Future Focused, Practice Ready
What’s Your Vision for the Future?
Despite overwhelming adversities, both planned and unexpected, Anna Ylitalo has thrived with the resources Chicago-Kent College of Law has to offer.
Chicago-Kent offered me everything I needed to feel comfortable taking the leap into law school. I was able to keep my job, continue working as I had been before, while taking courses part time. And Chicago-Kent offered me a great scholarship package, which definitely didn’t hurt!
Anna Ylitalo
Law '25
Jackson Frank '24 spent a semester working at the United Nation’s International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals in The Hague, Netherlands. Chicago-Kent College of Law supported him every step of the way.
At the surface level, Chicago-Kent is in a great city. It has all the things on the front page of the website, but it also has good people. This school is for people who want to be skilled attorneys, who want to be competent and prepared—and that are willing and able to help.
Jackson Frank
LAW '24
Luke Harriman '13 wasn't sure what he wanted to do with his J.D. Chicago-Kent showed him what's possible.
Something about Kent just clicked for me. The students were intelligent and motivated without being jerks. The professors were highly qualified academics who cared about teaching and developing their students.
Luke Harriman
Law '13
Three important qualities combine to make Chicago-Kent a one-of-a-kind law school: our emphasis on foundational skills training, our ability to get students practical hands-on experience before graduation, and our location in one of the most thriving legal markets in the country.
Academic Programs
A Culture of Academic Excellence
Future-focused, foundational skills training from dedicated instructors
J.D. Program
Chicago-Kent College of Law’s many distinguished programs, including top-ranked programs in Intellectual Property Law and Labor and Employment Law, prepare our students not just to succeed, but also to excel in their fields. We offer twelve formalized J.D. certificate programs as well as a number of other focused areas of study.
9th
in the nation for TRIAL ADVOCACY (U.S. News and World Report 2023-2024 rankings)
14th
in the nation for INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY LAW (U.S. News and World Report 2023-2024 rankings)
90.57%
ULTIMATE BAR PASS RATE based on 2021 law school graduates who passed the bar exam in any jurisdiction within two years of graduation. (Please see our ABA Required Disclosures)
88.2%
TOTAL EMPLOYMENT RATE 10 months post-graduation for 2022 graduates, which includes graduates working in bar passage required, J.D. advantage or professional positions. (Please see our ABA Required Disclosures)
LL.M. Program
The Chicago-Kent Office of International Programs has a 25-year history of educating LL.M. students from over sixty countries. Our students enjoy a dynamic, enriching, and welcoming community with colleagues from the U.S. and from around the world.
Non-Degree Certifications
In addition to our J.D. programs, we also offer several certifications, mostly geared toward working professionals who wish to receive specialized training but don’t want to enroll in a formal degree program.
Joint Degree Programs
Chicago-Kent offers a number of joint-degree programs for students who wish to pursue two degrees concurrently, both at Illinois Institute of Technology and other area universities.
We’re Shaping Law, Today
Read the latest Chicago-Kent headlines
Jury Duty: Professor Wins Award for Co-Editing Book on Lay Participation Around the World
“If you ever need conversation at a co*cktail party, ask somebody if they’ve served on a jury,” says Chicago-Kent College of Law Professor Nancy Marder. “If they did, they will...
Features
Professor of Law, Director of the Justice John Paul Stevens Jury Center, Co-Director of the Institute for Law and the Humanities
Rising Together: Two Chicago-Kent Students Awarded WBF Scholarships
The Illinois Women’s Bar Foundation has selected two Chicago-Kent College of Law students to be recipients of its 2024 WBF scholarships. Only two students from each law school can be...
Making the World a Better Place: Chicago-Kent Hosts 2024 Public Interest Awards
“I’m really grateful to have landed here where we have a really big, robust public interest community,” says Jacob Marshall ’24. “I really have no idea where I would be...
“I Do Belong Here”: First-Year Law Student Selected for Federal Judicial Fellowship
Jacqueline Garcia ’26 grew up with a negative view of the justice system. “I know many people who have made mistakes in their lives, including some family and friends,” she...
Features
Jacqueline Garcia '26
Study Law Where It’s Happening
Life in Downtown Chicago
Be at the epicenter of a bustling, vibrant city known for its music, food, sports, theater, and world-class museums—and also a city that’s home to one of the top legal markets in the nation, ready to challenge and support you as you start your career.
Study, Work, and Play
A thriving nightlife and restaurant district lies within walking distance of the Chicago-Kent campus—and public transportation can conveniently take you anywhere from Lake Michigan’s iconic beaches to the city’s many diverse neighborhoods.
Practical Experience
Take advantage of our deep connections within the Chicago legal community to intern or extern with one of the numerous governmental agencies, law firms, corporations, and advocacy organizations located just blocks away from our campus.
Alumni Network
The Chicago area is home to more than 9,000 Chicago-Kent alumni: fellow legal professionals who are ready to help you find your footing in one of the most dynamic and hardest-working cities in the world.
Voices of Chicago-Kent
Chicago-Kent is home to an amazing community, with a diverse range of interests and backgrounds. Hear stories from students, recent graduates, and alumni of note.
A Lasting Legacy
Militza Pagán ’17 took on the Trump administration to protect the rights of immigrants. Locally, she’s helping to enact rules that protect domestic and other low-wage workers.
To be a Lawyer Now, or to be a Lawyer?
Xavier Harris (LAW ’23) was 10 years old when he decided that he wanted to be a lawyer. At the time, he had no idea how difficult it would be...
From Small Town to Big Law
“Although I can’t erase the pain of the death of a spouse or a parent, I can ease the burden on families by making the estate administration process easier,” says...
Respect and Justice for All
Editor's note: this is an updated story from the the Fall 2023 Chicago-Kent Magazine. To read the magazine in full, follow this link . “If we as judges allow chaos...
Happening on Campus
Chicago-Kent hosts events that are open to the university community and, at times, the Chicago community at large.