Chicago-Kent College of Law Student Handbook

Chicago-Kent College of Law reserves the right, without notice, to change the requirements for admission or graduation; the arrangement, time, credit, or content of courses; the books to be used; the tuition or other fees charged; academic standards; the regulations affecting students; and any and all other matters contained in this Handbook. Changes will be duly published.

Chicago-Kent College of Law provides equality of opportunity in legal education for all persons, including faculty and employees, with respect to hiring, continuation, promotion and tenure, applicants for admission, enrolled students, and alumnae/i, without discrimination on the ground of race, color, religion, national origin, gender, age, disability, sexual orientation, or gender identity. (See §16.1 of this Handbook.)

In addition, Chicago-Kent College of Law provides its students, alumnae/i, faculty members, law school administrators, and other authorized users of its placement facilities with equal opportunity to obtain employment without discrimination or segregation on the ground of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, handicap or disability, sexual orientation, or gender identity. Placement facilities and services of Chicago-Kent are available only to employers whose employment practices are consistent with this policy and are similarly non-discriminatory. (See §18.5 of this Handbook.)

Students who began their law studies in 1998 or later must complete 87 hours of credit to earn the degree of Juris Doctor. Students who began prior to 1998 should contact the Assistant Dean for Academic Administration and Student Affairs to determine the number of credits they must complete in order to receive the degree.

The normal maximum period for full-time Day Division students to complete the requirements for the degree is five years. The normal maximum completion time for part-time Day Division students and for Evening Division students to complete the requirements for the degree is six years.

All students who began their law studies in 1998 or before must attain a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.100 to earn the degree. All students who began their law studies in 1999 or later must attain a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.300 to earn the degree.

The following courses must be successfully completed to earn the J.D. degree: Contracts, Torts, Criminal Law, Civil Procedure, Property, Legislative Process, Legal Writing 1, Legal Writing 2, Legal Writing 3, Legal Writing 4, Constitutional Law, Professional Responsibility, and one seminar. To satisfy the degree requirement, the seminar must be taken in a semester at the start of which the student has successfully completed at least 54 hours of credit and has completed the Legal Writing 4 writing requirement, unless the Assistant Dean for Academic Administration and Student Affairs waives this requirement in the same manner as provided in §2.9. Student may take seminars for which they meet the prerequisites in earlier semesters, but not in satisfaction of the degree requirement. Certain writing requirements may be waived or satisfied in an alternative manner as provided in §§1.3, 1.4, and 1.20.

The seminar requirement may be satisfied by an Independent Research course supervised by a member of the full-time faculty. To fulfill the seminar requirement, an extensive seminar-style research paper must be written. A student must obtain written approval from the instructor and the Assistant Dean for Academic Administration and Student Affairs prior to beginning the research and prior to registration. In order to satisfy the seminar requirement, Independent Research must be taken in a semester at the start of which the student has completed at least 54 hours of credit and has completed Legal Writing 4, unless the Assistant Dean waives this requirement in the same manner as provided in §2.9. Independent Research is graded on a pass/fail basis; a student may not earn a letter grade. Only one credit hour is awarded for this course even though it fulfills the two-credit hour seminar requirement. A student may earn only one credit hour of Independent Research per semester.

The Legal Writing 4 requirement may be waived in certain circumstances for students who participate in one of the following: Law Review, Moot Court Honor Society, the Litigation and Alternative Dispute Resolution Program, and Judicial Externship. For details, see the Record or the most recent semester's Schedule of Classes or Registration Bulletin, or contact the Assistant Dean for Academic Administration and Student Affairs.

(a) General Information

The number of hours required to meet the residency requirement is unrelated to the definition of full-time, half-time or part-time for financial aid and scholarship purposes. See §13.1 for those requirements.

Students who change from one division to the other, or from part-time to full-time Day Division status, should contact the Assistant Dean for Academic Administration and Student Affairs regarding their residency requirement.

(b) Full-Time Students

Full-time Day Division students must spend at least six semesters "in residence" at Chicago-Kent or other ABA-approved law school. A full-time Day Division semester "in residence" is a semester with at least 12 credit hours. However, a semester "in residence" for a full-time Day Division senior student is a semester with at least 10 credit hours; this applies to the last two semesters before a student graduates. If a full-time Day Division student attends two Summer sessions the number of semesters required "in residence" may be reduced by one, provided that the student takes at least ten hours during the Summer sessions. If a student does not plan carefully, he or she may have to take more hours than required for graduation in the last semester to meet the residency requirement.

(c) Part-Time Students

Part-time Day Division students and Evening Division students must spend at least eight semesters "in residence" at the Chicago-Kent or other ABA-approved law school. A semester "in residence" for these students is a semester with at least eight credit hours. If a part-time Day Division student or an Evening Division student attends two or three Summer sessions, the number of semesters required "in residence" may be reduced by one, provided the student takes at least eight hours during the Summer sessions.

If a student receives permission to study at another law school, the student will receive a degree from Chicago-Kent provided the student earns at least 54 credit hours at Chicago-Kent and meets the other degree requirements of the Law School. In appropriate circumstances, the Assistant Dean for Academic Administration and Student Affairs may make modifications to the credit hour requirement. See §5.1 for the procedures for obtaining permission to study at another law school.

Graduating seniors must submit an Application for Graduation to the Registrar's office as soon as their class schedule for their final semester is confirmed. Summer graduates should submit the Application after registering for the preceding spring semester. It is imperative for graduating seniors to notify the Registrar if they have changed their schedules and reduced their hours after they have submitted the Application for Graduation.

Each student has the responsibility to make sure that all degree requirements are fulfilled. Graduating seniors should make an independent review of their records before registering for their final semester. The Registrar will review the academic record of each senior who has submitted an Application for Graduation and will attempt to notify a student of any apparent deficiencies prior to the student's last semester. However, it is the student's responsibility, not the Registrar's, to make sure that all degree requirements will be fulfilled by the end of the final semester. After all graduating seniors' grades have been received by the Registrar in the final semester, the Registrar will review each graduating senior's record to make sure that all degree requirements are fulfilled. If a student has not fulfilled all degree requirements, he or she will not receive a degree and will not be certified to the bar examiners.

(a) General Information

The Illinois Board of Admissions to the Bar requires law students to register with the bar examiners by March 1 of the first year of law school if they intend to take the Illinois bar exam. Students who register after that date will have to pay a $350 late fee. The Illinois bar exam is administered in February and July of each year. Students must also pass the Multistate Professional Responsibility Exam (MPRE), which is given four times a year and may be taken after you have earned two-thirds of the academic credits required for the J.D. degree. The registration forms and instructions are available on the web at http://www.ibaby.org. Information about the MPRE is available in the Registrar's office or on the web at http://www.ncbex.org/mpre.htm.

Illinois does not require any specified courses to take the bar exam. However, some states require specific law courses to be eligible to take the bar exam. Students should obtain information as soon after they begin law school as possible about the character and fitness, curricular, preregistration, and other requirements for admission to the bar in states in which they may seek admission. This information is available in the office of the Assistant Dean for Academic Administration and Student Affairs and in the Registrar's office. Graduating seniors must advise the Registrar of the forms and documents required by out-of-state bar examiners well in advance of the date the material is required.

(b) Character and Fitness

At the end of each semester, the dean sends a Certificate of Dean of Law School to the Illinois Board of Admissions to the Bar for each graduate certifying that the student has earned the J.D. degree. The Certificate requires the dean to answer the following questions for the Character and Fitness Committee and to provide relevant details and documentation:

Other states require similar certificates to be completed by the dean for students taking the bar exam in their states.

All information disclosed on the bar registration application should be consistent with answers to questions on the student's Application for Admission to the Law School. The bar registration application, however, asks for a considerable amount of information that applicants are not asked to provide on the Application for Admission. You only need to be concerned about the consistency of answers for questions asked on both forms. You can amend your Application for Admission, if necessary, by addressing a letter to the Assistant Dean for Academic Administration and Student Affairs setting forth the details of the omission or misrepresentation and the reason for it.

