Harvard Law School Handbook of Academic Policies 2024-2025

2024-2025 Handbook of Academic Policies 
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Harvard Law School 
Handbook of Academic Policies 
2024-2025 
Table of Contents 
Notice: Delivery of Academic Programs ......................................................................................................... 8 
Preface ........................................................................................................................................................................... 9 
A. HLS Community Principles ......................................................................................................................... 9 
B. HLS Community Principle on Non-Attribution .................................................................................. 9 
C. Harvard University-Wide Statement on Rights and Responsibilities* ................................. 11 
I. Requirements for the J.D. Degree ................................................................................................................ 14 
A. Residence ........................................................................................................................................................ 14 
B. Statement of Learning Outcomes .......................................................................................................... 15 
C. First-Year J.D. Course and Credit Requirements ............................................................................ 15 
D. Upper-Level J.D. Course and Credit Requirements ....................................................................... 16 
1. Required Law School Classroom Work .......................................................................................... 16 
2. Required Additional Credits ............................................................................................................... 16 
3. Transfer Student J.D. Program - Special Considerations ........................................................ 17 
4.  Minimum Credit Requirement for VA Benefit-Eligible Students ....................................... 18 
E. Definition of the Law School Credit Hour .......................................................................................... 18 
F. Experiential Learning Requirement ..................................................................................................... 19 
G. Professional Responsibility Requirement ......................................................................................... 19 
H. International and Comparative Law Course Requirement ....................................................... 20 
I. Negotiation/Leadership Requirement ................................................................................................. 20 
J. Upper-Level J.D. Residency Requirements ......................................................................................... 20 
K. Joint and Coordinated Degree Credit and Residency Requirements .................................... 21 
L. J.D. Written Work Requirement ............................................................................................................. 22 
1. Students Matriculating Prior to Fall 2023 .................................................................................... 22 
2. Students Matriculating Fall 2023 and Thereafter ..................................................................... 24 
3. Experiential Learning, Professional Responsibility, and Written Work .......................... 26 
4. Supervision ................................................................................................................................................. 26 
5. Supervision by Visiting Faculty ......................................................................................................... 26 
6. Prohibition Against Compensation .................................................................................................. 26 

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7. Multiple Use of Papers ........................................................................................................................... 26 
8. Human Subjects Research .................................................................................................................... 27 
M. Pro Bono Requirement ............................................................................................................................. 27 
N. Pro Bono and Written Work Credit for Political Activities ....................................................... 28 
1. Pro Bono Credit ........................................................................................................................................ 29 
2. Written Work Credit ............................................................................................................................... 29 
O. Class Attendance and Participation; Overlapping Class Times ............................................... 30 
P. Grades for J.D. Students ............................................................................................................................. 31 
1. Honors, Pass, Low Pass, or Fail Grades .......................................................................................... 31 
2. Dean’s Scholar Prizes ............................................................................................................................. 31 
3. Credit/Fail Grades ................................................................................................................................... 31 
Q. Extensions ....................................................................................................................................................... 31 
R. Grade Changes ............................................................................................................................................... 32 
S. Completion of Course Evaluations and Grade Release ................................................................ 33 
T. Graduation with Honors ........................................................................................................................... 33 
U. Satisfactory Academic Progress ............................................................................................................ 35 
1. Minimum Grades for J.D. Students ................................................................................................... 35 
2. Minimum Annual Progress for J.D. Students ................................................................................ 36 
V. Retaking Courses, Taking a Different Examination in the Same Course, and Substitute 
Work ....................................................................................................................................................................... 38 
II. Requirements for Graduate Degrees ....................................................................................................... 39 
A. Master of Laws (LL.M.) .............................................................................................................................. 39 
1. LL.M. Residence and Credit Requirements ................................................................................... 39 
2. Recommended Courses ......................................................................................................................... 40 
3. Class Attendance and Participation; Overlapping Class Times ........................................... 41 
4. Grades for LL.M. Students .................................................................................................................... 42 
5. Completion of Course Evaluations and Grade Release ............................................................ 44 
6. LL.M. Written Work Requirement .................................................................................................... 44 
7. Additional Rules Relating to the LL.M. Written Work Requirement ................................. 45 
B. Doctor of Juridical Science (S.J.D.) ........................................................................................................ 48 
1. Study Plan ................................................................................................................................................... 48 
2. First Year in Residence .......................................................................................................................... 49 
3. Oral Examination ..................................................................................................................................... 49 
4. Prospectus .................................................................................................................................................. 50 

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5. Presentations at the S.J.D. Colloquium ........................................................................................... 50 
6. Submission and Acceptance of the Doctoral Dissertation ..................................................... 50 
7. Oral Defense of the Dissertation ....................................................................................................... 52 
8. Submission of Dissertation to the Library .................................................................................... 52 
9. Compliance with Requirements ........................................................................................................ 53 
III. Additional Academic Opportunities (J.D. and Graduate Programs) ......................................... 53 
A. Additional Written Work Opportunities ............................................................................................ 53 
1. Optional Written Work ......................................................................................................................... 53 
2. Winter Term Writing Program .......................................................................................................... 55 
B. Clinical Legal Education ............................................................................................................................ 56 
1. Overview...................................................................................................................................................... 56 
2. Requirements for Clinical Credits .................................................................................................... 57 
3. Enrollment and Credits ......................................................................................................................... 59 
4. International J.D. Students in Clinics ............................................................................................... 60 
5. Opportunities for Student Practice .................................................................................................. 60 
C. Cross-Registration ....................................................................................................................................... 62 
1. Cross-Registration from Harvard Law School ............................................................................ 62 
2. Cross-Registration into Harvard Law School .............................................................................. 65 
D. Auditing a Harvard Law School Course ............................................................................................. 66 
E. Joint, Coordinated, and Concurrent Degree Opportunities for J.D. Students ..................... 66 
1. Joint Degree Programs .......................................................................................................................... 66 
2. Coordinated J.D./Ph.D. Program ....................................................................................................... 67 
3. Concurrent Degrees ................................................................................................................................ 67 
4. Rules and Policies .................................................................................................................................... 67 
F. J.D. Studies at Other Schools .................................................................................................................... 68 
1. Study Abroad for J.D. Students ........................................................................................................... 68 
2. Berkeley Exchange Program for J.D. Students ............................................................................ 68 
3. Visits at Other Law Schools ................................................................................................................. 69 
4. Coordinating Approved Studies at Other Schools ..................................................................... 69 
IV. Examinations .................................................................................................................................................... 69 
A. General Examination Policy .................................................................................................................... 69 
B. Deferred Examination Policy .................................................................................................................. 70 
C. Retaking an Examination .......................................................................................................................... 73 
V. Academic Honesty ............................................................................................................................................ 73 

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A. Violation of Examination Rules; Dishonesty in Examinations ................................................. 73 
B. Preparation of Papers and Other Work—Plagiarism and Collaboration ............................ 73 
C. Multiple Use of Papers ............................................................................................................................... 76 
VI. Registration Schedule and Course Change Deadlines ..................................................................... 76 
A. Registration Overview ............................................................................................................................... 76 
B. Check-in............................................................................................................................................................ 76 
1. Check-in Process and Administrative Clearance ....................................................................... 76 
2. Check-in Dates and Administrative Clearance Dates ............................................................... 77 
3. Certification ................................................................................................................................................ 77 
C. Course and Clinic Registration Periods .............................................................................................. 77 
D. Course Add/Drop Deadlines ................................................................................................................... 78 
E. Course Withdrawal Deadlines ................................................................................................................ 78 
F. Clinic Add/Drop Deadlines ...................................................................................................................... 79 
G. Clinic Withdrawal Deadlines ................................................................................................................... 80 
H. Course and Clinic Waitlists ...................................................................................................................... 80 
VII. Written Work Registration Deadlines .................................................................................................. 81 
A. Summary of Written Work Registration Deadlines ...................................................................... 81 
B. Registration for the J.D. Written Work Requirement ................................................................... 82 
1. Students Matriculating Prior to Fall 2023 .................................................................................... 82 
2. Students Matriculating Fall 2023 and Thereafter ..................................................................... 83 
C. Registration for the LL.M. Written Work Requirement ............................................................... 84 
D. Mandatory Registration for the Written Work Requirement .................................................. 84 
E. Registration for Optional Written Work ............................................................................................ 85 
F. Application and Registration for the Winter Term Writing Program ................................... 85 
G. Additional Credit for J.D. Written Work ............................................................................................. 85 
H. Registration for Written Work for Upper-Level J.D. and LL.M. Writing Groups .............. 86 
VIII. Deadlines for Submission of Law School Work .............................................................................. 86 
A. Submission Deadlines for Academic Work ....................................................................................... 86 
B. Submission Deadlines for Academic Work in Courses, Seminars, and Reading Groups
 ................................................................................................................................................................................... 87 
C. Submission Deadlines for Option 1 or the Analytical Paper (independent papers only) 
of the J.D. Written Work Requirement; LL.M. Written Work Requirement; Optional 
Written Work; Winter Term Writing Program .................................................................................... 87 
1. Deadline for All Students ...................................................................................................................... 87 
2. Extensions for May Degree Candidates (J.D. and LL.M.) ......................................................... 88 

