Introduction
I. Introduction
Choosing one’s curriculum can seem a daunting task. In order to help our students make wise choices during their three years here, the University of New Hampshire School of Law faculty and staff, with assistance from alumni and accomplished practitioners, have produced this guide.
The University of New Hampshire School of Law is committed to providing you with a solid legal foundation. We want you to become an exceptional and well-rounded lawyer and to be admitted to the bar of your choice. To that end, this booklet describes the required curriculum and graduation requirements and identifies courses that, although not required, are heavily tested on most state bar exams.
The UNH School of Law curriculum also affords you significant freedom to choose courses that will help you meet your career goals. This guide organizes the elective offerings according to major areas of modern legal practice. Each section provides background on the realities of getting a job in the area and on the skills needed to succeed in the field. It is not possible or desirable to take all the courses we offer in most areas. The faculty has prioritized the courses as essential, recommended and related.
The faculty believes it unwise to try to become a true “generalist.” The reality is that most small “general” practitioners focus on a few areas of practice. Rather, we suggest studying the broad skills needed for all lawyers and focusing on a few promising substantive areas. Examples of such areas involve:
- Real Estate
- Litigation
- Criminal Justice
- Consumer, Collection and Bankruptcy
- Patents or other Intellectual Property
- General Practice Emphasizing Local Businesses
- Family and Children
- Elders and Persons with Disabilities
- Corporate and Securities
Disclaimer
This book is not a contract or a guarantee. While our curriculum is generally stable over time, whether a particular course is offered, and if so, in what semesters and time slots, is subject to many variables. This material is current as of April 1, 2008.
II. General Requirements and Perspectives for All Students
A. First Year Required Courses
| Fall | Spring |
| Torts (3 credits) | Property (4) |
| Contracts (3) | Con Law (4) |
| Civ Pro (4) | Sales (2) |
| Skills (4) | Skills (3) |
| One Perspectives Course (3) (Choose from Fundamentals of Law Practice, Fundamentals of IP, Legal Philosophy or Public International Law) | |
14 credits |
16 credits |
B. Upper Level Requirements
- Criminal Procedure (3) (offered both Fall and Spring) (hereinafter F and S)
- Administrative Procedure (3) or Administrative Law and Advocacy Clinic (4): F, S
- Professional Responsibility (3): F, S
- Upper Level Writing Requirement (2 or 3). We offer a range of such courses, some offered each semester. A list of current coursesis attached at the end of this guide.
- Upper Level Skills Requirement (2 or 3). We offer a range of such courses, some offered each semester. A list of current coursesis attached at the end of this guide.
C. “Bar” Courses
The Law Center offers courses in all areas covered by typical bar exams. Prior to entering your second year, you should visit the bar websites for several of the states in which they would like to practice to see what topics are covered on each state bar exam.
The faculty does not recommend that you take courses just because they are tested on a state bar exam. Most graduates pass state bars without taking courses covering each tested subject. However, students with a weaker law school record should leave as little as possible to be learned for the first time during the time-pressured bar review courses, which are taken by virtually everyone after graduation.Regardless of academic performance, the following courses are generally deemed difficult or the material comprehensive enough to counsel against trying to learn them for the first time after graduation:
- Evidence (3): F, S
- Business Associations (3): F, S
- Personal Income Taxation (3): F
- Wills, Trusts and Estates (3): F, S
The following are tested in a substantial number of states, but many faculty members feel they can be learned during the bar review. Thus, students need not take them unless the student has a substantive interest in the area. Students with questions should discuss this with their faculty advisors.
- Introduction to Commercial Law (3) (S) or Debtor-Creditor Relations (3): F
- Family Law (3): S
- Remedies (3): S
- Criminal Law (3): F, S
- Conflicts (3) (F)
D. Employment Considerations
Before considering specific course selections, you should understand that employment opportunities are influenced by more than transcripts and bar passage. The size and the location of the firm are big factors, as well as the area of practice.
You should also know that every hiring attorney is interested in candidates’ writing and other communication abilities. This should make curricular options such as the Annual Survey of NH Law, Advanced Appellate Advocacy, IDEA and University of New Hampshire Law Review attractive. It is important to note that the last two make one-time offers for limited positions only to first-year students in mid-Spring. In the same vein, Moot Court and writing competitions deserve a close look. The Financial Aid office maintains a comprehensive list of competitions, accessible on their web pages.
Finally, practical experience is helpful to reduce the gap between school and practice. All students, especially those with little or no work experience prior to entering law school, can and should consider signing on for clinics or one of our wide arrays of possible externships. Students can only participate in an externship after successfully completing the Professional Responsibility class. Also, certain externships require specific qualifications (e.g. federal judicial externships are only recommended for those students in the top 10% of their class). For all externships you must get the approval of the externship director (presently Professor Musinsky).
For more information about course selection and its impact on employment opportunities, students should seek the advice of a counselor in Career Services.
