Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law, Yeshiva University
The information on this page was provided by the law school.
Official Guide to ABA-Approved JD Programs
Cardozo Law offers a well-rounded and stimulating intellectual law school experience, combining theory and practice in the heart of Manhattan. The school is known for superb programs in intellectual property and information law, alternative dispute resolution, corporate and business law, and criminal law, as well as for offering extensive hands-on practical experiences that include 11 in-house clinics, 17 field clinics and 100+ externship opportunities. These experiential learning opportunities offer students pathways to fields of law including immigration law, wrongful convictions, entertainment law, consumer debt, city and state government, art law, special education law and more.
Founded in 1976, Cardozo Law is named for Supreme Court Justice Benjamin N. Cardozo, who was renowned for his integrity, social consciousness, and elegant written opinions. As part of a leading research university, the school holds to a deeply-rooted mission in ethics, public service, and scholarship. Innovation in programming has been a hallmark of the school since its inception with a host of groundbreaking initiatives, including the Perlmutter Center for Legal Justice; the Intensive Trial Advocacy Program; the Filmmakers Legal Clinic; the Institute in Holocaust and Human Rights; the Cardozo Patent Diversity Project; the Entrepreneurship and Community Business Clinic; the Fashion, Arts, Media and Entertainment (FAME) Center; and the Program in Law and Literature. Six January Simulation Intensives teach lawyering skills through immersion programs in specific areas of law. For example, the January Intensive in Transactional Law is a two-week simulation course for lawyers working on all aspects of business deals.
Cardozo provides students with creative problem-solving skills as well as a deep understanding of how law relates to other expressions of the human spirit, including philosophy, economics, politics, history, art, and literature. The school offers robust programs in international and human rights law, public interest law, and comparative legal theory.
The Cardozo faculty is nationally recognized for scholarly achievement. They are the heart of an energetic and intellectually vibrant community that engages a diverse student body from almost 30 countries and all regions of the United States. The Heyman Center for Corporate Governance connects business leaders to Cardozo students.
Six student journals include the highly regarded Cardozo Arts & Entertainment Law Journal and the Cardozo Journal of Conflict Resolution, which has bestowed its International Advocate for Peace Award to two US presidents and a highly prestigious group of activists, filmmakers, diplomats, and negotiators.
The JD Program
Cardozo's Juris Doctor (J.D.) program combines a strong foundation of first-year courses in legal skills and methods with a rich and varied upper-level elective curriculum. We offer a traditional law school program of study consisting of 84 academic credits earned over three years. The first-year program consists of 30 credits, all in required courses. Second- and third-year courses are largely elective.
Cardozo Law offers two entry programs; the traditional Fall-entry program, and our unique May/Summer-entry program. Students who begin in May spread out the first-year curriculum over three semesters: summer, fall and spring and learn from the same renowned faculty as students who start in the fall. May and fall-students take classes together in the fall and spring semesters. May students enjoy the same opportunities to participate in clinics, journals and internships, and graduate at the same time as fall-entering students.
Cardozo's upper-level courses vary from year to year, and new offerings are added to the curriculum in response to student interest and global and national events that impact the law. Along with a few other requirements, all Cardozo students must complete one course in race and the law prior to graduation.
In-House Clinics
Cardozo offers in-house clinics taught by full-time faculty that enable students to work on real cases with significant social impact while they are still in law school. Clinic students meet one or two days a week in the classroom, with students typically spending multiple days each week working on their cases, meeting with clients or partner organizations. Clinic students interview clients and witnesses, draft pleadings and briefs, conduct discovery, counsel clients, mediate, draft and negotiate contracts, argue motions or appeals and conduct hearings in court, and negotiate settlements, among other tasks.
Our in-house clinics include:
Bet Tzedek Civil Litigation Clinic
Civil Rights Clinic
Death Penalty and Criminal Defense Clinic
Divorce Mediation Clinic
Entrepreneurship and Community Business Clinic
Filmmakers Legal Clinic
Human Rights and Atrocity Prevention Clinic
Immigration Justice Clinic
Mediation Clinic
Patent Diversity Project Clinic
Prosecutor Practicum
Securities Arbitration Clinic
Field Clinics
Cardozo Law’s Field Clinic Program offers students unique opportunities to participate in the practice of law under the direct supervision of experienced mentor-attorneys. Students work with individual clients, assist with impact litigation, contribute to policy initiatives, engage in community legal education and support legislative advocacy. Cardozo Law’s Field Clinics partner students with select dynamic nonprofit and government law offices throughout the New York City metropolitan region.
