sequence may be the best and most extensive in the country.
Upper Level Required Courses: Make sure that you take all of the upper-level required courses, in addition to the first year required courses:
- Constitutional Law 1
- Evidence
- Business Organizations 1
- Legal Profession
Seminar Requirement: All students must complete an upper division seminar with a grade of "C" or better before graduation. Seminars are limited to 12 students.
Skills Requirement: All students must complete at least 10 hours of designated "skills" classes before graduation. In the course listings herein skills courses are identified. All clinic courses are skills courses.
Adding and Dropping Classes: You may add classes during the first two weeks of the semester. You may drop classes during the first three weeks of the semester. Please see the semester calendar for other important dates.
Check courses with prerequisites. Plan ahead for third year courses by taking the proper prerequisites. Note especially the prerequisites for Business Planning and Estate Planning. Also check the clinic offerings. Some clinics require Civil Practice: An Introduction, or Criminal Practice: An Introduction.

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