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3. Extensions for 1Ls and 2Ls .................................................................................................................. 88 
D. Submission Deadlines for Option 2 of the J.D. Written Work Requirement ...................... 88 
IX. Deadlines for Applying to Special Programs ....................................................................................... 88 
A. Joint and Concurrent Degree and Study Abroad Deadlines ...................................................... 88 
B. Berkeley Exchange Program ................................................................................................................... 89 
C. Program for Visits at Other Law Schools ........................................................................................... 89 
X. Leaves and Withdrawals ............................................................................................................................... 89 
A. Voluntary Leave of Absence .................................................................................................................... 89 
B. Requesting a Leave ...................................................................................................................................... 89 
C. Involuntary Leaves of Absence .............................................................................................................. 90 
D. While on a Leave of Absence .................................................................................................................. 92 
E. Extending Voluntary Leaves .................................................................................................................... 93 
F. Returning to School ..................................................................................................................................... 94 
G. Agreements to Engage in Treatment ................................................................................................... 96 
H. Clearance for Return .................................................................................................................................. 96 
Procedure for Notice and Consultation ................................................................................................. 97 
I. Financial Implications of Taking a Leave ............................................................................................ 97 
XI. Administrative Board .................................................................................................................................... 99 
A. Disciplinary Actions .................................................................................................................................... 99 
B. Procedures for Disciplinary Cases* .................................................................................................... 100 
XII. Other Rules and Important Information ........................................................................................... 104 
A. Notice of Non-Discrimination and Harvard Non-Discrimination and Anti-Bullying 
Policies ................................................................................................................................................................. 104 
B. Title IX Policies and Information ........................................................................................................ 105 
C. Harvard Law School FERPA Policy ..................................................................................................... 106 
1. Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (“FERPA”) ......................................................... 106 
2. Education Records ................................................................................................................................ 106 
3. Access .......................................................................................................................................................... 106 
4. Directory Information ......................................................................................................................... 107 
5. Other Disclosures Permitted under FERPA................................................................................ 107 
6. Student Rights under FERPA ............................................................................................................ 108 
D. Protest and Dissent Guidelines ............................................................................................................ 108 
1. Picketing and Distributing Literature ........................................................................................... 109 
2. Silent or Symbolic Protest .................................................................................................................. 109 

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3. Noise ............................................................................................................................................................ 109 
4. Force or Violence ................................................................................................................................... 110 
5. Audience Responsibility ..................................................................................................................... 110 
6. Moderator/Facilitator ......................................................................................................................... 110 
E. Student Complaints Implicating Compliance with ABA Standards for Legal Education
 ................................................................................................................................................................................. 111 
F. Class Recordings ......................................................................................................................................... 111 
1. Reasons for Student Class Recording Requests ........................................................................ 111 
2. Automated Recordings ........................................................................................................................ 113 
3. Publication of Recordings .................................................................................................................. 113 
G. Student International Travel ................................................................................................................ 114 
H. Student Employment ............................................................................................................................... 115 
I. Use of University Libraries ...................................................................................................................... 116 
J. Information Technology Services ........................................................................................................ 116 
1. Harvard Law School Computer and Network Resources Usage Agreement ............... 116 
2. Use of Computer and Network Resources .................................................................................. 117 
3. Compliance with the Digital Millennium Copyright Act of 1998 ...................................... 118 
4. Policy on Access to Electronic Information ................................................................................ 118 
5. Security and Privacy ............................................................................................................................. 119 
6. Anonymous and Pseudonymous Communications................................................................. 120 
7. Misuse of Resources ............................................................................................................................. 120 
8. Emergency Situations and Compliance with Account Quotas............................................ 121 
9. Copyright and Software Licenses ................................................................................................... 121 
10. Cases of Misconduct ........................................................................................................................... 121 
11. Leaving Harvard Law School ......................................................................................................... 122 
K. Multimedia Studio ..................................................................................................................................... 122 
L. Video Security Policies ............................................................................................................................. 122 
M. Harvard University I.D. Cards .............................................................................................................. 122 
N. Payment of Bills .......................................................................................................................................... 123 
O. Harvard Law School Drug and Alcohol Policy ............................................................................... 124 
1. Policy ........................................................................................................................................................... 124 
2. Provisions Regarding Alcohol Service and Use at Harvard Law School ........................ 125 
3. Drinking Age ............................................................................................................................................ 125 
4. Bartenders ................................................................................................................................................ 125 

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5. Police Presence ....................................................................................................................................... 126 
6. Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages ............................................................................................... 126 
7. Off-campus Events – Private Residence ....................................................................................... 126 
8. Off-campus Events – Bars, Restaurants, and Off-Site Function Facilities ..................... 126 
9. Liquor Licenses ....................................................................................................................................... 126 
P. Cambridge No Smoking Ordinance and Harvard No Smoking Policy ................................. 127 
1. City of Cambridge No Smoking Ordinance.................................................................................. 127 
2. Harvard No Smoking Policy .............................................................................................................. 127 
Q. Harvard Law School Missing Persons Policy ................................................................................. 127 
R. Nonresident Student Driver Statements and Decals .................................................................. 128 
S. Voter Registration ...................................................................................................................................... 129 
T. Massachusetts Anti-Hazing Statute .................................................................................................... 129 
269:17. Hazing; organizing or participating; hazing defined .................................................. 129 
269:18. Failure to report hazing .......................................................................................................... 130 
269:19. Copy of secs. 17–19; issuance to students and student groups, teams and 
organizations; report ................................................................................................................................ 130 
610 CMR 5.00: Hazing Reporting ........................................................................................................ 131 
U. Harvard University Rules for Campus Use ..................................................................................... 133 
Appendix A: Harvard Law School: The Well, Harvard University Health Services, Counseling 
and Mental Health Services, and Center for Wellness and Health Promotion .......................... 134 
Appendix B: Emergency and Safety Information .................................................................................. 135 
 
 
   

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Notice: Delivery of Academic Programs

In recent years, Harvard Law School has had to act quickly to implement

contingency scenarios in order to protect the health and safety of our community, while

ensuring the continuity of our teaching and research mission. Harvard Law School

continues to retain the discretion to adjust its mode of teaching as it deems necessary in

extraordinary circumstances, including by making recourse to online instruction and

implementing compulsory testing and tracing programs as required conditions for

accessing the Harvard campus or Harvard facilities.

Students are expected to make themselves familiar with the policies in this

Handbook of Academic Policies and with related updates and guidance as provided

throughout the year, which are herein incorporated by reference to the Handbook.

Notwithstanding the policies set out in this Handbook, students interested in

applying for, or with questions about, accommodations should be in contact with Harvard

Law School’s Accessibility Services team.

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Preface

A. HLS Community Principles

The Law School's commitments to fairness, respect for the rule of law, and free inquiry

require an environment of trust and mutual respect, free expression and inquiry, and a

commitment to truth, excellence, and lifelong learning. Students, program participants,

faculty, staff, and alumni accept these principles when they join the Harvard Law School

community and thereby agree to respect the rights, dignity, and differences of others,

pursue honesty and integrity in dealing with all members of the community in person and

online, and accept personal responsibility in these efforts.

B. HLS Community Principle on Non-Attribution

To fulfill Harvard Law School’s mission of training excellent lawyers, our classrooms must

offer an environment in which all participants feel able to engage in free, open, respectful

discussion of complex, sensitive, and consequential questions. Our classrooms are places in

which students make arguments sometimes because they deeply believe in them,

sometimes because they’re exploring what they believe, and sometimes because they’re

trying to understand a contrary view or have been asked by the professor to take a position

with which they may disagree. Everybody is learning, everybody has to think and respond

within fast-moving discussions, and everybody will make mistakes as part of the law school

learning process. In training to be the best lawyers they can be, students must be able to try

arguments on for size, change their minds, and take risks.

The proliferation of social media affects this learning environment. Because of the potential

permanence and widespread dissemination of communications through social media and

other forms of communication designed to reach members of the public, if statements

made in class are quoted or described with attribution in those media, students may be

reluctant to approach any question, particularly controversial ones, with the openness and

vulnerability they need to grow as lawyers and to learn from one another. Moreover, given

the particular pedagogy of law classes, it may be hard, when quoting statements made in

class, to accurately distinguish when speakers are expressing their own views or speaking

in the role of advocate, to capture all of the qualifications or nuance that speakers may have

provided, or to fairly convey the full context necessary to understand why speakers took a

particular position on a complex legal question. In addition, the widespread dissemination

of such statements with attribution may risk subjecting the speaker to online harassment,

bullying, or worse.

