“Northern Kentucky University Salmon P. Chase College of Law is more than a law school. It is a vibrant community of engaged learners and supportive teachers. I am pleased to share with you the top ten reasons to become a part of Chase.� Dean Judith Daar Ambassador Patricia L. Herbold Dean and Professor of Law
1 “Students who complete the Constitutional Litigation Clinic graduate practice ready. The clinic allows students to represent prisoners in all aspects of federal civil litigation, from the initial drafting of the complaint, through discovery, trial and appeal. My job is to get the students prepared and then get out of their way so they can shine.” — David Singleton,
Clinic Director and Professor of Law
Students in clinics and externships learn by practicing, representing real people in real cases. Whether protecting a neglected child, pursuing medical treatment for an incarcerated adult or drafting a contract for an aspiring entrepreneur, students put their developing legal skills to work helping people in five different Chase law clinics:
Children’s Law Center Clinic
Kentucky Innocence Project
Small Business & Nonprofit Law Clinic
Represent children and juveniles in matters such as abuse, custody, access to education and status offenses. Advocate, negotiate and go to court on behalf of young clients.
Dig back through police and court records and interview witnesses in credible claims of erroneous convictions to determine if justice was done.
Be a voice for small business owners or nonprofits and apply business-related skills on behalf of individuals and groups with limited resources.
Constitutional Litigation Clinic
Work with appellate lawyers and judges in the United States Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals, based in Cincinnati, to draft briefs.
Investigate claims of civil rights violations and negotiate or argue in court on behalf of incarcerated individuals and former offenders. Do what only a few lawyers ever do — argue a case in a federal appeals court.
Sixth Circuit Clinic
“Clinic students gain essential skills for the practice of law, including advocating, interviewing, investigating, negotiating and litigating. During my first semester in the Children’s Law Center Clinic, I prepared a case for trial and, with the help of an experienced supervisor, reached an agreement with the parties.” Micheala Bradshaw, Class of 2020
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Experiences outside the classroom round out the journey to becoming a lawyer. Chase has long been known as The Lawyer’s School because students graduate ready to practice. The preparation begins in the classroom and continues through experiences beyond it.
Externships
Pro Bono
Chase offers over 200 externship placements. They include clerking for the United States Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals and the Supreme Courts of Ohio and Kentucky, assisting corporate counsel at the Cincinnati office of multinational corporate giant General Electric and staffing every prosecutor, public defender and legal aid office in the area.
Students complete 50 hours of pro bono service prior to graduation, instilling a lifelong commitment to improving access to justice.
Leadership Whether through independent decisionmaking in externships or crafting strategies in student organizations, opportunities abound for developing leadership skills that are part of a successful law practice.
“I have had many opportunities to be involved as a leader in student organizations, as well as to have an externship with a federal judge and positions at two law firms. Because of these experiences, I have gained the practical and interpersonal skills all legal professionals utilize, and I feel truly practice-ready.” Michael Justice
Class of 2021
Specialized programs and a core curriculum prepare students to meet tomorrow’s legal challenges with confidence and expertise. Along with the knowledge every lawyer needs, Chase provides students with opportunities through centers and institutes to focus their interests in areas that can set them apart in practice.
W. Bruce Lunsford Academy for Law, Business + Technology An honors program that utilizes a novel curriculum and real-world experiences to teach interdisciplinary approaches to problem-solving and law practice management. Courses taught within the academy focus on intellectual property, business organizations, quantitative analysis and business technologies.
Law + Informatics Institute Introduces students to legal issues and best practices for data protection and privacy in digital business operations.
Center for Law & Entrepreneurship Guides students through the entrepreneurial ecosystem, preparing them to launch their own businesses or assist clients in startup ventures, utilizing the array of venture capital, incubator and startups in the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky region.
Center for Excellence in Advocacy Prepares students to be effective advocates, honing written and oral communication skills for use in every aspect of the legal system, from client interviewing to trial preparation to oral arguments.
Center on Addiction Law & Policy Involves students in research and forums to help them understand legal matters and strategies in the public health issue of addiction.
3 “The Lunsford Academy has allowed me to take courses that provide skills similar to those learned in an MBA program. I’ve learned how to start a business and what is involved in selling it.” Hishem Alsalman
Class of 2021
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Competition teams are in the winner’s circle because of their talent and training. Competition teams such as mock trial and moot court for appellate arguments allow students to put into practice what they learn in class. Trial teams present opening statements, question witnesses and give closing arguments in mocktrial competitions with other law schools. Other competitions allow students to test their skills in settings such as briefing and arguing appeals and in negotiating agreements. Chase teams in recent years have repeatedly won the Kentucky Mock Trial Competition, reached national finals in a client-counseling competition and won a regional in-person negotiating competition.
