Georgetown Law Bulletin

• J.D. Degree Requirements
• Required First-Year Program
• Upperclass Legal Writing Requirement
• Supervised Research
• One Paper for Two Seminars
• Professional Responsibility Requirement
• Required Time in Residence (Residency Requirement)
• Transfer Between Full- and Part-Time Programs
• Specific Requirements for Students on Non-Immigrant Visas
• Academic Evaluation and Attrition Standards
  • Academic Evaluation System
  • Students Auditing Courses
  • Grading System
  • Pass/Fail Option
  • Academic Honors
  • Academic Attrition
  • Attendance, Examinations, and Written Work
  • Credit for Summer Session Study
  • Credit for Study Abroad Programs During the Academic Year
  • Credit for Courses in the Law Center Graduate Programs
  • Credit for Courses in the Undergraduate or Graduate Schools of the University
  • Credit for Study Outside the Law Center
  • Externship Program
  • Certificate Programs
  • Student Initiated Seminar
  • Duplication of Courses
  • Restrictions on Student Employment
  • Withdrawal and Leaves of Absence
• Clinic Enrollment Policies

ACADEMIC REQUIREMENTS AND POLICIES

The Law Center reserves the right to change academic requirements and the changes are reflected in the online version of the Bulletin. Notice of changes to academic or administrative policies in this Bulletin are sent to students via e-mail. The primary means by which the Law Center communicates with students is through the Law Center’s student e-mail system. Each student has an e-mail address and should check this e-mail address regularly.

Juris Doctor Degree Requirements

In order to earn the J.D. degree, a student must successfully complete the following academic requirements:

• Students who matriculated at the Law Center in August 2008 or thereafter: 85 credits;
  
• Students who matriculated at the Law Center prior to August 2008: the credit requirement effective at Georgetown Law at the time of matriculation;
  
• A minimum of 54 academic credits must be earned at the Law Center;*
  
• The required first-year curriculum;**
  
• The upperclass legal writing requirement, described below;
  
• A course in Professional Responsibility;
  
• The required time in residence (“Residency Requirement”), described below; and
  
• A minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.00 in Law Center course

* The Law Center will accept for transfer a maximum of 31 semester hours of academic credit. Georgetown Law does not accept credit for externships, internships or state-law courses. Credit earned in courses offered in the Graduate Program of Georgetown University or a Graduate Program at another institution does not count toward the 54 Georgetown Law credits required to graduate. Credit earned at study abroad programs (either Georgetown Law-sponsored programs or non Georgetown Law-sponsored programs) does not count toward the 54 Georgetown Law credits required to graduate. Credit earned at the Center for Transnational Legal Studies and credit earned at the Georgetown Law London Summer Program does count toward the 54 Georgetown Law credits required to graduate.

** Students who transfer to the Law Center from another law school are not required to take nor are they admitted into the first-year J.D. elective or Criminal Justice. Transfer students interested in applying for certain clinics that require Criminal Justice must take the 2-credit Criminal Procedure course.

Students may not extend their program beyond the semester in which they have completed all academic requirements for the J.D. degree.

In addition to the academic requirements, a J.D. diploma will not be issued until a student’s account balance has been paid in full. Transcripts, diplomas, bar certificates, and other educational certificates will not be released if there is an outstanding student account balance or a student who has received financial aid has not fulfilled the federal requirement for a financial aid “exit interview.” The Law Center will not confer a J.D. degree on a student who is the subject of a pending administrative or disciplinary action, as described in the Student Disciplinary Code, printed in the Conduct Policies section of this Bulletin.

In meeting academic requirements, students should be aware of the following academic regulations and policies of the Law Center.

Required First-Year Program

Students must successfully complete the required first-year program described in the First-Year J.D. Curriculum section of this Bulletin.

Upperclass Legal Writing Requirement

Students must complete the upperclass legal writing requirement as follows: (1) by successfully completing a seminar or clinic designated as meeting the legal writing requirement, or (2) by completing a supervised research project that has been approved by the Associate Dean for Academic Administration.

The upperclass legal writing requirement is intended to provide students with the opportunity to refine research and writing skills learned in the first year, and to develop the skills necessary to undertake writing projects on their own following graduation from law school. Students choose topics, submit outlines, prepare and submit a first draft, and complete the final paper in consultation with faculty members in approved seminars, clinics and supervised research projects.

Through meeting the upperclass legal writing requirement, the student is to show his or her mastery of the in-depth research undertaken and demonstrate how the student has organized, clarified, or advanced this body of knowledge in resolving the issues raised by the paper. Final papers must be submitted to the Office of the Registrar, not to the professor, by the deadline announced by the professor in the format specified on the Registrar’s website.

The technical requirements for the upperclass legal writing requirement include: (1) use of legal forms of citation (when appropriate); (2) submission of an outline and a first draft, in accordance with the professor’s instructions and schedule; (3) submission of a revised final paper based on the professor’s comments; and (4) both the first draft and the final paper of at least 6,000 words (excluding footnotes), which is approximately 25 typewritten pages using customary margins and spacing. All work must be that of the student in consultation with the professor or must be cited for attribution to others.

Supervised Research

The faculty augments the Law Center’s seminar offerings by providing a Supervised Research option, which students may undertake under the supervision of a faculty member for 2 academic credits. Supervised Research provides faculty guidance to students in areas where there is no curricular offering or where a student wishes to explore a subject in greater depth than would be possible in an existing course or seminar. The professor and student establish a calendar of meetings that allows for the kind of interaction contemplated for writing seminars.

To be eligible for Supervised Research, a student must have at least a “C” average (2.00) and must be sponsored by a faculty member. If a student makes a good-faith effort to obtain sponsorship by a full-time member and is unable to do so, sponsorship by an adjunct faculty member may be approved. To be eligible to undertake a Supervised Research project while enrolled at CTLS, the project must be approved by Assistant Dean Scott Foster.

To apply for Supervised Research, a student must complete an application form and submit it to the Office of the Registrar by the deadline for the relevant semester (see the Registrar’s website for details). The application form requires that the student describe the topic for research; demonstrate why the topic would lead to an original paper satisfying the legal writing requirement; show the sponsoring professor’s agreement; indicate the scheduled meeting dates with the professor and the due dates for submission of the outline, first draft, and final draft; list the semester(s) in which the project is to be completed; and, if approval is sought for sponsorship by an adjunct faculty member, describe the student’s efforts to obtain sponsorship by a full-time faculty member. To ensure that the proposals will be completed successfully, approval will be guided by the principles set out below in reviewing a student’s proposal:

1. The student must have at least the required “C” average.
   
2. The Associate Dean for Academic Administration will be receptive to proposals meeting the goals of Supervised Research and expects to approve most proposals for supervision by full-time faculty.
   
3. Because the time demanded of the professor is substantial, it is expected that students ordinarily will seek sponsorship from full-time faculty. The academic deans will help students identify possible faculty sponsors. When no full-time faculty member can serve as a sponsor, the Associate Dean for Academic Administration may approve a proposal with an adjunct faculty sponsor.
   
4. A student ordinarily may not undertake Supervised Research more than once. (Students proposing to take Supervised Research for a second time must disclose this on their application.) Similarly, Supervised Research will not be approved when the proposal repeats work for which credit previously has been granted in another course or for which the student has been compensated during employment. Supervised Research credit cannot be awarded for internships or externships.
   
5. Proposals may call for research to be completed in one semester or two; only 2 academic credits, however, can be awarded. Final drafts of papers prepared for Supervised Research should be submitted in hard copy to the Office of the Registrar. The paper will be graded under the usual evaluation system by the sponsoring professor. Credit for the upperclass writing requirement will be given for papers receiving a passing grade.

