Juris Doctor (J.D.)

William & Mary Law School scholarships are awarded unconditionally with the understanding that students will maintain a grade point average consistent with academic eligibility. Students who are not in good academic standing at the end of their first term and/or first year will have their scholarships revoked. 

  Attend class

The American Bar Association requires students to attend class regularly and punctually. Many professors will have specific attendance requirements (e.g., a maximum of only 3 absences is permitted). Students who are identified as having missed an excessive number of classes may be withdrawn from the class or the course grade may be adjusted if attendance is a factor in determining the final grade.

If students find they must be absent from courses for an extended period of time, contact the Law Dean of Students, who, in turn, will contact the professors.

  Be a full-time student

We are a full-time law program, and J.D. students must successfully be enrolled in and complete a minimum of 10 and a maximum of 17 credit hours each term, to include third year students’ final semester prior to graduation, regardless of the number of credits remaining to meet the graduation requirement.

  Follow the Honor Code

The Honor System at William & Mary Law School is one of the oldest in higher education. It exists to provide a living and learning environment that reflects the values of the Law School community, including those of academic integrity, personal integrity, and personal and professional responsibility. Our students do believe in and cherish this system.

  Eligibility to Continue & Terms Related to W&M Law Study

To be a full-time student in good academic standing

• Commence the first year of study in the fall term.

• Complete all degree requirements by the end of the third consecutive spring term following commencement of study.

• Take courses totaling at least 10 academic credits each term.

• Take courses totaling at least 20 credits each academic year.

• Register for no more than 17 credits in any term.

For JD students, eligibility to continue in residence is governed by the following grade point average requirements:

• A student who does not achieve a 2.0 grade point average at the end of the first semester of legal study will be dismissed permanently for academic deficiency. The student may not petition for the right to continue or for reinstatement.

• A student who does not achieve a 2.5 grade point average at the end of the first semester of legal study will be placed on academic probation.

• A student who has not achieved a 2.5 cumulative grade point average at the end of the first year of legal study will be dismissed permanently for academic deficiency (whether the student was previously placed on academic probation). The student may not petition for the right to continue or for reinstatement.

• To be able to continue in residence at the Law School as a 2L and 3L, a student must maintain a semester and cumulative grade point average of 2.3. To clarify, the student must maintain a minimum grade point average of 2.3 for each semester in the second year and each semester in the third year, as well as a cumulative grade point average of 2.3 at the conclusion of both the second and third years of legal study. A student who does not achieve a 2.3 term and cumulative grade point average in the second and third years will be placed on academic suspension for the next regular semester (spring or fall).

• Students placed on academic suspension at the end of a spring semester may not enroll in or transfer in credit from the summer or fall semester immediately following the semester of suspension. Students placed on academic suspension at the end of a fall semester may not enroll in or transfer in credit during the spring or summer semester following the semester of suspension. Academic status is not determined during the summer term. 

• GPA shall be truncated at the 100th and rounded to the nearest tenth and otherwise calculated according to the normal conventions of the Law School. The Academic Advisory Committee has the authority, in its discretion, to interpret and implement the eligibility criteria set forth herein.

• Rising 2L students (students who have completed two terms (one full academic year) of legal study) who are ineligible to continue as students may not petition for the right to continue.  

• Students who fail to meet the minimum term or cumulative GPA after their third, fourth, or fifth term of legal study (students in their second or third academic year) may petition the Academic Advisory Committee for reinstatement. The Committee, in its discretion, may grant such a petition for good cause shown and may impose such conditions as it deems appropriate in approving the reinstatement.  See the petition for reinstatement requirements and process below.  

• A student who fails to qualify for a degree solely by failing to obtain a 2.3 term GPA in the student’s final semester in the third year may be permitted to continue in the Law School for an additional semester with permission from the Vice Dean. If, after the completion of the additional semester, the student’s GPA for that semester, combined with the GPA for the entire third academic year, is 2.3 or higher, the student will be granted the degree. 

• A student who fails to complete degree requirements within the stated time period, other than as described above for academic deficiency, may petition the Academic Advisory Committee for permission to continue. Petitions will be considered following the same procedures as those for reinstatement, below, but with a focus on reasons for lack of timely completion and steps taken or to be taken to ensure degree completion. Their ruling may include specific terms and conditions for degree completion and will ensure the extension complies with the American Bar Association guidelines for degree completion. The Dean must approve the petition and the terms or conditions imposed by the Committee. 

• Students are encouraged to review guidance and procedures for submitting a Petition for Reinstatement.

These regulations apply to all J.D. degree candidates. Exceptions are granted only when approved in advance by first the Academic Advisory Committee and then the Dean.

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Academic Year 

The academic year is the period beginning with a summer session and ending with the next succeeding spring term.

Address on File

The Law School will send official notices and correspondence to the address on file with the University Registrar. Students are responsible for maintaining their current addresses and telephone numbers within Banner. Students are required to update and validate their Personal Information Questionnaire (PIQ) in Banner each semester of enrollment. The information contained in the PIQ allows the Law School to contact students or their designated contacts in the event of an emergency. 

American Bar Association (ABA) Standards

The Law School invites students to share any concerns about the Law School’s program of education as it relates to compliance with the ABA’s Standards. Any student who has such a concern should submit the concern in writing either to the Vice Dean or the Associate Dean for Student Affairs & Academic Support, identifying the ABA Standard at issue. The submission must be signed by the student and, if sent by e-mail, must be sent from the student’s W&M e-mail account. The Associate Dean for Student Affairs & Academic Support will confirm receipt of the submission within five business days and will work with the appropriate individuals to investigate the issue and take appropriate action. The Vice Dean or the Associate Dean for Student Services will notify the student about the status of the investigation within 30 days of receipt of the submission. A record of all such submissions and their resolutions will be kept on file for ten years in the office of the Vice Dean. ABA accreditation does not extend to the LL.M. or MLS degree, though they have been reviewed by the ABA and the ABA has “acquiesced” to the programs being offered. (ABA Required Disclosures)

Attendance

The American Bar Association requires students to attend class regularly and punctually. Professors will have specific attendance requirements in their syllabus. Students who are identified as having missed an excessive number of classes may be withdrawn from the class, or the course grade may be adjusted if attendance is a factor in determining the final grade. If students must be absent from their courses for an extended period, they should contact the Associate Dean for Student Affairs & Academic Support, who, in turn, will contact professors. 

Auditing Law Courses

All audit requests must be approved by the instructor and will be confirmed only at the end of the Add/Drop period for each semester, contingent upon seat availability. Registration for degree-seeking J.D. students enrolling in classes for credit takes priority over auditors. If space is available following the end of the add/drop period and if the professor gives permission, the auditor will be administratively registered for the course. Auditors are expected to attend class and have read the materials, but do not take the exam, submit any papers or assignments, and do not earn credit hours. Upon successful completion, the course title will be reflected on the auditor’s transcript and will reflect a grade of “O”. Students who audit a course may not then take a course for a grade.

Degree-seeking J.D. students may audit a course by completing the appropriate form and submitting to the Law School Registrar.

Non-law students who wish to audit a law course may do so provided 1) it is not a required J.D. course, nor a “skills” class, nor a pass/fail course; 2) the auditor is not taking a seat from a degree-seeking student; 3) the instructor gives permission. Non-law students, other than Visiting Scholars, should contact the Law School Registrar if interested in auditing a law class. Review additional information regarding non-law degree-seeking students below.

Bar Exam

Students are responsible for verifying the requirements of the bar examination they intend to take, including whether the jurisdiction requires an Enrollment Verification (confirmation that the student is actively enrolled in a legal program of study), Certificate of the Completion of Courses (verification of successful completion of program of study), a Confirmation of Graduation (certification and date of degree conferral), or more than one of these. Students should always check with the bar admissions authority in the jurisdictions in which they intend to seek admission concerning the requirements for eligibility to be admitted to the bar.  Information on each state’s rules and a directory of state bar admission agencies can be found in the Comprehensive Guide to Bar Admission Requirements. 

Catalog

The university’s course catalog provides announcements for the current academic year and is updated each summer. The university reserves the right to make changes in the regulations, charges, and curricula listed therein at any time.