(c) Graduating Seniors

Graduating seniors who registered with the bar examiners in their first year must also file a final application by February 1 of their senior year if they plan on taking the July bar exam. (Students planning on taking the February bar should check the deadlines and other requirements on the bar examiners' web site.) Graduating seniors who did not register during their first year need a separate set of application materials, which contains both the registration application and the final application. The Law School sends a “Certificate of Dean of Law School Proof of Legal Education” to the Illinois bar examiners at the end of each semester for every graduating student. Please be sure to file an Application for Graduation early in your final semester so that we will know you plan to graduate.

If you have any questions about the registration application or the final application, you may call the Illinois Board of Admissions to the Bar at 217/522-5917.

The Juris Doctor degree is conferred by the University upon students who are recommended by the Dean and faculty of the College of Law after successful completion of all degree requirements. On recommendation of the faculty, degrees may be awarded with Honors or High Honors. Under current practice, students who rank in the top 25% of their class are awarded their degrees with Honors; those who rank in the top 10% of their class are awarded their degrees with High Honors. Students who graduate in August and December are ranked with the succeeding May graduating class.

Under current practice, students who earn the Masters in International and Comparative Law degree will graduate with Honors if their cumulative GPAs are at least 3.500 and will graduate with High Honors if their GPAs are at least 3.750. Students who earn the LL.M. in Taxation will graduate with Honors if they attain cumulative GPAs of at least 3.250 and with High Honors if they attain GPAs of at least 3.750. Students who earn the LL.M. in Financial Services are not eligible for Honors.

J.D. graduates who rank in the top 10% of the graduating class are eligible for election to membership in The Order of the Coif, if they otherwise meet the membership criteria of the Order. The faculty members of The Order of the Coif elect the new members from among the eligible graduates.

(a) Eligibility by Academic Achievement

The following students will be invited to join the Chicago-Kent Law Review at the end of each academic year: (1) students who have completed only one academic year as full-time Day Division students who rank in the top 7% of the full-time Day Division class (not divided into sections); (2) students who have completed only one academic year as part-time Day Division students or as Evening Division students who rank in the top 7% of the combined part-time Day Division and Evening Division class; and (3) students who have completed at least one academic year, but not more than two academic years, as part-time Day Division students or as Evening Division students who rank within the top 7% of the combined class comprised of first-year full-time Day Division students, second-year part-time Day Division students, and second-year Evening Division students.

(b) Eligibility by Successful Summer Candidacy Program Participation

    (1) The Summer Candidacy Program typically consists of writing a case comment on a legal topic chosen by the Law Review Executive Board. The paper is usually a closed research problem, due on a designated date in July. Exact program dates and requirements are announced by the Law Review each Spring. The Law Review Executive Board selects which students, if any, will be invited to join the staff based on evaluation of the case comments submitted.

    (2) The following students are eligible to participate in the Law Review Summer Candidacy Program if at the time of their eligibility they have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.000: (1) students who have completed only one academic year as full-time Day Division students; (2) students who have completed at least one academic year, but not more than two academic years, as part-time Day Division students or as Evening Division students; and (3) transfer students who have completed one year of academic work at Chicago-Kent, but who were not enrolled at Chicago-Kent at the end of their first year (for full-time Day Division students) or second year (for part-time Day Division or Evening Division students). Students who do not qualify for any of the above categories are eligible to participate in the Summer Candidacy Program if they meet the following requirements: (1) they have completed at least one academic year at Chicago-Kent; and (2) they have a GPA of at least 3.250 at the end of the Spring semester immediately prior to the Summer Candidacy Program.

    (3) Students who will not be in Chicago during the Summer of their eligibility may still participate in the program, but should contact the Law Review as soon as possible after the program dates are announced to make the necessary arrangements.

    (4) For purposes of Law Review academic or Summer candidacy eligibility, "completing" an academic year means that a student earned sufficient credit to be ranked with the corresponding Day/Evening Divisions combined class for the student's particular graduation year. Class rank and graduation year information is determined by the Registrar.

A student may receive an invitation to join the Moot Court Honor Society based on performance in either (1) the Charles Evans Hughes Moot Court Oral Arguments, in which all first-year students participate as a required part of the Legal Writing 2 curriculum, or (2) the Moot Court Honor Society Summer Candidacy Program. Students who argue in the final (second) round of the Hughes Arguments in the first year of law school and finish in the top 10% of all students who competed on a problem-by-problem basis, and who earn at least a B+ in Legal Writing 2, receive invitations to join the Society, provided that they meet the minimum cumulative GPA requirement discussed below. Students may participate in the Summer Candidacy Program in any Summer, provided they will be in residence at Chicago-Kent for at least two full semesters following that Summer. A grade of B+ in Legal Writing 2 is not required to participate in the Summer Candidacy Program.

In addition to fulfilling the requirements discussed above, a student must have at least a 3.000 GPA at the completion of the Spring semester immediately preceding the Summer Candidacy Program in order to be eligible for membership by either selection process discussed above. Any student, however, who otherwise qualifies for automatic membership based on performance in the Hughes Arguments and Legal Writing 2, but who fails to qualify for automatic membership because he or she has a cumulative GPA below 3.000, may petition the Moot Court Honor Society Executive Board to participate in the Summer Candidacy Competition.

A student who receives an invitation to join the Moot Court Honor Society may defer acceptance of the invitation for no more than one year with permission of the Director of Appellate Advocacy. Deferral is typically granted if (1) the student also has been invited to join the Chicago-Kent Law Review and has accepted that invitation, or (2) the student will be a second-year part-time Day Division student or a second-year Evening Division student and wishes to begin Moot Court membership in the Fall of his or her third year.

All new members of the Moot Court Honor Society are required to register for Appellate Advocacy in their first semester of membership. Appellate Advocacy is offered only in the Fall semester, so students must begin their membership in the Fall semester. A student may not receive credit for more than five hours of Moot Court Honor Society, including the two hours of Appellate Advocacy. Appellate Advocacy is a two-hour graded course that may not be taken on a pass/fail basis. See also the requirements set forth in §§1.15 and 2.5.

To receive credit for Intellectual Property Moot Court, the following requirements must be met: (1) the student must have completed Legal Writing 2; (2) the student may not have participated more than two semesters in the Moot Court Society; (3) the student must adequately complete briefs per competition rules as determined by the Intellectual Property Law Society's coach and faculty advisor; and (4) the student must participate in at least two arguments in an intramural round robin of oral argument, one argument on each side. Also see the requirements set forth in §§1.15 and 2.5.

Except as noted below, the following rules must be followed to earn credit for participation in the Moot Court Honor Society, BLSA Moot Court, Environmental Moot Court, Intellectual Property Moot Court, International Moot Court, and any other moot court competition activity.

A student may earn only one credit hour per semester for participation in a Moot Court program (except for the Appellate Advocacy class), subject to the following conditions:

(1) In order to earn the one credit, the student must fulfill the program requirements for obtaining credit, and the requirements must include substantial participation in an Interscholastic Moot Court competition or the Moot Court Honor Society's Spring Intramural Competition.

(2) A student may earn no more than one credit for each Interscholastic Moot Court competition in which he or she participates, and such credit shall be awarded in the semester in which the competition takes place.

(3) A student may earn no more than one credit in total for participation in the Moot Court Honor Society's Spring Intramural Competition, and such credit shall be awarded in the semester in which the competition takes place.

(4) A student may earn no more than one credit in total for coaching a Moot Court team, but only for coaching a team entered in a competition sponsored by the Moot Court Honor Society, and such credit shall be awarded in the semester in which the competition takes place.

(5) To be eligible to participate in the International Law Moot Court, a student must have completed or be taking International Advanced Research.

A student may earn a Certificate in Environmental Law, in addition to the J.D. degree, by participating in the Program in Environmental and Energy Law. A student joins the Program after the first year of law school by notifying the directors of her/his interest.

