Aspirations

Working with intergovernmental organizations, international tribunals, and NGOs, Suffolk Law students have advocated for the reform of bullying laws around the world, reporting mechanisms for child abuse court cases, and the role of corporate governance structures in mitigating human rights violations. Come join the good fight. 

Courses in our international law concentration and close working relationships with our esteemed faculty will help you make the most of your legal studies. You'll learn from professors like Sara Dillon, a children's rights expert, and Lorie Graham, who's known worldwide for her work on indigenous peoples' rights. Plus, you can enrich your education with experiential learning opportunities. Perhaps you'll intern at the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg, France. Or maybe you'll help protect the rights of migrant workers at Centro de los Derechos del Migrante, Inc. And those are just two of your options. 

Right here on campus, Suffolk Law students organize and operate The Suffolk Transnational Law Review, one of the oldest international law journals in the country. And they're always looking for good writers and editors. 

The ability to write clearly--not to mention effectively analyze data and policy analysis--can help make our planet a better place to live. The College of Arts & Sciences' Master of Arts in Global Public Policy program can prepare you to improve the lives of others anywhere in the world. Delve into subjects ranging from human rights and international political economy to international organizations and the theory of international relations. Plus, you can choose to focus on the politics of the Americas, East Asia, Europe, or the Middle East. Then put your classroom learning into action while interning at an international organization in the United States or abroad. This internship isn't just a requirement--it's an amazing chance to expand your professional network around the world.

More than a quarter of the active judges in Massachusetts graduated from Suffolk Law. That's a higher percentage than any other law school in the country. Plus, nearly half of the sitting judges in Rhode Island are Suffolk Law alumni. We can train you for the bench, too. 

It's no accident that we graduate so many individuals working at the highest level of public service. Suffolk Law is a national leader in practice-focused legal education. We're one of only two schools in the country with four legal skill specialty programs--trial advocacy, dispute resolution, clinics, and legal writing--ranked in the national top 20 by U.S. News & World Report. Our trial advocacy program, which trains students in all of the critical elements of trial preparation, is ranked 15th nationwide and has earned a spot in the top 20 for four years in a row. 

Each summer, more than 100 first-year students work alongside judges in courthouses all over New England through our First-Year Summer Internship Program. Many of these judges are Suffolk Law alumni themselves and excited to mentor our current students. If you're interested in litigation, we'll give you opportunities to represent the Commonwealth or defendants in criminal cases in our top-20-ranked clinical programs. Or join our National Trial Team to help uphold a proud tradition: Suffolk Law students have won the New England Regionals 29 times in 34 years.

Have a science background? Then Suffolk Law can help you become a registered patent attorney who can obtain patents for your clients. If you don't, though, you can still practice in this exciting field. 

Our intellectual property program is regularly listed among the nation's best. This year, it's ranked #32 by U.S. News & World Report. The IP concentration offers students practical patent law skills well beyond the typical course list at most law schools. No wonder 30 percent of the top IP firm patent partners in Greater Boston are Suffolk Law graduates--more than the next three competing law schools combined. We also have more technical specialists (students with science backgrounds working at law firms while earning their JDs) than other schools in the state. 

No wonder you'll find Suffolk Law alumni serving as in-house IP counsel at such employers as Gillette, HubSpot, the Boston Red Sox, Harvard University, Reebok, Hasbro, Biogen, and Panera. 

For an even more immersive experience, we offer regular patent law symposia and practical training opportunities with national experts. Our IP and Entrepreneurship Clinic gives you the chance to venture into complex patent litigation on behalf of entrepreneurs and small businesses squaring off against big city corporate counsel. 

If you're passionate about defending the public's interest, Suffolk Law can help you go far in this rewarding field. 

Civil rights and human rights involve a broad range of problems. You might be called upon to work on problems of discrimination on the basis of race, gender, religion, sexual preference, age, or disability; police misconduct; freedom of expression; issues of genocide or ethnic cleansing; children's rights; slavery; international trafficking that exploits vulnerable populations; war crimes; and a myriad of other issues addressed by the Bill of Rights to the United States Constitution and the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights. 

