Nova Southeastern University Shepard Broad College of Law: An Overview

Nova Southeastern University Shepard Broad College of Law, established in 1974, is one of the 18 colleges of Nova Southeastern University (NSU). NSU itself is the largest private, independent, not-for-profit university in Florida and ranks among the top ten largest in the United States. Located in South Florida, NSU Law provides an environment for culture, ideas, perspectives, and people to mix.

Academic Programs

The College of Law offers a rigorous traditional academic program in three-year day and four-year evening versions. Students can attend full-time during the day or part-time during day or evening schedules.

Joint Degrees

NSU Law offers students opportunities to earn a second graduate degree in a complementary discipline and in a compressed time frame. At NSU, students can combine law with medicine, business, computer information systems, tax, psychology, or any other of our numerous dual-degree opportunities. NSU is always looking to expand the interdisciplinary opportunities for students and has streamlined the approval process for such programs.

International Dual-Degree Opportunities

NSU Law students have an opportunity to study both common law and civil law through our dual-degree program with the University of Barcelona. With successful completion of the program and the appropriate bar requirements, students can qualify for admission to the bar in both Spain and the United States. As lawyers, dual-degree graduates will have an opportunity to practice in the United States and Spain, and to practice transactional law in the European Union. The dual degree will also assist those wishing to practice in Latin America. Our dual-degree law programs with the University of Venice and the University of Barcelona give students a unique opportunity to study both the common law system in the United States and the civil law systems of Italy or Spain. Students who successfully complete the program and satisfy the appropriate bar requirements can qualify for admission to the bar in Italy or Spain and the United States. All will be able to engage in transactional practice in the European Union, and those who complete the Barcelona program will be able to be admitted on motion in most Latin American countries. Through partnerships with international law schools, NSU Law students may study a full semester abroad in Spain, Italy, and the Czech Republic. Students may continue their studies at our European partner schools to earn both the US JD degree and a European law degree. NSU Law students may also participate in semester-abroad programs in Jerusalem, Israel and Sheffield, England.

Master's and Bachelor's Programs

With degree and certificate programs for law students, paralegals, practicing lawyers, and professionals expanding their knowledge of the law, the NSU Shepard Broad College of Law equips you with the skills you need for professional success - today, tomorrow, and for decades to come. Choose Your Master's or Bachelor's Program M.S. in Law 4 Degrees: Education Law, Employment Law, Health Law, Law and Policy. Gain an advantage in highly competitive fields related to law by majoring in law. We also offer online master's degree programs in health law and education law to non-law professionals, preparing graduates to advance their careers in their chosen professions.

Clinical Education

Clinical education is an important part of the NSU Law experience. NSU Law prides itself on preparing graduates to make a smooth transition from the classroom to the courtroom or boardroom. NSU Law combines a traditional curriculum with a guaranteed live-client experience and a simulation program that is among the most comprehensive in the country. NSU Law’s in-house clinics and field placement opportunities bring the study of law to life. The live-client programs provide students with the opportunity to work with clients, serve the public, and gain invaluable experience. These programs teach much more than the rules of law. The Field Placement Programs provide externship opportunities for students to learn while working in a variety of law firms, governmental agencies, legal aid offices, public agencies, and private companies locally, nationally, and globally. In fact, we think clinical education is so important that each and every student who meets the clinic criteria has the opportunity to participate in one of our clinics. The clinical semester brings the study of law to life. In seven clinical programs, students are introduced to a practice specialty under the guidance of a seasoned mentor. Each clinical semester begins with intensive classes that focus on advanced substantive law and lawyering skills in the clinic specialty plus interdisciplinary topics. From day one, students learn the day-to-day realities of the legal profession. The Legal Research and Writing Program integrates practice, professionalism, and the latest technology with legal theory. Our unique Critical Skills Program prepares students for the transition from lay person to law student to practicing lawyer, focusing on effective legal study techniques, analytical and written Bar Exam skills, and the work of a real lawyer in the real world. We think clinical education is so important that third-year law students are guaranteed a place in one of our clinics.

Innovative Teaching and Curriculum

Innovative teaching and a 21st-century curriculum set the Shepard Broad College of Law apart from other law schools. Graduates here don't just earn a degree-they encounter the real spirit and practice of law. Our pioneering combination of academics and clinical experience gives our students the knowledge and skills they need to hit the ground running and launch a successful career in the highly competitive legal marketplace upon graduation.

