Criminal Law

A law gavel resting on a desk

Experience matters. Our Criminal Law curriculum prepares you to be ready from day one of your career, giving you more simulated and real-world trial experience than most law firm partners. After learning the foundational elements of criminal law, hone your legal skills in our externship program, mock trial teams, labs and law clinics - all starting in your first year.

Competition Breeds Excellence

Join the Ault Mock Trial Team in your second and third year for an intensive academic experience that prepares you for the courtroom with a focus on both the art and science of trial work. Demonstrate your skills while competing with schools across the nation in regional and national competitions.

Street-Level Criminal Justice Experience

Represent clients in adult misdemeanor and felony cases in our Criminal Justice Clinic, assist defense attorneys at all stages of capital cases in our Death Penalty Lab or work on international criminal law cases in our Nobel Peace Prize-nominated War Crimes Research Office.

Loan Repayment

CWRU JD graduates who use their legal training to provide services in the public defender or prosecutor offices are eligible for a Loan Repayment Assistance Program (LRAP) grant to help cover student loan payments for up to eight years of eligibility. Our LRAP program has provided loan repayment assistance to alumni since its inception in 1994.