Along with tackling these complex issues in the classroom, you'll have many opportunities to apply your knowledge in the real world. Our top 20-ranked clinical program is known for taking innovative approaches to civil rights matters, from immigration to indigenous peoples' rights to housing. 

Suffolk alumni have a huge imprint in state government, designing policy and running government offices and NGOs--thanks to the training they receive here. Our robust public service curriculum gives you the opportunity to gain specialized knowledge across disciplines. Here, you can take innovative courses on the Affordable Care Act, human rights protection in Europe, or mental health law. And you'll have plenty of chances to put your principles into practice. 

Working with intergovernmental organizations, international tribunals, and NGOs, Suffolk Law students have engaged in advocacy on the reform of bullying laws around the world, reporting mechanisms for child abuse court cases, and the role of corporate governance structures in mitigating human rights violations. They also work with Boston's city attorney to provide detailed recommendations, including model legislation around complex urban issues. 

Whether you participate in our cutting-edge Housing Discrimination Testing Program or join our Indigenous Peoples Rights Clinic to assist Native American tribal governments and communities in a broad range of matters (including drafting tribal court rules and advocating before international human rights bodies) you'll get the invaluable experiential legal learning you'll need for a satisfying career. 

The College of Arts & Sciences' rich offerings in government include the Master of Arts in Applied Politics and the Master of Arts in Global Public Policy. Whether you choose to master the nuts and bolts of domestic politics or prefer to study through a more international lens, you'll learn hands-on thanks to internships, guest speakers, and special only-at-Suffolk opportunities like our Summer Institute Campaign Lab.  

Want to fight crime where it lives? Our community-centered Master of Crime & Justice Studies will give you a holistic view of the causes and effects of crime so you can combat it more effectively.

Located between the Massachusetts State House and Boston City Hall, Suffolk's Sawyer Business School is the ideal place to pursue your Master of Public Administration. Our highly regarded faculty will connect you with influential internships, challenge you to unpack relevant case studies, and introduce you to new ways of thinking on travel seminars. You'll graduate with the tools needed to excel in public service and contribute to the greater good. You'll then join the ranks of program alumni who lead meaningful careers in federal, state, and municipal government; at healthcare organizations, nonprofits, and higher education institutions; and in the private sector. 

Using your law degree in the entertainment or sport industry--whether you're negotiating licensing, handling contracts or corporate agreements, or landing that rare job as an agent for athletes or musicians--requires a well-rounded skill set. In addition to developing dexterity in networking, you need knowledge that cuts across the worlds of intellectual property, employment and labor law, dispute resolution, business law, and contracts. 

Boston is a thriving sports and entertainment hub, known for its championship-winning sports teams and many starring roles as the setting for big-budget and indie films alike. With our many connections to the local sports and entertainment scene, Suffolk Law is the ideal place to pursue your specialized studies. We even have an Entertainment and Sports Law Association that hosts networking events and keynote speakers and panelists who discuss their careers, how to break into the industry, and emerging topics in the field. 

Your dream job is out there. Suffolk Law will help you get it. 

Family and juvenile law is a demanding, yet richly rewarding field of practice. You may frequently see your clients at their most distressed, representing parents who have lost custody of their children to the state or to the other parent; children who have been arrested; or families worried about their elderly relatives' ability to care for themselves. You can also witness moments of great joy, by helping your clients handle an adoption or make arrangements for artificial reproduction. 

As a student in Suffolk Law's Juvenile and Family Law area of focus, you can combine our robust menu of courses with experiential learning in our year-long clinical offerings. In our Family Advocacy Clinic, you'll gain valuable experience in handling domestic violence cases. In the Juvenile Defenders Clinic, you'll advocate for children in Boston Juvenile Court. 

Want a legal career with life-changing outcomes? You're in the right field. 

By focusing on environmental or energy law, you can help combat environmental crises through legal means--from climate change to air pollution, hazardous waste, energy regulation, and more. 

