To obtain the LTC, students must take the following required courses.
The required course descriptions are below. Elective courses can be found here.
Technology is changing the nature of the legal profession from the delivery of services to firm management and practice operations. Law students, who will soon enter the legal marketplace, need to have an understanding of how technology is changing the nature of the legal economy and the practice of law.
This 2-credit hour course will focus on the major legal technology concepts and approaches that lawyers currently face in the practice of law and will increasingly need to understand in the future. This is not a class that will train students on the use of specific technologies or programs. Rather, this course will educate students about (1) the major technologies used in the practice of law and the role and importance of each, (2) the impact technology is having and will continue to have on the day-to-day practice of law, (3) the impact technology is having on laws, regulations, and the legal system, and (4) legal technology leadership, so students are better prepared to assume leadership roles in the increasingly tech-reliant legal industry. This is a required class for students earning the Law & Technology Certificate.
In this 3-credit hour comprehensive course, students will explore the foundational elements of starting and managing a successful law firm, with a special focus on leveraging cutting-edge legal technology. Whether you plan to "go solo" right out of law school or intend to work at a small to medium-sized firm, this course is for you. From the intricacies of firm formation, budgeting, and strategic business planning, to mastering modern office technology, including the incredible potential of regenerative AI in legal practice, this course provides a roadmap for the tech-savvy legal entrepreneur. Course topics include marketing/business development, alternative billing practices, practice management software, other legal tech tools, and financial sustainability. In addition to learning about law office practice and technology, students will learn how to cultivate a law firm culture that prioritizes work/life balance, aligns with life goals, and helps employees thrive. Learn how to launch a sustainable, progressive, and technologically advanced law practice that improves access to justice. Note: Students are required to take this 3-hour course or the 2-credit Law Practice Technology Course.
The course will provide students with the background to understand technological changes in society and the legal field and how those changes are impacting the way attorneys manage and provide legal services. Areas of focus include case and client management, document and practice management, electronic discovery, information literacy, presentation technologies, and professional responsibility. Readings and guest speakers will address both general technological issues as well as specific legal ramifications. Students will participate in their course projects. Note: Students are required to take this 2-hour course or the 3-credit Law Office Practice Technology Course.
To earn your JD degree at NCCU Law, all students must successfully complete one or more experiential course(s) totaling at least six (6) credit hours. Note that students will earn three experiential learning credits by taking Appellate Advocacy, a required course. Students will need to earn at least three additional experiential learning credits.
An experiential course is either:
(1) a simulation course
(2) a law clinic, or
(3) field placement/externship (where course hours are earned via Pathways to Practice)
For students earning the Law & Technology Certificate, the experiential course must be tech-focused. Below is a list of some of the law technology-related experiential courses that have been offered at NCCU Law. The listed courses are not necessarily offered every semester or every year. A list of Law & Technology-related experiential courses being offered will be provided to students prior to registration.
Note: Although LOPT and LPT are experiential courses, they do not satisfy the LTC law-tech experiential requirement because they are already required LTC courses.