Faculty

Courses are taught by a highly visible and accomplished faculty made up of teacher practitioners. They are actively involved in the legal field as practicing attorneys, scholars, and judges. Our experienced faculty members are mentors and role models that challenge and inspire students. They relish in our open-door policy, encouraging students to meet outside of class. Their expertise in established and emerging areas of law bridge tradition and evolution in the legal profession. Many of our faculty members are nationally documented legal experts in their fields, and have published books and articles that have appeared in prominent law journals across the country. Our faculty members bring valuable insight to the classroom, impacting the life and education of each student as they influence and inform national and international legal opinion.

Location and Facilities

NSU Law is located in Leo Goodwin Sr. Hall on NSU’s main campus in suburban Fort Lauderdale. The law school is in the heart of NSU’s main campus overlooking a lush, green landscape. Two courtrooms, outfitted to match the technology of state and federal courtrooms in Florida, are used by students in trial advocacy and moot court programs as well as by the National Institute for Trial Advocacy and state appellate court judges. The Panza Maurer Law Library’s collection is housed on three floors in a 43,000-square-foot facility. With over 340,000 volume/volume equivalents, the Law Library provides access to primary and secondary sources of US law as well as case-finding and updating tools. Leo Goodwin Sr. Hall on NSU’s main campus in suburban Fort Lauderdale. NSU Law sits among 314 acres of greenbelt, creating the ideal environment for mixing culture, ideas, perspectives, and people. Nova Southeastern University has been a technology pioneer for more than a decade. NSU College of Law installed the first wireless system in a law school in 1996 and was the first US law school to provide totally wireless access to all faculty, staff, and students.

Student Life

Learning the law occurs both inside and outside the classroom. The Moot Court Society sponsors intramural competitions. Members of the society compete in major national events. Membership in the Moot Court Society provides students with an opportunity to engage in appellate-level oral advocacy. The Nova Trial Association (NTA) is an honors cocurricular organization that hosts in-house competitions to help students develop the trial litigation skills that will equip them with the tools necessary to be skillful and successful lawyers wherever they may practice. Students shape the life of the College of Law through their involvement in a wide range of service organizations and social clubs. Extremely active groups include the Asian Pacific American Law Students Association, Black Law Students Association, Jewish Law Students Association, Hispanic Law Student Association, Lambda, Student Bar Association, Florida Association for Women Lawyers, National Association for Public Interest Law, International Law Society, Native American Law Students Association, and a variety of practice specialty and sports clubs. Beyond the law, students also participate in a wide variety of social, political, and cultural organizations, making NSU Law feel more like home and enabling the students to make an impact in the lives of their fellow students and our broader community.

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Career Development

For most NSU Law students, the goal of law school is launching a professional career. Our NSU Law Career Development Office assists students and alumni with career counseling and the employment process. In addition to facilitating on-campus interviews and résumé distributions, the office coordinates career-option seminars and interviewing workshops. NSU Law’s Office of Career Development helps students along the path, providing exceptional opportunities for internships, fellowships, and careers. We actively promote job opportunities for our graduates throughout South Florida and the Southeast region. We offer programs and courses specifically designed to help the law students and recent graduates differentiate themselves from graduates at other schools and establish how the NSU Law educational program made them better prepared for the practice of law. Our career advisors work with students and graduates in individualized counseling sessions to discuss job search strategies, hold mock interview sessions, provide résumé feedback, and answer questions during the job search process.

Alumni Network

Access to World-Class Alumni Network Through Our Mentoring Program The NSU Law Mentoring Program offers current law students and law alumni alike the chance to network with one another. Current law students, or mentees, have the unique opportunity to learn from law alumni and local attorneys in the practice field that most interests them. The NSU Law Alumni Association connects our alumni with the College of Law and with each other throughout your legal careers. Benefit from being an NSU alumni with access to job postings, career advisors, and more. Join in on exciting events hosted by the NSU College of Law. Build a strong network of alumni to help advance the mission of NSU Law.

Mission and Values

NSU Shepard Broad College of Law’s mission is to ensure that you develop the knowledge, skills, and values that are at the heart of becoming trusted, highly adept, professional lawyers who are respected for serving clients, their communities, and justice. Each J.D. candidate entering NSU Law in fall 2018 and thereafter is required to perform a minimum of thirty (30) hours of qualifying service as a requirement for graduation. Eligible service options include both legal (pro bono) and non-legal (community) related placements. You may not receive pay nor academic credit for their service.

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