Class Rank for JD Students

How GPA is calculated

• The Law School uses a GPA rounded to the tenths place as the law cumulative grade point average. (For example, a 3.04 and a 2.99 are both rounded to a 3.0.) 
• Class ranks are based on the rounded GPA as defined above. Students’ official academic transcripts will reflect a truncated cumulative GPA, rather than the rounded GPA used to calculate rank. When presenting class rank to prospective employers, or in any regard, students should report their rounded GPA. 
• Students holding a GPA of 3.6 or higher will be given a numerical rank. All ranks of 3.5 and lower will be given as a percentage. Most of the class will receive a percentage rather than an individual class rank.  In either case, it is conceivable that multiple students will share the same rank. 
• For students in the J.D. program, class rank is first calculated at the conclusion of one full year of legal study at William & Mary.  Thereafter, students are ranked only at the conclusion of the fall and spring terms (i.e., no re-ranking will occur following a summer term).
• Transfer students (including LL.M. to J.D. students) are not ranked until the end of their first full year of law school at William & Mary. Students in the LL.M. program are not ranked.  
• Students’ class rank is emailed to students’ William & Mary email addresses. The university does not print class ranks on either the unofficial or the official transcript. Official statements of class rank, if needed, can be obtained by contacting lawreg@wm.edu.  
• Students will not receive any information indicating the rank of other students. If a student earns a tied rank, the number of students tied at a particular rank is not disclosed or made available to students; only students’ individual rank and rank GPA information are disclosed. 

Classroom Participation

The professor must include in the course syllabus how participation will be graded and what effect it will have on the final grade. Notification of the grading procedure must also be announced in writing (preferably) or verbally during the class(es) of the add/drop period.

Including participation in the final grade will not affect your anonymity in the course grading period if the exam or paper is graded anonymously. Law School policy requires faculty using participation and grading exams or papers anonymously to submit to the Law School Registrar the list of student names with their participation grade. The Registrar will match the student’s name to the anonymous student exam code number and return to the professor a list of participation grades by exam code rather than student name, sorted in numerical order. The faculty member can then combine the participation grade with the exam or paper grade and calculate the final grade for the course. The final grade is input by the faculty member to Banner using only the anonymous exam code number.

Course Overlap Policy

Students may register for classes that have a time conflict (overlap) if the overlap is for no more than two class sessions. Law students may miss no more than two total classes of a single semester-long class in order to enroll in a short or week-long mini class(es) or externship class. As a mandatory prerequisite, students must obtain permission from the professor of the class that they will miss to miss up to two sessions of a semester-long class to attend a short/mini/externship course before registering for the overlapping courses (this is required whether a student will miss one class or two). A student may not request to miss a class or part of a short- or mini-course or externship class to attend another class, as those classes meet very few sessions. Faculty are under no obligation to give such permission, often have sound pedagogical grounds for refusing to permit students to miss even one or part of a class session, and may impose an additional assignment to ensure students have grasped the material missed by absences. Submit the override form early, especially if the course you want has an active waitlist. No overrides for ongoing overlaps, simultaneous classes, or missing short/mini/externship sessions, even with instructor approval. The administration will not accommodate any request to modify this policy. Students may not request permission or be registered for two classes that have:

• An ongoing conflict (for example, a ten-minute overlap throughout the semester).
• Two classes are scheduled at the same time, regardless of the format of each course (in-person or online). 

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Credit Hour Policy

The American Bar Association and the College of William & Mary require not less than one hour of classroom or direct faculty instruction and two hours of out-of-class student work per week for each credit awarded for a class over fifteen weeks, including a final exam week, or the equivalent amount of work over a different amount of time. According to ABA standards, fifty minutes suffices for one hour of classroom time, while an hour for out-of-class time is sixty minutes. All faculty must inform students in their syllabi about the expectation regarding time spent preparing for class. Students will also be asked in end-of-semester course evaluations to estimate the amount of time they spent on out-of-class work, on average, each week. The Vice Dean and the Associate Dean for Research and Faculty Development are responsible for monitoring compliance with this policy. 

Default Generative AI Policy

The William & Mary Law School faculty approved the following default generative AI policy in Spring 2024. Instructors have discretion to deviate from the default rule, provided that they do so in writing and with appropriate notice. Please consult your syllabus and exam instructions for any deviations.

Generative AI is software that can perform advanced processing of text at skill levels that at least appear similar to a human's. Examples of Generative AI include, but are not limited to, ChatGPT, Perplexity, Google Gemini, Lexis + AI, and Westlaw (Practical Law) AI.

Generative AI software is quickly being adopted in legal practice, and many internet services and ordinary programs will soon include generative AI software. At the same time, Generative AI presents risks to our shared pedagogical mission. For this reason, we adopt the following default rule, which enables some uses of Generative AI but also prohibits other uses.

The class of generative AI software:

1.         May not be used to compose (write, draft, outline, etc.) any portion of a submitted assignment. Generative AI may be used to perform research in ways similar to search engines such as Google for the correction of grammar and other functions attendant to completing an assignment. The functions included in common word processing software are allowed. This includes spelling and grammar corrections and auto-word-complete functions of Microsoft Word, Google Docs, and Grammarly (but not Grammarly’s generative AI function).

2.         May not be used during a student’s exam. A student may use study materials prepared by Generative AI. The functions included in common word processing software are allowed. This includes spelling and grammar correction and auto-word-complete functions of Microsoft Word, Google Docs, and Grammarly (but not Grammarly’s generative AI function). However, exam software such as Exam4 may not allow some of these functions.

Distance Education Policies 

At the Law School, a “distance education course” is defined as a course in which more than one-third of the required classroom minutes are delivered from outside the classroom and/or a course in which William & Mary Law students participate from remote locations. “Distance education courses” do not include courses in which an occasional guest speaker appears via technology from a remote location; courses in which an instructor uses technology to teach an occasional class from a remote location; or courses in which an instructor prerecords material to be viewed or heard by students in advance of a class session. All JD distance education courses offered for credit at the Law School shall be in full compliance with all ABA Standards governing distance education (Standard 306).

In addition to compliance with any applicable ABA Standards, all JD distance education courses offered for credit as part of an on-campus program at the Law School must comply with the following requirements:

1. All distance education courses shall provide for significant synchronous interaction between the instructor(s) and the students. “Synchronous interaction” means that the instructor(s) and the students engage with one another at the same time despite spatial separation.

2. A student may receive credit for no more than a total of 28 credit hours of distance education courses.

3. Credit toward the J.D. degree for study offered through a distance education course will be awarded only where (1) the academic content, (2) the method of course delivery, and (3) the method of evaluating student performance are approved as part of the Law School’s regular curriculum approval process. Approval must be sought for all distance education courses, even if a course with the same name and content is already part of the approved J.D. curriculum.

4. If an instructor for a proposed distance education course is not a member of the full-time faculty, his or her appointment as an adjunct faculty member must be approved in the same way as other adjunct faculty members.

5. The Vice Dean shall work closely with instructors of distance education courses to ensure that such courses provide (a) ample interaction with the instructor(s) and other students both inside and outside the formal structure of the course throughout its duration, such that students in distance education courses have opportunities to interact with the instructors and other students that equal or exceed the opportunities for such interaction in a traditional classroom setting; and (b) ample monitoring of student effort and accomplishment as courses progress.

6. The Associate Dean for Administration, the Registrar, and the Vice Dean are responsible for maintaining an effective process to verify the identity of students taking distance education courses and to protect student privacy.

Exams

William & Mary utilizes Exam4 as our examination platform for all on-campus programs at the Law School. Exam4 is an industry-recognized software that has decades of experience with law schools and state bar exams. Exam4 is a word processing program that students will use to write in-person and remote exams. This software will be downloaded by students to their personal computers each semester. General guidelines and system requirements for Exam4 are listed on the Exam FAQs page. For information about technology requirements, review Tips for Computer Use on Exams. 

• Rules and Policies about Exams
• Exam Conflicts
• Exam Schedule
• Language Accommodation
• Exam Accommodations
• Exam Review
• Late Arrival to Exams
• Late Submission of Exam
• Weather or Emergency Closures During Exams

 Rules and Policies about Exams

Exam Technology: All anonymously graded exams at the Law School must either be taken through the Exam4 software or be handwritten in bluebooks. Students are expected to use their own computers to take exams, although a student may request to use a Law School-owned computer to take an exam if (a) a computer-related emergency exists and (b) a Law School-owned computer is available. Students who choose to hand-write their exams obtain bluebooks from the Registrar.