A participant in the Program must take the following courses: Environmental Law and Policy 1 and 2, Advanced Research in Environmental Law (designated sections of the Advanced Research for students in the Program), Scientific Analysis of Environmental Problems, either Energy Law or Land Use Law, and a seminar designated for the program. The International Environmental Law seminar may be used to satisfy the requirements of this Certificate and also the International and Comparative Law Certificate provided the student notifies the Director of each Program at the start of the semester and writes a longer paper than normally required. A student may not make the pass/fail election for any course which will be used to fulfill the requirements for the Certificate.

Students must complete an Application for a Certificate and have it approved by a Director of the Program during their last semester. For additional information, obtain a copy of the Program brochure or contact Prof. Dan Tarlock (room 831, 906-5217).

A student may earn a Certificate in International and Comparative Law, in addition to the J.D. degree by successfully completing 14 credit hours of course study in international and comparative law, including one seminar. A student joins the Program after the first year of law school by notifying the directors of her/his interest.

Students must take three of the following four courses: International Law, Comparative Law, International Trade, and International Business Transactions. The remaining hours may be selected from among a variety of elective international law courses including European Community Law, International Human Rights, International Environmental Law, International Aspects of Intellectual Property Law and other international studies courses that will be offered from time to time. A student may not make the pass/fail election for any course which will be used to fulfill the requirements for the Certificate. Independent Research under the supervision of an international law faculty member or participation in the Jessup Competition may account for two credit hours of participation in the program.

Students must complete an Application for a Certificate and have it approved by a Director of the Program during their last semester. For additional information, contact the co-directors of the Program, who serve as advisors to the students in the Program: Prof. Bart Brown (room 855, 906-5046), or Prof. David Gerber (room 733, 906-5032).

A student may earn a Certificate in Intellectual Property Law, in addition to the J.D. degree, by participating in the Program in Intellectual Property Law. To earn the Certificate, a student must successfully complete 20 credit hours of approved course work: the three core Intellectual Property courses (Patent Law, Copyright Law, and Trademarks and Unfair Competition); a Capstone Experience (Intellectual Property Clinic, Intellectual Property Externship, Strategies in Intellectual Property Law, or any other course designated by the Director of the Program); and 8 credit hours from a list of optional courses. A student may not make the pass/fail election for any course used to fulfill the requirements for the Certificate. (Please note: Students who began their second year of law studies prior to Fall 2002 are subject to an earlier set of Certificate requirements; see the Program web site or the Director of the Program.)

Every prospective Certificate student must complete a Letter of Intent and submit it to the Director of the Program. In the final semester prior to graduation, the student must complete an Application for the Certificate and submit it to the Director.

Details about the Certificate and copies of the required forms are available at http://www.kentlaw.edu/depts/ipp/rule.html or from the Director of the Program, Professor Graeme Dinwoodie (Room 729; 312/906-5138; gdinwood@kentlaw.edu).

A student may earn a Certificate in Labor and Employment Law, in addition to the J.D. degree, by participating in the Program in Labor and Employment Law. The Program is a component of the Law School's Institute for Law and the Workplace, which also sponsors conferences and symposia dealing with current workplace issues. To earn the Certificate, a student must successfully complete the following course of study: the three core Labor and Employment courses (Labor Law, Employment Relationships, and Employment Discrimination); a specialized version of Legal Writing 4 focusing on Labor and Employment Law; a practicum course (Employment Law Clinic, Labor/Employment Law Externship, or Employment Litigation); an elective designated for the program; and a seminar designated for the Program. A student may not make the pass/fail election for any course used to fulfill the requirements for the Certificate.

Every prospective Certificate student must notify the Director of the Institute after the student's first year of law school of his or her interest. In the final semester prior to graduation, the student must complete an Application for the Certificate and submit it to the Director.

Details about the Certificate are available at http://www.kentlaw.edu/academics/plel/ about.html or from the Director of the Institute, Professor Martin Malin (Room 843; 312/906-5056; mmalin@kentlaw.edu), or the Assistant Director, Professor Mary Rose Strubbe (Room 865; 312/906-5288; mstrubbe@kentlaw.edu).

[Return to Table of Contents]

A student may earn a Certificate in Litigation and Alternative Dispute Resolution, in addition to the J.D. degree, by successfully completing the requirements of the LADR Program. Students in the LADR Program learn traditional doctrinal and case analysis along with the theoretical and ethical foundations of law and receive training in legal research and writing, trial skills, negotiation and mediation, and clinical education.

Full-time Day Division students apply for admission into the LADR Program during their second semester of law school (the Spring semester of their first year) and begin the LADR curriculum in at the beginning of their second year. Part-time Day Division and Evening Division students may apply in either their second or fourth semesters and typically begin the LADR curriculum at the beginning of their third year. Thirty students are admitted into the program each year.

Students admitted into the LADR Program in Spring 2004 or thereafter will receive the LADR Certificate if they successfully complete five lawyering process courses and two doctrinal courses, as follows: (A) Lawyering Process Courses: Pretrial Litigation; Trial Advocacy 1; In-House Clinic; Judicial Externship or a second semester of In-House Clinic; and Mediation and Other ADR Procedures Clinic. (B) Doctrinal Courses: Evidence; and one course from the following list: Federal Courts, Criminal Procedure: The Adjudicative Process, Criminal Procedure: The Investigative Process, Civil Procedure 2, Complex Litigation, Appellate Courts and Procedure, or a similar course approved the by the LADR Faculty Committee. Students admitted into the LADR Program prior to Spring 2004 should consult with the Director of Clinical Education about the LADR Certificate requirements.

Successful completion of Pretrial Litigation and a series of classes on advanced research will exempt LADR students from the Legal Writing 4 requirement. LADR students are not exempt from Legal Writing 3. A student may not make the pass/fail election for any course used to fulfill the requirements for the Certificate. Students in the LADR Program may not enroll in any ADR, Negotiation, or Mediation course not designated as a LADR course.

Details about the LADR Program are available at http://www.kentlaw.edu/academics/
jdcert/ladr_pgm.html or from the Director of Clinical Education, Professor Gary Laser (Room 631; 312/906-5070; glaser@kentlaw.edu).

Enrollment in the joint J.D./LL.M. Program in Taxation enables a student to obtain an LL.M. in Taxation by completing as few as six LL.M. courses after receiving the J.D. degree. A student may enroll in the Program after completing Law 276, Personal Income Tax. To enroll, a student must be in the upper one-third of his or her class, or receive the permission of the Director of the Program, and must complete a Registration as a JD/LL.M. Student form in the Registrar's office. While a J.D. student, the joint degree candidate will take at least four, but not more than six, courses in the LL.M. Program, which will count toward the hours required for theJ.D. degree. A student is not permitted to take more than six LL.M. courses prior to earning the J.D. degree, even if the student does not intend to count the additional courses for J.D. credit. Grades received in LL.M. courses are counted in the student's J.D. grade point average. The grade point values of LL.M. grades will be based on the J.D. scale in Handbook §6.1; a J.D. student may not be awarded an A+. An LL.M. course may not be taken on a pass/fail basis. Tuition for LL.M. courses will be charged at the J.D. rate until the J.D. degree is received.

After earning the J.D. degree, the student will take additional LL.M. courses until twelve LL.M. courses (seven required and five elective) have been successfully completed, including the LL.M. courses taken while a J.D. student. To receive the LL.M. degree, the student must complete the twelve LL.M. tax courses within a five-year period and must attain a cumulative GPA of at least 2.500 for all LL.M. courses taken, including those taken while a J.D. student.

A student will not receive credit toward the LL.M. degree for J.D. tax courses taken. If, however, both a J.D. tax course and an LL.M. tax course are offered in the same subject, and that subject is either one of the seven required LL.M. tax courses or a prerequisite for an LL.M. tax course, those requirements may be waived for a J.D. student in the joint program who has received non-pass/fail credit for the J.D. course, but the student must still take a total of twelve LL.M. tax courses to receive the LL.M. degree. For additional information, contact the Director of the Graduate Program in Taxation, Professor Gerald Brown (Room 615; 312/906-5071; gbrown@kentlaw.edu).

