Certificate of Concentration in Family Law - Overview

The National Center for Family Law offers law students at the University of Richmond the opportunity to earn a Certificate of Concentration in Family Law to be awarded at graduation along with the J.D. diploma. Transcripts will also reflect completion of the concentration program.

Earning the Certificate of Concentration in Family Law is similar to completing a major as an undergraduate. A student must take a basic Family Law course and a certain number of credits from other Family Law-related courses. Students seeking the Certificate of Concentration in Family Law will meet their upper-level writing requirement by writing on a family law-related subject.

Certificates will be awarded only to those who achieve a grade point average of at least 3.0 in all family law concentration classes taken. Students whose GPA is 3.5 or higher in concentration courses will earn the certificate "with distinction."

Total Family Law Credits Required

Each student must earn 24 credits from courses listed as "required," "target" or "concentration" courses.

Required Courses

Each student must take the following courses:

LAWE707, Family Law	3 sem. hrs.
An approved clinic*	5-7 sem. hrs.
An upper-level writing requirement**	2-3 sem. hrs.

Target Courses

Each student must take at least one of the following courses:

LAWE601 Pre-Trial Litigation Skills	3 sem. hrs.
LAWE610 Alternative Dispute Resolution	2 sem. hrs.
LAWE631 Civil Litigation	3 sem. hrs.
LAWE632 Advanced Trial Practice	3 sem. hrs.
LAWE670 Interviewing and Counseling	2 sem. hrs.
LAWE671 Interviewing, Negotiating, and Counseling	4 sem. hrs.
LAWE672 Negotiation	2 sem. hrs.
LAWE679 Contract Drafting	2 sem. hrs.
LAWE702 Family Law Procedure	2 sem. hrs.
LAWE706, Role of Lawyer in Mediation	2 sem. hrs.
LAWE723 Collaborative Law	2 sem. hrs.
LAWE724 Professional Responsibility: Family Law	2 sem. hrs.

Family Law Concentration Classes

Each student must take at least one of the following courses:

LAWE601 Pre-Trial Litigation Skills	3 sem. hrs.
LAWE610 Alternative Dispute Resolution	2 sem. hrs.
LAWE631 Civil Litigation	3 sem. hrs.
LAWE632 Advanced Trial Practice	3 sem. hrs.
LAWE670 Interviewing and Counseling	2 sem. hrs.
LAWE671 Interviewing, Negotiating, and Counseling	4 sem. hrs.
LAWE672 Negotiation	2 sem. hrs.
LAWE679 Contract Drafting	2 sem. hrs.
LAWE702 Family Law Procedure	2 sem. hrs.
LAWE706, Role of Lawyer in Mediation	2 sem. hrs.
LAWE723 Collaborative Law	2 sem. hrs.
LAWE724 Professional Responsibility: Family Law	2 sem. hrs.

J.D. Degree Certificates of Concentration