JD Program

St. John’s University School of Law is a New York City institution, and our Law School community reflects the richness and diversity of our dynamic metropolitan home.

Since 1925 our graduates have gone on to use their law degrees to achieve in every corner of the legal profession and the business world. Our alumni include state governors and other influential politicians; distinguished judges, including New York’s current Chief Judge, Janet DiFiore; leaders of preeminent international law firms and corporations; and pioneering global entrepreneurs.

Our graduates are smart, hard-working and practice-ready. To prepare you to thrive in the profession, we teach you the fundamentals of legal analysis, legal doctrine, and legal writing and then give you a range of opportunities to build on that foundation as you solve real world legal problems hands on.

We're focused on your success.

Gain the Skills and Knowledge You Need to Be Practice-Ready Starting Day One

The innovative offerings at St. John’s Law include

hundreds of externships and internships in and around New York City,
dozens of advanced classes teaching the art and science of case preparation, corporate transaction, and dispute resolution,
11 academic centers spotlighting faculty scholarship with real-world impact,
10 in-house and partner clinics that put students to work in the field,
8 student-run journals that explore today’s pressing legal issues, and
3 outstanding cocurricular programs that sharpen and showcase advocacy skills

…all at one outstanding school.

Externship Program

Access New York City’s unrivaled legal and business community through our externship program that offers a range of placements, such as

Day Pitney LLP
District Attorney’s Offices
Environmental Protection Agency
Estee Lauder Companies
Farrell Fritz, P.C.
Federal Trade Commission
Jazz at Lincoln Center
National Labor Relations Board
New York City Law Department
New York State Attorney General’s Office
Shearman & Sterling LLP
US Attorney’s Offices
US Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
US Securities and Exchange Commission

Learn more about this opportunity

Centers

Get direct access to leading scholars and practitioners by participating in our academic centers:

Center for Bankruptcy Studies
Center for International and Comparative Law
Center for Labor and Employment Law
Center for Law and Religion
Center for Trial and Appellate Advocacy
Hugh L. Carey Center for Dispute Resolution
Intellectual Property Center
Mattone Family Institute for Real Estate Law
Public Interest Center
Ronald H. Brown Center for Civil Rights
Writing Center

Learn more about this opportunity

Clinics

Build practical, hands-on skills doing real legal work for New Yorkers in need through our in-house and partner clinics:

Bankruptcy Advocacy Clinic
Child Advocacy Clinic
Consumer Justice for the Elderly: Litigation Clinic
Criminal Defense Clinic
Domestic Violence Litigation Clinic
Economic Justice Clinic
Prosecution Clinic
Refugee and Immigrant Rights Litigation Clinic
Securities Arbitration Clinic
Tenants' Rights Advocacy Clinic

Learn more about this opportunity

Journals

Research, write, and become a published author as a member of one of our student-run journals:

St. John’s Law Review
American Bankruptcy Institute Law Review
Journal of Catholic Legal Studies
Journal of Civil Rights and Economic Development
New York International Law Review
Commercial Division Online Law Report
N.Y. Real Property Law Journal
Admiralty Practicum

Learn more about this opportunity

Cocurricular Programs

Participate in local, national, and international competitions that grow your dispute resolution and advocacy skills in our cocurricular programs:

Frank S. Polestino Trial Advocacy Institute
Moot Court Honor Society
Dispute Resolution Society

Learn more about this opportunity

Global Programs

Explore the law in its global context through the range of global programs we offer:

Dean’s Travel Study Program
International Practica
Rome Summer Program
University of Glasgow Exchange Program

Learn more about this opportunity

JD and Graduate Programs

Gain a competitive edge in the dynamic legal marketplace in our joint-degree programs:

Accounting (JD/MBA and JD/MS)
Bankruptcy (JD/LLM)
Business Administration (JD/MBA)
Government and Politics (JD/MA)
Professional Studies (JD/BS)

Continue your legal education and build marketable skills in our graduate programs for US and foreign-trained attorneys:

Bankruptcy
Transnational Legal Practice
US Legal Studies

Learn more about this opportunity

Student Life

Diverse and Inclusive Community

Welcoming. Inclusive. Caring. Students, faculty, alumni, and staff use these words again and again to describe St. John's Law and the wider Law School community. We're also a community that embraces and values diversity in its many forms. We work to recruit and retain a diverse student body, faculty, and staff. And we actively cultivate a campus atmosphere where respect is paramount. People argue their positions not only with passion and conviction, but with curiosity and compassion that builds bridges and bonds.

Our students celebrate and share their diverse heritages, identities, and interests as members of student-run shared identity groups. See our website for a full list and more information.

Learn more about this opportunity

Student Organizations

Our welcoming culture defines St. John's Law and sets us apart. You will find camaraderie and kinship as a member of one or more of the student organizations coordinated by the Law School's Student Bar Association. Through dozens of student organizations, you can develop your professional network with peers, find support and friendship, and learn from alumni and experts. Student life is thriving! Visit our website for a full list of organizations.

Learn more about this opportunity

Housing

The University maintains a group of townhouses exclusively for law students and incoming students do get priority.

Learn more about this opportunity

Career Placement and Bar Passage

New York City Advantage

We’re on a beautiful, 100-acre campus in Queens—New York City’s largest, most diverse, and most affordable borough with great art, sports, and food. With the epicenter of global business right outside your front door, you’ll have access to hundreds of learning opportunities that build your skills and your résumé.

Strong Outcomes

St. John’s Law once again ranks among the very best in New York and nationwide for bar passage and employment.

94% employment—representing every sector (BigLaw, government, public interest, clerkships, etc.)
94% first-time bar passage (July 2021) —(well above the average for New York schools of 86%).

Alumni Who Give, Mentor, and Hire

Our powerful network of 16,000+ alumni stands behind you—and why wouldn’t it? St. John’s Law students aren’t just smart and driven to achieve. They build practical skills from day one that make them practice-ready at graduation.
Offering major connections—alumni include governors and judges, partners at top law firms, CEOs of global corporations, public servants, and social entrepreneurs.
Around the world—our alumni practice everywhere from Manhattan to Nairobi, from Brooklyn to Kabul, and from Long Island to Beijing. They’re globally successful and are here to help you achieve.

Learn more about career placement at St. John’s University School of Law

Admission Decisions: Beyond the Numbers

The School seeks to identify and select a diverse group of talented students who will succeed not only at St. John's, but continue our tradition of excellence in the legal and business worlds. Numerous scholarships are available for admitted students. There is no separate application for scholarship consideration and scholarships range from partial to full tuition.

Applicants should recognize that Law School Admission Test (LSAT) or Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores and undergraduate GPAs are important factors in the admission process. Accordingly, in reviewing applications, we focus primarily on the demonstrated qualities and proven skills we deem essential for academic success and intellectual stimulation at St. John's.

However, numbers alone might not entirely reflect an applicant's ability to succeed in the study of the law, enhance the law school's educational environment, and deliver legal services in a professionally responsible manner after graduation. Therefore, the Admissions Committee will also consider, among other factors, the nature and difficulty of the applicant's course of undergraduate studies; the applicant's entire undergraduate record, including ascending or descending trends in achievement; graduate work or degrees; significant extracurricular activities while an undergraduate or graduate student; community activities; work experience; and personal obstacles that may have interfered with the realization of the applicant's full potential and personal achievements.

Learn more about admission at St. John’s University School of Law