Enrollment in the joint J.D./LL.M. Program in Financial Services Law enables a student to obtain an LL.M. in Financial Services Law within one semester after receiving the J.D. degree. A student may enroll in the Program after completing Law 276, Personal Income Tax and Law 409, Business Organizations. To enroll, a student must have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.200, or receive the permission of the Director of the Program, and must complete a Registration as a JD/LL.M. Student form in the Registrar's office. While a J.D. student, the joint degree candidate must take Law 361, Securities Regulation, for J.D. credit. While a J.D. student, the joint degree candidate will take at least four, but not more than six, courses in the LL.M. Program, which will count toward the hours required for the J.D. degree. A student is not permitted to take more than six LL.M. courses prior to earning the J.D. degree, even if the student does not intend to count the additional courses for J.D. credit. Grades received in LL.M. courses are counted in the student's J.D. grade point average. An LL.M. course may not be taken on a pass/fair basis. Tuition for LL.M. courses will be charged at the J.D. rate until the J.D. degree is received.

After earning the J.D. degree, the student will take additional LL.M. courses until twelve LL.M. courses have been successfully completed, including the LL.M. courses taken while a J.D. student. To receive the LL.M. degree, the student must complete the twelve LL.M. financial services courses within a six-year period and must attain a cumulative GPA of at least 3.000 for all LL.M. courses taken, including those taken while a J.D. student.

A student will not receive credit toward the LL.M. degree for J.D. courses taken, including Law 361, Securities Regulation. If, however, both a J.D. course and an LL.M. course are offered in the same subject (e.g., Banking Law), and that subject is one of the required LL.M. courses from Area A: the industry courses, those requirements will be waived for a J.D. student in the joint program who has received non-pass/fail credit for the J.D. course, but the student must still take a total of twelve LL.M. financial services courses to receive the LL.M. degree. For additional information, contact the Director of the Graduate Program in Financial Services Law, Professor Henry H. Perritt, Jr. (Room 713; 312/906-5098; hperritt@kentlaw.edu).

Students who wish to enroll in the joint J.D./Masters in Business Administration program must be accepted by the Stuart Graduate School of Business into the M.B.A. program. Joint Program students may apply up to five approved M.B.A. courses taken at the Stuart Graduate School toward the requirements for the J.D. degree. An M.B.A. Course Request for J.D./M.B.A. Students form must be completed before the course begins for each M.B.A. course the student intends to apply to the J.D. requirements. No credit may be applied toward the J.D. degree for courses completed prior to the commencement of law studies.

To receive J.D. credit for a course, the student must earn at least a C in the course. Students receive 2.4 credit hours toward the J.D. degree for each M.B.A. course successfully completed, up to a maximum of 12 hours. If a student takes fewer than five M.B.A. courses, the student will receive 2.4 credit hours per course, rounded down to the nearest whole number. The M.B.A. course grades will not count in the student's J.D. grade point average. For additional information and program requirements, contact Dean Sowle for Law School information or Suzanne Weiss (Room 483; 312/906-6544; sweiss@stuart.iit.edu) for Stuart School information.

Students who wish to enroll in the joint J.D./M.S. in Financial Markets Program must be accepted by the Center for Law and Financial Markets into the M.S. Program. Joint Program students may apply up to five approved M.S. courses taken at the Center for Law and Financial Markets toward the requirements for the J.D. degree. No credit may be applied toward the J.D. degree for courses completed prior to the commencement of law studies. To receive J.D. credit for a course, the student must earn at least a C in the course. Students receive 2.4 credit hours toward the J.D. degree for each M.S. course successfully completed, up to a maximum of 12 hours. If a student takes fewer than five M.S. courses, the student will receive 2.4 credit hours per course, rounded down to the nearest whole number. The M.S. course grades will not count in the student's J.D. grade point average. For additional information and program requirements, contact Dean Sowle for law school information or Nidhi Singh (nsingh@clfm.kentlaw.edu) for information regarding the Center for Law and Financial Markets.

Students who wish to enroll in the joint J.D./M.E.M. program must be accepted by the Stuart School into the M.E.M. program and complete a Registration as a J.D./M.E.M. Student form in the Registrar's office. Joint Program students may apply up to five approved M.E.M. courses taken at the Stuart School of Business toward the requirements for the J.D. degree. A J.D./M.E.M. Course Request form must be completed before the course begins for each M.E.M. course the student intends to apply to the J.D. requirements. No credit may be applied toward the J.D. degree for courses completed prior to the commencement of law studies.

To receive J.D. credit for a course, the student must earn at least a C in the course. Students receive 2.4 credit hours toward the J.D. degree for each M.E.M. course successfully completed, up to a maximum of 12 hours. If a student takes fewer than five M.E.M. courses, the student will receive 2.4 credit hours per course, rounded down to the nearest whole number. The M.E.M. course grades will not count in the student's J.D. grade point average. For additional information and program requirements, contact Dean Sowle for law school information or Dean Zia Hassan (room 430C; phone 906-6515) for business school information.

Students who wish to enroll in the joint J.D./M.P.A. program must be accepted into the M.P.A. program and complete a Registration as a J.D./M.P.A. Student form in the Registrar's office. Joint Program students may apply up to five approved M.P.A. courses taken at the Stuart School of Business toward the requirements for the J.D. degree. A J.D./M.P.A. Course Request form must be completed before the course begins for each M.P.A. course the student intends to apply to the J.D. requirements. No credit may be applied toward the J.D. degree for courses completed prior to the commencement of law studies.

To receive J.D. credit for a course, the student must earn at least a C in the course. Students receive 3 credit hours toward the J.D. degree for each M.P.A. course successfully completed, up to a maximum of 12 hours. The M.P.A. course grades will not count in the student's J.D. grade point average. For additional information and program requirements, contact Dean Sowle for law school information or David Beam, Director of the M.P.A. Program (room 540, 906-5196).

Chicago-Kent is a member of the London Law Consortium, which operates a semester abroad program each Spring semester in London. Students who attend the program must pay the regular rate of tuition to Chicago-Kent and additional program fees to the Consortium. Living expenses, airfare, books, and materials are also additional costs. Information about this program is available in Dean Sowle's office.

Students who attend the program may elect to receive the grades earned or may take the courses on a pass/fail basis. The election, which will apply to all courses taken in the program, must be made prior to the commencement of the program by completing a form in the Registrar's office. This pass/fail election will not be counted within the six hours of elective pass/fail courses available under §2.4.

Full-time Day Division students may register for a maximum of 16 credit hours per semester (17 if registered for Law Review or Moot Court Honor Society). Part-time Day Division students and Evening Division students may register for a maximum of 11 credit hours per semester (12 if registered for Law Review or Moot Court Honor Society). All students may register for a maximum of six credit hours during a Summer session. The maximum hour limitation applies to all courses the student is taking that are to be applied to the J.D. degree. For example, if a full-time Day Division student takes 14 credit hours of law courses, the student may not receive credit for more than two hours of graduate courses in the Stuart Graduate School of Business or in any other graduate school for credit toward the J.D. degree.

Full-time Day Division students must register for a minimum of twelve credit hours per semester, except graduating seniors who need fewer than twelve credit hours to graduate. Part-time Day Division students and Evening Division students must register for a minimum of eight credit hours per semester, except graduating seniors who need fewer than eight credit hours to graduate. However, senior students should refer to the residency requirements set forth in §1.5.

A student may not receive credit toward graduation for more than six credit hours of seminar work.

A student in good standing may elect to take six credit hours on a pass/fail basis in accordance with the limitations of this section, provided that the student designates such an election by the end of the second week of the Fall semester, the end of the fourth week of the Spring semester, and the end of the first week of the Summer session. After the deadline, the student may not convert from the standard grading system to pass/fail. However, a student may revoke the pass/fail election and convert from the pass/fail election to the standard grading system at any time up to the last day of classes for the semester or the Summer term. A student may not revoke a revocation and re-elect the pass/fail option after the deadline for making the pass/fail election. No more than six credit hours taken under this election will count toward the graduation credit requirement. A student may submit election forms for up to six hours of pass/fail; forms submitted that exceed six hours are null and void. If a student goes on academic probation, all pass/fail elections the student made for the probationary semester are nullified.

