St. John’s University - School of Law

St. John’s is a Catholic university, founded in 1870 in response to an invitation of the first Bishop of Brooklyn, John Loughlin, to provide the youth of the city with an intellectual and moral education. We embrace the Judeo-Christian ideals of respect for the rights and dignity of every person and each individual’s responsibility for the world in which we live. We commit ourselves to create a climate patterned on the life and teaching of Jesus Christ as embodied in the traditions and practices of the Roman Catholic Church. Our community, which comprises members of many faiths, strives for an openness that is “wholly directed to all that is true, all that deserves respect, all that is honest, pure, admirable, decent, virtuous, or worthy of praise” (Philippians 4:8). Thus, the University is a place where the Church reflects upon itself and the world as it engages in dialogue with other religious traditions.

St. John’s is a Vincentian university, inspired by St. Vincent de Paul’s compassion and zeal for service. We strive to provide excellent education for all people, especially those lacking economic, physical, or social advantages. Community service programs combine with reflective learning to enlarge the classroom experience. Wherever possible, we devote our intellectual and physical resources to search out the causes of poverty and social injustice and to encourage solutions that are adaptable, effective, and concrete. In the Vincentian tradition, we seek to foster a world view and to further efforts toward global harmony and development by creating an atmosphere in which all may imbibe and embody the spirit of compassionate concern for others so characteristic of Vincent.

St. John’s is a metropolitan and global university. As a metropolitan university, we benefit from New York City’s cultural diversity, its intellectual and artistic resources, and its unique professional educational opportunities. With this richness comes responsibility. We encourage the metropolitan community to use our resources to serve its needs. As a global university, we are one of our nation’s most diverse institutions of higher education, enriched by a mixture of cultures, which complements an internationalized curriculum. Through collaboration with other institutions around the world, study abroad opportunities, and online courses and degrees, our outreach spans the globe. In educating students we pledge to foster those qualities needed for our alumni to become effective leaders and responsible citizens in a vibrant city and dynamic world.

The Master of Laws (LL.M.) programs at St. John’s University School of Law offer students an unrivaled opportunity to learn U.S. law in a welcoming and rigorous academic community in the heart of New York City. The four pillars of our LL.M. offerings are our:

NYC Location: The Law School sits on the main campus of St. John’s University in Queens, New York City’s most diverse borough and one of the world’s most diverse urban areas. The 100-acre campus has a park-like feel with green lawns, flowers, and fountains, and with majestic views of the Manhattan skyline. Public transportation is convenient to campus and quickly takes you to Manhattan, the hub of international legal practice and commerce.  

Pathways to the New York Bar: St. John’s Law provides multiple ways for students to prepare to take the New York Bar Exam, depending upon their level of English proficiency and knowledge of common law and the U.S. legal system. Students in our Transnational Legal Practice (TLP) and U.S. Legal Studies programs can also enter a three-year LL.M. to J.D. program. All students get support from our Bar Exam Language and Strategy (BELS) program. For students with developing English skills and basic knowledge of U.S. law, St. John’s offers the one- or two- semester American Law: Discourse and Analysis (ALDA) program, as well as English for American Law School (EALS), an intensive four-week summer course. The best predictor of bar passage for foreign-trained attorneys is legal English proficiency. St. John’s Law will customize a program to maximize each student’s chances for bar passage.

Practical Learning: St. John’s LL.M. programs prepare students to be practice ready at graduation, and our curriculum helps them build the lawyering skills they need to be successful. Students in the TLP program explore the roles of lawyers who grapple with cross-border issues. The two core courses, TLP-Cross Border Transactions and Dispute Resolution and TLP-Public International Law and Institutions, survey challenging issues of law affecting today’s global lawyers. Students test their legal knowledge, vocabulary, and communication skills in weekly role-play exercises that touch upon a broad range of subjects—from forming regional organizations, to interpreting and enforcing investment treaties, to tackling the legal issues of foreign direct investment. They also exercise negotiation, presentation, and delegation skills. Our other LL.M. programs offer similar opportunities for students to learn the language and skills of lawyering as they bring legal doctrine to life. They prepare an amicus brief for a case before the U.S. Supreme Court, practice legal writing for U.S. audiences, and prepare for success on the New York Bar Exam.

Legal English: St. John’s Law provides unrivaled academic support for our international students. Our ALDA program provides a pathway to LL.M. students who require extra time and language practice before entering their LL.M. track. Our EALS course and our BELS program are designed and taught by law professors with specific experience teaching English abroad. 

Strong New York City Roots

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.

St. John’s Law first opened its doors in the heart of downtown Brooklyn in 1925, and for over 90 years our graduates have gone on to use their law degree 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. 

The Law School sits on the main campus of St. John’s University in a residential neighborhood of Queens, New York City’s most diverse borough and one of the world’s most diverse urban spaces. The 100-acre campus has a park-like feel with green lawns, flowers and fountains, and majestic views of the Manhattan skyline. Public transportation is convenient to campus and quickly takes you to Manhattan, the hub of international legal practice and commerce.  