The Harvard Law School Community Principles generally address these types of concerns

by requiring all of us “to respect the rights, dignity, and differences of others, pursue

honesty and integrity in dealing with all members of the community in person and online,

and accept personal responsibility in these efforts.” See Preface A above. That community

includes students, staff, and faculty. However, because it is especially important for

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students to bring an attitude of openness and experimentation to their learning, and

because our pedagogy often requires students to speak in class and take positions on topics

not of their choosing, an additional Community Principle, modeled on the Chatham House

Rule, is appropriate for student statements made in class. In particular, the following

principle applies to classroom discussion:

When using social media or other forms of communication designed to reach

members of the public, no one may repeat or describe a statement made by a

student in class in a manner that would enable a person who was not present

in the class to identify the speaker of the statement.

In addition to this non-attribution principle, it is important always to work to identify and

foster the norms and conditions that will encourage free, open, and respectful classroom

discourse that will build community, enable all in a broad and diverse community to learn

from one another, and support excellence in teaching and learning.

Interpretive Comments:

a. The phrase “statement made in class” includes a verbal statement made in any class

session of a course, as well as a written statement made in class or classroom-

related spaces (such as a Zoom chat or a Canvas discussion thread).

b. Nothing in the foregoing prevents: (a) a faculty member or students in a course from

otherwise communicating, in person or electronically, with one another in a manner

that attributes statements to a student; or (b) face-to-face discussion or email, text,

or other interpersonal exchanges about class discussion, provided that exchanges

under these subsections (as with all exchanges) respect the generally applicable

Harvard Law School Community Principles outlined above.

c. Nothing in the foregoing prevents: (a) a student or faculty member from referring to

a statement made in class with attribution in seeking assistance from HLS or

University administrators or faculty or reporting to appropriate officials misconduct

under law or University or HLS policy; or (b) a faculty member from otherwise

performing ordinary responsibilities as an advisor or recommender.

d. In order to further facilitate open classroom discussion, faculty members may adopt

additional guidelines regarding recounting or reporting on statements made in

class. Any such guidelines should be stated clearly and prominently in writing at the

outset of the course in a syllabus or statement of classroom policies.

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C. Harvard University-Wide Statement on Rights and

Responsibilities*

The central functions of an academic community are learning, teaching, research, and

scholarship. By accepting membership in the University, an individual joins a community

ideally characterized by free expression, free inquiry, intellectual honesty, respect for the

dignity of others, and openness to constructive change. The rights and responsibilities

exercised within the community must be compatible with these qualities.

The rights of members of the University are not fundamentally different from those of

other members of society. The University, however, has a special autonomy and reasoned

dissent plays a particularly vital part in its existence. All members of the University have

the right to press for action on matters of concern by any appropriate means. The

University must affirm, assure, and protect the rights of its members to organize and join

political associations, convene and conduct public meetings, publicly demonstrate and

picket in orderly fashion, advocate, and publicize opinion by print, sign, and voice.

The University places special emphasis, as well, upon certain values which are essential to

its nature as an academic community. Among these are freedom of speech and academic

freedom, freedom from personal force and violence, and freedom of movement.

Interference with any of these freedoms must be regarded as a serious violation of the

personal rights upon which the community is based. Furthermore, although the

administrative processes and activities of the University cannot be ends in themselves,

such functions are vital to the orderly pursuit of the work of all members of the University.

Therefore, interference with members of the University in performance of their normal

duties and activities must be regarded as unacceptable obstruction of the essential

processes of the University. Theft or willful destruction of the property of the University or

its members must also be considered an unacceptable violation of the rights of individuals

or of the community as a whole.

Moreover, it is the responsibility of all members of the academic community to maintain an

atmosphere in which violations of rights are unlikely to occur and to develop processes by

which these rights are fully assured. In particular, it is the responsibility of officers of

administration and instruction to be alert to the needs of the University community; to give

full and fair hearing to reasoned expressions of grievances; and to respond promptly and in

good faith to such expressions and to widely expressed needs for change. In making

decisions that concern the community as a whole or any part of the community, officers are

expected to consult with those affected by the decisions. Failures to meet these

responsibilities may be profoundly damaging to the life of the University. Therefore, the

University community has the right to establish orderly procedures consistent with

imperatives of academic freedom to assess the policies and assure the responsibility of

those whose decisions affect the life of the University.

No violation of the rights of members of the University, nor any failure to meet

responsibilities, should be interpreted as justifying any violation of the rights of members

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of the University. All members of the community—students and officers alike—should

uphold the rights and responsibilities expressed in this Statement if the University is to be

characterized by mutual respect and trust.

1. Interpretation

It is implicit in the language of the Statement on Rights and Responsibilities that intense

personal harassment of such a character as to amount to grave disrespect for the dignity of

others be regarded as an unacceptable violation of the personal rights on which the

University is based.

It is implicit in the University-wide Statement on Rights and Responsibilities that any

unauthorized occupation of a University building, or any part of it, that interferes with the

ability of members of the University to perform their normal activities constitutes

unacceptable conduct in violation of the Statement and is subject to appropriate discipline.

This University-wide Statement and its first interpretation were adopted on an interim basis

by the Governing Boards on September 20, 1970, and were voted to remain in effect

indefinitely in May 1977. The second interpretation was adopted by the Governing Boards in

January-February 2002.

2. Statement of the President and Deans on University Rights and

Responsibilities (2002):

In view of events last spring and beyond, questions have been raised about Harvard’s

policies regarding protests and demonstrations. We take this opportunity to affirm our

shared commitment to an academic community in which all members of the University are

able to express their views freely and vigorously. We also affirm our commitment to

ensuring that all members of the University are able to carry out their normal duties and

activities in support of the University’s mission without interference or constraint by

others. These commitments are expressed in the longstanding University-wide Statement

on Rights and Responsibilities. We believe it is timely to remind the University community

of this longstanding policy statement and its application to unauthorized occupation of

University buildings. To highlight that aspect of the existing policy, we have proposed and

the Governing Boards have adopted an “interpretation” of the Statement, parallel to a prior

“interpretation” regarding personal harassment. The newly adopted interpretation has

been appended to the University-wide Statement on Rights and Responsibilities and now

appears at the bottom of its text.

While we recognize that the determination of specific penalties for violation of this policy

by students is primarily the responsibility of the several faculties, we regard it as essential

that there be shared understandings across the University that emphasize the serious

nature of building occupations that interfere with the ability of members of the University

to carry out their normal duties and activities and the serious consequences that should

follow from such interference. We are therefore informing the relevant officers and

committees in our faculties of our shared view that students who engage in such conduct

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should ordinarily be subject to suspension, and that others who engage in similar conduct

should be subject to appropriate sanction. Of course, applicable laws may also bear on such

conduct, and the University-wide Statement itself has potential application to many other

forms of conduct.

We also believe it important, when a building occupation or similar acts involve

participants from different Schools, that steps be taken toward coordination in the

approach to discipline, including possible reference to the University-wide Committee on

Rights and Responsibilities.

*To implement and effectuate the University-Wide Statement of Rights and Responsibilities,

the Law School’s policies include Protest and Dissent Guidelines (Section XII(D)). Note

Harvard University has adopted Fact-Finding Procedures for cases involving possible

violations of the University-wide Statement on Rights and Responsibilities involving students

from two or more Faculties or cases alleging that students from one Faculty have disrupted

the performance of normal duties and activities within another Faculty.

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I. Requirements for the J.D. Degree

A. Residence

1. Attendance at Harvard Law School is full-time, in-person for a period of three

academic years, which consists of the fall, winter, and spring terms. Students are

expected to maintain the minimum credit requirements stated in the Upper-Level

J.D. Residency Requirements (Section I(J)). To be awarded the J.D. degree, a

student must complete a minimum of 88 credits.

2. Students enrolled at the Law School may not be simultaneously enrolled, either full-

time or part-time, in any other school or college either within Harvard University or

at any other institution, unless they are enrolled in one of the Law School’s joint

degree programs, are completing a semester at a foreign institution in an approved

study abroad program, or are cross-registered in courses authorized by the Law

School.

3. Except in extraordinary circumstances and as approved by the Law School’s

Administrative Board, students must complete the degree requirements for the J.D.

within seven years of matriculation in law school. Additionally, students should

note that some jurisdictions prescribe a shorter period of time during which the J.D.

must be completed. For example, New York requires that the J.D. degree be

completed within five years after a student has commenced the study of law in a law

school.

4. In accordance with Harvard Law School policy, students may not be employed for

more than 20 hours of work per week during the academic year while classes are in

session.

5. The relevant registration, application, and submission deadlines for the current year

are set forth in Sections VI through IX.

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B. Statement of Learning Outcomes

Harvard Law School prepares students to be outstanding lawyers who will achieve success

in all parts of the profession and become leaders who further the best ideals of law and

justice across many fields. The Law School’s programs and activities are designed to enable

each student to achieve, at a minimum, the following competencies:

1. Knowledge and understanding of substantive and procedural law, and the domestic,

international, and transnational institutions that make and apply law;

2. Aptitude for legal analysis and legal reasoning;

3. Appreciation of and commitment to the values and responsibilities of members of

the legal profession;

4. Proficiency in the use of professional skills including: research as to law and fact,

communication, presentation, and problem solving.