In order to earn the grade of Pass in a course for which the pass/fail election has been made, the student must earn at least the grade of C. If a student earns a C- or lower, the student will be awarded the grade of LP (Low Pass). See also the requirements set forth in §6.6.

The pass/fail election does not apply to: (1) a course required for the degree, including Professional Responsibility; (2) a seminar, whether or not being taken to fulfill the seminar requirement; (3) a course that has been designated by the instructor before registration as unavailable for the pass/fail election; (4) a course offered only on a pass/fail basis, such as Law Review, Moot Court, and clinical courses; (5) LL.M. courses; (6) Appellate Advocacy and Trial Advocacy courses; or (7) any course being taken to fulfill the requirements of any certificate program.

A student may not receive credit toward graduation for more than 19 credit hours graded on a pass/fail basis, including courses taken under this election and the courses listed in §2.7.

Note: Credits for which a student may only receive a pass/fail grade, such as Law Review, Moot Court Honor Society, clinical courses, Independent Research, or credits transferred from another law school, do not affect a student's right to elect six hours of pass/fail credits under this section.

A student may receive no more than five hours of credit toward graduation for participation in Law Review, and no more than one credit hour per semester. A student may receive no more than a total of five credits toward graduation for participation in the Appellate Advocacy course, Moot Court Honor Society, BLSA Moot Court, Environmental Moot Court, International Moot Court, Intellectual Property Moot Court, and any other moot court program. With the exception of the Appellate Advocacy course, a student may take no more than one credit hour per semester of any moot court activity listed herein. A student may not take any moot court credits while enrolled in Appellate Advocacy. The Law Review and moot court credit-hour limitations are separate; a student may earn five credit hours for Law Review and an additional five credit hours for Moot Court, subject to the limitations in §2.7.

A student may receive no more than 16 credit hours toward graduation for the following courses combined: In-House clinical courses, Legal Externship, Business Entity Formation, Judicial Externship, and Interviewing and Counseling (Advice Desk). In addition, a student may not enroll for more than two semesters of Judicial Externship. Students in the Litigation and Alternative Dispute Resolution Program (LADR) are exempt from the 16-credit-hour limitation of this section.

A student may not receive credit toward graduation for more than 19 credit hours taken in the following courses or areas combined: In-House clinical courses, Judicial Externship, Legal Externship, Interviewing and Counseling (Advice Desk), Mediation Practice, Independent Research, Law Review, Moot Court Honor Society, moot court competitions receiving academic credit, and Legal Writing and Academic Support Program teaching assistantships. All of these courses are graded only on a pass/fail basis. The 19 credit hour limitation also includes the credit hours for which a pass/fail election was made pursuant to §2.4 and to credits earned at other law schools' Summer programs, whether in the United States or abroad. However, the limitation in this section does not apply to credits taken with permission at other law schools during the regular academic year.

ABA accreditation rules and Law School regulations provide that full-time Day Division students may not be employed for more than 20 hours per week while school is in session. If a full-time Day Division student must work more than 20 hours per week, the student must transfer to the part-time Day Division or the Evening Division.

The Assistant Dean for Academic Administration and Student Affairs may grant an exception to any of the limitations in this section if a student has compelling extenuating circumstances. To request an exception, a student must submit a petition to the Assistant Dean setting forth in detail the circumstances necessitating the exception. The faculty does not recognize a desire to accelerate the date of graduation as a valid reason to exceed the maximum number of credit hours in a semester.

See §13.1 for the number of hours required to be considered full-time or part-time for financial aid and loan deferral purposes.

A student may not receive credit toward graduation for more than four credit hours as a Legal Writing Teaching Assistant or for more than four credit hours as an Academic Support Program Teaching Assistant.

A student may not receive credit for a course unless the student is properly registered for the section of the course for which the grade was submitted.

Day Division students have priority for Day Division classes; Evening Division students have priority for Evening Division classes. For classes in the 4:00 time slot, seats are allocated proportionately between Day Division and Evening Division. Within divisions, registration priority is based on anticipated graduation date, with the earliest graduation date having the highest priority.

Students must take all required courses at the time prescribed and in the sequence designated in the registration instructions. First-year students are not permitted to change programs, drop required courses, take Incompletes in required courses, or take a reduced class load; see §3.10(c).

Prior to registration, the Law Offices will solicit applications for positions for the next semester. If more students apply than can be accepted, a lottery will be held to select the students who may register. A list of the students authorized to register for the In-House Clinical Programs will be published prior to the commencement of registration.

(a) Legal Externship. The Legal Externship Program is a 4-credit-hour, pass/fail program that enables a law student to receive academic credit for working 16 hours a week in an approved legal placement under the supervision of a designated attorney. Legal Externship consists primarily of a fieldwork experience under a supervising lawyer approved by the Law School, supplemented by individual and group meetings throughout the semester between the extern and Professor Vivien Gross. Students must meet with Prof. Vivien Gross (vgross@kentlaw.edu) to apply. Externships are available for the Fall and Spring semesters and the Summer term.

(b) Judicial Externship. The Judicial Externship Program is a 4-credit-hour, pass/fail program that enables students to work for participating federal court judges and magistrate judges. There is an accompanying classroom component that focuses on aspects of judicial decision-making and their effect on the extern's work product. Judicial Externship is open to Chicago-Kent students in their second and third year who possess the requisite minimum G.P.A. (approximately top 25%). Judges select their externs only through Chicago-Kent's formal application process and do not accept applications directly from students. To register, students must be selected through the law school's application process and obtain permission from Professor Vivien Gross (vgross@kentlaw.edu). Applications are available in mid-February for Summer and Fall externships and in late September for Spring externships. A student may enroll for only one Judicial Externship per semester and for a maximum of two Judicial Externships.

See §§1.21 and 1.22 for information on the joint J.D./LL.M. degree programs in Taxation and Financial Services. Students in the joint programs must consult with the program directors before registering for LL.M. courses. Non-joint degree students may register for graduate Taxation courses only with the permission of Professor Gerald Brown. Non-joint degree students may register for graduate Financial Services courses provided the student is in his or her final year of Law School and has a 3.200 cumulative GPA or the permission of the director of the program.

To register for Independent Research, a student must make arrangements with a full-time faculty member and submit an Independent Research form approved by the faculty member and the Assistant Dean for Academic Administration and Student Affairs. The work assigned for Independent Research should have the equivalent educational value as that assigned for Independent Research In Lieu of a Seminar described in §1.3. The course is graded on a pass/fail basis only; a student may not earn a letter grade for Independent Research. A student may earn only one hour of Independent Research credit per semester.

Students must be in good academic standing to enroll in Intensive Trial Advocacy 1. Students in Intensive Trial Advocacy 1 must enroll in Trial Advocacy 2 in the succeeding Spring semester. Intensive Trial Advocacy 1 grades are counted in the Fall semester GPA, but the credit hours do not count toward the maximum number of credit hours permitted in the Fall semester.

Students must register for at least one-half of their credit hours in the division in which they are enrolled each semester. Required courses must be taken in the division in which the student is enrolled; elective courses may be taken in the other division. Courses that meet at 4:00 p.m. are considered both Day Division and Evening Division courses. Except for the Saturday sections of Trial Advocacy, all Trial Advocacy courses are considered Evening Division courses.

(a) Program Changes

Changes to a student's class schedule may only be made through the online registration system, available through the Registrar's office home page and the main Student Portal page. Courses may be added or dropped according to the following rules.

(b) Adding Courses

Students may add open courses in either division (subject to the limitation in §3.9) without special permission during the first week of the semester. During the second week of the semester, students may add an open course only with permission of the instructor. Students may not add a course after the second week of the semester. During the Summer session, a course may not be added after the first week of classes.