Field clinics help students who are eager for real-world experience gain an edge in a legal landscape in which employers expect graduates to be practice-ready. At the forefront of legal education, they enable students to work collaboratively in a focused area of law with accomplished practitioners who provide intensive instruction and supervision. Students work at legal placements while attending seminars taught by supervising attorneys. Students develop powerful advocacy and critical-thinking skills by assisting with impact litigation, prosecuting and defending their own cases, drafting and commenting on legislation, helping formulate policy initiatives and engaging in rigorous research, writing and legal analysis.
Cardozo's Field Clinics include:
Appropriate Dispute Resolution (ADR) Field Clinic
Bronx Defenders/Mainzer Family Defense Field Clinic
Consumer Rights Field Clinic
Criminal Appeals Field Clinic
Department of Financial Services (DFS) Field Clinic
Federal Criminal Prosecution Field Clinic-SDNY
New York City Law Department Appeals Division Field Clinic
New York City Law Department Labor and Employment Law Field Clinic
New York State Office of the Attorney General Field Clinic (Social Justice Division)
Special Education Law and Advocacy Field Clinic
State Criminal Prosecution Field Clinic - Queens County District Attorney
Tax Law Field Clinic
Visual and Performing Arts Law Field Clinic
Externships
Cardozo offers students a wide variety of externships where students obtain credit for substantive legal work under the direct supervision of an attorney or judge at the work site, while taking a related seminar. The Intellectual Property Externship Program gives students experience working with industry attorneys on substantive legal issues in areas of trademark, copyright and patent prosecution; the Real Estate Externship Program extends students the opportunity to attend and prepare for closings and client meetings while also working on various related tasks under the supervision of seasoned mentors; the Public Sector Externship Program offers students the opportunity to extern in one of the hundreds of nonprofit organizations in the New York area, in the chambers of a federal or state judge, or in one of the many government agencies; the Private Sector Externship Program allows students to learn about small and mid-sized law firm culture and dynamics while gaining exposure to diverse practice areas; and the Heyman/ACCA In-House Counsel Internship introduces second- and third-year students to the practice of law in a corporate law department. Finally, the Alexander Fellows Program places outstanding second- and third-year students in clerkships with prominent federal judges.
Study Abroad and International Programs
The aim of Cardozo's study abroad programs is to offer law students and future lawyers a large variety of international elective courses in their fields of interest, in-depth acquaintance with the intricacies of other legal systems around the world and a new perspective on current global legal issues.
Students may apply to spend a semester abroad during their fourth, fifth or sixth semesters of law school.
Cardozo Law offers the following semester study abroad programs:
Amsterdam Law School (The Netherlands)
Bar Ilan University (Israel)
Bucerius Law School (Germany)
Chinese University of Hong Kong (Hong Kong)
College of Law and Business (Israel)
ESADE (Spain)
Hebrew University (Israel)
Humbolt University (Germany)
Freie University (Germany)
Jindal Global Law School (India)
Palermo University (Italy)
Peking University Law School (China)
Reichman University (Israel)
Roma Tre University (Italy)
Tel Aviv University (Israel)
University of Bristol (UK)
University of Oxford (UK)
University of Paris X-Nanterre (France)
University of Paris I-Sorbonne (France)
University of Sydney Law School (Australia)
ZHAW School of Management and Law (Switzerland)
Additionally, in some cases students may receive permission to study abroad at other institutions through an individual study abroad program. In the past, students have arranged independent study abroad programs in Shanghai, China; Santiago, Chile; Copenhagen, Denmark; Cairo, Egypt.
Students have also studied abroad in ABA-approved programs through other U.S. law schools in Japan and London.
Dual J.D. and MBE Program
The Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Cardozo School of Law offer a joint-degree pathway for law students to obtain a J.D. and an M.S. in Bioethics. Students are able to complete requirements for both degrees in 3 to 4 years at significantly reduced tuition.
Dual J.D. and MBE Program
In partnership with YU’s Sy Syms School of Business, Cardozo students can apply for the dual degree program and complete both a J.D. and MBA in four years.
Student Life
Journals and Honor Societies
The school sponsors student-run journals that publish articles by distinguished academics and practitioners along with student notes and comments. These journals often sponsor symposia that lead to special volumes. Cardozo students and faculty also produce the New York Real Estate Law Reporter and, in cooperation with the University of California Press, Law and Literature.
Students are selected to join the journal staff on the basis of academic achievement and writing ability. Second-year students write scholarly comments and conduct research, verify sources and perform other editorial duties. Third-year students can become members of a journal’s editorial board; as board members, they are responsible for editing student comments and outside pieces. Each year, students receive one credit for staff positions or two credits for editorial-board positions.
Alternatively, students have the opportunity to join the Moot Court Honor Society or the ADR Competition Honor Society instead of a journal.