C. First-Year J.D. Course and Credit Requirements

Beginning with students matriculating in the fall 2019, the first-year J.D. degree

requirements are:

1. The required first-year courses: Civil Procedure, Constitutional Law, Contracts,

Criminal Law, Legislation and Regulation, Property, and Torts;

2. Completion of the January Experiential Term;

3. First-Year Legal Research and Writing, which includes the First-Year Ames Moot

Court Program; and

4. A spring upper-level elective course of a minimum of two and a maximum of four

law school classroom credits.

The courses noted in this section constitute full-time enrollment during the first year of

study. Clinic participation and cross-registration are not permitted during the 1L year.

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D. Upper-Level J.D. Course and Credit Requirements

Table 1 - Upper-Level Credit Requirements

Total Minimum

Credits

Minimum

Classroom

Credits

Maximum

Clinical Credits

Maximum

Writing Credits

Maximum Cross-

Registration

Credits

After satisfactory completion of the first-year Law School requirements, all J.D. students

must earn no fewer than 52 additional credits in upper-level work, including:

1. Required Law School Classroom Work

Students must complete at least 36 credits in law school classroom work (includes law

school courses, seminars and reading groups, but not writing, clinical, or cross-registration

credits). Law school classroom courses taken in fulfillment of the Professional

Responsibility Requirement, the International and Comparative Law Course Requirement,

and the Negotiation/Leadership Requirement count toward this minimum. See Section

I(G), Section I(H), and Section I(I).

2. Required Additional Credits

Students may earn the remaining required 16 credits by completing written, clinical, or

additional law school classroom work and by completing courses taken through cross-

registration. Written work, clinical, and cross-registration credits do not count toward the

law school classroom credit required minimum.

The following rules apply to these additional credits:

a) Clinical Work: Up to 16 credits may be earned through clinical work. Students may

enroll in only one clinic per term. Questions about clinical credits should be

addressed to the Office of Clinical and Pro Bono Programs. See also Section

III(B)(2).

b) Written Work: Up to 12 credits may be earned through written work (including

work satisfying the J.D. Written Work Requirement) (see Section I(L) and Section

III(A)). Credits earned through writing for additional credit in a course, seminar, or

workshop are assigned to the same term as the course, seminar, or workshop, or in

the case of a three-credit winter course, to the adjacent spring term.

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c) Cross-Registration, Joint, and Coordinated Degrees: Up to 12 credits may be

earned in courses taken through cross-registration or, in most cases, at another

school as part of a joint or coordinated degree program. See Section III(C) and

Section III(E)). See requirements for individual joint degree programs for details.

d) Ordinarily, a student may not exceed the maximum limits on credits for clinical

work, written work, and cross-registration. In exceptional cases, when a student is

on track to meet the upper-level credit requirements as set out in this Handbook

(including the minimum of 36 law school classroom credits), the student may be

permitted to exceed the credit limits for clinical work (with the permission of the

Office of Clinical and Pro Bono Programs), written work, or cross-registration (with

permission of the Dean for Academic and Faculty Affairs), provided that, in so doing,

the student exceeds the 52 upper-level credit minimum by the same number of

credits. In addition, any clinical or written work credits taken in excess of the

maximum credit limits will not count toward Latin honors. See Section I(T)(8)(c).

3. Transfer Student J.D. Program - Special Considerations

a) Law courses taken before matriculation at Harvard Law School will be considered

part of the transfer student's first year of J.D. studies and may not be used to meet

any Harvard Law School upper-level credit requirements and will not be included in

Latin honors calculations.

b) Transfer students must satisfy the Law School’s first-year requirements (with the

exception of the 1L January Experiential Term) and can do so through

demonstrating completion of comparable courses at their prior institution or

completion of qualifying courses after matriculation at Harvard Law School. For the

list of qualifying courses, please consult the Office of the Registrar.

c) Harvard Law School courses taken by a transfer student—including first-year law

school courses and qualifying courses taken after matriculation to bring the transfer

student into compliance with Harvard Law School's first-year requirements—may

be used toward the 52 upper-level credit minimum and will count in overall

performance in the 2L or 3L year according to the rules set forth in this Handbook

(i.e., Credit/Fail and cross-registration courses are not included in Latin honors

calculations (see Section I(T)). Transfer students who need to complete a first-year

Harvard Law School required course(s) must complete the course(s) during their

first year of matriculation into the law school.

d) All transfer students, regardless of the number of credits completed in their 1L year,

must complete a minimum of 83 total credits in order to earn the J.D.

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e) Transfer students may seek pro bono credit for work completed at their prior law

school or during the summer prior to coming to Harvard Law School. For more

information about the Pro Bono requirement, please see the Pro Bono Requirement

webpage or contact the Office of Clinical and Pro Bono Programs.

4. Minimum Credit Requirement for VA Benefit-Eligible Students

The VA considers 12 credits to be a full-time course load at HLS. Students eligible for

benefits through the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) must enroll in a minimum of 12

credits in the fall term and a minimum of 12 credits combined in the winter and spring

terms to be eligible to receive 100% of their VA benefits for each term. Students who take

fewer than 12 credits in a term will see their housing allowance benefit prorated based on

their reduced credit load. Tuition related benefits are not affected by this requirement. The

VA will pay the full tuition-related benefits for which a student is eligible regardless of

whether or not the student is enrolled in 12 credits.

E. Definition of the Law School Credit Hour

The American Bar Association standards for accrediting law schools use a formula for

calculating the amount of work that constitutes one credit hour. In accordance with ABA

Standard 310(b), "a 'credit hour' is an amount of work that reasonably approximates: (1)

not less than one hour of classroom or direct faculty instruction and two hours of out-of-

class student work per week for fifteen weeks, or the equivalent amount of work over a

different amount of time; or (2) at least an equivalent amount of work as required in

subparagraph (1) of this definition for other academic activities as established by the

institution, including simulation, field placement, clinical, co-curricular, and other academic

work leading to the award of credit hours."

Harvard Law School meets the requirements of Standard 310 as follows:

1) For classroom and simulation courses, courses must meet 60 minutes per week over

12 weeks for each credit awarded.

2) For clinical courses during the fall and spring semesters, students must work four

60-minute hours each week over 12 weeks for each credit earned. For more

information about clinical credit hours see Section III(B).

Faculty are required to evaluate their syllabi to ensure that assigned reading and writing

exercises required in preparation for class are a reasonable approximation of the out-of-

class student work standard of two hours per week per credit hour.

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F. Experiential Learning Requirement

Students must earn no fewer than six credits qualified as “experiential learning” courses.

The Harvard Law School Course Catalog identifies which courses and clinical offerings

fulfill the experiential learning requirement. In accordance with ABA standards, students

may not use a course to satisfy more than one of the professional responsibility

requirement, the experiential learning requirement, and the written work requirement

(Option 1 and Option 2 for J.D. students matriculating prior to Fall 2023, or the Analytical

Paper component of the requirement for J.D. students matriculating Fall 2023 and

thereafter). Individual state bars may have separate experiential learning (or equivalent)

requirements for admission; students are advised to check those requirements for any

state in which they may seek to practice.

G. Professional Responsibility Requirement

1. All students must complete a minimum of two law school classroom credits to

satisfy the Professional Responsibility Requirement.

2. The classroom components of certain clinical courses, as identified in the course

descriptions, may satisfy this requirement. A list of clinical courses that satisfy this

requirement can be found on the Office of the Registrar’s website.

3. Ordinarily, students are not allowed to enroll in two non-clinical professional

responsibility courses that satisfy the requirement. Students who have enrolled in a

clinical course that satisfies the Harvard Law School Professional Responsibility

Requirement may enroll in one additional Legal Profession course if

desired. Questions about this rule should be directed to the Dean for Academic and

Faculty Affairs.

4. In accordance with ABA standards, students may not use a course to satisfy more

than one of the professional responsibility requirement, the experiential learning

requirement, and the written work requirement (Option 1 and Option 2 for J.D.

students matriculating prior to Fall 2023, or the Analytical Paper component of the

requirement for J.D. students matriculating Fall 2023 and thereafter).

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H. International and Comparative Law Course

Requirement

Beginning with students matriculating into the J.D. program in Fall 2019, J.D. students must

complete one course of at least three classroom credits that satisfies the International and

Comparative Law Course Requirement. All transfer students must also complete one

course of at least three classroom credits that satisfies this requirement. A listing of

qualified courses can be found in the Harvard Law School Course Catalog. Successful

completion of an HLS-approved study abroad program (see Section III(F)(1)) will fulfill

the International and Comparative Course Requirement.

I. Negotiation/Leadership Requirement

Beginning with students matriculating into the J.D. program in Fall 2023, J.D. students must

complete one course or clinic of at least two credits that satisfies the

Negotiation/Leadership Requirement. Offerings satisfying this requirement are designated

in the Harvard Law School Course Catalog, some of which may be taken in the 1L January

Experiential Term or 1L Spring Term.