Our modern facilities are regularly upgraded to promote learning and to provide inviting gathering spaces. Our Belson Moot Court Room has won acclaim for its design and hosts marquee Law School events—including recent visits by U.S. Supreme Court Justices Samuel Alito, Elena Kagan, and the late Antonin Scalia, as well as official sessions of the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit and the Appellate Division, Second Department.

Walk through our doors and you’ll find a student body that hails from 25 different countries. Many of our students are multi-lingual, and all feel at home in an environment that celebrates the diversity that’s been a hallmark of St. John’s Law from the start.

Balanced Legal Education

St. John’s takes a balanced approach to legal education, starting with a rigorous grounding in the fundamentals of legal analysis, legal doctrine, and legal writing, and moving on to experiential learning opportunities where our students learn by doing. 

We organize our upper-level curriculum around different career pathways, enabling our students to build on their required foundational courses with advanced courses, drafting courses, clinic work, field placements, and extra-curricular activities—all focused on developing practical skills and targeted expertise so our students graduate practice-ready. 

In the classroom, our faculty of dedicated teachers and accomplished scholars fosters our students’ analytical abilities and lawyering skills. Outside the classroom, many of our professors are thought leaders who have written the book in their areas of interest and expertise. Whether exploring educational challenges faced by immigrant children, the history of Wall Street, or consumer rights, our faculty members bring legal theory alive in ways that make a real impact in the world.

The engaging programs and initiatives sponsored by our nine academic centers are helping to make St. John’s Law a national leader in civil rights, dispute resolution, intellectual property law, labor and employment law, law and religion, and international and comparative law. 

In addition to these academic offerings, the Law School’s student organizations provide students with valuable opportunities to develop a deeper understanding of the law and to build networks of advisors, mentors, and colleagues. There are student organizations devoted to a wide range of interests, from legal practice areas, to background heritage affinities, to issues advocacy and awareness. They host events and gatherings throughout the school year where students network with alumni and practitioners.

Global Reach

Our students gain an expansive view of the law as participants in school-sponsored global programs that include study abroad, international practica, and skills-based courses. Through these offerings, students experience legal systems different from their own, deepening their understanding of the rule and role of law around the world.

The Law School’s global reach is also evident in our three LL.M. programs administered by our Office of Graduate Studies: The LL.M. in U.S. Legal Studies for Foreign Law School Graduates; the LL.M. in Transnational Legal Practice; and the LL.M. in Bankruptcy. Our graduate curriculum includes courses in English for American Law School, American Law: Discourse and Analysis, and Bar Exam Language Support. All are designed to help non-native English speakers build their legal English proficiency. 

Students interested in international and transnational legal practice find the St. John’s Center for International and Comparative Law (CICL) an excellent resource. CICL hosts a number of formal and informal programs during the academic year where students hear from and meet leaders in the field. 

Hands-On Learning

Experiential learning permeates the curriculum in our vibrant externship program, in our rigorous writing program, in our first-rate trial and appellate advocacy programs, and in our growing dispute resolution program. With ample opportunity to experience the real world of law—to successfully join thinking and acting—our students are able to carry forward St. John’s tradition of exceptional leadership and service. 

In the Law School’s 10 in-house and partner clinics, students receive invaluable training in practical skills by representing elderly victims of mortgage fraud, by prosecuting defendants accused of domestic violence, by serving as guardians for abused and neglected children, by seeking asylum for refugees, and by providing a wide array of legal assistance to the poor and underserved in New York City. Animating the spirit of St. Vincent de Paul, 

St. John’s Law students working in the clinics see how their hard work and selfless service uplift people and strengthen communities.

Students who staff and lead any one of the Law School’s 10 academic journals, including the prestigious St. John’s Law Review, gain vital legal research and writing skills that help them stand out in a crowded professional marketplace as outstanding scholars and communicators.

Focus on Success

With guidance from our Career Development Office and with the support of our alumni network that’s 16,500 strong, St. John’s Law students thrive. Their success, and the ongoing success of the Law school, is reflected in the following statistics:

• The graduating class of 2016 had a 92% overall employment rate

• Top 40 among all law schools nationwide for placing graduates in the 100 biggest law firms

• Tops for graduates starting their careers in New York District Attorney’s offices (#1 in Bronx and Queens)

• U.S. News ranks St. John’s:

   > #5 among New York State law schools

   > #72 among all U.S. law schools (the 3rd consecutive year with an increase)

Whatever path our graduates pursue, they carry with them the Vincentian values of St. John’s, understanding that law is a vocation through which they can live justly and better the world.

As Dean and as a longtime faculty member, I take pride in the way St. John’s Law enables students to transform themselves into lawyers. We accomplish this by taking a balanced approach to legal education. You will have many opportunities for learning beyond the classroom, which will help you determine your career focus and build expertise in that area. Our location guarantees you a diversity of people and perspectives, together with access to our strong network of alumni.

With the ongoing changes in the legal profession, the Law School is focused on placing our students on the path to a rewarding career so they can follow our alumni, who have reached the highest levels in law firms, government, business and nonprofit organizations. Whatever path our graduates pursue, they carry with them the Vincentian values of St. John’s, understanding that law is a vocation through which they can live justly and do justice.

I invite you to visit the Law School and to meet some of the remarkable people who study and teach here.

Michael A. Simons
Dean and John V. Brennan Professor of Law and Ethics