The juris doctor program at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign offers a three-year education in law. During the first year, students gain a basic understanding of the field through courses on contracts, torts, constitutional law, and civil procedure among others. In the subsequent years, in addition to taking courses on professional responsibility and writing, they can choose courses from a list of more than 100.
Throughout the program, students can develop their legal skills through the school's clinics. These professional skills and live-client courses bring together material that the students cover in their other courses, giving them practice and instruction in crucial skills. Examples include moot court, the possibility of working with the Illinois Innocence Project, and a family advocacy clinic.
The degree program at the University of Illinois offers no formal concentrations. However, students interested in business law, criminal law, public interest, or technology and intellectual property law will benefit from these areas of strength.