One Paper for Two Seminars

Students may submit one paper to satisfy the requirements in two seminars or writing projects by securing the written approval of both professors and the Registrar in advance of writing the paper. When permission is granted, the student will be required to write a paper of at least 12,000 words excluding footnotes (approximately 50 pages), and meet all other requirements of both seminars. Students will be expected to indicate the joint nature of the paper on the cover page of all submissions. Each professor approving such a project independently will submit a final grade indicating his or her judgment of the paper as it pertains to his or her course, and the final grades given for the two seminars need not be identical.

Students may not submit a single paper for a seminar and a Supervised Research Project. Students also may not submit a single paper to satisfy the requirements of two Supervised Research Projects.

Professional Responsibility Requirement

Each student must successfully complete an upperclass course meeting the Professional Responsibility requirement. The following courses satisfy the Professional Responsibility requirement: American Legal Profession; Comparative Professional Responsibility (offered at the Georgetown Law London Summer Program); Professional Responsibility; Professional Responsibility and the Future of the Legal Profession; Professional Responsibility in Law Firm and Corporate Practice; and Professional Responsibility: Ethics in Public Interest Practice. J.D. students will not satisfy their Professional Responsibility requirement by completing Professional Responsibility courses offered in the Graduate Program.

Required Time in Residence
(Residency Requirement)

In addition to all other degree requirements, students must complete the required time in residence.

FULL-TIME PROGRAM

A full-time student must complete six semesters in which he or she enrolls in a minimum of 12 academic credits, and passes at least 10 of these credits. After six full-time semesters, a student achieves the required time in residence needed to graduate. A full-time student who fails to pass at least 10 academic credits in a given semester will not have successfully completed that full-time semester and will need to attend a Summer session or a seventh semester in order to meet the residency requirement.

Full-time students may not advance the date of their graduation by taking classes during a Summer session.

A full-time student should consult with the Registrar if he or she does not successfully complete a minimum of 10 academic credits during any semester.

PART-TIME PROGRAM
A part-time student can achieve the required time in residence in either of two ways:

1. Eight Semesters:
   A part-time student can meet the residency requirement upon the completion of eight semesters in which he or she successfully completes a minimum of 8 academic credits. A part-time student who fails to pass at least 8 academic credits in a given semester will need to attend a Summer session or a ninth semester in order to meet the residency requirement.
2. Seven Semesters and at Least Two Summer Sessions:
   A part-time student can meet the residency requirement upon the completion of seven part-time semesters and at least a total of 8 academic credits over two or more Summer sessions. A part-time student who fails to pass at least 8 academic credits in a given semester will need to attend one or more additional semesters or Summer sessions in order to achieve the required time in residence.

A part-time student should consult with the Registrar if he or she does not complete a minimum of 8 credits during any semester.

Part-time students who wish to accelerate their graduation in this manner should consult with the Registrar to make sure that they will be able to meet all degree requirements under the accelerated program.

TRANSFER STUDENTS FROM OTHER LAW SCHOOLS
Students who transfer from other law schools must complete the equivalent of four full-time semesters of residence at the Law Center. Transfer students who are admitted to the full-time program can fulfill their remaining residency requirement by completing four additional full-time semesters at the Law Center, in accordance with the provisions set forth above. For transfer students who are admitted to the part-time program, the remaining Law Center residency requirement will depend on the value of the residency earned at the student’s prior law school. Therefore, transfer students admitted to the part-time program will need to consult with the Registrar to determine how they can fulfill their remaining Law Center residency requirement.

Transfer Between Full-Time and Part-Time Programs

First-year part-time students who wish to transfer to the full-time program must apply to the Registrar by March 15 of their first year at the Law Center. (At the beginning of the Spring semester, first-year part-time students will receive information from the Office of the Registrar about the process for applying to transfer.) The Law Center may limit the number of interdivisional transfers. Students must complete all first-year courses, including those normally taken in the second year by part-time students, in the program in which they began. To meet the residency requirement and graduate after two more years of law studies, students who transfer to the full-time program subsequently need to take four full-time semesters plus at least 6 credits of Summer course work.

Students who transfer to the full-time program upon completion of their first year must pay a tuition equalization fee. (See Tuition and Fees.) Part-time students who transfer to the full-time program and pay the tuition equalization charge are entitled to take up to 7 credits in any Georgetown Law Summer program in DC or London without paying additional tuition. Summer courses not taken at the Law Center or at the Georgetown Law London Summer Program are not covered by the tuition equalization fee.

Students with financial aid concerns should discuss the application procedures and award policies with the Office of Financial Aid to learn what funds might be available. Scholarship funding for upperclass aid applicants is extremely limited because awards are made on a three-year basis to entering students.

Students seeking to transfer at times other than the end of the first year must submit a request in writing to the Registrar. The request must include a statement of the student’s compelling personal need to transfer.

A student may not transfer from the full-time program to the part-time program in the student’s sixth semester. Attendance at Summer sessions does not constitute a basis for a transfer. In addition, a student may not transfer to the full-time program in a semester in which the student receives tuition benefits as an employee of Georgetown University, including the Law Center. Students who have questions concerning a transfer between programs should consult with the Registrar to ascertain the required periods of attendance and the earliest date upon which graduation may occur as a result of a transfer.

Note: Part-time students who transfer to the full-time program after their second year will continue to pay tuition on a per-credit basis.

Specific Requirements for Students on Non-Immigrant Visas

By provision of Federal law, any school that enrolls foreign nationals is required to comply with strict reporting requirements. Before the start of each semester, all newly enrolled international students (including U.S. permanent residents) at the Law Center are required to provide documentation proving they are legally permitted to be in the country and attend school. Students in F-1 or J-1 status are additionally required to attend a Visa Information Session given by the Graduate Programs Office. The Graduate Programs Office will provide all new international students with detailed information concerning the time, date and location of the session prior to the start of the semester. Visa and regulatory information is also available at the Graduate Program’s website.

Note: Foreign national students who fail to provide documentation of a valid non-immigrant status permitting study at a U.S. university prior to the start of classes will not be permitted to complete registration or attend classes. For further information, please contact the Graduate Programs Office by calling Indira Marin Dingledine, Visa Coordinator at (202) 662-9319 and/or e-mail your immigration related questions to img4@law.georgetown.edu.

Note: Due to U.S. visa regulations, international students who wish to withdraw from any course or from the Law Center must obtain approval from the Visa Advisor in the Office of Graduate Programs in addition to obtaining approval to withdraw from the Registrar or an Academic Advisor.

ACADEMIC EVALUATION AND ATTRITION STANDARDS

Academic Evaluation System
The Law Center’s faculty awards the grades of A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C, C-, D and F. Some courses available to upperclass students are graded under the Pass/Fail Option described below.

In the clinical programs, the graduate fellows also participate in the grading process. Each student’s grade point average is computed at the end of each semester.

Students Auditing Courses
Enrolled degree students may audit additional courses, with the permission of the professors. Auditors receive no transcript notation of their attendance in class.

Grading System

The following numerical equivalents are assigned to each letter grade:

A student’s cumulative grade point average is computed by multiplying the numerical equivalent of each letter grade by the credit value of the course, adding the results together, and then dividing the total by the total number of credits. In computing a student’s average, computations are carried to two decimal places.

While the cumulative grade point average is based upon all the student’s Law Center grades, the annual grade point average is based only upon a student’s Law Center grades for one academic year. The academic year begins with the Summer term and ends with the following Spring semester. In calculating the student’s cumulative grade point average, the Law Center will include the academic credits for any course the student has failed, even when the student has successfully retaken the course.