Student Organizations
Cardozo Law students participate in a variety of student organizations that reflect the diverse and distinctive student body. These organizations often collaborate with programs and centers to host events and symposia, and each group selects its leadership and activities.
Living and Working in NYC
Cardozo students come from more than 135 diverse undergraduate institutions and bring with them a wide cross-section of skills, backgrounds and experiences that enhance the life of the school.
New York City’s museums, sports arenas, clubs, theaters and concert venues offer a break from students’ studies. Urban life includes sights such as the windows of Fifth Avenue, the scenic waterfront, The High Line and Washington Square Park. And then there’s the food—from “Little Tokyo” on St. Mark’s Place, to cozy village gastropubs and bakeries, to Chinatown’s dumpling counters, New York cuisine offers something for every palate.
Cardozo Law is in the heart of New York City, one of the largest legal communities in the world. Our students work throughout the five boroughs, and groundbreaking legal and business events occur at the school. As a Cardozo Law student, you’ll also benefit from our strong ties to institutions and organizations—from the Manhattan D.A.'s office, where over 32 Cardozo alumni are practicing, to the United Nations.
Student Housing
Cardozo offers student housing at The Benjamin, two subway stops away at Lexington Avenue and 29th Street. It offers fully-furnished, air-conditioned units ranging from studios to three-bedrooms.
Career Placement and Bar Passage
Tuition and Aid
| Expense | Cost |
|---|---|
| Tuition |
$72,270.00
|
| Fees |
$1,170.00
|
| Expected Cost of Attendance |
$106,304.00
|
Once students are admitted to Cardozo Law you will automatically be considered for merit-based scholarships and grants based on the strength of your admissions application. Merit-based scholarships are guaranteed to be automatically renewed each year provided that students remain registered full-time.
All applicants are considered for the following scholarships or grants upon admission to Cardozo:
- The Dean’s Merit Scholarship is offered in varying amounts to entering students nominated by the Admissions Committee on the basis of academic credentials and demonstrated potential for success in the legal profession.
- The E. Nathaniel Gates Scholarship, named after a former Cardozo professor, recognizes outstanding potential in those who are first-generation college or graduate students or who have experienced particular barriers or challenges in their path to a career in the law. Professor Gates, a member of the Cardozo faculty from 1992 until his death in 2006, was the first member of his family to attend college and law school. He served as advisor to important initiatives and organizations, including the Diversity Coalition and the Black, Asian, and Latino Law Students Association.
- The David Martinidez Scholarship, named after the former Dean of Admissions who championed diversity at Cardozo law, provides scholarship funding for applicants who have demonstrated a commitment to promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion or have themselves overcome obstacles, financial and otherwise, in advancing their career objectives.
Cardozo awards a limited number of need-based grants to qualifying J.D. students. Applicants must file a FAFSA (international students should file the International J.D. Student Financial Aid Application) to be considered for these awards.
Admission Decisions: Beyond the Numbers
The Admissions Committee is charged with shaping a talented, interesting and diverse class that we feel will contribute to the continued growth of the Cardozo School of Law. In this quest, while understanding that standardized tests (LSAT, GRE, JD-Next) and undergraduate GPAs are important factors in the admissions process, we complete a holistic review, which allows us to assess the applicant's academic competitiveness as well as to assess the other ways that we feel an applicant will contribute to the Cardozo community.
In recent years, Cardozo has received thousands of applications from an impressive pool of J.D. applicants. The Admissions Committee generally reviews applications in the order in which they become complete. However, decisions are not necessarily made in the order in which applications are forwarded for review.
During the review process, the Committee not only evaluates the merits of each application individually, but also relative to all other applications in the pool. Some applications may receive a decision fairly quickly; in many cases, however, the Committee’s comparative appraisal of a file is a lengthier process, to allow the Committee to re-review an application and carefully assess a candidate’s strength in comparison to the full applicant pool.
All complete applications are forwarded to the Admissions Committee for a thorough and full review. Due to the careful assessment of each individual application, the Admissions Committee is unable to guarantee a decision will be made on an application within a particular time frame.
Cardozo considers a variety of factors when evaluating an application. Some of those factors are prior academic performance, including the rigor of an applicant’s undergraduate studies and grade trends, standardized test score, letters of recommendation, and personal statement--both as a writing sample and as a tool to learn more about the applicant. The Committee will also consider graduate work, professional background, internships, research experience, extracurricular activities and/or work experience during undergraduate or graduate studies geography, community service and engagement, and any obstacles that may have impacted prior educational experiences or personal achievements. Applicants are also encouraged to include an addendum if there are other factors they would like to bring to the attention of the Admissions Committee.