(c) Dropping Courses

Courses may be dropped at any time before the final exam or, if there is no final exam in the course, before the date the final paper or other final assignment is due. A required course may not be dropped without the permission of the Assistant Dean for Academic Administration and Student Affairs. First-year students are not permitted to change programs, drop required courses, take Incompletes in required courses, or take a reduced class load; see §3.3. A student may withdraw from a clinical course at any time prior to the end of the eighth week of classes during a regular semester and prior to the end of the fourth week of classes during a Summer session.

If a course is dropped by the end of the second week of the semester, no record of the course will appear on the student's transcript. A course dropped after the second week will appear on the student's transcript with the grade of WP (Withdrew Passing), which has no effect on the student's GPA.

The tuition refund policy for dropping courses after the beginning of the semester is contained in §12.10.

A student who wants to change from the Evening to the Day Division, or vice versa, must submit a request to change divisions to the Registrar by the date announced in the Record. Changes are permitted on a space-available basis. If all students can be accommodated, all will be permitted to change divisions; if all students cannot be accommodated, a lottery drawing will be held to determine which students will be permitted to change. First-year students are not eligible to change divisions until after the completion of the first year.

Students are required to attend the section of a course for which they are registered. A student may not attend another section of the same course, even if taught by the same instructor.

A J.D. student may audit a course only if (1) the student registers to audit the course by the end of the period prescribed for adding courses (see §3.10(b)), (2) permission of the instructor to audit is obtained prior to the student's registering to audit, and (3) tuition is paid for the course. An auditor receives neither a grade nor credit for the course, but the fact of auditing will appear on the student's transcript. After the period for adding courses has expired, the student may not convert from auditing to graded status or from graded to auditing status. A student who has audited a course may not thereafter take that course for credit without the permission of the Assistant Dean for Academic Administration and Student Affairs. A person not enrolled as a student at the Law School may audit a course only with the permission of the Assistant Dean and the instructor.

To withdraw from the Law School in good standing (either during or between semesters), the student must complete a Withdrawal form and have it signed by the Assistant Dean for Academic Administration and Student Affairs. The Withdrawal form is required whether the student is permanently withdrawing, withdrawing for one or more semesters with the intention of returning to Chicago-Kent, or transferring to another law school. If a student withdraws during a semester, the student must also drop all of his or her courses using the online registration system. To reenter the Law School in a later semester, a Reentry form must be completed. The next sections of the Handbook set forth the rules regarding reentry.

(a) A student who withdraws from the Law School with good cause before the completion of one semester may automatically reenter the Law School the next Fall semester in the division in which the student was originally enrolled, provided the student notifies the Assistant Dean for Admissions in writing of his or her intention to reenter by May 15 of the next year. If notification is not received by May 15, reentry shall be permitted on a space-available basis only. Good cause will be determined by the Assistant Dean for Academic Administration and Student Affairs at the time of the withdrawal and includes, but is not limited to, medical or financial hardship. The reasons for the withdrawal must be set forth on the Withdrawal form.

(b) A student who withdraws from the Law School without good cause before the completion of one semester will be considered a new applicant and may reenter only with the approval of the Admissions Committee and must comply with all the steps and procedures required of all new applicants to the Law School.

(a) A student who withdraws with good cause after completion of the first semester but before completion of the first year may automatically reenter the Law School within two years from the time of withdrawal in the same division in which the student was originally enrolled, provided the student notifies the Assistant Dean for Admissions in writing of his or her intention to reenter by May 15 of the year of reentry. If notification is not received by May 15, readmission shall be permitted on a space-available basis only. Good cause will be determined in the manner provided in §4.2(a).

(b) A student who withdraws without good cause after completion of the first semester but before completion of the first year, or a student who withdraws with good cause after one semester but does not reenter within two years, may reenter only with the approval of the Admissions Committee and must comply with all the steps and procedures required of all new applicants to the Law School.

(c) In the event of readmission under §4.3(a) or (b) within two years, the grades earned in completed courses will appear on the transcript and will be counted in the student's GPA. In the event the student is readmitted by the Admissions Committee more than two years after the student withdrew, the Assistant Dean for Academic Administration and Student Affairs will determine which grades and credits earned in completed courses, if any, will be reflected on the transcript and will be counted in the student's GPA.

(a) A student in good standing after completion of at least one year may be absent from the Law School for any reason for a maximum of four academic semesters. A Summer session does not constitute an academic semester. An "absent semester" includes any semester in which a student withdraws or fails to register. The "absent semesters" may be consecutive or non-consecutive. A student who has not been absent more than four semesters is entitled to automatic readmission.

(b) If a student who has been absent four semesters wishes to be absent an additional semester, the student must petition the Assistant Dean for Academic Administration and Student Affairs before the next absent semester begins, setting forth the reasons an additional absent semester is requested. The Assistant Dean may grant approval for an additional absent semester upon a showing of good cause. If the petition is not approved, the student may reenter only with the approval of the faculty. Good cause will be determined in the manner provided in §4.2(a).

SECTION V. TRANSFER CREDITS FROM OTHER SCHOOLS

§ 5.1 Procedure for Taking Courses at Another Law School

A student seeking permission to take courses at another law school should submit an Application to Visit at Another Law School to the Assistant Dean for Academic Administration and Student Affairs. Credit will be awarded only if the school is ABA-accredited and permission was granted prior to the start of the coursework. The student must arrange to have an official transcript showing the grades earned sent directly by the other law school to the Chicago-Kent Registrar.

If the grade earned in a course is C or higher, the credit hours will be counted toward graduation. The grade will not appear on the student's transcript and will not be computed in the student's GPA. If the grade earned is below C, no credit will be granted for the course and any Federal Stafford Loan money received during this period must be returned to the lender. This will automatically cancel the entire loan. However, a student may reapply for the entire loan for any subsequent semester(s) for which eligibility can be determined. If a student fails to return federal loan money received during this period, all future federal loan eligibility will be immediately revoked.

Credits earned at another law school during the regular academic year do not count toward the 19-credit limitation of §2.7. However, credits earned at other law schools' Summer programs, whether in the United States or abroad, do count toward the 19-credit limitation.

A student may not take a course at another law school on a pass/fail basis. If the course is only graded on a pass/fail basis, a separate Petition must be submitted to the Assistant Dean for Academic Administration and Student Affairs with the Application form requesting to take a pass/fail course at the other school.

A student seeking permission to take a course at another law school in the Chicago area must obtain permission from the Assistant Dean for Academic Administration and Student Affairs, which will be granted only if the course is not offered at Chicago-Kent.

When a student takes courses at another law school, the maximum number of credit hours permitted for the semester or Summer term at Chicago-Kent (not the school being visited) must be observed.

A student must earn at least 54 credit hours of Chicago-Kent courses in order to receive a Chicago-Kent College of Law degree. These hours do not include courses taken in other academic units within IIT, e.g., M.B.A. courses. Exceptions may be made in appropriate circumstances by the Assistant Dean for Academic Administration and Student Affairs.

A student in good standing may receive credit toward the J.D. degree for two non-law graduate-level courses taken after the student has begun law studies. To be eligible for credit, the course must be relevant to or enhance the student's law studies and be approved by the Assistant Dean for Academic Administration and Student Affairs. A student who seeks permission to take a graduate-level course for J.D. credit must submit a Petition to Take Non-Law Graduate Courses to the Assistant Dean and the petition must be approved before the graduate course begins.

A student who receives permission to take a graduate-level course in another academic unit within IIT, or at another university, pursuant to this section must arrange to have an official transcript showing the grades earned sent to the Chicago-Kent Registrar. If the grade earned in the course is B- or higher, the credit hours will be counted toward graduation. The grade will not appear on the student's transcript and will not be computed in the student's GPA. If the grade earned is below B-, no credit will be granted for the course. This section does not apply to students enrolled in the joint J.D./M.B.A. program or other joint programs described in §§ 1.23 to 1.26.