J. Upper-Level J.D. Residency Requirements

1. The upper-level residency requirements are:

Table 2 - Upper-Level J.D. Residency Requirements

Residency Requirements

Minimum Total Credits

Maximum Total Credits

Each Year

Each Fall and Spring Term

Each Winter Term

2. In addition to fulfilling the upper-level course and credit requirements in Section

I(D), upper-level students must register for and receive a grade or an "Extension"

(EXT) notation (see Section I(Q)) in:

a) Not fewer than 24 nor more than 35 credits each year in each of the 2L and

3L years, regardless of the number of credits needed to complete the

required 52 upper-level credits;

b) Not fewer than 10 nor more than 16 credits in each fall and spring term, no

fewer than eight of which each semester must be for law school work. No

fewer than four of the eight law school credits must be for law school

classroom credit or clinical work that qualifies for experiential learning

credit.

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c) Not fewer than two nor more than three credits in each of two upper-level

winter terms, all of which must be for law school classroom or clinical work

that qualifies for experiential learning credit, or for written work under the

Winter Term Writing Program (see Section III(A)(2)). Full-time residency is

required during each of the two required upper-level winter terms. Cross-

registration into other schools during the winter term may be allowed in

limited circumstances. Students considering winter term cross-registration

should contact the Office of the Registrar.

d) Individual state bars may have additional law school residency

requirements; students are advised to check those requirements for any

state in which they may seek to practice.

3. Waivers: Any student wishing to seek a waiver to these upper-level J.D. residency

policies should contact the Office of the Registrar. The rules and practices with

respect to waivers are established and administered under the supervision of the

Administrative Board.

K. Joint and Coordinated Degree Credit and Residency

Requirements

Students enrolled in one of the School’s joint or coordinated degree programs may meet

credit and residency requirements in part through courses taken at the other school. For

more information, see Section III(E) and the relevant program description. For questions

about the joint, concurrent, and coordinated degree program opportunities for J.D.

students, contact the Associate Director of Academic Affairs. For questions about degree

requirements at the other school, students should contact the appropriate administrator at

the relevant school.

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L. J.D. Written Work Requirement

All students are expected to pursue serious written work. The Written Work Requirement

for J.D. students matriculating into HLS prior to Fall 2023 is set forth in Section 1 below.

The Written Work Requirement for J.D. students matriculating into HLS in Fall 2023 and

thereafter is set forth in Section 2 below.

1. Students Matriculating Prior to Fall 2023

a) Option 1

i. Description: Option 1 requires a substantial research paper of publishable

or professional quality, to be written in close consultation with a Law School

faculty member or instructor with a Law School teaching appointment,

through independent study (for two or three credits), or for additional credit

in a course, seminar, or workshop (for one, two, or three credits). (Note:

credits earned through writing completed for additional credit in a course,

seminar, or workshop are assigned to the same term as the course, seminar,

or workshop, or in the case of a three-credit winter course, to the adjacent

spring term.)

The substantial work involved in these papers typically produces a final

product of 30-60 pages for a two-credit effort. Students may also pursue a

larger project for three credits and aim for 100-200 pages. These papers can

take the form of academic scholarship, policy analysis, or professional legal

analysis and must be a substantial undertaking at least comparable to the

time demanded by a semester-long course or seminar. When pursuing an

empirical project, appropriate length, scope, breadth, etc., should be

determined in consultation with the faculty supervisor.

Work done as a research assistant or teaching fellow with a Law School

faculty member may, in some circumstances, be used to satisfy Option 1. See

Section III(A)(1)(c).

Work that cannot be used to satisfy Option 1 includes, but is not limited to,

continuation of previous work, required coursework (except for writing

completed for additional credit in a course, seminar, or workshop), or paid

work.

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ii. Registration for Option 1:

Deadlines (see also Section VII): Students must register for Option 1 of the

J.D. Written Work Requirement in advance of engaging in the work by

submitting the required registration form to the faculty supervisor for

approval, and then submitting the form to the Office of the Registrar by the

second Friday in October for fall term (2Ls and 3Ls), by the second Friday in

November for the winter term, and by the second Friday in February for

spring term (all J.D. students). Forms are available in hard copy at the Office

of the Registrar, WCC 4007 and online.

b) Option 2

i. Description: Option 2 requires two pieces of writing, which could include

any of the following, provided that at least one of the pieces is written under

the supervision of a Law School faculty member or instructor with a teaching

appointment.

a. Lawyer’s work product: including substantial original writing in a

clinic (with approval of the clinic director), upper-level moot court

briefs, or the equivalent, as certified by the supervisor of the

relevant program, but not written work from a summer job or paid

work;

b. Law school course and seminar papers: substantial writing as

part of a clinical course or seminar, including the standard series of

reaction papers, amounting to no fewer than 15 pages;

c. Law journal writing: including draft code and legislation, notes,

book reviews, descriptions of developments in the law, and the like

(totaling no fewer than ten publishable pages);

d. Nontraditional writing produced under faculty

supervision: including interactive web-based material, surveys of

students or practitioners with analysis, case study materials

appropriate for classroom use, or other law-related persuasive or

descriptive writing as approved by a Law School faculty member or

instructor with a Law School teaching appointment.

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ii.  Registration for Option 2: (see also Section VII): Students must register for 
Option 2 of the J.D. Written Work Requirement by submitting the registration 
form with required signatures to the Office of the Registrar by February 1 of 
the third year, or the following business day if February 1 falls on a weekend. 
The form is available in hard copy at the Office of the Registrar and online. A 
student with concerns about whether a particular piece of writing satisfies 
Option 2, or with questions about registering, should contact the Office of the 
Registrar. For clinical writing, questions should be directed to the Office of 
Clinical and Pro Bono Programs. 
2. Students Matriculating Fall 2023 and Thereafter 
 
J.D. students matriculating into HLS in the Fall 2023 and thereafter must meet the written 
work requirement by completing an analytical paper and professional writing. In order to 
satisfy the requirement, both the analytical paper and professional writing must receive 
review by an HLS faculty member or instructor holding a Law School teaching 
appointment, and peer review. 
 
a)  Analytical paper requirement. In their second or third year, each J.D. student is 
required to write a research paper of at least 20-25 pages under the supervision of 
an HLS faculty member or instructor holding a Law School teaching appointment. 
This requirement may be satisfied through papers written on an independent basis 
with Law School faculty or instructor supervision, or through qualifying papers 
written for a course, seminar, or workshop for additional writing credit. 
 
i.  Paper Length and Credits. The parameters for written work credit for 
analytical papers under this requirement and optional written work (Section 
III(A)(1)) are as follows. Instructors may determine that a shorter paper in 
any of the categories below merits full credit due to the nature of the work 
involved, such as papers involving extensive data collection and/or analysis. 
 
  One credit for 20-25 pages 
 
  Two credits for 50 or more pages 
 
  Three credits for 75 or more pages 
   

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b) Professional writing requirement. The professional writing requirement is a

piece of written work that would typically be created in the course of legal practice

by an attorney. The requirement must be satisfied with written work(s) of at least 5

pages, created as part of a clinic or a course that satisfies the experiential learning

requirement, upon approval from the supervising faculty member. Written work

supervised by an HLS faculty member or instructor holding a Law School teaching

appointment in other courses may satisfy the requirement upon approval by the

faculty member and the Assistant Dean of Clinical and Experiential Education.

Faculty members may consider the following factors in evaluating whether the

professional writing produced in clinics, externships, and/or experiential learning

courses satisfies the professional writing requirement:

 Amount of time spent on the written work product(s)

 Length of written work product(s)

 Original contribution of student to written work product(s)

 Degree of legal analysis, complexity of issues addressed

 Quality of written work product(s), including clarity, persuasiveness, efficacy

for desired goal

 Extent of peer and supervisor feedback on written work product(s)

 Audience for the written work product(s), i.e., client, partner, advocacy

target

Individual contributions to a team written work product may satisfy the

professional writing requirement when evaluated in the context of the above listed

factors.

Examples of written work that do not satisfy the requirement include, but are not

limited to, templates, forms, routine emails and texts, personal reflection papers,

journal entries, and writing that does not incorporate original legal analysis or peer

or supervisor feedback.

For externships, instructors may rely on supervisor review and confirmation that

the work product meets the evaluation criteria. Work product created as part of the

independent clinical program will not satisfy the professional writing requirement.

Further information regarding satisfaction of the two components of the written work

requirement is available online.

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3. Experiential Learning, Professional Responsibility, and Written Work

In accordance with ABA standards, students may not use a course to satisfy more than one

of the experiential learning requirement, the professional responsibility requirement, and

the written work requirement (Option 1 and Option 2 for J.D. students matriculating prior

to Fall 2023, or the Analytical Paper component of the requirement for J.D. students

matriculating Fall 2023 and thereafter).

4. Supervision

Students may ask any Law School faculty member or instructor with a Law School teaching

appointment to supervise written work. Faculty on certain types of leave may not be

available in a given term.

5. Supervision by Visiting Faculty

Writing credits under the supervision of visiting faculty must be registered for, and

ordinarily completed, during the term(s) of the visitor’s appointment. Note that many

visitors have Law School appointments for only one term. Students with questions about

visiting faculty supervision outside of the faculty member's term of appointment should

contact the Office of the Registrar.

