Programs CL - Juris Doctor | Hamad Bin Khalifa University
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Juris Doctor

A three-year legal education graduate program

Hamad Bin Khalifa University

The Juris Doctor (JD) degree is a unique model of graduate legal education designed to meet the needs of Qatar and the Middle East. The first-of-its-kind graduate law degree in the MENA region, the JD program was created through a strategic partnership with Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law. Courses are taught in English, so graduates are prepared to work in the international legal market.

A JD degree differs from the undergraduate law degree in that it targets individuals who already hold an undergraduate degree, which can be in any subject, including law. The JD education builds on the student’s previous expertise and experience. JD students may pursue expertise in law that is aligned with their previous degree or move in a completely different direction.

The College of Law’s JD curriculum is comparable to the best offered internationally, and equips graduates with a high level of legal knowledge and complementary research, writing, and advocacy skills , thereby enabling them to make the most of a wide range of career options in the public sector, private corporations, law firms, international organizations, and academia.

JD graduates are also in a position to undertake further legal studies in other countries, such as the United States or in Europe.

In short, our JD graduates rise to the top as they have combined previous university education and training with three years of a rigorous, interdisciplinary legal education.
 

Program Focus

  • The first year and a half (Part I) focuses on foundations for lawyering, while the second year and a half (Part II) applies and elaborates on the legal principles from Part I to major sectors that are vital to Qatar and the region.  
  • The courses in Part I, foundations for lawyering, develop a student's understanding of legal doctrine in key subjects.  They also develop analytical and reasoning skills so that the student can articulate the relevant principles and apply them to real world problems.  Taught from a comparative perspective, the courses in Part I examine the different legal systems that converge in global legal practice with a focus on identifying common themes and points of departure.  Part I also trains students how to navigate from one system to the other, depending on the exigencies of the transnational transactions they will be required to manage during their professional careers.
  • During Part II, students apply and further develop their foundational skills to sectors that are vital to Qatar and the region.  These areas include Energy, Healthcare, Global Economic Law and Governance, Construction & Infrastructure Development, Media, and Sports.  
  • Accompanying a dynamic curriculum is an extensive offering of co-curricular activities, such as colloquia and Majlis, at which leading experts provide insights on contemporary legal topics.  Student moot court competitions, in which students argue a simulated case before a court or arbitral tribunal, provide an important avenue for skills development.  Through moot courts, students experience drafting memorials and engaging in oral argument.  The College of Law has fielded teams in top international competitions, including the Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition, the Willem C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot, and the Europa Competition.  In 2019, the College of Law hosted its first international moot, the Cybersecurity Law Moot Court Competition, featuring ten teams from around the world.        

Curriculum:

A student in the JD program will take the following courses:

  • Year 1, Semester 1

    • Global Legal Systems (Credits 2)
    • Injury Law/Torts (Credits 3)
    • Contracts (Credits 3)
    • Legal Research and Writing (Credits 3)
    • Business Associations (Credits 4)

  • Year 1, Semester 2

    • Constitutional Law (Credits 4)
    • International Law (Credits 4)
    • Legal Research and Writing II (Credits 3)
    • Property Law (Credits 3)

  • Year 2, Semester 1

    • Commercial Law (Credits 4)
    • Administrative Law (Credits 4)
    • Legal Research and Writing III (Credits 3)
    • Civil Procedure (Credits 2)
    • Ethics & Professional Responsibility (Credits 2) 

  • Year 2, Semester 2

    • Dispute Resolution (Negotiation and Trial Advocacy) (Credits 4) 
    • Criminal Law and Procedure (Credits 4) 
    • Introduction to the Legal Foundation of the Global Economy (Credits 2) 
    • Entrepreneurship Law (Credits 4) 

  • Year 3, Semester 1

    • Construction & Infrastructure Development (Credits 3) 
    • Energy Law (Credits 3) 
    • Healthcare Law (Credits 3) 
    • Media Law or Sports Law (Credits 3) 

  • Year 3, Semester 2

    • Advanced Dispute Resolution (Credits 3) 
    • Global Economic Law and Governance (Credits 3) 
    • Advanced Human Rights (Credits 3) 
    • Environmental Law (Credits 3) 
    • Law, Technology and Intellectual Property (Credits 3) 
View Admission & Application Requirements