A laptop or desktop computer is required to take exams. William & Mary requires all incoming students to own a notebook computer. Laptops or desktops must be capable of running a full Windows or a full Mac operating system.

Students taking exams by computer must download the Exam4 software each semester and take a practice exam to test the functionality of Exam4 on their computer and to familiarize themselves with the features and options available within the platform.

Exam Location: Each faculty member will designate whether the exam in their course is in-person or remote and the length of time that students must complete the exam. In-person exams take place at the Law School in an assigned room on a designated date and time. Remote exams are taken at a place of the student’s choosing within the exam period and may be designated as required to be taken at a specified time, on a specified day, or at any time within the Session I or Session II examination window. Printed copies of exams will not be provided for remote exams.

Students may not take an in-person scheduled exam remotely.

A faculty member may allow students to take an in-person exam outside of the designated exam room so long as students remain in the Law School building. Students who elect to take the exam in the library should expect the normal activities of patrons and staff to continue as usual and should not expect (or request) complete silence. Students may not reserve space in the library for the purpose of taking an exam. Students may not take exams in library study rooms, on computers in the library’s technology classroom, or in student organization offices.

Students with exam accommodations will take in-person exams in a room designated by the Office of Student Affairs & Academic Support.

All students should arrive at the assigned room for an in-person exam at least 15 minutes prior to the exam’s scheduled start to receive the exam questions and instructions. Students allowed to leave the assigned room to take the exam may not leave until the proctor announces that it has begun. All students taking an in-person exam, whether they remain in the assigned room or not, must return the exam questions to the proctor.

Exam Instructions: Each faculty member’s instructions must be designated with specificity, both in writing to students prior to the exam date and in the exam instructions:

• faculty name;
• name, number, and section of course;
• the length and duration of the exam;
• pagination to reflect 1 of 10, 2 of 10, 3 of 10…
• type of exam (in-person or remote), and mode of exam (closed, open laptop, open laptop plus network, or take-home);
• the exam question type (essay, multiple choice, or essay + multiple choice)
• whether students taking an in-person exam may take the exam outside of the designated exam room (but within the Law School building);
• the materials that students are permitted to use when taking the exam, such as self-prepared, group, and/or commercial outlines, dictionaries, the casebook, and materials distributed during the semester;
• whether permitted materials may be consulted on the student’s computer or may be consulted only in hard copy; and
• whether students may access the Internet during the exam, along with any limitations on which Internet sources may be accessed (including ChatGPT or other generative AI technologies).

Additionally, each faculty member must indicate in the exam instructions the nature of any word limits for individual questions or for the exam. The Law Registrar will set the exam mode in Exam4 for each exam to reflect the mode indicated by the faculty member (closed, open laptop, open laptop plus network, or take-home).

Unless otherwise indicated by the faculty member, the following default policies apply:

• Students who are permitted to consult material on their computers or on the Internet may use a search function, hyperlinks, a table of contents, or similar functions to locate material within a document or on their computers.
• Students taking take-home mode exams may copy and paste material from external documents into the Exam4 software. The Exam4 software does not permit copy and paste in any other exam mode.
• Students may use noise-canceling headphones during an exam and may use a phone or other device to listen to music through headphones during an exam so long as that device is not connected to the Internet, sounds are not audible to others, and all ringtones and alerts are silenced.
• Students may use a second monitor or device to display material during the exam so long as the exam is not set in closed mode in Exam 4.

Anonymity of Exams: Most exams are identified by examination number only. Students are provided with examination numbers each semester after the Add/Drop period concludes. Students may not reveal their examination number to faculty members before grades are posted. Faculty members who include participation or similar activities as part of the final grade shall provide a list of names to the Registrar with scores by the indicated deadline to obtain a numerically sorted list of examination numbers to be used in determining the final grade.

Exam Accommodations: William & Mary accommodates students with disabilities in accordance with federal laws and university policy. Students who feel as if they may need an exam accommodation based on the impact of a learning, psychiatric, physical, or chronic health diagnosis should contact Student Accessibility Services staff at (757) 221-2509 or at sas@wm.edu to determine if accommodations are warranted and to obtain an official letter of accommodation. The Office of Student Affairs & Academic Support will provide information to students about the implementation of exam accommodations. To preserve anonymity on exams, students should not contact faculty members about exam accommodations.

 Exam Conflicts and Reschedules: Students may reschedule an exam only under the following circumstances:

• Two exams are scheduled within 23 hours - for example, an exam that begins at 8:30 am followed by an exam that begins at 1:30 pm.
• Two exams are scheduled at the same time.
• Three or more exams are scheduled on consecutive days.
• A qualifying illness, injury, or emergency precludes the student from taking the exam, as determined by the Office of Student Affairs & Academic Support after reviewing supporting documentation.

All exam conflicts will be administered by the Law Registrar. Students rescheduling an exam due to a conflict must take the conflicting exam on the first available make-up date that breaks the conflict. Under no circumstances is a student allowed to take a make-up exam earlier than the scheduled exam date. Requests to postpone an exam for scheduled events such as weddings, baptisms, retirement parties, etc., will not be granted. The Law Registrar will post the exam conflict form via survey at the appropriate time each semester (typically October 01 for fall, March 01 for spring).

All exams that are rescheduled due to a qualifying, documented illness, injury, or emergency will be administered by the Office of Student Affairs & Academic Support, which will arrange a new exam date on the first available day. In the event a student becomes ill or injured or otherwise incapacitated during the exam period, the illness or injury or circumstance must be reported directly to the Dean of Students before or during the exam, and that situations after the exam can only be considered if the situation was sufficiently severe to not allow the student to reach out in a reasonable amount of time.

Typically, students must make up an exam at the earliest practicable time and within five weeks of the originally scheduled exam date. If the circumstance necessitating a rescheduled exam continues past the fifth week, the student shall take the exam as soon as reasonably practicable following the end of the disability, but in no event later than the end of the exam period for the succeeding fall or spring term. If the circumstance continues beyond that period, the student shall be withdrawn from all courses for which an exam was not taken. Students who become ill or otherwise unable to take the exam during the examination session should contact the Office of Student Affairs & Academic Support.

Under no circumstances will a student be allowed to take an exam earlier than the scheduled exam date.

 Exam Schedule

The preliminary exam schedule is published each semester prior to registration for the next regular semester, with the type of exam only (paper, exam, or no final assessment) and subject to change until the final publication on or about November 1st for a fall exam, or April 1st for a spring exam. Students should not make travel plans or any scheduled events based on the draft exam schedule. Students will not be authorized a rescheduled exam for weddings, baptisms, retirement parties, booked travel arrangements, etc.     

 Language Accommodation

JD students whose primary language is not English may be eligible for extra time for each exam as necessary to make reasonable accommodations for their language ability. Students who attended a post-secondary institution where English is not the primary language will qualify for extra time under this provision; however, if a student also attended a post-secondary institution where English is the primary language will not qualify for additional time. Such students will be afforded 20 additional minutes for each hour of an examination. Students requesting further accommodation should contact the University’s Office of Student Accessibility Services, which handles requests for accommodations on a case-by-case basis.

 Exam Accommodations

Any student who has registered with Student Accessibility Services as described in Section 6.03 may also be eligible for exam accommodation. Student Accessibility Services will provide all exam accommodations to the Associate Dean for Student Affairs & Academic Support. The Associate Dean for Student Affairs & Academic Support will work with each individual student to make sure that they receive the specified accommodation and that their anonymity is protected. 

To ensure that accommodations are processed in time for exams, a student requesting accommodation should complete their accommodation request with Student Accessibility Services as early as possible and, in all cases, by the first day of the last week of classes. 

Please note that accommodations must be renewed each semester. Also, please note that professors will not be notified of exam accommodations, as all exam accommodations will be handled by the Associate Dean for Student Affairs & Academic Support. To protect their privacy, students should not discuss their exam accommodations with their professors.

 Late Arrival to Exams

A student who arrives late for an examination will be permitted to take it without excuse, but the time for completing the examination will not be extended beyond that specified for completion for those who arrived on time. If the student can demonstrate to the Vice Dean that their lateness was for good cause and beyond their control, the full scheduled time to complete the examination may be given at the Vice Dean’s discretion.

 Late Submission of Exams

If an exam is submitted after the allotted duration, the exam will be late. Do not email your instructor or the Law Registrar's office regarding late submissions; the course instructor will determine any impact.  