6. Prohibition Against Compensation

A student may not receive academic credit for written work for which they also receive

compensation, with the exception of summer internships for which J.D. students may seek

approval from the Dean for Academic and Faculty Affairs to receive academic credit.

7. Multiple Use of Papers

Occasionally students seek to submit one paper for two or more courses or seminars. In

such cases, the paper must be of sufficiently greater scope or depth to warrant such

multiple credit. In order to assure compliance with this requirement, any student planning

to submit the same or similar written work in more than one academic offering must first

get the approval of the Dean for Academic and Faculty Affairs by submitting a memo that

documents the project plan. The instructors involved should discuss appropriate ways to

make sure that the submitted work meets this greater burden. This memo must be signed

by the instructors for both courses and must set forth the way in which the paper will meet

the added requirement described herein.

Once the Dean for Academic and Faculty Affairs approves the project, the memo must then

be submitted to the Office of the Registrar before the student is accorded the requested

credits. This rule applies to submission of work in any offering whether at the Law School

or elsewhere. A student who submits the same, or substantially the same, work in more

than one course without such prior permission, will be subject to disciplinary action.

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8. Human Subjects Research

Law School projects involving human subjects are reviewed by The Committee on the Use

of Human Subjects (CUHS) within the Office of the Vice Provost for Research (OVPR).

Students considering projects that fall under IRB purview, i.e., regulated research with

human subjects (including surveys or interviews) should review the University’s policies

on the use of human subjects in research available on the CUHS Website and discuss their

work with an IRB Administrator at CUHS. Note that students should allow sufficient time

for IRB review; late requests for review may not be granted. Requests are triaged within

CUHS; please email [email protected] or call (617) 496-2847. In addition, students whose

research involves the collection or storage of human subject information must establish

data security procedures that reflect the sensitivity of the data and in accordance with the

Harvard Research Data Security Policy. Please contact ITS at [email protected] for

additional information.

M. Pro Bono Requirement

The Office of Clinical and Pro Bono Programs administers the Pro Bono Requirement.

Participation in most clinics will satisfy the HLS Pro Bono Requirement. For more

information about Clinical Legal Education, see Section III(B).

As a condition for graduation, Harvard Law School requires all J.D. students to contribute at

least 50 hours of uncompensated, pro bono legal work. Individual state bars may have

separate pro bono requirements for admission; students are advised to check those

requirements for any state in which they may seek to practice.

Work qualifying for the pro bono service requirement must be legal and supervised by a

licensed attorney and must be performed on behalf of (1) people who cannot afford, in

whole or in part, to pay for legal services; (2) the government; (3) a non-profit organization

as defined under IRS sections 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(4); (4) a law firm working on a pro bono

basis; or (5) a foreign equivalent of any of the above. The work must involve the application

or interpretation of law, the formulation of legal policy, the drafting of legislation or

regulations and/or work done in anticipation of litigation. The work should not be clerical

and must be uncompensated. Political campaign-related work may be credited toward the

Harvard Law School pro bono service requirement under the conditions indicated in the

School’s Pro Bono and Written Work Credit for Political Activities (Section I(N)) policies.

The pro bono work may be, but need not be, performed in a setting in which Harvard Law

School clinical credit is given or, in some instances, through the Law School’s volunteer

student practice organizations. Summer public interest work funded through the Summer

Public Interest Funding Program (SPIF) will count toward the requirement if the work

meets the pro bono requirements, is legal, and is supervised by a licensed attorney.

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Pro bono service may be performed in an approved supervised setting anytime between

the start of the 1L year and spring break of the 3L year, including the summers between

law school years. Transfer students may seek pro bono credit for work completed at their

prior law school or during the summer prior to coming to Harvard Law School.

For more information about the Pro Bono requirement, please see the Pro Bono

Requirement webpage or contact the Office of Clinical and Pro Bono Programs.

N. Pro Bono and Written Work Credit for Political

Activities

Harvard Law School is committed to the free and open expression of ideas, and Harvard

Law School’s institutional commitment to free expression applies with equal force in the

context of electoral politics. Harvard Law School encourages members of the community—

faculty and staff as well as students—to participate, in their personal capacities, in politics

at all levels.

However, federal law provides that Harvard may not “participate in, or intervene in

(including the publishing or distributing of statements), any political campaign on behalf of

(or in opposition to) any candidate for public office.” This prohibition on Harvard’s direct

and indirect institutional participation in partisan politics is expressed in Sections

501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, as a condition that Harvard must satisfy in order to

preserve and retain its status as a tax-exempt organization. In addition, the Federal

Election Campaign Act (“FECA”) prohibits corporations from making direct and indirect

“contributions” in connection with a campaign or candidate. Contributions include services

and anything of value.

Below is information on the applicability of FECA and Section 501(c)(3) to students’

proposed submission for credit of pro bono hours and written work relating to political

campaign activities. For details regarding the School's requirements for pro bono legal

work, see Section I(M).

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1. Pro Bono Credit

A student’s time spent volunteering for a political campaign may be credited toward the

Harvard Law School pro bono service requirement under the following conditions:

a) As set forth in Harvard Law School policy, service on political campaigns should

continue to be one of a broad array of service-related pro bono activities (including

work for nonprofit organizations, charities, NGOs, government entities) from which

students may freely choose.

b) Faculty and staff should take care not to steer students to a campaign as a means of

satisfying the pro bono requirement.

c) Harvard Law School should administer the award of credit in an evenhanded,

politically neutral manner.

d) Students, faculty and staff should not use University resources in undertaking the

political activity.

2. Written Work Credit

The question whether Harvard Law School may award academic credit for written work

relating to campaign activity presents more complications because work for academic

credit is typically more likely to involve the use of Harvard resources, including faculty

involvement and assistance. It is one thing for a student to receive writing supervision and

credit for independently pursuing an issue that arose in connection with their campaign

activity; it is another for a student to receive writing supervision and credit for work

conducted for use by a campaign. Awarding of academic credit for written work drawing

on campaign experience is appropriate, but only under the following conditions:

a) A student may receive academic credit for, and faculty may supervise, a writing

project that arises out of campaign-related activities, provided the work is not

directed by, prepared for, or to be submitted to a political campaign or any

individual working with a campaign.

b) All written work submitted for academic credit must comply with the ordinary

terms and conditions Harvard Law School imposes for granting writing credits, as

stated in this Handbook.

c) Faculty and staff should take care not to steer students to a campaign as a means of

obtaining writing credits.

d) Harvard Law School should administer the award of credit for written work in an

evenhanded, politically neutral manner.

Finally, whether Harvard Law School would be viewed as participating indirectly or

directly in a campaign will depend on the facts giving rise to the particular request. For

more information, visit the Office of the General Counsel website.

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O. Class Attendance and Participation; Overlapping Class

Times

Class work is essential to the educational program at the Law School. Regular, in-person

attendance at classes and clinics, participation in class and clinic work, and compliance

with rules and norms for classrooms and clinics, are expected of all students. In the case of

substantial delinquency in attendance, unsatisfactory performance of clinic

responsibilities, or failure to comply with classroom or clinic rules and norms, the Law

School may, after written notice, involuntarily withdraw a student from the course or clinic

in question.

Students who believe they need to miss classes for an extended period of time must speak

with the Dean of Students who can assist with such situations and can help students

comply with the Law School’s attendance policy and related academic policies. In most

cases, a student’s absence from all of their classes for more than two weeks will be cause

for a leave of absence and administrative withdrawal from all courses. The permissible

period of absence for short courses and winter term courses will be less than two weeks.

Students will not receive credit for courses (including courses taken through cross-

registration), clinics, seminars, or reading groups with meeting times that overlap in whole

or in part. Students must also allow for sufficient travel time between classes. Students

may not make arrangements with faculty members to arrive late or leave early from a class.

Pursuant to the requirements of the law set forth in Chapter 151C, Section 2B of the

Massachusetts General Laws, a copy of this section is printed in full:

Any student in an educational or vocational training institution, other than a religious or

denominational educational or vocational training institution, who is unable, because of his

religious beliefs, to attend classes or to participate in any examination, study, or work

requirement on a particular day shall be excused from any such examination or study or

work requirement, and shall be provided with an opportunity to make up such

examination, study, or work requirement which he may have missed because of such

absence on any particular day; provided, however, that such makeup examination or work

shall not create an unreasonable burden upon such school. No fees of any kind shall be

charged by the institution for making available to the said student such opportunity. No

adverse or prejudicial effects shall result to any student because of their availing

themselves of the provisions of this section.

Students anticipating missing class should consult the Law School’s Class Recording Policy

which is available in Section XII(F).

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P. Grades for J.D. Students

1. Honors, Pass, Low Pass, or Fail Grades

All Law School courses, seminars, clinics and written work—with the exception of courses

offered Credit/Fail—will be graded Honors, Pass, Low Pass, or Fail (“H, P, LP, or F”).

2. Dean’s Scholar Prizes

Dean’s Scholar Prizes (represented on the transcript as an H*) may be awarded in

recognition of outstanding work in classes and clinics with seven or more Law School J.D.

and LL.M. students following the add/drop period. Dean’s Scholar Prizes may not be

awarded in courses or clinics graded on a Credit/Fail basis, or for any writing credits and

independent clinics.