The grading processes for examination courses are anonymous and are designed to be as fair as possible. Faculty are asked to submit grades approximately four weeks after the end of an examination period. Students may access their grades through MyAccess. Grades will not be released for any student who has an outstanding student account balance. The Law Center will not release grades over the telephone, even to the student, because of concern for students’ privacy.

Grades for courses taken at other law schools are not listed on the Law Center transcript and not included in the computation of the student’s Law Center cumulative grade point average. Grades for courses taken at the Center for Transnational Legal Studies are listed on the Law Center transcript but not included in the computation of the student’s Law Center cumulative grade point average. (See Graduation Honors Policy for Transfer/Visitor Students.)

Pass/Fail Option
In order to encourage students to be more adventurous in their curricular choices, the faculty adopted the following limited Pass/Fail option.

ELIGIBLE STUDENTS
Upperclass J.D. students are eligible to use the Pass/Fail option for upperclass electives and cross-listed Law Center graduate courses that are available for Pass/Fail. The option is not available to first-year J.D. students. The Pass/Fail option is not available to LL.M. students.

ELIGIBLE COURSES
The following courses are not eligible for the Pass/Fail option: (1) all required courses: first-year courses, including the first-year elective; any course that meets the Professional Responsibility requirement; and Writing Requirement seminars and Supervised Research projects; (2) clinics, except for Street Law: Community; (3) Law Center graduate courses which are not cross-listed; and (4) courses where the faculty member has elected not to make a course available for the Pass/Fail option.

All other courses may be available for the Pass/Fail option. The Office of the Registrar posts a list of the courses not eligible for the Pass/Fail option for each semester on its website.

OTHER RESTRICTIONS
Students may only take 6 credits pass/fail and only exercise the option in one course per semester. Exceptions to these two rules are located on the Office of the Registrar website, under the “J.D. Pass/Fail Option” link.

GRADING
A student must decide whether to use the Pass/Fail option and designate to the Office of the Registrar the Pass/Fail course during the first two weeks of the relevant semester. By the end of the sixth week, the student must designate to the Registrar’s Office the target grade the student hopes to receive. Students sign up for the Pass/Fail option online and receive instructions on how to do so from the Office of the Registrar.

Faculty are not informed of who is taking their course on a Pass/Fail basis. If the student earns the target grade or above, the actual grade will appear on the student’s transcript. If the student earns a grade below the target but at least a grade of C, a pass will appear on the transcript. If the student earns a grade of C- or lower, the actual grade will appear on the transcript. Whether a student receives a pass or the grade, the academic credits associated with the course will count toward the 6-credit limit. If a student withdraws from a course taken on a Pass/Fail basis, the academic credits associated with the course will count toward the 6-credit limit.

Academic Honors

The Law Center does not rank its students. The faculty has, however, authorized three separate academic honors for students with distinguished academic records.

DEAN’S LIST
J.D. students whose annual cumulative grade point averages place them in the top one-third of their class at the Law Center will have their transcripts marked “Dean’s List” for the appropriate academic year. All candidates for the J.D. degree at the Law Center are eligible for the Dean’s List provided they completed, during the academic year, at least 24 credits at the Law Center if enrolled in the full-time program or 16 credits at the Law Center if enrolled in the part-time program. Students who transfer from one program to the other during an academic year must earn a minimum of 12 credits in the semester in which they are a full-time student, and a minimum of 8 credits for the semester in which they are a part-time student, to be eligible for Dean’s List. Joint degree students, concurrent degree students, and students who study abroad during one semester of the academic year are eligible for Dean’s List recognition, based solely on their J.D. courses, if they complete at least 16 graded J.D. credits during the academic year and maintain full-time status in their joint or concurrent degree program. Students earning fewer than the minimum number of credits are not eligible for the Dean’s List in the academic year in question. Courses taken at the Law Center in the preceding Summer session or in the Graduate Program at the Law Center are included in the calculation of the required minimum number of credits for Dean’s List eligibility.

Dean’s List eligibility is computed separately for first-year students, upperclass, and graduating students, as follows. For the first-year class, the Dean’s List is calculated separately for each of the five first-year sections. The Dean’s List for first-year students consists of the students whose annual cumulative grade point averages place them in the top one-third of their particular first-year section after the Spring semester.

The upperclass Dean’s List is calculated separately in two groups. The first group consists of students in their final year of law school; that is, third year full-time students and fourth year part-time students. The second group consists of all other upperclass students, that is, second-year full-time students and second- and third-year part-time students.

DIPLOMAS WITH HONORS
Students who meet the academic standards set by the faculty may be awarded the J.D. degree with honors and their diplomas will be marked cum laude, magna cum laude, or summa cum laude, as appropriate.

The degree cum laude is awarded to students whose cumulative grade point averages place them in the top one-third of those graduating, and the degree magna cum laude, to the top 10%.

The J.D. degree summa cum laude is the highest academic honor that the faculty can bestow upon a graduating student. There is no cumulative grade point average that automatically entitles a student to that honor. Instead, the J.D. degree summa cum laude is granted at the sole discretion of the faculty. To be eligible for consideration for the award of summa cum laude, a graduate must have completed at least 71 credits at the Law Center and have a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.70.

For the purpose of calculating students’ eligibility for degrees with honors, students graduating in October will be included with the class that graduated the previous May. Students who graduate in February will be included with the class graduating the following May.

GRADUATION HONORS POLICY FOR TRANSFER/VISITOR STUDENTS

Graduation honors for students who transfer to Georgetown Law after their first year of law school or for students who visit another institution will be based solely on grades earned at the Law Center. This policy applies only to magna cum laude and cum laude graduation honors. To be eligible for consideration for the award of summa cum laude, a graduate must have completed at least 71 credits at the Law Center.

ORDER OF THE COIF, GEORGETOWN CHAPTER
The Order of the Coif was established in 1912 to recognize graduating students who achieved an exemplary cumulative grade point average. Graduating students whose cumulative grade point averages place them in the top 10% of the class are elected to membership in the Order, the national law school honor society for the encouragement of scholarship and advancement of ethical standards in the legal profession.

Academic Attrition

Unless excused by operation of law (i.e., military call-up, Americans with Disabilities Act, etc.) or by grant of a waiver, a full-time student must satisfy all graduation requirements within five consecutive calendar years; a part-time student, within six consecutive calendar years. If the student fails to satisfy the graduation requirements within the appropriate time period, he or she will be dismissed with no possibility of readmission or graduation.

FIRST-YEAR STUDENTS

1. A student must successfully complete every first-year required course and a first-year elective course (this includes those required courses taken in the second year by students in the part-time program). A student must retake any first-year required course (including the required first-year elective) in which he or she received a grade of F. In the case of a first-year elective, a student who fails the course may repeat that elective or substitute another first-year elective. Both the original grade of F and whatever grade the student receives upon retaking the course will appear on the student’s transcript. The Registrar will include the grades and the academic credits for both times the student took the course in calculating the student’s cumulative grade point average for purposes of honors, attrition and graduation.
   
2. When a student has completed the first year with a cumulative grade point average of less than 1.67, the student must retake any course in which he or she received a grade of D or F. Both the D’s and F’s the student first received and the grade he or she receives in retaking the course will appear on the student’s transcript, and the credits for both the first and retaken courses will be included in calculating the student’s cumulative grade point average for purposes of honors, attrition and graduation. The student will receive credit only for the courses he or she successfully retakes. If, in retaking a course, a student receives a grade of D, the student has satisfied the requirement that he or she pass every required and first-year elective course.
   
