AALS has launched a series that will highlight a different member school and focus on a recent program or accomplishment in order to showcase the rich variety of approaches to legal education that makes up the American legal academy. A list of past highlights is available below.

Member School Highlight – Syracuse University College of Law

A picture of Syracuse University College of Law building.

Location: Syracuse, New York
Founded: 1895
Joined AALS: 1900 (Charter Member)
Dean: Terence J. Lau

Syracuse University College of Law is a private law school where legal education extends far beyond the classroom, preparing students to advance justice and empower change.Since it first opened its doors in 1895, Syracuse Law has been focused on expanding access to legal education. Syracuse Law prides itself on its unrivaled commitment to being a law school welcoming to all. That same commitment to access reached a new milestone in 2019 with the launch of JDinteractive (JDi), the nation’s first fully interactive, ABA-accredited hybrid online J.D. program. JDi offers students a high-caliber legal education with substantial flexibility, and, with a seven-year track record, it has become a national model for online legal education. JDi is designed for ambitious professionals who have full-time careers, are parents or caregivers, or are balancing significant time commitments, for whom it makes a law degree accessible for the first time. The program has also enabled OrangeFlex, which allows on-campus 3Ls to complete their final year through an externship in a city of their choice while taking online classes.

Part of Syracuse University, an R1 research institution, Syracuse Law’s faculty conduct leading-edge, interdisciplinary research that impacts their fields of expertise. That same cross-disciplinary spirit drives faculty and student partnerships across the university, including 13 joint degrees with nationally recognized schools such as the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs and S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications. Students can pursue the same depth of focus within the law curriculum, exploring specialized areas of law tailored to their interests and career aspirations.

Syracuse Law’s faculty teach nine Areas of Focus that are built on rigorous coursework, focused experiential learning, and faculty scholarship, providing students with the education and experiences to excel in demanding areas of the law, including Innovation/Entrepreneurship and Intellectual Property, National Security Law, and Disability Law and Policy.

Syracuse University College of Law students participating in its Advocacy Program.

Syracuse University College of Law’s advocacy program is nationally recognized, has created six original intercollegiate competitions, and offers the nation’s first joint J.D./LL.M. in Advocacy and Litigation, giving students practical courtroom experience in emerging areas of practice. Syracuse Law has been repeatedly honored as the state’s best trial-skills law school by the New York State Bar Association and continually delivers exceptional team and individual results when competing against other law schools. The Advocacy curriculum encompasses comprehensive training in vital legal skills, including research, writing, oral argumentation, and courtroom procedures. Mock trials and competitions, along with experiential classroom learning, provide students with the practical skills and confidence to navigate legal proceedings when they graduate. Beyond refining legal skills, the Advocacy Program serves as a gateway to a thriving professional network that can influence students’ future.

“Syracuse Law has always led the way in providing a purposeful education that readies our students for tomorrow’s challenges,” says Terence J. Lau, Dean of Syracuse University College of Law. “Our goal has never been simply to teach the law, but to prepare students to use it — in the courtroom, in their communities, and in the fields that will define the next era of practice.”