3. Credit/Fail Grades

a) All reading groups and independent clinics will be graded on a Credit/Fail

basis. Faculty may not award Credit/Fail grades without prior consultation with the

Dean for Academic and Faculty Affairs.

b) All work done at foreign institutions as part of the Law School’s study abroad

programs will be reflected on the student’s transcript on a Credit/Fail basis.

Q. Extensions

1. Extensions are available for required coursework (excluding exams) or papers only

with the approval of the faculty member or instructor, or the Dean of Students in

consultation with the faculty member or instructor in cases of personal or medical

emergency. See Section VIII(B). The due date is established in coordination with

the student and faculty member or instructor, and the Dean of Students office when

appropriate. In order to track the progress of student papers in a course or written

work for which an extension has been given, the Law School uses an “Extension”

(EXT) transcript notation. Students who have an approved extension will receive an

EXT notation on the transcript until the work is completed and graded. EXT

notations must be resolved by no later than the last day of classes of the semester

(fall or spring) that follows the originally scheduled completion of the course or

written work or earlier deadline as set by the faculty member or instructor. If a

student fails to complete the work by that date or to receive a further extension, the

Registrar’s Office generally will withdraw the student from the course or written

work and enter a WD on the transcript However, if failure to complete credits for a

course or written work will result in a student dropping below the semester or year

required credit minimum, the student must complete the work or receive an F

grade.

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2. First and second-year J.D. students should note that course, seminar, or writing

credits with EXT notations may not be used to meet any credit requirements in the

following year(s).

3. If a student has an EXT at the end of the academic year, and, as a result, has not

completed the minimum number of required credits for the year, the student will be

ineligible for the grade-based Sears Prizes and Morgan and Helen Chu Prizes, and

may not be eligible for clinical student court practice certification. 1L students must

complete the first-year requirements, including the spring upper-level elective

course to be eligible; 2L students must complete 24 graded credits for the year, of

which no fewer than 18 are for law school work, to be eligible. (See Section I(C),

Section I(D), and Section I(J)).

R. Grade Changes

After an instructor has submitted a grade to the Registrar, the instructor may change the

grade only if the grade is incorrect as a result of an arithmetical, administrative, or other

mechanical error. The instructor will determine whether or not the grade is a result of

such an error. The Dean for Academic and Faculty Affairs must approve any grade changes

pursuant to this policy.

An instructor’s grade determination is not subject to review on the merits by the Dean,

Deputy Deans, the Dean of Students, the Registrar, or other administrators. An instructor

may not change a grade based on a reevaluation of a student’s work, except by requesting

and obtaining approval for such change from the faculty.

After degrees are voted and approved by the faculty, grades for graduating students cannot

be changed by an individual faculty for any reason.

Under the circumstances specified in the Standing Policies of the Administrative Board

Concerning Exam Administration a student may be entitled to grading relief for a grade

affected adversely by an administrative irregularity (for example, a failure of exam

software). The procedures for seeking such relief are set out in those Policies. Grade

changes may also be made by the School’s administration as the result of a disciplinary

proceeding against a student.

Questions about grading policies and their application in particular instances can be

directed to the Registrar’s office or the Dean of Student’s office.

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S. Completion of Course Evaluations and Grade Release

Course evaluations provide valuable feedback about the curriculum to faculty,

administrators, and students. To encourage submission of evaluations, students who

complete and submit all of their course evaluations in a given term will receive grades for

that term one or more weeks prior to students who do not submit all course evaluations.

This policy does not apply to graduating students in their final term.

T. Graduation with Honors

1. A student who completes the requirements for the J.D. degree with distinction will

receive the degree with one of the following Latin honors: cum laude, magna cum

laude, or summa cum laude.

2. Latin honors at graduation will be based on the average of the three annual grade

point averages (GPA). GPA will be calculated for each year of study and then

averaged across the three years to determine Latin honors.

3. (a) The annual GPA will be calculated by assigning the following values to grades:

Honors: 4; Pass: 3; Low Pass: 2; Fail: 0. Dean’s Scholar Prize awards will carry an

additional point.

(b) For all students, in calculating annual GPAs, each grade, including the Dean's

Scholar Prize, is weighted in accordance with the number of credits earned in the

course.

4. The summa cum laude will be determined by the requirement of a 4.75 GPA. The

honor is exact and does not involve "rounding off"; i.e., a GPA of 4.749 does not

result in a degree summa cum laude. If, in a given year, no student earns a GPA of

4.75 or higher, summa cum laude will be awarded to the student (or students in the

case of a tie) with the highest overall GPA.

5. The magna cum laude will be awarded to the next ten percent of the entire class.

6. The cum laude will be awarded to the next 30 percent of the entire class.

7. All students who are tied at the margin of a percentage required for Latin honors

will be deemed to have achieved the required percentage for the appropriate Latin

honors. Students who graduate in November, February or March will be granted

Latin honors to the extent that students with the same GPAs received Latin honors

the previous May.

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8. The following are not included in Latin honors calculations for any student:

a) Credit/Fail courses, including study abroad courses.

b) Cross-registration courses.

c) Clinical work or written work done after a student has completed the

maximum credits as noted in Section I(D)(2).

d) Courses taken outside of Harvard Law School through a Law School joint or

coordinated degree program.

e) Courses taken through the Berkeley Exchange Program or the Program for

Third-Year Visits.

f) Grades earned in law school prior to matriculation to Harvard Law School.

g) "Withdrew after Deadline" (WD) notations.

9. Latin Honors Calculation for J.D. Students with Spring Term 2020 Credit/Fail Grades

Because of the Pandemic:

The ordinary basis for the award of Latin Honors may be found in Section I(T),

subsections 1-8 of this Handbook. For spring 2020, HLS adopted a mandatory

Credit/Fail grading system due to the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic that required the

completion of the school year remotely. The following describes how Latin Honors

calculations will be adjusted in light of the temporary mandatory grading scheme.

For students enrolled as 1Ls in spring 2020, the calculation for the award of Latin

honors at the time of graduation will be a weighted average of the GPA for each of

the three years of study, with a weighting factor of 50% given to the GPA for the 1L

year.

For upper-level J.D. students enrolled in spring 2020, the calculation for the award

of Latin honors at the time of graduation will be a weighted average of the GPA for

each of the years in which HLS grades were received:

a) Full weight will be given to the years in which grades were received in all

terms.

b) The Law School will calculate the overall GPA for Latin honors three different

ways for each student using three different weighting calculations for 2019-

20 in relation to the other years in which HLS grades were received.

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c) The three weighted factors will be:

i) 50%;

ii) 60%; and

iii) an individualized percentage for each student, calculated by dividing

the number of graded credits the student completed in 2019-20 that

are included in the calculation of Latin honors in the ordinary course

by the student’s total number of credits in enrolled courses that are or

would have been included in the Latin honors calculation in the

ordinary course.

d) In assessing Latin honors for students who were enrolled for the Spring

Term 2020, students who qualify for honors under any one of the

calculations, regardless of which one, will receive the respective honors

designation associated with their best outcome. In other words, under this

approach, we will calculate GPAs three independent ways, creating three

different GPA pools. Students falling into the top 10% in any of the three

pools will receive magna cum laude honors, and students falling into the next

30% in any of the three pools will receive cum laude honors.

U. Satisfactory Academic Progress

1. Minimum Grades for J.D. Students

a) The minimum grade required for completion of the J.D. credit requirements is a

grade of Credit in the first-year January Experiential Term course and a grade of

Low Pass in all other required courses and for the total number of credits required

for the J.D. degree (see Section I(C), Section I(D), and Section I(J)), with the

exception of coursework taken outside of the Law School for which the minimum

grade is a grade of C or its equivalent.

b) Papers written to satisfy the J.D. Written Work Requirement must receive a grade

of Low Pass or better with the exception of papers written for courses graded

Credit/Fail which must receive a grade of Credit.

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2. Minimum Annual Progress for J.D. Students 
 
a)  First Year  
i)  Satisfactory completion of the first-year program—consisting of the required 
1L courses (see Section I(C)(1-3)) and the required upper-level elective 
credits (see Section I(C)(4)) —requires a grade of at least a Low Pass in 
every course, with the exception of the first-year January Experiential Term 
course in which students must receive a grade of Credit. 
ii)  Subject to Section I(U)(2)(f) below and Section I(V), a student receiving a 
grade of Fail in any required course in the first year, in order to maintain 
minimum annual progress, must make up the failed credits in that course 
during their second year by enrolling in and passing a different instance of 
the course or by earning a passing grade on an examination in a different 
instance of the course. 
iii)  Subject to Section I(U)(2)(f) below and Section I(V), a student receiving a 
grade of Fail in the spring upper-level elective course must make up the 
failed credits in that course during the second year by enrolling in and 
passing a different instance of the course, earning a passing grade on an 
examination in a different instance of the same course, or by taking a 
different course in order to maintain their minimum annual progress. 
 
iv)  Credits for retaking a course, passing a different exam in a different instance 
of the same course, or taking a different elective course, in order to complete 
first-year work are not counted for purposes of meeting the minimum credit 
requirements for the second year. 
 
b)  Second Year  
The following minimum requirements must be met: 
i)  Grades of Low Pass or better in the minimum number of required credits for 
the second year of study (see Section I(C), Section I(D), and Section I(J). 
Credits for retaking a course or taking a different course in order to make up 
failed upper-level credits are counted for this purpose. 
ii)  Subject to Section I(V), a student receiving a grade of Fail in a second-year 
course must make up the failed credits by enrolling in and passing a different 
instance of the course, earning a passing grade on an examination in a 
different instance of the same course, or taking a different course, and has 
the option of not making up the failed credits if the credits are not needed for 
the semester or annual minimums. 