3. A first-year student whose cumulative grade point average is less than 1.67 but 1.33 or higher must take a leave of absence from the Law Center for one calendar year. In order to return, the student must submit a written petition to the Registrar no later than August 1 for the following Fall semester. The petition will be considered by the Associate Dean for Academic Administration. The student will be allowed to return only if the Associate Dean for Academic Administration finds that it is probable that the student will be able to attain a cumulative grade point average of 2.00 and satisfy all graduation requirements within the allotted time period.
   
4. A first-year student whose cumulative grade point average is less than 1.33 will be withdrawn for academic insufficiency, with the right to apply for readmission after one full year. Readmission is not guaranteed. To seek readmission after one year, the student must submit a written petition to the Registrar no later than August 1 for the following Fall semester. The petition will be considered by the Associate Dean for Academic Administration. The student will be allowed to return only if the Associate Dean for Academic Administration finds that it is probable that the student will be able to attain a cumulative grade point average of 2.00 and satisfy all graduation requirements within the allotted time period. Petitions by students who have been absent from the rolls for more than one year under the circumstances of this subsection will be governed by Provisions for Readmission of Withdrawn Students, below.

UPPERCLASS STUDENTS
A student no longer in his or her first academic year at the Law Center and any transfer student will be withdrawn from the Law Center for academic insufficiency if at the end of any academic year he or she has a cumulative grade point average of less than 1.67. For a transfer student, only Law Center grades will be counted. (See Provisions for Readmission of Withdrawn Students, below.)

COUNSELING REQUIREMENT FOR CERTAIN STUDENTS
A student who has a cumulative grade point average of less than 2.50 at the end of any semester must meet with an Academic Advisor or the Registrar to discuss the requirements for graduation and ways for the student to improve his or her performance.

SUMMER SESSION ATTENDANCE
If a student is enrolled in a Law Center Summer session when a failure to maintain the required minimum cumulative grade point average is determined, that student may elect to continue in the Summer session, and the student’s cumulative grade point average will be recalculated taking the Summer session grades into account. If such a student has secured approval to attend the Summer session at another law school, that school will be notified of the student’s academic dismissal from the Law Center.

PROVISIONS FOR READMISSION OF WITHDRAWN STUDENTS
Students withdrawn for academic insufficiency after their first year may reapply for admission after one full year. Readmission is not guaranteed. To seek readmission after one year, the student must submit a written petition to the Registrar no later than August 1 for the following Fall semester. The petition will be considered by the Associate Dean for Academic Administration. The student will be allowed to return only if the Associate Dean for Academic Administration finds that it is probable that the student will be able to attain a cumulative grade point average of 2.00 and satisfy all graduation requirements within the allotted time period.

The provisions for readmission outlined in this section apply to upperclass students and to first-year students who, after failing to secure the required minimum cumulative grade point average of 1.67 at the end of any academic year, fail to re-enroll during the prescribed time period.

Attendance, Examinations and Written Work

ATTENDANCE AND PARTICIPATION
The Law Center must be satisfied at all times of the serious purpose of each student. Any student will be withdrawn if it is found that the student is not giving proper time and attention to his or her studies.

Regular and punctual attendance at all class sessions is required of each student. Student participation is expected in all courses. A student who, even though registered for a course, has not regularly attended and participated may, at the professor’s option, be withdrawn, excluded from the course or examination (with the same consequences as a voluntary failure to appear for a final examination) or receive a lowered grade in the course. Even if a student has passed all examinations, credit will not be awarded and no student will be advanced, nor will his or her degree be conferred, if attendance or participation is unsatisfactory.

A student who has not properly registered for a course may not take the final examination or receive any credit for participation in the course.

EXAMINATIONS
Written examinations are held at the end of the classwork in all courses unless otherwise indicated on the course schedule. No examination will be given prior to its originally scheduled date. Curricular offerings designated as “seminars” generally do not have examinations; instead, substantial written work is required. Clinical programs do not have written final examinations.

The Law Center requires students to take their examinations at the regularly scheduled time. Dates for all examinations are announced at the time the course schedule is released so that students may anticipate the date of their examinations and schedule personal and employment commitments so as not to interfere with the announced dates of their examinations. If, however, a student experiences a serious medical or personal situation that makes it impossible to take an examination on the scheduled date, it is the student’s responsibility to determine, in consultation with the Registrar, whether he or she should request a deferred examination. (See the Exam Deferral Policy in the General Administrative Policies section of this Bulletin.)

A student failing to appear for any examination because of illness or other extraordinary cause must contact the Registrar prior to the start of the examination. If the Registrar is satisfied that the absence is legitimate and supported by appropriate documentation (such as a doctor’s note), permission may be given for the student to take a deferred examination. The requirements of a full-time J.D. student’s employment will not be regarded as an “extraordinary cause.” If the Registrar does not permit a deferral, the student must take the examination as originally scheduled or be withdrawn from the course.

Any student who does not take an examination as originally scheduled, and who does not obtain permission from the Registrar prior to the start of an examination to take a deferred examination, will be withdrawn from the course. The withdrawal will be reflected as a “W” on the student’s transcript. A student who presents himself or herself for examination in a course but fails to submit that examination for grading will receive a grade of F for that course. No post-examination relief will be granted. If a student becomes ill during the examination, the student must immediately make the proctor aware of the situation and follow the instructions of the proctor or Registrar.

No re-examination will be given in any course for the purpose of raising a grade obtained in a previous final examination in that course.

Students may review their graded exams during specified exam review periods by completing a request form at the Office of the Registrar. The Library collects copies of past examinations administered at the Law Center. Students may use these prior examinations as study aids in preparing for examinations. In many cases, model or “best” answers to past examinations are also on file in the Library. For exams prior to 1998, hard copies are available through the reference desk. Exams administered from 1998 to the present are available online on the Library’s website.

WRITTEN WORK
Final papers in seminars and other courses are due on the date announced in the academic calendar. By announcement at the beginning of the semester, a professor may advance or extend for up to a maximum of 60 days in the Fall semester and 45 days in the Spring semester the due date of all papers for the seminar (except for those of graduating students). All final papers must be submitted to the Office of the Registrar, not to the professor, by the deadline announced by the professor in the format specified on the Registrar’s website.

Due dates for papers are as firm as the dates of examinations. Individual extensions for fewer than the maximum allowable days (mentioned above) may be granted by the professor, provided the student submits an Individual Extension Form to the Office of the Registrar. The form, available at the Office of the Registrar and online, must be signed by the professor. Extensions for more than the maximum are rare and not granted solely by the professor. Any request for an extension beyond the maximum is effective only upon review and approval of the Individual Extension Form by the Associate Dean for Academic Administration.

If a student fails to submit a final paper by the due date (including any extension), the student will be withdrawn from the seminar. The withdrawal will be reflected as a “W” on the student’s transcript. Once a final paper is submitted for grading, a revised version of that paper may not be substituted for the final paper.

Note to International Students: U.S. visa restrictions dictate that extending the paper due date beyond the expected date of graduation as listed in the certificate of eligibility (I-20 or DS-2019 form) can be permitted only for compelling academic and/or medical reasons. Any such paper extension must be approved in writing by the Visa Coordinator in the Office of Graduate Programs in consultation with the Associate Dean of Graduate Programs in advance of the paper submission deadline. The faculty member must agree to the extension but cannot grant the extension.

REVIEW PROCESS FOR A PASSING GRADE
Once a grade is reported to the Registrar, a faculty member may change a grade for an examination, seminar or research paper, or clinic only upon written proof of demonstrable clerical error in the grading or grade reporting process.