 Weather or Emergency Closures During Exams

If the University delays opening or closes due to weather, safety concerns, or other emergencies, any law school exam scheduled during the affected time will be postponed and rescheduled as follows:

• Delayed opening before 1:00 p.m.: Any exam scheduled for 8:30 a.m. will be administered at 1:30 p.m. the same day in the same location and using the same exam format.
• Closure during the first week of exams: Any exam scheduled for 8:30 a.m. during the closure will be rescheduled to the first Saturday of the exam period, in the same location and using the same exam format.
• Closure during the second week of exams: Any exam scheduled for 8:30 a.m. during the closure will be rescheduled to Friday or Saturday of the second week of the exam period, at either 8:30 a.m. or 1:30 p.m., as determined by the Law School based on affected students' examination schedules.

The Law School will notify students of the revised exam schedule as soon as practicable.

Exam review is available to students following each semester, either directly with the instructor or at the Law Registrar's suite. Students should first contact their instructor to determine if they are participating in exam review. The instructor may elect to meet with students directly or may direct students to meet with a member of the Law Registrar team by scheduling a Book Appointment. If an instructor is not meeting with students directly, book a time to meet using the link and select ‘exam review’ to schedule a time for a 20-minute in-person review. Please note you will need individual bookings for each exam requested. The Law Registrar team will only provide a copy of the exam and the student’s answers as submitted (not graded or marked), unless the instructor provides rubrics, model answers, or other review or feedback materials. Some professors provide a copy of the exam (as submitted, not graded, or marked) and a copy of the exam questions only. Some students choose not to do an exam review unless materials from the instructor are made available, so ideally, students should contact their instructor first to determine how their exam review is being handled. Students are welcome to review just the exam/answers with the Law Registrar team (without feedback) regardless.

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Exchange Programs

The modern practice of law is increasingly international in nature. Our J.D. students may find it beneficial to devote part of their J.D. education to legal instruction in a foreign location. The Law School supports study abroad opportunities where the instruction regularly is provided for international students and course offerings advance our educational objective of expanding student learning to encompass the study of foreign legal systems. 

If you have lived and studied abroad or if you have never been abroad before, we have suggestions for both satisfying credit requirements and doing so in a foreign country. You may choose one of these options to taste the law of another country, in that country, to establish networking for future job opportunities, to increase your foreign language fluency (though most approved courses are taught in English), or to build your resume for the perfect job.

If you have an interest, we encourage you to explore law courses in foreign institutions. All J.D. graduation requirements must still be met for those students who study abroad. In addition, a plan of action crafted with and approved by your OCS advisor is required as part of your application. Semester dates at each host institution may not align with the William & Mary semester, so carefully consider each option to ensure it is consistent with your other academic and professional goals. 

The Law School participates and has exchange agreements with the following law schools around the world:

• Instituto de Empresa, Madrid, Spain
• Fudan University, Shanghai, China

Up to two William & Mary students may be nominated each year for each institution. Exchange opportunities at each host institution will be subject to seat availability at the host institution in any given semester. Nomination by William & Mary does not guarantee acceptance at the host institution.

Courses are taught in English, though if you are fluent in the host school's language, you may take courses taught in that language. Students must earn an equivalent grade of “C” or better from the exchange program school for credits to transfer to the William & Mary law degree. Credits earned in the semester abroad program will be entered on your W&M transcript as pass-fail credits and therefore are subject to the 25% limitation on ungraded academic credits allowed towards your degree. Students will not get credit for coursework that is 30% or more duplicative of a course already taken at W&M.

Applications (PDF) are accepted from January 1 through February 1 in your 2L year, and if nominated and accepted, you would study abroad during the fall semester of your 3L year. Students must have earned at least 48 standard letter-graded credits by the end of the second year to be considered and approved to participate in a third-year fall semester exchange program. Incomplete or late applications cannot be accepted. Incomplete or late applications cannot be accepted. A course plan for the academic year during which you intend to spend a semester abroad must be approved in advance by the Vice Dean and the Assistant Dean for Academic Services & Registrar. Each host institution has its own timetable and deadlines for acceptance and registration. If a William & Mary student nominated for exchange has not yet received an official acceptance letter from the host institution, that student should register for William & Mary courses for the fall semester of the 3L year. William & Mary fall semester courses can be dropped once the official acceptance letter is received. 

After a Study Abroad experience, students are required to complete a program evaluation. Evaluation feedback assists the Law School with the identification of program strengths and weaknesses and offers the opportunity to enhance future programming. 

The student program evaluation will be administered through a printed evaluation questionnaire and will capture information on pre-departure advising, host orientation, living accommodations, healthcare, curriculum, academic environment, and quality. The evaluation will be completed within 30 days of a student’s return from a study abroad experience and will be turned into the International Programs Office. Completion of an evaluation is required to receive coursework credit. If you have questions, please contact the International Programs Office at llmadm@wm.edu.

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Grading Policies

• How We Grade
• Grade Conversion Policy
• Grade Review Policy
• Incomplete Grade
• Mandatory Grade Policy
• Transferring Grades

​How we grade

In the first year, faculty may grade solely on examinations or may also consider class participation when assigning the final grade. In upper-level elective and seminar courses, academic work may be graded entirely by an exam or paper, or the professor may factor into the exam or paper grade any of the following or a combination of the following: in-course assignments, quizzes, and classroom participation. 

The professor must include in the course syllabus how participation will be graded and what effect it will have on the final grade. Notification of the grading procedure must also be announced in writing (preferably) or verbally during the class(es) of the add/drop period.

Including participation in the final grade will not affect anonymity in the course grading period if the exam or paper is graded anonymously. Law School policy requires faculty to use participation and grading exams or papers anonymously to submit to the Law School Registrar the list of student names with their participation grade. The Registrar will match the student’s name to the anonymous student exam code number and return to the professor a list of participation grades by exam code rather than student name, sorted in numerical order. The faculty member can then combine the participation grade with the exam or paper grade and calculate the final grade for the course. The final grade is input by the faculty member to Banner using only the anonymous exam code number.

Since 2004, the law faculty has been required to adhere to a mandatory grade curve, and in 2012, the law faculty modified the grading policy. Students can find the new policy here. Only the Vice Dean can grant an exception to the policy, and only then for good cause shown by the faculty member.

Once a student’s degree has been conferred, the academic record is closed, and it cannot be changed or amended.

What types of grades are given

Law grades in courses graded by standard letter grades have quality points from which a student's grade point average is determined:

A+ (4.3) A (4.0), A- (3.7)
B+ (3.3), B (3.0), B- (2.7)
C+ (2.3), C (2.0),” C- (1.7), D (1.0) and
F (fail – 0 quality points that will factor into the grade point average; no credit is earned).

As an alternative to these standard letter grades, pass/fail grades may be used in certain Law School courses as approved by the Vice Dean. The following four grades are available: H (honors), P (pass), LP (low pass), and F (fail).  A grade of honors, pass, or low pass will not affect a student’s grade point average but will count toward the total number of credits required for graduation. A grade of “fail” will be counted as zero quality points and will affect a student’s grade point average. Except for Lawyering Skills courses, the number of honors grades in any individual course cannot exceed 10.0% of enrolled students under any circumstance.

Absent a controlling language in a course description, instructors may select which grading system they use in each course. If the course description does not specify a grading system and the instructor does not specify a grading system before the end of the add/drop period, Standard Letter grading will be used. If a course description or an instructor indicates that some form of pass-fail grading will be used but does not use the exact phrase “Standard Pass-Fail” or “Extended Pass-Fail” or is otherwise ambiguous, Extended Pass-Fail grading will be used.

Other grades that do not affect grade point average may be on a student's transcript:  

• P: transfer credit from another institution – students must request permission to “visit” another institution or an institution’s abroad program and must seek approval to register in specific courses. To transfer, grades in approved credits must be a “C” or better and will come to the W&M transcript as a P (pass)
• I: incomplete-can only be given with permission of the instructor and the Vice Dean, and is never given to a graduating student in the semester they are graduating
• O: satisfactory audit-no credit earned
• U: unsatisfactory audit-no credit earned

Students may not elect to take a regularly graded course pass/fail. A student may only convert a grade earned (subject to the policy) to a “pass.” Students may, if in good standing, elect to convert to a “pass” one course grade that was graded by a letter grade. This option is governed by the Grade Conversion Policy. Students can request that a faculty member explain how the student was graded, but there is no appeal process for a grade. Grade review is encouraged.