At Suffolk Law, you'll learn from expert faculty members like Professor Steven Ferrey, whose books on independent power, renewable energy, and carbon control are bibles in the field. 

You'll develop a solid understanding of the three major prongs of environmental law: permitting and the enforcement of permit emission restrictions to the air and water; the setting of environmental policy; and site contamination issues. 

You already have the passion. Now, get the legal expertise you'll need to help protect our planet. 

Working with some of the most innovative minds in the country to protect their intellectual property rights requires legal acumen, practical knowledge, and late nights. Graduates of our IP program--ranked #32 by U.S. News & World Report--have all three and thrive in this field. Indeed, 30 percent of the patent law partners in Greater Boston's top IP firms are Suffolk Law graduates. 

You'll prepare for professional success in the classroom and in the real world. You'll have your pick of practical and specialized IP courses. Plus, you can get invaluable experiential learning in our IP and Entrepreneurship Clinic. Students in this clinic can share great stories of successfully taking on large companies' high-priced attorneys. Just ask them. 

Great ideas deserve great defenders. Your professional journey starts at Suffolk Law. 

When it comes to your career, want to go it alone? Suffolk Law is a good fit for enterprising people like you. 

Graduates who successfully run their own firms regularly return to Suffolk Law to teach students how to run a solo practice. Thanks to these alumni mentors and our curriculum, you'll be well-prepared to strike out on your own and enjoy professional success. Our Trial Advocacy program, which prepares students for careers in litigation, has been ranked by U.S. News & World Report in the nation's top 20 for three years running. Plus, our clinical offerings--including the Juvenile Defenders, and the Prosecutors and Defenders Clinics--are ranked #16 in the country. 

Our Accelerator-to-Practice Program runs an on-campus law firm. You'll learn what it takes to run a firm from the ground up, mastering the economics of solo and small firm practice--including how to create business and marketing plans and using technology to reduce overhead costs. And you'll learn to put your creative thinking to good use. In fact, the ABA awarded our Accelerator students its top honor for innovators in the provision of legal services to average-income Americans. 

Plus, if you choose to pursue our dual JD/MBA degree, you can enhance your legal education with critical management skills. This accelerated option lets you double your professional network and prepare for positions in law firms, corporate counsel offices, investment and accounting firms, nonprofit agencies, and government institutions.  

Prepare to make an outsized impact on policy in a hot employment area: health law. Health is an increasingly critical public policy challenge and Suffolk Law's concentration in health and biomedical law can help you join--and even direct--the conversation about it. In fact, PreLaw Magazine recently hailed us as one of the nation's leading schools in this area of focus, thanks to our rich array of courses and our collaboration with experts from across the country. 

Because of our downtown location and longstanding institutional relationships with leading employers, you can intern at sites including the Massachusetts Executive Office of Health & Human Services, Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Regional Office of the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, and many other state and federal agencies, along with the general counsel's office of Blue Cross Blue Shield, Boston's famed teaching hospitals, and pharmaceutical and device companies. 

You can further immerse yourself in our extensive extracurricular opportunities. You might contribute to our Journal of Health & Biomedical Law (one of our honor boards), National Health Law Moot Court Team, Health Law Clinic--or all three. 

When you’re watching the artistry of a good prosecutor or defender—the storytelling, the pacing, the emotional appeal and clear logic, the ability to read a jury and change course, sometimes mid-sentence—do you feel a rush of energy? Our students do, too.

No matter which side you choose to represent, our Trial Advocacy curriculum will train you to shine in the courtroom. U.S. News & World Report has ranked Suffolk Law's program in the top 20 for four years in a row. And you won't just learn in class. You can represent the Commonwealth or defendants in criminal cases through our clinical program, which has also enjoyed a U.S. News top 20 ranking for four years straight. In fact, many of our clinics allow you to argue before a judge. 

The trial experience you'll get here goes a long way. Suffolk Law's National Trial Team has won the New England Regionals 29 times in 34 years—another example of our winning track record. And here's a final piece of evidence: One out of four sitting judges in Massachusetts is a Suffolk Law graduate, and nearly half of the judges in Rhode Island are alumni, too.