REVIEW PROCESS FOR A FAILING GRADE
Any student who has received a failing grade on an examination or paper may, after first discussing the matter with the professor who reported the failing grade, request that the Registrar submit that examination or paper to another professor teaching in the subject for evaluation. Students receiving a failing grade in a clinic may request a conference with the Associate or Assistant Dean for Clinical Programs to discuss the evaluation, once they have discussed their grade with the professor offering the clinic. The other professor, or the Associate or Assistant Dean for Clinical Programs in the case of a clinical grade, serves merely in a consulting capacity. Final decision for the course grade rests with the professor conducting the course, but the course professor shall give due and appropriate consideration to the views of the consulting colleague. A request for such evaluation must be made by the student within 14 days after the grade is posted.

Credit for Summer Session Study

SUMMER STUDY AT THE LAW CENTER
Except as expressly modified in the Summer Session Brochure, all academic regulations applicable during the regular academic year are applicable during Summer sessions. Students in good standing at the Law Center may enroll in Summer session courses at the Law Center and earn credit toward their degree requirements. Non-degree J.D. students in good standing at other ABA-accredited law schools may enroll in J.D. courses in the Summer session at Georgetown Law as space permits. The policies and procedures for non-degree J.D. students to apply for permission to enroll in Summer session courses are explained in the Summer Session Brochure.

The Law Center will accept up to 7 credits earned during the Summer session at the Law Center.

Full-time students may not advance the date of their graduation by attending Summer session courses.

SUMMER SESSION - GEORGETOWN LONDON PROGRAM
The Law Center offers a summer program in London, England. Course demands are the same as for courses taught at the Law Center, and admission is competitive, with priority given to Georgetown students.

For further information, contact:

Cara Morris
Deputy Director, Transnational Programs
Georgetown University Law Center
600 New Jersey Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20001-2075
Phone: (202) 662-9860
Fax: (202) 662-4038
E-mail: OTP@law.georgetown.edu

For information on credit for Summer sessions offered in the U.S. and abroad (non-Georgetown Law), see section on Credit for Study Outside the Law Center, below.

Credit for Study Abroad Programs During the Academic Year

CENTER FOR TRANSNATIONAL LEGAL STUDIES
Georgetown Law established the Center for Transnational Legal Studies (“CTLS”) in London beginning with the Fall 2008 semester. CTLS is a collaborative project that brings together students and faculty from law schools around the world to study complex transnational legal issues from different perspectives. Collaborating schools include institutions from Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Great Britain, Israel, Italy, Japan, Singapore, Spain, and Switzerland. Upperclass Georgetown Law students will spend a semester with their counterparts from the other law schools in courses taught and co-taught by faculty from both the common law and civil law traditions. Enrollment in CTLS is open to J.D. students who have completed their first year of study. Preference will be given to students entering their third year (full-time students) or fourth year (part-time students). More detailed information on eligibility and the application process is available through the Center’s website or by contacting Scott Foster, Assistant Dean and Administrative Director for the Center for Transnational Legal Studies.

Students may apply for one semester at CTLS and may only transfer in up to a total of 14 credits from CTLS towards their J.D. degree requirements. Students can do either a semester at CTLS or another Georgetown Law Semester Abroad Program, but not both. Students may do a Summer study abroad program and CTLS, but may only transfer in a total of 14 credits with the exception of the Georgetown Law Summer London Program. For example, if a student has already taken 4 credits at a non-Georgetown Law Summer study abroad program, the student could only transfer in 10 credits from CTLS. All interdivisional transfer students and students who transfer into Georgetown Law from another law school must complete all first year course requirements before being eligible to study at CTLS. Credits earned at CTLS will count toward the 54 Georgetown Law credits required to graduate but will not count into a student’s grade point average. If a CTLS course is offered on a mandatory pass/fail basis, the credits will not count against the 6-credit pass/fail limit.

GEORGETOWN LAW SEMESTER ABROAD PROGRAM
The Georgetown Law Semester Abroad Program arranges for students to study abroad for a semester at one of several outstanding law schools. These semester abroad programs are open to J.D. students who have completed their first year of study. Preference will be given to students entering their third year. Part-time students who have completed the full first-year curriculum (including Criminal Justice and the first-year elective”) are eligible. Students participating in the semester abroad programs sponsored by Georgetown Law can receive up to 14 credits. An exception to the 11 credit maximum will be granted to part-time students. For information on the policy governing academic and graduating honors for students who visit at other schools, see Graduation Honors Policy for Transfer/Visitor Students, above.
For the Fall 2009 semester, the following foreign law schools are part of the Georgetown Law-sponsored semester abroad program:

• Bucerius Law School, Hamburg, Germany
  
• ESADE Law School, Barcelona, Spain
  
• National Law School of India University in Bangalore (NLS)
  
• National University of Singapore School of Law (NUS), Singapore
  
• Torcuato di Tella University, Buenos Aires, Argentina
  
• Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
  
• University of Leiden, Leiden, the Netherlands
  
• The Hebrew University of Jerusalem in Israel

Students can also apply for the year-long program in Paris at the Institut d’Études Politiques de Paris (Sciences Po) and Paris I (part of the Sorbonne). This program awards a Master’s in Global Business Law. Fourteen of the credits earned through this program will also transfer to the J.D. degree. This program requires that the student complete an additional semester at Georgetown Law (for which additional tuition is not charged). The full-year Global Business Law Program at Sciences Po in Paris is open only to full-time J.D. students entering their third year at the Law Center and part-time students entering their fourth year. Please note that some programs involve courses taught in a language other than English.

Students may only transfer in up to a total of 14 credits from a Georgetown sponsored semester abroad toward their J.D. degree requirements. Students may do a summer study abroad program and a semester abroad through a Georgetown sponsored program, but may only transfer in a total of 14 credits with the exception of the Georgetown London Program. For example, if a student has already taken 4 credits at a non-Georgetown summer study abroad program, the student could only transfer in 10 credits from any Georgetown sponsored program. All interdivisional transfer students and students who transfer into Georgetown Law from another law school must complete all first year course requirements before being eligible to study abroad.

Credits earned at a Georgetown sponsored program (with the exception of the CTLS and the London Summer Program) will not count toward the 54 Georgetown Law credits required to graduate and will not affect a student’s grade point average.

In order to be eligible to participate in the semester abroad program, transfer students must complete 54 credits in three full-time semesters at the Law Center and one Summer session (the Summer session may be taken at the Law Center or at the Georgetown Law London Program). Transfer students considering this option should consult an Academic Advisor in the Office of J.D. Academic Services. The Transnational Programs website provides important additional information about the Georgetown Law Semester Abroad Program.

Important Note: As of the date of this document, Semester Abroad policies are undergoing review and revision. Students are responsible for consulting the Office of Transnational Programs webpage to learn of any changes that may affect their planning.

Credit for Courses in the Law Center Graduate Program

Upperclass students may take up to 6 credits of courses in the Graduate Programs of the Law Center without permission. Permission from an Academic Advisor in the Office of J.D. Academic Services is required, however, to take more than 6 credits of Graduate Program offerings. Grades for Law Center graduate courses and seminars are displayed on students’ transcripts and computed into students’ grade point averages.