Incomplete Grade

An incomplete becomes an “F” if the work is not completed by the last day of classes of the following regular semester, or if the postponed work has not been completed satisfactorily by the date specified by the instructor. A degree will not be conferred if an incomplete grade is on a student’s record. 

JD Grade Conversion Policy

A law student may not choose to take a regularly graded course pass/fail. However, the Law School permits third-year students to convert one Law School letter-graded course to a grade of P (pass) by submitting a request during their final semester of law school. The procedure for doing so is as follows:

• The Law School permits only a grade conversion of an earned grade of C or higher to a Pass grade. 
• A law student may not convert a grade earned in any required class, including a course taken to meet the Writing Requirement, or in JD students’ courses that meet a concentration requirement, unless the student has successfully completed a second course or an alternate course to satisfy the Writing Requirement.  
• The option to convert a grade must be exercised in the final semester of study (for J.D. students, typically the spring semester of the third year.
  • For J.D. students, the request for conversion should be submitted by the third week of the final semester to have the conversion included in the new semester class rank. If not submitted by the third week, the request must be made no later than April 1 if spring is the final semester; November 1, if fall is the final semester; or July 1, if summer is the final semester. 
• The grade must have been earned for J.D. students after the first year and before the final semester of law school. 
• Once exercised, the conversion is irrevocable. 
• The option can be exercised only by submission of the Grade Conversion survey form, made available to students in their final semester. 
• In exercising this option, a student must adhere to any other policies governing eligibility for earning pass-fail credits. 

JD Grade Review Policy

Students have a right to meet with professors regarding their performance on examinations, papers, presentations, class participation, externship or clinic journals, or any other work submitted in partial or complete satisfaction of the requirements for credit in any course offered by William & Mary Law School. The nature of the conversation is not to dispute the grade; rather, it is for the student to learn more about: 

• The strengths and weaknesses of the examination, paper, presentations, class participation, externship or clinic journals, or any other work. 
• The general grading scale is utilized to evaluate the work. 
• The relative ranking of the work when measured against the quality of all other work in the class. 

If a student believes a member of the faculty has not complied in some material respect with the substantive right discussed above, a formal notification of dissatisfaction may be filed in writing with the Vice Dean. The Vice Dean will take immediate steps to ascertain whether: 

• There has been a failure by the faculty member to adhere to the substantive standards prescribed above, or  
• Whether the formal notice of dissatisfaction is without reasonable foundation.

If a student is dissatisfied with a determination by the Vice Dean that a faculty member is in substantive compliance, or if the student believes that efforts to remedy an asserted noncompliance by a faculty member have not produced satisfactory results, the student may submit an appeal to the Academic Advisory Committee. If either the faculty member or the student concerned is dissatisfied with the action taken by the Academic Advisory Committee, a protest of the Committee’s action may be filed in writing with the Dean of the Law School. The Dean’s decision will be the final adjudication of this dispute between the faculty member and student concerned. 

Mandatory Grade Policy

Limits on Mean GPA

• Faculty shall ensure that the mean grade for each class falls between the maximum and minimum grade means described above.
• Faculty should not treat the upper (or lower) bounds as the target grade mean for their classes and should seek a target mean of 3.30 in classes enrolling 10 or more students.

Limits on JD Curve

If professors give different assessments to different cohorts within the same course (e.g., paper and exam), only one curve will be applied to all students.

Distribution of Grades

• A (including A+ if available - 10%
• A- (A minus) - 20%
• B+ (B plus) - 35%
• B - 20%
• B- (B minus) or below - 15%

Legal Practice Program

Grading in all first-year Lawyering Skills classes shall be on an Honors/Pass/Low Pass/Fail scale. The Director of the Legal Practice Program shall supervise and coordinate grading in the Program and seek substantial uniformity in distribution across its sections.

Trial Advocacy

Trial Advocacy (Law 720) is offered in multiple sessions each semester. Eligibility for a High Pass (or Honors) grade will be determined based on the total number of students enrolled across all sections rather than on a per-section basis.

Grade of A+

A single grade of A+ may (but need not) be awarded in a class with 30 or more students. No grade of A+ may be awarded in a class of fewer than 30 students.

Certain Students Not Counted

Solely for purposes of establishing compliance with the Grading Policy, faculty shall disregard the following students:   

• LL.M. students
• Other non-J.D. students
• Students are awarded a grade of D or F.

Example: 32 students are enrolled in Taxation of Derivatives. Of the 32 students, one is an LL.M. student, and one is a non-J.D. Graduate business student. The faculty member awards one J.D. student a grade of D. All other students receive grades of C- or better. To satisfy the Grading Policy, the grade mean of the 29 J.D. students receiving a C- or better must fall between 3.20 and 3.40 (the range for a 29-student class).

The Grading Policy does not establish standards for grading LL.M. and other non-J.D. students.

Grades may be based on the results of assigned written work wholly or may include class participation.

Transferring Grades

Students must receive permission to visit another ABA-accredited school or an abroad program. Contact the Associate Dean of Student Affairs & Academic Support when beginning to plan this venture for the proper procedure to receive such permission. Students must have all courses approved through the Law School Registrar prior to the end of the host school’s add/drop period. Students must receive a C or better in approved courses for the credits to be applied to a student’s William & Mary Law degree. We will accept as transfer credits no more than one-third of the credits required for the William & Mary law degree. A grade of P will be applied to the W&M transcript for all accepted credits earned. Credits will not be accepted for courses that are determined to be substantially equivalent to a William & Mary Law School course that the student has also taken.

Students who choose to visit away during their third year must request permission to do so by following specific instructions. Students who choose to study abroad have several methods of doing so. In both cases, course selection must be approved through the Vice Dean prior to the conclusion of the host school’s add/drop period, and an official transcript showing courses taken, grades and credits earned must be sent to the Law School Registrar before the approved credits can be applied to the W&M law degree. Please contact the Law School Registrar for more information.

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Graduation

Students are required to apply online for graduation beginning February 15, but no later than September 1, in the calendar year prior to their graduation date. For the Class of 2027 J.D., LL.M. or MLS seeking students, if graduating in January, May, or August 2027, students are required to apply online for graduation beginning February 15, 2026, but no later than the September 1, 2026, deadline. Students who do not meet the September 1st deadline will have a hold placed on their record that may delay their final semester of registration or graduation and may result in their being at risk of not being included in critical graduation-related mailings and updates and not having their name listed in the graduation program. 

Filing for Graduation: Students filing for graduation must complete an Online Graduation Application in Banner. Students are responsible for paying a one-time, non-refundable graduation fee, currently $150.00, to be charged to the student’s account on the initial filing date. Only first-time filers can use the online filing process. If a student is unable to complete the requirements for graduation by the date specified, the student must notify the Law School Registrar in order to re-file for a new graduation date. There is no additional graduation fee charge for re-filing.

Conferral of Degrees: William & Mary confers degrees in January, May, and August of each year. The commencement ceremony is in May. Graduates of the same calendar year, by default, are invited to participate in this commencement ceremony. Degree recipients from the previous August are recognized and invited if they did not attend the previous year’s commencement ceremony.

Students are advised to review on an ongoing basis, and especially after each registration period, their DegreeWorks evaluation in Banner under the “Records” menu.  DegreeWorks is a comprehensive audit of coursework that is measured against the requirements for the J.D. or LL.M. degree. It provides a comprehensive review of a student’s academic history and will assist in identifying outstanding requirements. When accessing DegreeWorks, remember to click on the icon next to the “Last Refresh” field to ensure the most recent data is available. Useful information regarding the application may be found at Understanding Your Degree Audit and Reading an Audit in Degree Works. 

Get ready for graduation:

1. Run a degree audit
2. Check the account for holds
3. Submit a graduation application (available online for the Class of 2027 only; students graduating at the end of fall 2026, spring 2027, or summer 2027)

Go to myW&M and click the Banner button

• Log in to Banner Self Service
• Select Student
• Select Student Records
• Select Apply to Graduate
• Select the most current term on the “Term Selection” page.
• Select the radio button next to the primary degree. Press Continue.
• Select the graduation date from the drop-down box. Press Continue.
• Select hometown information for printing in the Commencement Book by choosing “New” in the drop-down box. Hometown information - Street Lines 2 & 3 are NOT required. Press Continue. 
• Follow the instructions for entering the city and state (or nation) for printing in the Commencement Book. Press Continue. 
• View the summary to be sure all the information is correct, then hit Submit Request.