Letter grades, A through E, are assigned in all courses, except the pass/fail courses listed in §2.7 and other courses specifically designated as being graded only on a pass/fail basis. A student may elect to take a letter-graded course on a pass/fail basis in accordance with the provisions of §2.4. No grade will be awarded in a course, whether graded on a letter basis or a pass/fail basis, unless the student is properly registered in the section of the class for which the grade was received. J.D. students taking LL.M. courses may only be awarded grades according to the J.D. grading scale. Grades are awarded on the following scale:

	A	4.0 grade points per hour
	A-	3.7 grade points per hour
	B+	3.3 grade points per hour
	B	3.0 grade points per hour
	B-	2.7 grade points per hour
	C+	2.3 grade points per hour
	C	2.0 grade points per hour
	C-	1.7 grade points per hour
	D+	1.3 grade point per hour
	D	1.0 grade point per hour
	D-	0.7 grade point per hour
	E	(Failure) 0 grade points per hour (no credit earned but will
		count in the student's grade point average)
	WE	(Withdrew Failing) 0 grade points per hour (no credit earned
		but will count in the student's grade point average)
	WP	(Withdrew Passing) no value assigned (no credit earned)
	I	(Incomplete) no value assigned (no credit earned)
	AU	(Audit) no value assigned (no credit earned)
	P	(Pass) no value assigned (credit earned)
	LP	(Low Pass) no value assigned (credit earned)*

*The grade of Low Pass is awarded to students who pass a pass/fail course but earn a grade lower than a C; see §6.6.

A grade point system is used to determine academic standing. The GPA is computed by dividing the total number of grade points earned by the total number of graded credit hours. Graded credit hours do not include courses graded WP, P, X, or I, but do include grades of E and WE (whether in a graded or pass/fail course).

If a student withdraws from a course after the second week of classes, the grade of WP (Withdrew Passing) and the course name will appear on the transcript. A WP has no effect on the GPA. An instructor may assign the grade of WP to a student who does not satisfy an attendance requirement.

A student who is officially registered for a course but who fails to take the final examination, or fails to complete any other requirement for the course without the permission of the instructor, will be assigned the grade of WE. This grade counts in the student's grade point average as a failing grade.

The grade of Incomplete will be assigned to a student who has been excused from taking the final examination on good cause shown, or who, with permission, has failed to complete the required assignments in a course in which written assignments form a basis for the grade. An instructor may assign the grade of Incomplete to a student who has not met the attendance requirement specified. To assign the grade of Incomplete, an Incomplete Grade Agreement must be signed by the faculty member, the student, and the Assistant Dean for Academic Administration and Student Affairs and submitted to the Registrar. First-year students are not permitted to take Incompletes in required courses; see §3.3.

A student must satisfy the requirements set forth in the Incomplete Grade Agreement to have the Incomplete grade replaced with a letter grade and to earn credit for the course. The requirements must be completed within one year from the end of the examination period for the semester in the Incomplete was received. If the terms of the Incomplete Grade Agreement are satisfied by the student, the instructor will indicate a letter grade on the Incomplete Grade Agreement, which will replace the Incomplete grade for the semester in which the Incomplete grade was awarded. If the terms of the Incomplete Agreement are not satisfied by the time specified the Agreement, or within one year if no time is specified, the Incomplete will be replaced with the grade of WE.

A student who is completing the requirements of an Incomplete Grade Agreement during a subsequent semester should not register for the course. Instead, the student must notify the instructor that he or she is making up an Incomplete before attending class, taking an examination, or turning in a paper, and must submit an Incomplete Course Make-up Notice form to the Registrar's office during the first two weeks of the semester.

In order to earn the grade of P (Pass) in a course being taken on a pass/fail basis, the student must earn at least the grade of C. If a student earns a C- or lower in a course being taken on a pass/fail basis (but does not fail), the student will be awarded the grade of LP (Low Pass). The LP grade is applicable to all courses and activities being taken on a pass/fail basis, including courses for which the student makes a pass/fail election pursuant to §2.4 and the courses listed in §2.7.

Credit hours graded as a P (Pass) or LP (Low Pass) are counted toward graduation but have no effect on a student's GPA. If a student receives an E (Failure) or WE (Withdrew Failing), whether in a graded or pass/fail course, the grade will be included in the GPA computation as indicated in §6.2.

The following curve is required for all required courses except Legal Writing and seminars.

	Recommended	Range	Cumulative Range
A	5%	0-10%	0-10%
A-	10%	5-15%	5-20%
B+	20%	15-25%	30-40%
B	20%	15-25%	45-60%
B-	20%	15-30%	60-80%
C+	15%	10-20%	80-90%
C & Lower	10%	10-20%

The following curve is required for all elective courses (except Appellate Advocacy and Judicial Externship) if at least 40 students are enrolled.

The Law School uses an anonymous grading system. Instructors do not have access to the identity of students while final examinations are being graded. Students are assigned random examination numbers each semester to identify their examinations. The instructor assigns preliminary letter grades to the examinations and submits these letter grades by examination number. The instructor is then given the names of the students matched with each student's preliminary grade. The instructor then has 48 hours to adjust grades according to the criteria announced to the class at the beginning of the semester, such as class participation, attendance, and other factors.

After the professor has submitted final grades, grade changes may only be made pursuant to §6.10. The Registrar's office is not permitted to disclose any information regarding the adjustments instructors made to the grades. The student must contact the instructor for information regarding the grade and adjustment.

Grade changes may be made by an instructor after the 48-hour adjustment period set forth in §6.9 only with the approval of the Assistant Dean for Academic Administration and Student Affairs. The instructor must submit a Grade Change form explaining the reason for the change, which must be signed by the Assistant Dean.

Fall Semesters: Faculty members must submit grades within five weeks after the date of the final examination. If there is no final examination (for example, a seminar where the final grade is based on a paper), grades are due five weeks after the last day of the exam period.

Spring Semesters: Faculty members must submit grades within four weeks after the date of the final examination. If there is no final examination, grades are due four weeks after the last day of the exam period.

Summer Sessions: Summer session grades must be submitted within five weeks after the date of the final examination. If there is no final examination, grades are due five weeks after the last day of the exam period.

Graduating Seniors' Grades: Grades for graduating seniors may be due earlier than other students' grades so the Law School may certify graduates to take the bar examination.

Students may obtain their final grades through the Web for Students system on the Chicago-Kent web site (grades are not mailed to students). Grades are posted as they are received and approved by the administration. The Registrar is not permitted to disclose grades over the telephone to any person. Students must give written consent for disclosure of grades to an individual other than themselves.

Students who have completed at least one academic year at the Law School are ranked each semester according to their cumulative GPA. Classes are ranked by expected date of graduation. Each July, an official class rank is assigned to each graduate. The official class ranks for students who are not graduating are computed twice each academic year after the grades have been processed for the Fall and Spring semesters. The class rank is not affected by students who transfer to another law school or withdraw from the Law School after the semester is completed; the departed students will not be included in the next computation of class rank. Once class ranks are released to students, ranks will not be affected by grade changes submitted by instructors subsequent to that date.

Students who graduate in August and December are ranked with the succeeding May graduating class. Only Law School grades are used in calculating the GPAs of students in the joint J.D./M.B.A. program or other joint programs described in §§1.23 to 1.26. Grades earned in LL.M. courses prior to the student receiving the J.D. degree are included in the J.D. GPA for joint J.D./LL.M. students. However, J.D. students in joint J.D./LL.M. programs may only receive the grades listed in §6.1.

Students who earn a GPA of at least 3.250 for the semester are placed on the Dean's Honor List. To be eligible for the Dean's Honor List, full-time Day Division students must have received credit for at least 12 hours (10 hours for graduating seniors in their last two semesters) for the semester, and part-time Day Division students and Evening Division students must have received credit for at least eight hours for the semester. First-year students are eligible for the Dean's Honor List for their first semester. In order to be eligible for the Dean's Honor List, students in the joint J.D./M.B.A. program or other joint programs described in §§ 1.23 to 1.26 must meet the minimum credit requirements described above considering their law courses only.