Credit for Courses in the Undergraduate or Graduate Schools of the University

Upperclass students may take a maximum of 6 credits in the Graduate School of the University. Students must obtain the permission of both the Senior Assistant Dean, J.D. Program, and the professor teaching the graduate course. Course descriptions may be found in the Graduate School Catalogue. Language classes and undergraduate courses may be taken on a space-available basis, but will not be credited towards the J.D. degree. Full-time students may take graduate courses and undergraduate courses during the Fall and Spring semesters without additional charge. Part-time students pay for all courses at the applicable Law Center credit hour rate. Full-time or part-time students taking courses in a Main Campus Summer session are billed at the applicable Main Campus tuition rate. All courses, credits and grades taken in the Undergraduate or a Graduate School will appear on the student’s Law Center transcript, but the grades will not be counted in the student’s grade point average. It is the student’s responsibility to make sure the official transcript of grades and a degree application are submitted to the Registrar by the Law Center grades deadline.

During Main Campus add/drop period (Note: dates may differ from the Law Center’s add/drop period), students must: (1) obtain written approval (e-mail is sufficient) from the Main Campus instructor; (2) forward the instructor’s written permission to the Senior Assistant Dean, J.D. Program; (3) upon approval, the Senior Assistant Dean, J.D. Program will forward your request to the Law Center’s Office of the Registrar. The Registrar’s Office will forward your request at the beginning of the Main Campus add/drop period to the appropriate academic department for approval to enroll you in the course.

Note: Law students register for Main Campus courses on a seat available basis. Main Campus students have priority for these courses. Law Center students are not permitted to register for the Main Campus side of cross-listed courses. Law Center students who wish to be enrolled in a Main Campus cross-listed course must follow the Law Center’s add/drop/waitlist process.

Credit for Study Outside the Law Center

GENERAL PROVISIONS
Credit for courses taken outside the Law Center’s J.D. or Graduate Programs is given under the circumstances described below. Students should be aware of the following academic policies that apply to transfer of credit from another division of the University or another institution.

• Students considering taking classes and transferring credit from other ABA-approved law schools must consult with the Senior Assistant Dean, J.D. Program to be advised of all applicable rules and necessary procedures and to obtain approval for the course work. Students must have a compelling reason to request permission to take a course at another law school in the Washington, D.C., area during a semester in which the student is enrolled at the Law Center. The Law Center will accept no more than 6 credits in this situation and the courses must be approved prior to the student’s enrollment at the other law school.
  
• Under certain circumstances credit for clinical programs will not transfer. Students contemplating taking a clinical course at another ABA-approved law school must consult the Associate or Assistant Dean for Clinical Programs before enrolling in the course.
  
• A minimum of 54 credits must be earned at the Law Center.
  
• A passing grade is required for transfer of any credits from another school toward the degree requirements at the Law Center.
  
• All approved credits undertaken at another ABA-approved law school will be displayed on the student’s Law Center transcript. These grades are not included in the student’s Law Center cumulative grade point average.
  
• Please refer to the preceding section, Academic Evaluation and Attrition Standards, for the rules that govern how courses taken at other schools affect academic evaluation and attrition and academic and graduation honors.
  
• No credit is given for internships or externships offered at other institutions.

VISITING AT ANOTHER LAW SCHOOL
In extraordinary circumstances, a student may be granted permission to attend another ABA-approved law school for one or two semesters in a student’s final year of law school, while still earning the Georgetown Law degree. Before applying to another school, the student must obtain permission from the Senior Assistant Dean, J.D. Program. Permission to visit away is granted only to students showing compelling personal circumstances that require their relocation.

The Law Center reserves the right to designate the schools to which a student may apply, to approve the student’s selection of courses, and to limit the number of students to whom permission to visit is granted. In order to visit another law school, students must submit their request, in writing, to the Senior Assistant Dean, J.D. Program by
April 1.

Students will not be permitted to visit at another school unless they are in good standing at Georgetown Law for the semester(s) for which they wish to visit away. Georgetown Law students who wish to visit at another school must have earned the minimum 2.00 grade point average required for graduation before permission to visit away will be given, since grades earned at other schools will not be calculated into a student’s grade point average. A student with an unpaid student account balance will not be approved to visit away until the student’s account is paid in full. There is an administrative fee of $200.00 for each semester a student visits at another school.

It is the student’s responsibility to make sure the official transcript of grades and a degree application are submitted to the Registrar by the Law Center grades deadline. Students who petition to visit at another ABA-approved law school during their final year of study are cautioned that grades not received by the Law Center’s grades deadline will affect graduation clearance.

Students requesting to visit away must complete a degree audit with the Senior Assistant Dean for J.D. Program to assure that they can meet all degree requirements. Students must complete the upperclass legal writing requirement at the Law Center.

Students visiting at another law school must carry private medical insurance, be covered by a student policy at the visited school, or purchase medical insurance provided by Georgetown University.

For information on the policy governing academic and graduating honors for students who visit at other schools, see Graduation Honors Policy for Transfer/Visitor Students, above.

SUMMER SESSIONS (NON-GEORGETOWN LAW)
The Law Center will accept up to 7 academic credits at a Summer session of another ABA-approved law school, if the courses taken are approved in advance by the Senior Assistant Dean, J.D. Program. Students must send a written request to the Senior Assistant Dean indicating the school they wish to attend and the course(s) (including the number of credits) they wish to take. Students must have a compelling reason in order to attend a Summer session at another law school in the Washington, D.C. area.

SUMMER ABROAD PROGRAMS AT OTHER LAW SCHOOLS
The Law Center will accept up to 4 credits taken at a non-Georgetown Law Summer Abroad program with the permission of the Office of Transnational Programs.

STUDY ABROAD PROGRAMS DURING THE ACADEMIC YEAR (NON-GEORGETOWN LAW)
While enrolled at the Law Center, students may earn a limited number of credits at study abroad programs conducted by other ABA-approved law schools.

There are a limited number of law schools that sponsor study abroad programs during the Fall or Spring semesters. A list can be obtained from the ABA’s website, ABAnet.org (www.abanet.org/legaled/studyabroad/abroad.html). The Law Center will accept no more than 12 credits from non-Georgetown sponsored study abroad programs. Students may do a non-Georgetown summer study abroad program and a non-Georgetown semester abroad program but may only transfer in a total of 12 credits. For example, if a student takes 4 credits at a non-Georgetown summer study abroad program, the student could expect to transfer in only 8 credits from any non-Georgetown sponsored semester abroad program.

The general provisions described above regarding visiting at another law school apply to these programs.

Permission to apply to a study abroad program (other than those sponsored by the Law Center) must be obtained from the Office of Transnational Programs prior to applying. The Law Center reserves the right to designate the schools to which a student may apply and to approve the student’s selection of courses. The Law Center does not give credit for clinical work or externships done abroad.

Important Note: As of the date of this document, Semester Abroad policies are undergoing review and revision. Students are responsible for consulting with the Office of Transnational Programs webpage to learn of any changes that may affect their planning.

CREDIT FOR WORK COMPLETED AT OTHER GRADUATE SCHOOLS PRIOR TO MATRICULATION
The Law Center will not grant credit for any course work completed prior to a student’s matriculation in a J.D. program at an American Bar Association (ABA)-approved law school. This includes law courses taken at law schools.

Externship Program

The Law Center provides J.D. students an opportunity to receive 2 credits for participation in its externship program. Students are graded on a pass/fail basis and the credits count toward the total number of pass/fail credits that a student may take at the Law Center. Students may exercise the pass/fail option for another course during the same semester in which they participate in an externship.

Students may enroll after earning 28 credit hours. Externships may be in government, judicial or public interest offices. Students may not combine for-credit and paid work at the externship. Students must have completed or be enrolled in an upperclass course that relates to the substantive work of the placement. The work must be legal in nature and a lawyer must supervise the student extern. Students may not concurrently participate in any clinic other than Street Law and an externship. Students who take Street Law and do an externship in the same semester are expected to prioritize their obligations to the clinic first and to manage their time in accordance with these priorities. Students may not enroll in an externship concurrently with an experiential learning course, except where noted in the eligibility section of the Externship webpage.