A one-time, non-refundable Graduation Fee will be charged to student accounts. To view an itemized list of fees, visit the Tuition & Fees web page.

Please note, if there is a hold(s) on record, students will not be able to use the online application until the hold is removed.

No Curricula Error

If trying to use the online application and receive a “No Curricula” error, that means Banner has an expected graduation term as something other than 2027.

• JD Law Students who receive a “No Curricula” error should contact the Law School Registrar's program for assistance. 
• Once submitted, if students need to make any changes to the diploma name, please contact the University Graduation Coordinator.

Missed the Application Deadline?

Failure to apply to graduate before the deadline may impact the number of commencement tickets available, inclusion of name in the commencement book, and the awarding of the degree. Please apply by the deadline. If the deadline is missed, Law students will have a hold placed on their record that may delay registration or graduation, and must contact the Law School Registrar to discuss options for filing late.

There is no need to confirm the application to the Law School Registrar once submitted online. Students can verify submission after 48 hours via the Banner student account, using the ‘Degree Works’ link under ‘Student Records’; status will be listed in the top block labeled ‘Graduation Application Status’ as either ‘applied’ or ‘not applied.’

Honor System

The honor system is one of the most cherished traditions of the College and Law School. It assumes that principles of honorable conduct are familiar and dear to all students, and hence dishonorable acts will not be tolerated. The honor system is administered by students with the advice of the faculty and the highest administrative officers of the College, all of whom share a deep interest in the maintenance of high standards of honor. Students found guilty of cheating, stealing or lying are subject to dismissal. As a student, you have a responsibility to read, understand, and follow the tenets of the Honor Code.

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Honors

Latin Honors

Latin Honors are awarded to the Juris Doctor graduating class. This notation will appear both on the transcript and the diploma. The honors are designated as: 

• Cum Laude, meaning “with distinction,” is awarded to students whose rounded rank GPA places them in the top 25% of the graduating class. 
• Magna Cum Laude, meaning “with great distinction,” is awarded to students whose rounded rank GPA places them in the top 10% of the graduating class. 
• Summa Cum Laude, meaning “with highest distinction,” is awarded to students whose rounded rank GPA places them in the top 3% of the graduating class. 

Order of the Coif

The Order of the Coif is a national scholastic honor society in law. Its purpose is “to foster a spirit of careful study and to mark in a fitting manner those who have attained a high grade of scholarship” in the study of law. The English Order of the Coif was the most ancient and one of the most honored institutions of the common law. Its origins possibly antedated the Norman Conquest. The American Order of the Coif was founded in 1912. Membership in the Order of the Coif is the highest accolade a law student may achieve; it is equivalent to membership in Phi Beta Kappa for undergraduates.  Order of the Coif recognizes the scholastic achievement of students selected from the exact top ten percent of their class upon graduation.  Only those students who earn 75% of their required credits for graduation through William & Mary Law School graded credits are eligible for induction into the William & Mary Chapter of the Order of the Coif.  Consequently, transfer students are rarely eligible for induction.

Inclement Weather

• In the event that the University is closed and in-person classes are cancelled, this means that the Law School building is also closed and students, faculty, and staff will not have access to the building.
• In the event that the message indicates that "in-person classes are cancelled," or simply that "classes are cancelled," faculty may choose to hold class remotely at the regularly scheduled time; students should confirm with their instructor and not assume attendance online at the scheduled time will be an option and should be fully prepared to participate even if online.   
• Faculty will communicate directly with their students as earlier as possible regarding their class, and throughout any closure or delay. 
• If a faculty member elects not to hold class remotely at the regularly scheduled time, the class will be rescheduled as a makeup session or assigned recorded lectures, additional reading assignments, or other instructional activities in accordance with ABA requirements.

Independent Coursework

Students may take supervised independent projects with the approval of a full-time Law School professor. Independent coursework is not available for MLS students. Supervised independent study with an adjunct professor requires approval from the Vice Dean. When students become interested in a specific topic within an area of the law, they are encouraged to pursue this topic, either one-on-one or in a small group, under the direction of a full-time faculty member, obtain the professor’s permission on the Directed_Independent Project form, and submit it to the Law School Registrar for administrative registration. A student must complete and submit an independent project(s) by the last day of exams for the semester of enrollment. The Law School does not grant extensions except under extraordinary circumstances. The instructor and Vice Dean must approve a request for an extension. Combination degree students may not take non-law courses outside of their prescribed program of study. Independent projects include:

• Directed Reading: A maximum of five students may read and discuss the topic with a professor. Typically, this course is pure discussion and is an examination of a specialized subject that is generally not offered as a course within our curriculum on a regular basis. This course is arranged between an individual student or group of students (maximum 5) through readings selected in agreement with the directing faculty member and students. Prior approval by the Vice Dean is required. Students are limited to one Directed Reading credit per year. Graded on a pass/fail basis. No written product is expected. Students may earn credit for no more than one Directed Reading project per academic year (summer through spring). The course earns one credit hour and is pass/fail. 
• Directed Research: The student will conduct research on specified legal topics and will report on the research to a supervising faculty member. Reports may be written or oral. The student’s reports may be in written or oral form. Activities such as formatting documents for publication, Bluebooking, and the like do not qualify. The faculty member will provide feedback to the student. The total amount of faculty-student interaction and the student’s independent work must equal at least three hours per week. No more than two credits of Directed Research may count toward graduation. Only full-time faculty may supervise. Permission of the faculty member and the Vice Dean is required. A maximum of two credits during a student’s entire academic career may be earned in Directed Research. The course is pass/fail. 
• Independent Legal Research: This course requires the completion of a short, ten-page, scholarly research paper on a subject selected by the student, under the supervision of a faculty member. Does not satisfy the writing requirement. Students may earn an unlimited number of Independent Legal Research credits throughout their studies. The course is one credit hour and is graded on a standard letter grade.
• Independent Legal Writing: An independent writing paper equivalent to a law review article (in excess of 20 pages) does not meet the upper-level writing requirement. This course does not fulfill the second-year writing requirement. Students may earn no more than four Independent Legal Writing credits in total or may enroll in this course and/or Law 705 no more than twice. The course earns two credit hours and is standard letter-graded.
• Independent Legal Writing Requirement: An independent writing paper that requires completion of a significant research paper of at least 30 pages and meets the upper-level writing requirement. This course will meet the second-year writing requirement. Students may enroll in this course and/or Law 705 no more than twice. The course earns two credit hours and is standard letter-graded. 

Both independent legal research and independent legal writing should evolve through four major stages, each of which should occur in consultation with the supervising faculty member, according to the guidelines: 

• Topic Development: students should produce a succinct, coherent topic statement that sets out the thesis of the proposed paper, and should occur prior to registration in the Independent Writing course. The statement should be attached to the Independent Writing form and submitted to the Law School registrar to trigger registration in the course. 
• Outline: students should produce a reasonably comprehensive outline of the paper, including a statement of the basic steps in the argument, the major sources used, and the tentative conclusion or comparable writing. 
• First Draft: students will produce at least one draft of the paper. The drafts should be submitted with sufficient time for the supervising faculty member to make comments and for the student to respond to those comments in the form of a subsequent draft. Normally, the first draft should be submitted to the supervising faculty member by the end of the tenth week of classes. 
• Final Draft: students will submit the final draft by noon on the last day of exams for the registered semester, or earlier as designated by the professor. For summer terms, a student will submit the final draft on the last day of class or earlier as designated by the professor. 

Law School Courses in Washington, D.C.

Consistent with ABA requirements, students may not earn more than sixteen credits through participation in metropolitan Washington, D.C.-based courses, including externships, courses offered through the Election Law program, or any other course where instruction or field work takes place in metropolitan Washington, D.C.

