Cornell University

Guiding Principles

Mission Statement 

Cornell Law School’s mission remains as articulated by Cornell President Andrew Dickson White upon the founding of the law school in 1887: “Our aim is to keep its instruction strong, its standard high, and so to produce … a fair number of well-trained, large-minded, morally based lawyers in the best sense.” 

Cornell Law School offers a 3-year J.D. program, a one-year LL.M. program for internationally educated attorneys, a Master’s in Legal Studies, as well as an LL.M. Program in Law, Technology, and Entrepreneurship at the Cornell Tech campus in New York City for experienced practitioners, and a doctoral (J.S.D.) program with the Cornell Graduate School. Cornell Law School has more than 70 full-time faculty members many of whom have chaired faculty positions and hold prominent roles at the local, national, and international level. The Cornell Law School faculty is consistently ranked among the top in the country for scholarly productivity and influence. The faculty has pre-eminence in many areas, including quantitative and qualitative empirical legal studies, international and comparative law, and robust doctrinal scholarship in foundational fields.

Our commitment is to continue to be recognized as the leader among law schools in combining inspiring theoretical, doctrinal, and experiential teaching with cutting-edge scholarship in a supportive, intellectually rich community so that our graduates can achieve excellence in all facets of the legal profession. 

Learning Outcomes 

Cornell Law School is fully committed to providing our students with the analytical, reasoning, and practical skills fundamental to exceptional lawyering. We further believe that the lawyers in the best sense — lawyers who have the strongest positive impact on their clients, organizations, and communities–are those who can combine these skills with self-awareness, responsibility, clear ethical values, and strong interpersonal and leadership skills. Cornell Law School seeks to develop lawyers who will not only be skillful problem solvers and effective client advocates but who will also flourish in law school and throughout their careers, becoming high-impact leaders in the organizations and communities of which they will be a part.

Therefore, we offer a rigorous program of legal education designed to prepare students, upon graduation, for admission to the bar and for effective, ethical, and responsible participation in the legal profession at the highest levels.

Upon completion of the program of legal education, Cornell Law School graduates will:

  • Possess knowledge of the substantive and procedural law required for effective participation in the legal profession. Graduates will be able to:
  • Identify and describe legal terms, concepts, theories, rules, and principles.
  • Understand how the law operates in domestic and global contexts.
  • Engage effectively in legal research, analysis, and problem-solving in a time frame appropriate to legal practice.

Graduates will be able to analyze common law and statutory authority independently and critically to:

  • Spot relevant issues.
  • Identify controlling authority and accurately assess the weight of authorities.
  • Apply governing rules to legally relevant fact patterns.
  • Marshal relevant facts and governing rules to reach reasoned, well-supported conclusions that address the issues at hand.
  • Employ deductive reasoning and analogy to devise strategies and solutions for complex legal issues in academic environments and in various practice settings.
  • Communicate effectively in both oral and written form as counselors and advocates.

Graduates will be able to:

  • Identify appropriate audience(s) and tailor written and oral advocacy accordingly.
  • Convey legally relevant information objectively and persuasively.
  • Explain complex legal concepts orally and in writing in a manner that both members of the legal profession and the public can understand.
  • Interact respectfully and effectively with persons of all backgrounds and levels of skill and training, demonstrating professionalism both in person and online.
  • Write and speak clearly and concisely in a well-organized, well-reasoned manner.
  • Assess complex fact patterns in a professional conversation, deposition, or oral argument and provide meaningful legal analysis during that discourse.
  • Employ active listening skills.
  • Possess the practical skills fundamental to exceptional lawyering and client representation.

Graduates will be able to:

  • Work effectively in teams and independently.
  • Pose creative solutions to complex problems independently and through collaboration with peers, senior members of the profession, and interdisciplinary teams.
  • Engage in culturally competent interactions in an increasingly global legal community connected across countries and cultures through technology, immersive study, and transnational practice.
  • Appreciate the impact of their professional conduct and counsel in diverse professional settings, both formal and informal, in person and online.
  • Reflect on and draw lessons from experience to improve their own performance and provide effective professional feedback to others.
  • Arrange their affairs in a professional manner, including by meeting deadlines, keeping scheduled appointments, attending, and preparing appropriately for client and court meetings, and responding promptly to administrative offices, clients, and colleagues.
  • Regularly reflect on their unique aptitudes and capacities and proactively consider how these capabilities align with the broad variety of legal skills and practice settings, taking timely and appropriate steps to seek support when necessary.
  • Conduct themselves with the highest moral and ethical standards.

Graduates will be able to:

  • Demonstrate knowledge of the ethical rules and expectations which govern members of the legal profession.
  • Apply those ethical expectations throughout their course of study and careers in interactions with courts, clients, and colleagues.
  • Apply the law governing lawyers to resolve ethical, moral, and other professional dilemmas.
  • Understand what the governing law is.
  • Exercise with due care the role entrusted to them as officers of the legal system and public citizens, having special responsibility for the quality of justice.

Equal Education and Employment Opportunity Statement – Nondiscrimination Policy

Cornell University has an enduring commitment to supporting equality of education and employment opportunities by affirming the value of diversity and by promoting an environment free from discrimination.

Cornell University’s complete Equal Education and Employment Opportunity Statement can be found here:  https://hr.cornell.edu/about/workplace-rights/equal-education-and-employment

Concerns and complaints related to prohibited bias, discrimination, harassment, and sexual and related misconduct should be directed to the Cornell Office of Civil Rights; 500 Day Hall, Ithaca NY 14853; 607-255-2242; civilrights@cornell.edu. Questions or complaints arising under Title IX should be directed to the Title IX Coordinator, Lauren Branchini; 500 Day Hall, Ithaca, NY 14853; 607-255-2242; titleix@cornell.edu. Information about how to report an incident or file a complaint is available at titleix.cornell.edu.  J.D., LL.M., or Exchange students may also contact the Dean of Students ( 1-607-255- 5839), Assistant Dean for External Education (1-607-255-2434), or the Law School Director of Human Resources who is the designated harassment advisor (1-607-255-2101). Each can assist you with navigating the next steps.