Although the program coordinator maintains a list of externship opportunities, students are responsible for securing their own placements. Students who are interested in participating in the externship program are encouraged to contact the program coordinator and the Office of Public Interest and Community Service for placement suggestions.

Externs are required to attend an orientation class in the first week of the semester and at least one additional class or meeting with the program coordinator mid-semester. Students are then required to devote a minimum of 10 hours per week for at least 11 weeks to the externship. Students must keep weekly time records that reflect the number of hours the student has worked and describe the nature of the work performed without disclosing any confidential information. At the end of the semester, the student will be required to submit a 5- to 10-page paper reflecting on the externship experience.

Students will be enrolled on a first-come, first-served basis, with a total enrollment of no more than 60 per semester. Eligible students will be enrolled when they secure an externship and submit a notification of placement form for a placement that meets the criteria set forth above. The signed supervision agreement must be submitted by the start of the semester. The forms are available on the Registrar’s webpage.

Certificate Programs

J.D. students may be awarded only one certificate from among the certificate programs available to them. Any student who has satisfied the requirements for more than one certificate will be asked to designate the certificate he or she would like to receive.

Student-Initiated Seminar

Students who wish to study a subject not offered by the faculty may organize a student-initiated seminar. Students wishing to do so must secure a commitment from a full-time faculty member to supervise the seminar. Before the close of preregistration period, the organizing students must submit a course proposal to the Associate Dean for Academic Administration before the close of registration including the title of the seminar, the supervising faculty member, a syllabus and a reading list. The Associate Dean will approve the application upon determination that the proposed seminar has substantial educational value and will be conducted with academic seriousness. Approved seminars will earn 2 credits. These seminars are mandatory pass/fail and will count toward a student’s maximum of 6 pass/fail credits.

Duplication of Courses

Students will not receive credit for a course that is substantially similar to any other course completed by the student as part of the requirements for the J.D. degree. Students with questions about the applicability of this rule to their course choices should consult the Registrar, the Assistant Dean or Director, J.D. Academic Services. Waivers must be secured in writing, with a copy to be maintained in the student’s file.

Restrictions on Student Employment

The program of instruction in the full-time program is a demanding one designed to command substantially all of the student’s time during the academic year. Devoting too much time to employment is a frequent cause of disappointing academic performance and, sometimes, of academic failure. For these reasons, professional organizations, including accrediting agencies, require that a student enrolling in the full-time program be in a position to devote substantially all of his or her working hours to the study of law.

The Law Center strongly urges first-year full-time students not to accept outside employment. All full-time students should carefully restrict their hours of employment and in no event may a full-time student exceed 20 hours of employment per week during the academic year, as required by the American Bar Association. A student enrolled in the full-time program who is contemplating substantial employment must request a transfer to the part-time program, which is structured to accommodate those who are employed full-time during their study at the Law Center.

Withdrawals and Leaves of Absence

WITHDRAWAL FROM INDIVIDUAL COURSES
A student may withdraw from a required or elective first-year course (including those required courses taken during the second year of study by part-time students) only with the permission of the Registrar or an Academic Advisor.

After the end of the Add/Drop period for the relevant semester, an upperclass student may withdraw from a course only after consultation with and approval by the Registrar or an Academic Advisor. In order to withdraw from any course for which the permission of the professor was required to enroll, a student must obtain the permission of that professor. A withdrawal is recorded on a student’s transcript either as a “withdrawal” or an “excused withdrawal.” After the fourth week of the semester, a withdrawal will be considered “excused” only under exceptional circumstances. Special rules regarding withdrawal from a clinic are set forth in the section on Clinic Enrollment Policies, below.

Note: Due to U.S. visa regulations, international students who wish to withdraw from any course or from the Law Center must obtain approval from the Visa Advisor in the Office of Graduate Programs, in addition to obtaining approval to withdraw from the Registrar or an Academic Advisor.

LEAVES OF ABSENCE
Students in good standing who have completed at least one semester at the Law Center may take a leave of absence if they obtain permission in advance from the Dean of Students, McDonough 210. Leaves of absence typically are granted for one academic semester, and rarely are granted for longer than two academic semesters. A leave of absence does not extend the time limits for completion of the J.D. degree, described above in the section on Academic Evaluation and Attrition. The Law Center will not accept credit for work completed at another law school during a leave of absence without the prior written approval of the Dean of Students and the Senior Assistant Dean, J.D. Program.

In exceptional circumstances, students who wish to leave the Law Center after matriculating but before completing their first semester may request permission for a leave of absence from the Dean of Students.

Tuition will not be refunded in the event of a leave of absence unless otherwise refundable under the Tuition Refund Schedule in this Bulletin. In rare circumstances, a student returning from an approved leave may receive an adjustment to the tuition charged up to the amount of tuition paid in the semester in which the leave of absence was taken. Any such tuition adjustment must be approved by the Dean of Students.

WITHDRAWAL FROM THE LAW CENTER
Students may voluntarily withdraw from the Law Center (as opposed to taking a leave of absence) at any time. Students who wish to voluntarily withdraw from the Law Center should notify the Registrar in writing of their decision. Once withdrawn, a student no longer is matriculated at the Law Center. A student who has withdrawn and then wishes to return to the Law Center must apply for readmission through the regular admissions process.

Students who have been absent from the Law Center longer than an approved leave of absence, or who have failed to maintain matriculation by interrupting their course of study without having received approval for a leave of absence in advance will be involuntarily withdrawn and must reapply through the regular admissions process if they wish to seek readmission to the Law Center.

CLINIC ENROLLMENT POLICIES

General Eligibility

Georgetown Law’s clinics are open to upperclass J.D. students. LL.M. students are not permitted to enroll in any clinic. Six clinical courses (the Center for Applied Legal Studies, Federal Legislation, Harrison Institute Policy, Harrison Institute Housing and Community Development, Institute for Public Representation, and International Women’s Human Rights), are open to students (full-time and part-time) who will have completed a minimum of 28 academic credits before the beginning of the semester in which the students are enrolled in a clinic. The two Street Law clinics will also accept part-time students who have completed the required 22 academic credits of their first year. Four clinical courses (Criminal Justice, Domestic Violence, Juvenile Justice, and Law Students in Court) are only open to students who have completed the courses and credits required by the D.C. Student Practice Rule (see Tribunal Rules Governing Student Practice below). The Appellate Litigation Clinic is only open to third-year full-time students and part-time students who will have completed the equivalent of four full-time semesters by the end of their Fall semester in the clinic.

Part-Time Student Enrollment

Part-time students are welcome to apply for a clinic as long as they are not rendered ineligible for a particular clinic because they are employed by the Federal or District of Columbia governments and they do not have job responsibilities during the day that preclude the time commitment demanded by clinics and ethical client service. Summer clinics will give preference to part-time students assuming they meet other admission criteria. Second year part-time students and interdivisional transfer students may not defer taking their required second year courses (Criminal Justice and the first year elective) in order to participate in a clinic.

Visiting Student Enrollment

Visiting students are eligible to enroll in a clinic, but will be admitted only after all interested Georgetown Law students have been accepted.

Minimum Cumulative Grade Point Average and Academic Performance

Students seeking to enroll in a clinic during their second year in law school must have maintained at least a 2.00 cumulative grade point average at the end of their first year. Students who fail or withdraw from any of their required first-year courses will not be permitted to enroll in a clinic in any year until they have retaken and successfully completed the course(s) they failed or from which they withdrew. Part-time and interdivisional (part-time to full-time) transfer students are permitted to enroll in certain clinics prior to completing Criminal Justice and the first year elective.