Non-Degree Seeking Enrollment

Per our accrediting body standards, the American Bar Association (ABA), Juris Doctor (JD) coursework taken prior to matriculation as a JD degree-seeking student does not transfer nor count toward a JD should you ultimately begin a Law program at William & Mary Law School, nor any other ABA Law School. Because the Law School’s enrollment of full-time residential JD and LLM degree candidates normally equals or exceeds authorized enrollment levels, enrollment of non-degree students desiring to audit classes or to take classes for credit, whether or not to be applied to another degree program at William and Mary or elsewhere, must be limited. Accordingly, the following policies will be applied: 

• Course Enrollment Limitations
  • Non-degree candidate requests to take classes at the College of William and Mary School of Law will be considered on a “space available” basis. Space availability will be determined as of the last day of the “Add/Drop” period and according to enrollment limits established by the Law School; administrative registration will take place following the end of add/drop. In addition, the consent of the instructor is required before enrollment in a particular course is permitted. 
  • Requests to audit first-year courses, those required for a Juris Doctor degree, or designated as “seminars,” or those courses designated as “Pass-Fail,” or those designated as “experiential” will not be approved. 
  • No more than two non-degree candidate students will be permitted to enroll in a class. In the event that more than two requests are received for a single class, the requests will be processed on a “first-come/first-served” basis, subject to the priority policy described below. 
  • Attorneys licensed to practice law may enroll in no more than two courses per semester.
  • Students enrolled in a degree program at other accredited universities, where the credit earned from the law school course will be applied toward the student’s degree (assuming satisfactory performance as determined by the home school), will be given priority for enrollment purposes. Students enrolled in other degree programs at the College of William and Mary will be given priority over students from other universities. 
  • Non-degree students other than attorneys licensed to practice law may enroll in no more than one J.D. or LL.M. residential course per semester.
  • Non-degree students registering for non-JD courses may take up to 8 credit hours for one semester.
• Class Participation: 
  • Non-degree students who are auditing classes are not permitted to participate in classroom exercises or take exams. 
  • All non-degree students must comply with the Law School’s policies regarding student conduct and use of facilities. 
• Grading:
  • Non-degree students who are requesting enrollment where the credits earned will be transferred to their degree program may enroll for a grade. 
  • Non-degree students who are attorneys may enroll for a grade. 
  • Non-degree students who are neither pursuing a degree where the credits earned will be applied to their transcript nor are attorneys will be permitted to enroll only as an auditor.
  • Non-degree students registering for non-JD courses must specify if they wish the course to be graded or audited at the time of registration.
  • The Law School will not certify to anyone that a non-degree candidate auditing a class has “completed” course requirements or make any other representations concerning attendance or performance. The Law School will, however, certify that a student is enrolled in the class on an audit basis. 
  • Students enrolled in other degree programs who enroll in courses at the Law School for credit to be applied toward another degree do not receive credit towards a degree from the College of William and Mary School of Law. 
  • The Law School’s grading system, standards and policies will not be modified. 
• Registration:
  • Senior citizens are entitled to enroll pursuant to the provisions of the Senior Citizens Higher Education Act of 1974, as amended (Va. Code §23-38.54 et seq.) and must file a certificate affirming their senior citizen status. 
  • If claiming in-state tuition, the appropriate Domicile Form must accompany registration. 
  • Instructor permission is required for all courses and must accompany registration. 
  • Non-degree students (whether students of the College of William and Mary or of another institution) who request that earned credits be applied to their degree must present a letter of good standing from their dean that also states that credits earned at the College of William and Mary School of Law will be applied to the student’s degree.

Non-LAW Coursework

A law student may earn a maximum of six W&M non-Law school credits (subject listing other than LAW) toward the Juris Doctor degree, and must be in both academic and judicial good standing to request and receive approval. The deadline to request is the end of add/drop of the semester in which the course takes place. Approval requires that a student is in both academic and judicial good standing at William & Mary. After obtaining faculty permission on the form, the student must submit a Non-Law School Course Request to the Law Registrar in order to request or receive non-law course credit. A student must explain how the non-law course is necessary for their law career goals.  An approved non-law course:

• may not involve essentially the same material covered in a course previously taken by the student
• must be offered at a graduate or advanced undergraduate level, except for good cause shown (e.g., an introductory course in a foreign language)
• should be intellectually and academically rigorous
• significantly advances the student’s legal and/or professional training

Students must earn a grade of C or better before the credits transfer to the law degree. Note: credits transfer to the law degree, not the grade. The credits are “pass” and are subject to the 25 percent limitation on ungraded academic credits allowed towards the law degree. A law student may also register for non-law school courses without earning credit toward the Juris Doctor degree. 

Pass/Fail Credits

If a course is designated pass/fail, it will be listed as such as part of the course information in the PATH registration platform. Students are required to earn at least 75% of their credits by standard letter grade to graduate from William & Mary Law School. Currently, this means students must have at least 65 credits by standard letter grade. Students may not choose to take a graded course pass/fail. Students may, however, select one grade of ‘C’ or better to convert to a pass per the Grade Conversion Policy. 

Professional Conduct 

It’s the student’s obligation to conduct themselves in a manner commensurate with the educational purposes of our school. Students are required to adhere to the Code of Student Conduct as well as any Law School-specific policy. Infractions can result in disciplinary action by the Law School, the University, or both.

Registration Rules

• Registration is facilitated using PATH, and students will log in using their W&M credentials. Law students will build and use only the Primary Cart in PATH. Courses in an Alternate Cart will not be registered. 
• Seminar - during the 24-hour priority registration period to the first day of add/drop, students may register for only one seminar; does not include one-credit short or mini courses as a seminar. If space is available during the schedule adjustment period, students may register for a second. Students who disregard this rule will be disenrolled from all but one seminar the day following their priority registration period. 
• Clinic - during the 24-hour priority registration period, students may register for only one clinic. If space is available during add/drop, students may register for a second. Students who disregard this rule will be disenrolled from all but one clinic the day following their priority registration period.
• Writing Requirement - all JD students will register for LAW 140 (Advanced Practice), or a course designated as meeting the Legal Writing Requirement (LWWR attribute) during their second or third year.
• Professional Responsibility - all JD students must register for either LAW 115 (Professional Responsibility) or LAW 117 (The Legal Profession). LAW 115 or LAW 117 is a graduation requirement and is required for a third-year practice certificate. Students may wish to take this requirement as a 2L to enable them to try court cases in the summer before the 3L year or during the 3L year (LAW 309 Evidence is also required for a third-year practice certificate).
• Earned Credits Requirements - JD students must earn a minimum of 10 credit hours in each semester, including during students’ final semester prior to graduation, regardless of the number of remaining credits needed to meet graduation requirements, and must earn a minimum of 20 credit hours in an academic year. 
• Maximum Registered Credits - students may register for no more than 17 credit hours in a semester. During priority registration for current students, this 17-credit-hour maximum includes both registered and waitlisted (WL) courses. Students who disregard the maximum registered credits rule during priority registration will be disenrolled from WL courses until their total reaches 17 credit hours, including both registered and wait-listed courses. Once the schedule adjustment opens, students may then register for an unlimited number of waitlisted credits.
• Time Conflict - students may not register for courses that have a time conflict (courses that meet at the same time or overlap for any length of time) unless they comply with the Course Time Conflict Rule. Under the Course Time Conflict Policy, students may request a time conflict override to allow them to miss up to two sessions of a semester-long course or externship to attend a mini/short/externship course. Students must first obtain permission via email from the professor prior to registration for the class(es) that will be missed and forward it to the Law Registrar. A registration override will then be coded to enable registration for both classes. Students are encouraged to seek permission as soon as feasible in the event that they are on a wait list for one of the classes, so they will have the authorization in place if they are notified that a waitlisted seat has become available. Students may not request to miss a short- or mini-course or externship class, nor request an override for an ongoing semester-long overlap (i.e., ten minutes every class), nor for two classes scheduled at the same time, regardless of whether class(es) meet in person or remotely. The administration will not accommodate any request to modify this policy, even if a professor provides permission.  
• Wait List - when registering for a waitlist for a course, students must affirmatively select to do so from the drop-down menu for that course. Information and guidelines available at PATH Automated Wait Listing.
• JD Online Coursework - In full compliance with ABA Standard 306, JD students may receive credit for no more than a total of 28 credit hours of distance education course credit. Students are responsible for monitoring the number of online credits earned. 
• Add/drop - students may not drop a course once add/drop has ended.

Registration Updates (add/drop or withdrawal)

All changes in student schedules must be done in accordance with relevant deadlines as indicated in the Law School Academic Calendar. Any changes requested after the close of registration require approval of the instructor(s) involved. Students may not add courses after the last day for changes in registration. If a student drops a course or courses before add/drop ends, the course or courses dropped will be removed from the student’s record. 

