About
Because one size does not fit all, Boyd offers full-time and part-time Juris Doctor programs that meet the diverse needs of our students. The full-time day program is a three-year program; the part-time day and evening programs are four-year programs.
Boyd is at the forefront of innovation in legal education and Boyd graduates are well-prepared for the practice of law. The program integrates a strong instruction in skills and professionalism into its rigorous legal education program. The Juris Doctor program integrates traditional and experiential learning. Various parts of the program — the Lawyering Process courses in legal research, writing, and analysis; the Saltman Center for Conflict Resolution; the Thomas & Mack Legal Clinic; and our externship, simulation, service learning, and community service opportunities — help our students make the important transition between understanding pure legal theory and applying that theory to solve their clients' problems.
Boyd graduates understand legal practice as a unique combination of theory, analytical ability, common sense, judgment, creativity, and ethics. They understand the law, know how to apply it, and are prepared for the dynamic careers that await them.
Accreditation
For information regarding accreditation at UNLV, please head over to Academic Program Accreditations.
Learning Outcomes
Students who successfully complete a program at BSL will be able to demonstrate:
- Legal and Law-Related Knowledge
- Knowledge of specific areas or aspects of substantive law, legal theory, or legal procedure
- Example: Acquiring knowledge of domestic / comparative / international / transnational legal doctrine and processes, jurisprudence, knowledge of legal theory, and statutory / regulatory law and processes.
- Analysis and Decision-Making
- Understand and develop solutions to legal problems
- Example: Analyzing, being creative or innovative, exercising practical judgment, problem solving, and reasoning.
- Policy Evaluation
- Draw connections between specific legal issues and policy contexts or values
- Example: Understanding or evaluating specific situations in light of fundamental principles and values such as equality, fairness, liberty, justice, or analytical orientations such as economics, public safety, or public policy.
- Professional Identity
- Responsibilities of lawyers to their profession and society
- Example: Demonstrating awareness of professional commitments to continued learning, community involvement and service, diligence, engagement, ethics, honesty, integrity, and dedication.
- Writing
- Written professional communication for a variety of professional purposes
- Example: Creating written texts for different audiences and purposes, advocating, negotiating, analyzing, memorializing transactions, or disseminating knowledge.
- Oral Communication
- Using oral communication for a variety of professional purposes
- Example: Advising, advocating, counseling clients, influencing, listening, presenting information, speaking for professional purposes.
- Information Gathering and Processing
- Obtaining and assessing information about facts, law, procedure, and people
- Example: Fact finding, interviewing, researching, and sorting known information so as to identify what is important for particular purposes.
- Interpersonal Perspectives
- Emotionally intelligent engagement, team building, collaboration, cooperation, and leadership
- Example: Seeing the world through the eyes of others, resolving conflicts, empathizing, evaluating, mentoring, organizing and managing others.
- Client and Practice Management
- Skills required to ethically and effectively manage ethical, professional and business aspects of the legal profession
- Example: Building relationships with clients, members of the legal profession, and others, handling stress, identifying client or community needs, organizing one's own work, using technology and electronic media.
Career Possibilities
- Judicial Clerk
- Health Law Attorney
- Arbitrator/Mediator
- Intellectual Property Attorney
- Immigration Attorney
- Prosecutor
- Public Defender
- Legislator
- Legal Aid Attorney
- Law Librarian
- Lobbyist
- FBI Agent
- Solo Practitioner
- Regulatory Attorney
Documents/Downloads
Juris Doctor
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Degree Worksheets
- NA
Careers
- NA
Graduate Handbooks
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Contacts
William S. Boyd School of Law
The William S. Boyd School of Law prepares students for the competent and ethical practice of law, offering three- and four-year programs for the Juris Doctor degree.