“Competition teams offer a chance to gain first-hand experience, and, on the trial team, to be coached by lawyers who appear in court on a weekly basis. This is invaluable for connecting classroom lessons to the real-life practice of law.� Addison Thompson
Class of 2021
5 Chase professors have years of teaching and practice experience, with a commitment to student success. Chase professors are committed to their students and to the college. Professors have an average of more than 15 years of teaching at Chase. They have practiced as prosecutors, defense attorneys, associates and partners in large firms, as hightech counsel and in an array of other positions. They have published articles in leading law reviews, and they have written law school casebooks and law practice guides. Most important, the education they provide is thorough and intellectually challenging. Professors give students individual attention, and an academic support program guides students from orientation through the bar exam, with specialized instruction tailored to each learner’s needs.
“I try to create a classroom environment in which students will have moments when light bulbs turn on for them. I try to introduce enough challenges that students finish the classes surprised by the new ways they can think and the new things they can do.” Professor John Bickers
“Chase professors genuinely want their students to succeed. They do an incredible job of making courses lively by introducing us to real-world experiences we may encounter and by explaining situations they have experienced.” Brianna Fuqua
Class of 2021
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Chase classes are all on the Northern Kentucky University campus, in the heart of Metro Cincinnati. Whether students arrive at Chase from a small college in a small town or a large university in a major metropolis, Chase is a place they can feel at home. That is because the Northern Kentucky and Cincinnati metropolitan area covers both a big city, with a rhythm of life and commerce, and small towns, stretching from north of the Ohio River into the fringes of Kentucky horse country.
› Northern Kentucky
University is located in Highland Heights, Kentucky, rated as one of the safest college towns in the nation.
› Cincinnati, seven miles › The region has more north, offers major league sports, worldclass entertainment, events and museums, and restaurants that range from trendy to classic.
than 1,000 law firms, state and federal courts and agencies, and is the seat of the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit.
› Cincinnati is the
corporate headquarters of six Fortune 500 companies and another seven Fortune 1,000 companies, designations based on total revenue.
“The location of Chase gives students the opportunity to pursue a legal education while working in related positions in an urban area. Opportunities have allowed me to complement my education with professional experience.” Logan Todd, Class of 2021
7 Activities outside the classroom provide opportunities to develop into a complete lawyer. Law school is about more than “learning the law.” It is also about learning networking skills, expanding on areas of special interest, developing leadership traits and creating friendships and associations that can last throughout a career. Participating in student organizations and activities is the way to do it. Among the opportunities: American Constitution Society for Law and Policy sponsors debates and panel discussions on contemporary constitutional issues from a dynamic perspective.
“My favorite part of student organizations is the speakers each organization brings in. Speakers are always willing to talk to students, which is great, because you get to make connections you might not have made otherwise, and you can learn so much talking with a speaker after an event.” Devin Perry
Class of 2022
Black Law Students Association provides peer support, professional networking and advocacy on issues important to African American lawyers and citizens, and public service activities. Chase Christian Legal Society focuses on issues related to law and faith. Chase Pride promotes discussion and awareness of LGBTQ diversity and legal issues.
Chase Student Animal Legal Defense Fund sponsors education and advocacy on treatment of animals. Criminal Law Association explores issues in criminal law. Environmental Law Society focuses on informational and networking opportunities for students interested in environmental law. Federal Bar Association offers educational and networking opportunities to students interested in federal practice. Federalist Society for Law & Public Policy explores issues from a perspective of a strict interpretation of the United States Constitution and sponsors speakers and panel discussions.
Latinx Law Students Association provides multicultural opportunities and connections to Latino professional and educational societies. Legal Association of Women offers informational, networking and mentoring opportunities on issues that affect female lawyers. Phi Alpha Delta sponsors educational, service and social opportunities as part of a national organization.
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Chase tuition is among the lowest of ABA-approved law schools, and area living costs are below the national average. Studying to become a lawyer is an investment in the future, whether the future will be with a large law firm, a government agency or a small nonprofit.
Good Value
Scholarship Support
Scholarships combined with lower-than-average tuition mean that Chase students can often graduate into futures without excessively burdensome student debt. One national analysis of recent graduates ranked Chase in the top fifth of law schools for low federal student loan debt.
Chase offers scholarships based on Law School Admission Test scores and prior academic achievement and scholarships that consider achievement and the multicultural and socioeconomic diversity of the college. Awards can range from $3,000 to full tuition, annually. One merit-based scholarship also awards priority consideration for paid positions as professors’ research assistants that can enhance students’ research and writing skills for their futures.