For a J.D. student who drops a course or courses after the add/drop period ends through the last day of classes, the grade of “W” or “F” will be awarded by the instructor in the course, depending upon whether the student was passing at the time the course was dropped. If a student does not complete a course, the grade of “W” or “F” will be awarded by the instructor in the course, with the approval of the Assistant Dean for Academic Affairs and the appropriate Law School authorities, depending upon whether the student was passing at the time the course ended. Changes requested by JD or residential LL.M. students must be approved by the Assistant Dean for Academic Affairs. A J.D. student may not drop or withdraw from a course after the last day of classes.

Refund Policy

Full-time students who withdraw from William & Mary before the end of the first week of law classes in each semester are eligible for a full refund (less any deposits or advance payments required by the College as evidence of the student’s intent to enroll). Full-time students who withdraw after the first week of classes are eligible for a refund of the tuition and fees according to this schedule. Students who withdraw after the sixth week of classes are not eligible for a refund.

• Between the end of the first and second week of classes; 80%.
• Between the end of the second and third week of classes; 70%.
• Between the end of the third and fourth week of classes; 60%.
• Between the end of the fourth and fifth week of classes; 50%.
• Between the end of the fifth and sixth week of classes; 40%.

Retaking a Course

Except for courses that are specifically designated in the catalog as repeatable for credit, no course in which a student receives a passing, incomplete, or deferred grade may be repeated except as an audit. For a required course to satisfy the course requirements, a grade of D or above must be earned in the course. A grade deficiency in a required course, first-year writing requirement, or ethics may be made up by retaking the course and passing with a grade of D or better or by completing another course from the required group with a grade of D or better. In the case of non-required coursework, courses may not be repeated. If a course with a grade of F is repeated, both the initial and new grades earned are included in computations of quality point requirements.

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Return of Title IV

The amount that students with Title IV Federal Aid (Federal PELL, Federal Subsidized and Unsubsidized Stafford, Federal SEOG, Federal Work Study, Federal Perkins, Federal PLUS) who withdraw from school will be calculated in compliance with Federal regulations. A statutory schedule is used to determine the amount of Title IV funds a student has earned as of the date the student withdraws or ceases attendance. If a student withdraws from college prior to completing 60% of a semester, the Financial Aid Office must recalculate the student’s eligibility for all Title IV federal funds. In addition, the same refund guidelines control all other aid funds, except for private or alternative loans. Recalculation is based on a percentage of earned aid using the following Federal Return of Title IV funds formula:

Percent of aid earned = the number of days completed up to the withdrawal date, divided by the total days in the semester. (Any break of five days or more is not counted as part of the days in the semester.)

Funds are returned to the appropriate federal program based on the percent of unearned aid using the following formula:

Aid to be returned = (100% minus the percent earned) multiplied by the amount of aid disbursed toward institutional charges.

For more information, please visit the Bursar’s Office website. 

Students Requesting Accommodations

It is the policy of William & Mary to accommodate students with disabilities and qualifying diagnosed conditions in accordance with federal and state laws. Any student who feels s/he may need an accommodation based on the impact of a learning, psychiatric, physical, or chronic health diagnosis should contact Student Accessibility Services staff at 757-221-2512 or at sas@wm.edu to determine if accommodations are warranted and to obtain an official letter of accommodation.

Student Accessibility Services fosters student independence, encourages self-determination, emphasizes accommodation over limitation, and creates a comprehensively accessible environment to ensure that individuals are viewed on the basis of ability, not disability. If Student Accessibility Services determines that accommodations are warranted, the staff will work with the Associate Dean for Student Affairs & Academic Support to implement such accommodations at the Law School.  Please stop in to see the Associate Dean for Student Affairs & Academic Support for assistance in starting the process of seeking accommodation.

Study Abroad

The modern practice of law is increasingly international in nature. Students may find it beneficial to devote part of their J.D. education to legal instruction in a foreign location. The Law School supports study abroad opportunities where course offerings advance the educational objective of expanding student learning to encompass the study of foreign legal systems. 

Semester Exchange Programs

ABA International Opportunities

Taking courses

A student is deemed to have taken a course if that student was properly registered in a course for the required number of academic credit hours and received a grade, including a failing grade. A student is not deemed to have taken a course when the student withdraws from a course prior to its completion. A failing grade in a course is included in calculating a student’s grade point average but results in zero credits awarded toward the number of credits required to graduate.

Transcripts

The transcript is the complete record of all academic work attempted at William & Mary, regardless of degree-seeking status or program level. Not only does it reflect academic history, but it also serves to verify and distinguish the degree(s). While corrections could be made to a transcript to correct grade or credit hours earned, upon degree conferral, the academic record is sealed, and no change will be made. William & Mary does not print class ranks on either the unofficial or the official transcript. Students requiring a statement of class rank should contact the Law School Registrar.

• Official Transcript - must be ordered through the University Registrar's Office. A fee is charged for each official transcript and mailed directly to a third party (such as an employer or a Bar) or may be picked up by or mailed to a student. 
• Unofficial Transcript - available for currently enrolled students and alumni with access to Banner Self Service to view or print web self-service unofficial transcripts. Students may generate formatted unofficial transcripts using the “Unofficial Transcript Template” in W&M Law OCS TWEN.  

Withdrawal from Course

JD students wishing to withdraw from a course (or courses) after the add/drop period ends may apply to the Law School Dean of Students for approval. Generally, JD and residential LL.M. students may withdraw from a course through the last day of class (not exams). If approved, a grade of “W” will appear on the transcript for each course.  

Withdrawal from Semester or Leave of Absence

What happens if a student needs a break from school, there are family obligations that require a student to be at home, or a personal emergency that prevents a student from remaining in school?

Complete a formal request and send it to the Law Dean of Students as soon as possible. The Dean will work with the student to create a course of action that allows the student to take care of personal needs and return to school within one year.  As a matter of right, all law students may take a leave of absence from William & Mary Law School for up to one calendar year. A request for a withdrawal of leave of absence must be made by the last day of classes to avoid responsibility for end-of-term final exams, papers, and projects. If a student does not return within one year but subsequently does want to continue a legal education with us, the student must petition the Academic Advisory Committee to do so. Reinstatement following a leave of more than one year (two regular semesters, either fall and spring or spring and fall) can only be granted with their approval and the concurrence of the Dean.

First-year students who elect to take a leave of absence during their first year spring semester may not return in the fall immediately following and must wait to return to their studies in the following spring.  

Tuition and Fees are prorated based on the withdrawal date, and students are advised to determine the specific financial implications that may occur as a result of a leave or withdrawal.

What happens if a student just doesn’t return to law school?

The permanent record will contain the note “Unofficial Withdrawal” and will have no right to readmission. If students subsequently do want to continue a legal education with us, they must petition the Academic Advisory Committee to do so. Readmission can only be granted with their approval and the concurrence of the Dean.

Students will be charged tuition and fees if not officially withdraw from the College prior to the start of the semester. 

What happens if a student wants to finish a legal education but needs to or wishes to be in another location?

Sometimes personal reasons may necessitate being in another location or wishing to take advantage of another ABA-accredited program during the final year of law school. In these cases, students request permission to visit away through the Associate Dean for Student Affairs & Academic Support. If granted, students will attend and pay tuition to the host school for either one or two semesters of the final year.  When not registered as a full-time student at William & Mary Law School, students are not eligible to receive scholarships or fellowships from W&M Law. 

Students are still required to accumulate a minimum number of William & Mary Law School courses through a standard letter grade. If visiting for only one semester, the minimum is 65 graded credits. If visiting for two semesters, the minimum is 50 graded credits. Students visiting away for the fall semester only during their third year must have earned at least 48 standard letter-graded credits by the end of the second year to be approved. Students visiting away for the spring semester during their third year must have earned at least 65 standard letter-graded credits by the end of the fall semester prior to their study away. All other course requirements must be satisfied at William & Mary Law School. The approved credits earned with a grade of “C” or better at the host school will be transferred to the William & Mary law degree. Credits will be applied only upon receipt of an official transcript from the host school.

See all the rules regarding visiting away on this form. This form, as well as the petition to visit (with reason for wanting to visit away, list of schools attempting to visit, and list of courses intending to register in) and a current academic transcript, should be submitted to the Associate Dean of Student Affairs & Academic Support.

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