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iii) Special dispensation to continue in the Law School after the second year of

residence without having met these requirements may be granted by the

Administrative Board under such terms as it deems appropriate.

c) Third Year

If the minimum grade requirements for the J.D. degree have not been met after

completing three years of residency (see Section I(U)(1)) the following may be

used to meet the degree requirements:

i) Additional courses may be taken to meet necessary degree requirements.

Degree requirements must be completed within seven years of matriculation.

See Section I(A)(3).

ii) Subject to Section I(V), if a failing grade is the reason for failure to meet the

degree requirements, a student may meet degree requirements by enrolling

in and passing a different instance of the course, earning a passing grade on

an examination in a different instance of the same course, or taking a

different course, or in another manner approved by the Administrative

Board.

d) International and Comparative Law Course Requirement

Subject to Section I(V), a student receiving a grade of Fail in a course taken to

satisfy the International and Comparative Law Course Requirement must make up

the failed credits by enrolling in and passing a different instance of the course,

earning a passing grade on an examination in a different instance of the same

course, or taking a different qualifying international and comparative law course.

e) Legal Profession Course (Professional Responsibility Requirement)

Subject to Section I(V), a student receiving a grade of Fail in the required Legal

Profession course must make up the failed credits in that course by enrolling in and

passing a different instance of the course, earning a passing grade on an

examination in a different examination instance of the same course, or taking a

different Legal Profession course in order to meet the School’s Professional

Responsibility Requirement.

f) Negotiation/Leadership Requirement

Subject to Section I(V), a student receiving a grade of Fail in a course or clinic taken

to satisfy the Negotiation/Leadership Requirement must make up the failed credits

by enrolling in and passing a different instance of the course or clinic, earning a

passing grade in a different instance of the same course or clinic, or taking a

different qualifying Negotiation/Leadership course or clinic.

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g) Minimum G.P.A./Two or More Failing Grades

Any student receiving a grade point average of lower than a Low Pass average for

any semester, or receiving two or more grades of Fail during any academic year, will

be referred to the Administrative Board. The Administrative Board may decide, in

such a case, that the student has failed to meet academic requirements and/or is

unable to advance to the next year and may place the student on involuntary leave

for unfulfilled academic requirements (see Section X(C)(7)). Students must

maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress in order to remain eligible for federal

student aid consideration. See HLS Policy for Financial Aid Recipients.

V. Retaking Courses, Taking a Different Examination in

the Same Course, and Substitute Work

1. The Registrar, Dean for Academic and Faculty Affairs, Dean of Students and relevant

faculty members will consult to determine whether taking an examination in a

different instance of the same course is the appropriate method for a student to

make up failed credits. The Registrar, Dean for Academic and Faculty Affairs, Dean

of Students and the relevant faculty members may consult a Deputy Dean or the

Chair of the Administrative Board in determining options and appropriate method.

2. If it is determined that a student should retake a course or take an examination in a

different instance of a course, the student will be required to do so at the next

scheduled time the course or examination in question is being offered.

3. The grade for retaking a course or for taking an examination in a different instance

of the same course, or for taking a different course to make up the failed credits, if

higher than the original grade, takes the place of the earlier grade for determining

completion of J.D. degree requirements and minimum annual progress. It does not

take the place of the earlier grade for purposes of determining Latin honors (for

which the original grade will be used). Both the original grade and the grade for

retaking the course, for taking an examination in a different instance of the same

course, or for taking a different course to make up the failed credits will be recorded

on the transcript.

4. With the exception noted in Section I(U)(2)(a)(iv), courses retaken and new

courses taken to make up failed credits are included in calculations regarding

compliance with minimum and maximum registration requirements.

5. Special Dispensation: Exceptions from the rules regarding retaking courses, taking

a different examination in the same course, taking a different course and substitute

work may be granted only by the Administrative Board upon a showing of good

cause.

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II. Requirements for Graduate Degrees

The following section provides information on the requirements for the LL.M. and S.J.D.

degrees at Harvard Law School. Note that the information in this section relates

specifically to requirements for Harvard Law School degree completion. It does not relate

to qualification for any bar examination or other professional licensing.

A. Master of Laws (LL.M.)

1. LL.M. Residence and Credit Requirements

To qualify for the LL.M. Degree, candidates must fulfill the following requirements:

a) Attendance at Harvard Law School is full-time, in-person for a period of one

academic year, which consists of the fall, winter and spring terms.

i. Students are expected to maintain the minimum credit requirements stated

in Section II(4)(d)(i)]. To be awarded the LL.M. degree, a student must

complete a minimum of 23 credits.

ii. LL.M. students enrolled at the Law School may not be simultaneously

enrolled, either full-time or part-time, in any other school or college either

within Harvard University or at any other institution, unless they are cross-

registered in courses authorized by the Law School.

iii. In accordance with Harvard Law School policy, students may not be

employed for more than 20 hours of work per week during the academic

year while classes are in session.

iv. LL.M. students must complete degree requirements for the LL.M. within 36

months of first matriculating at the Law School. A leave of absence will not

extend the period for completing degree requirements.

b) A course of study consisting of a minimum of 23 credits and a maximum of 28

credits (including the one credit assigned for completion of the portion of the Legal

Research, Writing and Analysis course that takes place during LL.M. Orientation):

i) LL.M. degree candidates must register for between nine and 13 credits in the fall

term, between eight and 12 credits in the spring term, and at least two credits in

the winter term. In some cases, different minimums may apply for visa purposes.

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ii) LL.M. degree candidates may register for no more than 13 credits in the fall

term, no more than 12 credits in the spring term, and no more than three credits

(from a single offering) in the winter term. These term-specific credit maximums

include the credit(s) for required written work (see Section II(A)(6) below) and

the fall-term credit maximum includes the one credit assigned for completion of

the Legal Research, Writing and Analysis course that takes place during LL.M.

Orientation.

iii) For LL.M. candidates who do not hold a J.D. degree from a law school in the

United States (including Puerto Rico), at least one core course, of at least three

credits, in U.S. law from the following list of designated “primary” courses in U.S.

law: Civil Procedure; Constitutional Law: First Amendment; Constitutional Law:

Separation of Powers, Federalism, and the Fourteenth Amendment; Contracts;

Corporations; Criminal Law; Evidence (only those sections bearing three or

more credits); Family Law; Legislation and Regulation; Property; Separation of

Powers; Taxation; or Torts. The Committee on Graduate Studies will consider

petitions to substitute another substantive course in U.S. law. Petitions will be

considered from students who have significant grounding in U.S. law or in a

substantially similar common law equivalent (as determined by the Committee

on Graduate Studies).

c) The LL.M. Written Work Requirement (see Section II(A)(6) below).

Any questions about academic requirements should be directed to the Graduate Program

Office.

2. Recommended Courses

The Committee on Graduate Studies strongly recommends that each LL.M. candidate also

take at least one course focusing on legal history, legal theory, policy analysis or legal

process. In addition, students who hold a J.D. degree from a school in the United States

(including Puerto Rico), and who are hoping to embark on a law teaching career, are

strongly encouraged to take at least one course that is primarily focused on legal theory or

jurisprudence. Students are invited to consult with the Assistant Dean for the Graduate

Program and International Legal Studies or the Senior Director of Administration and

Student Affairs for the Graduate Program for further discussion of possible course

selections in this area.

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3. Class Attendance and Participation; Overlapping Class Times

Class work is essential to the educational program at the Law School. Regular, in-person

attendance at classes and clinics, participation in class and clinic work, and compliance

with rules and norms for classrooms and clinics, are expected of all students. In the case of

substantial delinquency in attendance, unsatisfactory performance of clinic

responsibilities, or failure to comply with classroom or clinic rules and norms, the Law

School may, after written notice, involuntarily withdraw a student from the class or clinic

in question.

Students who believe they need to miss classes for an extended period of time must speak

with the Dean of Students, the Assistant Dean for the Graduate Program and International

Legal Studies, or the Senior Director of Administration and Student Affairs for the Graduate

Program, who can assist with such situations and can help students comply with the Law

School’s attendance policy and related academic policies. In most cases, a student’s

absence from all of their classes for more than two weeks will be cause for a leave of

absence and administrative withdrawal from all courses. The permissible period of

absence for short courses and winter term courses will be less than two weeks.