More Financial Support Among other ways Chase assists students are with two recently created programs: —— The Dean’s Merit Scholarship provides highly qualified students with funding in addition to other scholarship support, and is awarded on recommendations of alumni interviews. —— The Finish Line Fund provides assistance to new graduates for bar exam preparation, providing funding for commercial bar review courses and for time away from employment in order to focus on studying.
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Chase alumni enrich the student experience through providing financial support, teaching and mentoring. When you enroll at Chase, you are immediately part of a shared experience with more than 5,000 alumni living or working in 47 states, the District of Columbia and internationally. They demonstrate for students their respect for Chase and confidence in its future through providing financial support that underwrites scholarships and funds student services. Many of them are mentors through student externships. Others return to teach as adjunct professors.
Where Alumni Are
Chase proudly numbers among its alumni lawyers in small-town solo practices, partners in large city firms, state and federal judges, corporate executives, state legislators and members of the United States House of Representatives, and also lawyers in government agencies, nonprofits and wherever lawyers are contributing to the overall good of people in their communities.
Connected Students
For students – and newly admitted lawyers – the wide alumni network provides an opportunity to develop relationships with lawyers, judges and executives that can lead to career possibilities and supportive associations in practice.
Chief Justice of the United States John Roberts greets Chase alumni following their admission to practice before the Supreme Court.
“Chase alumni represent the best of our profession – ethical, hardworking, dedicated men and women who graduate from law school knowing how to practice law.” Judge Karen Thomas, past chair of the Chase Alumni Council
10 “Chase has been fulfilling career dreams for over 125 years. I have found my dream job as the dean at Chase. It would be a privilege to help you find yours.� Dean Judith Daar
Your first year at Chase provides a foundation in core legal knowledge and analytical and writing skills through a blend of courses. Full-time students take: • • • • • • • •
Legal Analysis and Problem Solving Basic Legal Skills − Research Basic Legal Skills − Writing I and II Legal Methods I and II Civil Procedure I and II Contracts I and II Property I and II Torts I and II
Evening students (part-time) take: • • • • •
Legal Analysis and Problem Solving Basic Legal Skills − Research Basic Legal Skills − Writing I and II Legal Studies I and II Torts I and II
Evening students who begin classes in May take Contracts (combined Contracts I and II) as a first-year summer course; students who begin in August take Contracts as a secondyear summer course.
Part-time day students take: • • • • • •
Legal Analysis and Problem Solving Basic Legal Skills − Research Basic Legal Skills − Writing I and II Legal Methods I and II Contracts I and II Torts I and II
Whatever your reasons are for choosing Chase, there is one easy way to begin your journey: Apply online with the “apply” button at nku.edu/chaselaw/jd.
DATES TO REMEMBER
If you have questions about Chase or how to apply, talk with one of our assistant admissions directors at 859-572-5490 or email chaseadmissions@nku.edu.
February 1 is the application deadline to receive priority scholarship consideration.
You can find out more about tuition and scholarships at nku.edu/chaselaw/tuition and get detailed information on submitting an application with the “apply” button at nku.edu/chaselaw/jd.
April 1 is the application deadline for priority admissions consideration for both full-time day and part-time evening division classes that begin fall semester (Chase will accept applications after April 1).
March 15 is the application deadline for part-time evening division classes that begin summer semester.
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NORTHERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY NUNN DRIVE HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, KY 41099 859-572-5490 Federal legislation requires institutions of higher education to inform prospective members of our community about its most recent crime/incident statistics; crime prevention; security programs and activities; policies concerning the reporting of crime; and related information in accordance with the Campus Security Act, commonly referred to as the Clery Act. Upon request, you can obtain a paper copy of the university’s Annual Campus Security Reports by contacting the NKU Police Department, 419 Old Johns Hill Road, Highland Heights, KY 41099 or calling 859-572-5746. This information is also available on the NKU Police Department’s website at http://police.nku.edu/JeanneCleryAct/securityreports.html. For Title IX questions or concerns, contact Darryl Peal, chief diversity, equity, and inclusion officer & Title IX coordinator; Northern Kentucky University; Lucas Administrative Center, Room 824; Highland Heights, KY 41099; Phone: 859-572-6630; Email: peald1@nku.edu, http://titleix.nku.edu/ Northern Kentucky University is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACSCOC). This publication was prepared by Northern Kentucky University and printed with state funds (KRS 57.375). It is Northern Kentucky University’s policy to ensure equal employment opportunity for all persons and to take the necessary actions needed to recruit, employ, train, promote, and retain qualified faculty and staff, including members of protected groups. Discrimination against any individual based upon protected status, which is defined as age, color, disability, gender, national origin, race, religion, sexual orientation, genetic or veteran status, is prohibited.