Program Requirements and Curricular Track

NYPBSP Requirements and Limitations

  • Students at RWU Law must complete 90 credits for graduation, at least 71 of which must be “classroom” credits (i.e., there is a limit of 19 “non-classroom” credits). Therefore, to be eligible for the NYPBSP, an applicant must be eligible to receive at least 10 non-classroom credits during their spring 3L semester.
  • A New York Pro Bono Scholar (NYPBS) must complete at least 78 credits by the end of the fall 3L semester.
  • A NYPBS pays full per-credit tuition for all credits required to graduate but remains eligible for financial aid.
  • A NYPBS must satisfactorily complete all required fieldwork and receive a passing (P/F) grade for 10 clinical externship credits to graduate.
  • A NYPBS must satisfactorily complete a required 2-credit weekly companion seminar at RWU Law (which can be taken remotely) to graduate.
  • A NYPBS must be supervised by an attorney admitted to practice in the jurisdiction where the work is being performed.
  • A NYPBS must not be compensated by the host organization.
  • The NYPBS hours will count toward the mandatory 50-hour pro bono requirement for admission to the New York State Bar but will not count toward the RWU Law Pro Bono Experiential Learning Requirement.
  • A NYPBSP is strongly advised to take the Multistate Professional Responsibility Exam (MPRE) before beginning the NYPBSP so they can be admitted to the New York State Bar promptly upon passing the Bar Exam and graduating from the law school.
  • New York uses the Uniform Bar Exam (UBE), and New York law is not tested on the UBE.  However, applicants to the New York Bar are required to complete the New York Law Course and New York Law Exam as prerequisites for admission.  A NYPBS is strongly encouraged to complete these requirements during their 2L summer.  

NYPBSP Curricular Track

1L/2L – Summer

  • Work experience
  • Professional Responsibility (2 credits)
  • Criminal Procedure: Investigation (3 credits)
  • Writing requirement
  • Experiential Education elective
  • Other electives
  • August: MPRE (if enrolled in PR in the summer)

2L – Fall Semester

  • Evidence (4 credits)
  • Con Law I (3 credits)
  • Legal Practice III (2 credits)
  • Writing requirement
  • Bar tested electives
  • Experiential Education elective
  • Other electives
  • Apply for summer jobs

2L – Spring Semester

  • Con Law II (3 credits)
  • Professional Responsibility (2 credits)
  • Criminal Procedure: Investigation (3 credits)
  • Legal Practice III (2 credits)
  • Writing requirement
  • Bar-tested electives
  • Experiential Education elective
  • Clinic
  • Other electives
  • Apply for summer jobs
  • March: submit application to participate in the NYBSP

2L/3L – Summer

  • Work experience
  • Writing requirement
  • Experiential Education elective
  • Other electives
  • June/July: take NY Law Course
  • August: take NY Law Exam
  • August: MPRE
  • June-September: work with RWU faculty and staff to find an appropriate NYBSP placement

3L – Fall Semester

  • ALR (3 credits)
  • Clinic
  • Bar-tested electives
  • Experiential Education Elective
  • Other electives
  • Apply for jobs
  • September: RWU submits student's NYBSP placement
  • November: take MPRE
  • November: submit NY Bar Application

3L – Spring Semester

  • December-February: prepare and sit for NY Bar Exam
  • Pro Bono Scholars placement work (10 credits)  
  • Pro Bono Scholars seminar (2 credits)
  • April: Bar results are released
  • May: Graduation
Close Course Type Descriptions

Course Types

We have classified RWU Law classes under the following headers. One of the following course types will be attached to each course which will allow students to narrow down their search while looking for classes.

Core Course

Students in the first and second year are required to take classes covering the following aspects of the law—contracts, torts, property, criminal law, civil procedure, and constitutional law, evidence, and professional responsibility.  Along with these aspects, the core curriculum will develop legal reasoning skills.

Elective

After finishing the core curriculum the remaining coursework toward the degree is completed through upper level elective courses.  Students can choose courses that peak their interests or courses that go along with the track they are following.

Seminar

Seminars are classes where teachers and small groups of students focus on a specific topic and the students complete a substantial research paper.

Clinics/Externships

Inhouse Clinics and Clinical Externships legal education is law school training in which students participate in client representation under the supervision of a practicing attorney or law professor.  RWU Law's Clinical Programs offer unique and effective learning opportunities and the opportunity for practical experience while still in law school.