Tribunal Rules Governing Student Practice

Students seeking admission to clinics requiring practice in the courts or agencies of the District of Columbia must be certified for practice under the D.C. Student Practice Rule. To be certifiable under this rule, a student must have successfully completed 41 academic credits, including Evidence, Civil Procedure and Criminal Procedure (both curriculums A and B satisfy the Civil Procedure and Criminal Procedure requirements), and receive a character clearance from the Bar Character Committee before the beginning of the semester in which the student is enrolled in a clinic. Students who have transferred or are visiting from another school should note that a Criminal Law course taken at the student’s former school generally will not fulfill the Criminal Procedure prerequisite. As a result, students who have not taken Criminal Procedure at their former schools will need to complete Georgetown Law’s Criminal Procedure course before being admitted to a clinic that practices before the courts or agencies of the District of Columbia.

Students with felony and some misdemeanor convictions or arrests (including juvenile cases or cases in which expungement has taken place), students with a history of dishonesty including plagiarism, students with a recent history of drug or alcohol abuse, and students with a history of serious financial irresponsibility might not be cleared by the D.C. Bar Character Committee in time to actually appear in court while a member of the clinic. The D.C. Bar Character Committee is also unwilling to admit students who have matters pending before the law school’s Professional Responsibility Committee. Students who are unable to obtain a character clearance by the time clinic classes begin may be unable to maintain their enrollment in the clinic.

Students applying to clinics that practice in other jurisdictions, such as federal court, may also need to comply with student practice rules. Most federal courts require certification by the Dean of a student’s good character before the student is permitted to appear before the court. An adverse disciplinary ruling in law school or college, or a pending matter before Georgetown’s Professional Responsibility Committee, could prevent a student from receiving the required certification.

Students with questions about the character clearance or Dean’s certification should contact the Associate or Assistant Dean for Clinical Programs.

Conflict of Interest

Because of the federal conflicts of interest statute (see 18 U.S.C. §205-207), students with part-time or full-time jobs with the Federal government may not be eligible to participate in the Appellate Litigation Clinic, the Criminal Justice Clinic, the Center for Applied Legal Studies, the Federal Legislation and Administrative Clinic, the Harrison Institute, the Institute for Public Representation, or Law Students in Court. Students with part-time or full-time jobs with the District of Columbia or the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia may not be eligible to participate in the Juvenile Justice Clinic, the Harrison Institute, Law Students in Court, or the Institute for Public Representation. Students who are uncertain about the application of this rule to them should consult with the Associate or Assistant Dean for Clinical Programs.

Limits on Clinical Credits

It is theoretically possible to take more than one client representation clinic, although limited clinical resources make this extremely unlikely. To ensure equitable access to clinics, preference will be given to students who have not previously taken a clinical course other than Street Law. As a result, students who enroll in a clinic other than Street Law will probably not be able to gain access to another clinic in a subsequent year. Participating in two clinics in the same year (not including summer) is prohibited.

The Bar admission rules of certain states limit the number of clinical credits an applicant may apply toward their degree (e.g., New York permits students to take a maximum of 20 clinical credits out of a required 80 credit degree program). Applicants should consult the jurisdiction in which they plan to take the Bar to determine whether such a restriction applies. For assistance in obtaining information regarding the rules in a particular jurisdiction, students may contact Professor Michael Frisch, Ethics Counsel, (202) 662-9926 or by email.

Overlap With Skills Training Courses

Students may not take Civil Litigation Practice, Patent Trial Practice, Trial Practice and Applied Evidence, Trial Practice: Working with Expert Witnesses, Trial Practice: Criminal Law and Advocacy, Trial Advocacy and Practice or any section of Trial Practice during the same semester or a subsequent semester in which they enroll in the Center for Applied Legal Studies, Criminal Justice, Domestic Violence, Juvenile Justice, or Law Students in Court. If a student has taken or is currently enrolled in the Appellate Practice Seminar, that student cannot also enroll for credit in the Appellate Litigation Clinic (or vice versa).

Limitations on Clinics and Externships

Due to competing time demands, a student is not permitted to enroll in an externship or an experiential learning course during the same semester in which the student is enrolled in any clinic except the Street Law Clinic. Students who take the Street Law Clinic and do an externship or enroll in an experiential learning course in the same semester are expected to prioritize their obligations to the clinic first and to manage their time in accordance with these priorities.

Clinic Orientation and Early Interview Week

Many clinics require students to attend an orientation that takes place during the week before classes begin in the fall. That week is also when many students interview with law firms who come to the Law Center for Early Interview Week. In order to enable clinic students to participate in Early Interview Week, fall clinic orientations will only be held in the afternoons. If you enroll in a clinic that holds a pre-semester orientation and you sign up for Early Interview Week, the interview scheduling program used by the Office of Career Services will automatically schedule all of your interviews for the morning time slots on the days your orientation takes place. Interviews that week are granted through a computerized lottery program. While past experience does not indicate that students taking clinics are adversely affected in the number of interviews they receive in total through the week, the restrictions of interviews to mornings only may impact the specific employers with which a student receives those interviews. Nevertheless, the computerized lottery program is designed to maximize the number of interviews you and all other students receive in the available time for interviews.

Dropping a Clinic or Withdrawal from a Clinic in Progress

The Law Center’s policy regarding withdrawal from a clinic is very strict. Any student seeking to withdraw from a Fall semester or full-year clinic must obtain permission from the professor who originally admitted the student and the Associate Dean for Clinical Education. A student may withdraw his or her acceptance of a Spring semester clinic no later than November 6, 2009, by notifying the clinic director and the Assistant Dean for Clinical Programs in writing. After November 6, 2009, permission of the professor and the Associate Dean is required for withdrawal from a Spring semester clinic. Permission is not readily granted.

In the absence of permission to withdraw, a student failing to participate in the clinic to which he or she was admitted will receive a grade of F for the appropriate number of credits. Strict enforcement of this policy is necessary to protect students who might otherwise be foreclosed from obtaining a clinic seat, clients who might not be adequately served, clinic morale, and the Law Center’s relationships with other institutions.

In the absence of a showing of special hardship, students taking full-year clinics may not obtain any credit unless they remain in the clinic for the full academic year and complete all required work. If the clinic director and the Associate Dean for Clinical Education permit a student to withdraw from a clinic prior to completing the clinic requirements, the amount of credit received for work the student has actually completed will be determined by the professor responsible for assigning the student’s grade. Credits for year-long clinics are allocated in accordance with a fixed formula set by the faculty on the basis of classroom seminars, skills training, and field work. No additional credits will be awarded regardless of the amount of time or effort involved in fulfilling clinic obligations.

Clinic Extension Policy

Clinic students are generally expected to work for their clinic until the end of the examination period unless the clinic director has established a shorter period. In some cases, the needs of clinic clients will require that a student perform some tasks after the semester ends. In other cases, students may request an extension to complete a project. In either case, if a student’s grade is to be delayed, an extension form must be filled out before the examination period begins and will be effective only upon review and signature of the Associate Dean for Clinical Education. If a tribunal or legislative body has continued a clinic case for hearing beyond the period of the student’s clinic enrollment, the Associate Dean will generally grant an extension until the completion of the hearing. Except in unusual cases, an extension requested for any other reason will not be approved if it exceeds one month from the end of the examination period. If an extension is approved, grades will be submitted to the Registrar’s office within three weeks after the extension expires.