Concentrations* encourage and support increased academic focus within a field of interest. They include foundational requirements, a menu of electives, one upper-division writing requirement, and a transition to practice course requirement. Each concentration has a designated faculty member as its coordinator to advise students concerning course selection.

*Please note Concentrations are only available to students who enrolled in The Catholic University of America Columbus School of Law prior to the Fall 2023 semester.

Catholic Law offers concentrations in the following practice areas:

Civil Litigation

A concentration in Civil Litigation combines an opportunity to master legal doctrine with the platform to acquire skills like brief drafting, direct and cross-examination of witnesses, and oral argument at both the trial and appellate level.

Criminal Litigation

The Criminal Litigation concentration informs employers that the student possesses the skills, experience, and training necessary to immediately begin work in a courtroom as a prosecutor, defender, or judicial law clerk. At the concentration’s core is the hands-on experience a student receives in actual litigation.

Family Law

The nation has a growing need for accomplished lawyers who can practice family law in a variety of settings, including law firms, legal service providers, and child welfare agencies. This concentration prepares students by offering a wide variety of specialized courses and training.

Intellectual Property

Technology is constantly evolving and a thorough grounding in intellectual property will help all attorneys. This IP concentration offers a diverse curriculum, including classes focusing on patents, copyrights, trademarks, trade secrets, international intellectual property, cyber law, art law, and entertainment law.

Labor and Employment

The Labor and Employment concentration will assist motivated students to pursue careers well-versed in every aspect of this fascinating and dynamic area of law. Coursework is a mix of mandatory and electives classes, covering such topics as Gender, Law, and Policy; Immigration Law and Policy; Labor Relations Law in the Public Sector; and Legal Rights of People with Disabilities.

Securities Regulation

This concentration program is designed to satisfy the interests and provide the professional preparation for those students who find fascination in exploring how business and industry create the means to finance their operations.