Students may request an official transcript of their Law School record be sent to another institution by submitting a Transcript Request form to the Registrar. A transcript will not be issued if the student's financial account with the University is delinquent. Official transcripts will not be issued to students. Unofficial transcripts are available to students and may be accessed through the Registrar's office home page.

Section 6-5(b) of the Chicago-Kent Code of Conduct, which appears in Section XIX of this Handbook, provides that whenever a student is convicted of violating the Code of Conduct, a notation to that effect shall be made on the student's transcript. However, if the Tribunal unanimously determines that the interests of justice so require, the Tribunal may suspend the entry of said notation on conditions it seems appropriate.

The CALI Excellence for the Future Award, sponsored by the Center for Computer-Assisted Legal Instruction, is given each semester to the student or students who receive the highest grade in each section of each course. An instructor may elect not to designate a CALI winner. A student who elects to take a course pass/fail is not eligible for the CALI Award for that course.

In most courses, the grade is based primarily on one written examination at the conclusion of the course. An instructor may require a written paper in lieu of, or in addition to, an examination. Some instructors give midterm examinations or other assignments, which may or may not be counted in the final grade. Courses designated as practice courses and seminars typically do not have an examination but require either simulated exercises or written assignments involving extensive legal research.

The examination schedule is published with the class schedule before registration each semester. All students must take their examinations at the scheduled time, except as provided herein and in §§7.3 and 7.4. If a student registers for two courses with examinations scheduled at the same time, one examination will be rescheduled for the same day at a different hour, or for Evening Division students, within 24 hours. If a final exam is to be rescheduled, a Final Exam Reschedule form must be completed and submitted to the Registrar. In addition, the student must sign an Affirmation of Nondisclosure stating that he or she has not and will not communicate with anyone about any aspect of the examination.

A student will be deemed to have a conflict if he or she has two exams scheduled within 24 hours (e.g., exams at 8:30 a.m. and 6:00 p.m., or at 6:00 p.m. and 1:15 p.m. the following afternoon). A conflict does not exist if two exams are scheduled exactly 24 hours apart (e.g., exams at 8:30 a.m. and 8:30 a.m. the next morning).

Students are expected to take examinations when scheduled, even though ill or inconvenienced. However, for serious illness or other extraordinary or compelling reason beyond the control of the student, a student may be excused from taking the exam at its scheduled time. Day Division students will not be excused from an examination for a job-related reason.

A student must notify the Director of Student Services at the earliest possible time in advance of the exam, if the reason for missing the exam is known to the student in advance. When prior notice is not possible, the student must contact the Director of Student Services or the Assistant Dean for Academic Administration and Student Affairs as soon during or after the examination as possible to explain the failure to take the examination and, when permitted, to arrange for a makeup examination and/or an Incomplete. Failure to notify the Director of Student Services or the Assistant Dean before grades are submitted will result in the student receiving a failing grade.

When a student is excused from an exam, the student ordinarily will take the examination the next time the course is given by the same instructor. However, if more than one academic year is expected to pass before the instructor offers the same course, the student will take the exam the next time the course is offered by any instructor. If an exam is to be taken more than one month after the scheduled time, an Incomplete Grade Agreement must be completed.

In the discretion of the instructor, an examination may be given within one month after the end of the final examination period, rather than the next time the exam is regularly given. The time of the examination will be arranged by the instructor. A make-up examination may not be given more than one month after the last day of the final examination period. Students who will have graduated before the next time the exam is expected to be given by the instructor will take the exam no later than one month after the end of the exam period, at a time arranged by the instructor. If a student requests an examination schedule change for religious reasons, the examination will be scheduled on the next day which does not violate the student's religious beliefs, including Sunday.

When a final exam is to be rescheduled, a Final Exam Reschedule form must be completed and approved by the Director of Student Services and the student must sign an Affirmation of Nondisclosure. When a paper or other required assignment is to be made up, the Incomplete Grade Agreement may allow the work to be completed within one year from the date the paper or assignment was originally due.

Student conduct during examinations is subject to the Chicago-Kent Code of Conduct, which is set forth in Section XIX of this Handbook.

Students must sit in alternate seats during examinations. Books, notes, outlines, backpacks, briefcases, and other materials may not be brought into the examination room unless specifically authorized by the instructor. At the beginning of the exam, the proctor will advise the students of the time at which the exam will end and will write the ending time on the blackboard. When time has expired, the proctor will announce that the exam is over and students must stop writing immediately and turn in their examinations. Failure to stop writing constitutes a violation of the Code of Conduct. Students are not permitted to leave their seats for any reason during the last ten minutes of an exam. When the proctor announces there are ten minutes left, students must remain seated until the proctor announces the exam is over. Special rules concerning computer exams will be announced each semester in the Record or otherwise distributed to students.

A student must not identify himself or herself by name, social security number, or any other designation or symbol anywhere on the examination questions or answer book or sheet; only the examination number assigned to the student should be used. A student should not disclose the examination number to the instructor, either directly or indirectly, until the instructor has submitted the final grades for the course. Failure to comply with these provisions may be a violation of the Code of Conduct, which appears in Section XIX of this Handbook (see §2-1(e) of the Code).

Grades are to be determined solely on the basis of the academic performance of each student according to criteria determined by the course instructor that are consistent with Law School, University, Association of American Law Schools, and American Bar Association policies. It is permissible for an instructor to consider class participation and attendance in determining a student's final grade. During the first week of class, the instructor will advise the students of the factors that will be considered in determining the final grade (e.g., examinations, papers, class participation, attendance, and other appropriate factors). Thereafter, the instructor may inform the students of additions to or changes in the factors with respect to attendance and participation that will be considered in determining the final grade. Such changes will have prospective application only. The evaluation and grading of academic performance are subject to the professional judgment of each instructor. Considerable personal discretion is required in these judgments. A justifiable margin of difference can exist between the evaluation of the same academic performance made by two or more professional persons.

A faculty member must review an examination or other written assignments with a student, regardless of the grade received, provided the student has complied with reasonable preconditions, such as attending an examination review session or making an appointment within a specified time. A faculty member is not, however, expected to debate the grading.

A student may appeal a grade by submitting a petition to the faculty alleging that the grade received was the result of capricious grading. Capricious grading constitutes either (1) assignment of a grade on the basis of factors substantially different from those previously announced, or (2) assignment of a grade to the petitioning student by resort to more exacting or demanding criteria than were applied to other students in that course. The judgment of an instructor in assessing the quality of a student's work is not appealable on other grounds. Refer to §7.7.

SECTION VIII. GRADE POINT AVERAGE REQUIREMENTS

The First Academic Semester for students in the full-time Day Division, including transfer students admitted with fewer than six hours of credit, ends upon completion of the first semester. The First Academic Semester for students in either the part-time Day Division or the Evening Division ends upon completion of the second semester. A part-time Day Division student or an Evening Division student who transfers to the full-time Day Division at the end of the student's first semester will be considered a Day Division student for purposes of this section.

An Advanced Semester is any semester in which a student is enrolled for at least six credit hours after completion of the First Academic Semester. A Summer session is not considered an Advanced Semester.

Different rules apply to students who began their legal studies prior to 1997. Those students should see the Assistant Dean for Academic Administration and Student Affairs for the rules applicable to them.

A student must attain a cumulative GPA of at least 2.300 for the First Academic Semester and at the end of each Advanced Semester to remain in good academic standing. In computing a student's cumulative GPA, a grade received to replace an Incomplete grade is counted in the cumulative GPA in the semester in which the Incomplete was given.

Different rules apply to students who began their legal studies prior to 1999. Those students should see the Assistant Dean for Academic Administration and Student Affairs for the rules applicable to them.

A student whose cumulative GPA falls below 1.700 at the end of the First Academic Semester will be dismissed from the Law School for academic reasons.

Different rules apply to students who began their legal studies prior to 1999. Those students should see the Assistant Dean for Academic Administration and Student Affairs for the rules applicable to them.

(a) A student who began the study of law prior to 1997 will be placed on academic probation if his/her cumulative GPA is at least 1.700 but below 2.100 at the end of the First Academic Year. A student who began