Criminal Law Curriculum

Criminal Law is one of the most popular areas of practice—it is fast-paced, highly rewarding, and always interesting. University of Richmond School of Law has a long tradition of producing top-notch prosecutors and defense attorneys, offering a variety of educational opportunities specific to the criminal law practice and offered by leading experts in the field.

Introductory Course

Criminal Law provides an introduction to the criminal law curriculum and is a required course in the spring first-year curriculum. Here students learn the core concepts of the criminal law and explore the theoretical justifications for the imposition of criminal punishment.

Upper-Level Electives

  • Advanced Trial Practice (LAW E632)
  • Appellate Advocacy (LAW E657)
  • Capital Murder Litigation (LAW E736)
  • The Criminal Client Relationship (LAW E699)
  • Criminal Procedure - Investigation (LAW E603)
  • Criminal Procedure - Adjudication (LAW E625)
  • Domestic Violence Seminar (LAW E785)*
  • Ethics and Criminal Litigation (LAW E734)
  • Evidence (LAW E599)
  • International Criminal Law and Transnational Justice (LAW E699)
  • National Security Law (LAW E735)
  • Scientific Evidence (LAW 657)
  • Trial Advocacy (Lawyering Skills III - LAW R598)
  • White Collar Crime (LAW E687)
  • Wrongful Conviction Seminar (LAW E770)*
  • Sentencing Law (LAW E699-Y)
  • Criminal Law & Psychiatry (LAW E699-X)
  • The Prosecution Project (LAW E699-K)
  • The Death Penalty (LAW 697)

* satisfies Upper Level Writing Requirement

Upper-Level Writing Requirement

Students may satisfy their Upper Level Writing Requirement (ULWR) in any ULWR-designated course. Students also may satisfy the requirement by seeking out faculty in this area to supervise them on an independent study of a criminal law topic.

Clinical Opportunities

  • Children's Defense Clinic
  • Institute for Actual Innocence
  • Clinical Placement Program - Criminal and Judicial placements
    • Chesterfield Commonwealth’s Attorney's Office
    • Hanover Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office
    • Henrico Commonwealth’s Attorney's Office
    • Richmond Adult Drug Treatment Court
    • Richmond Commonwealth’s Attorney's Office
    • United States Attorney's Office
    • Office of the Capital Defender
    • Office of the Federal Public Defender
    • Richmond Public Defender’s Office
    • Supreme Court of Virginia
    • Court of Appeals of Virginia
    • Chesterfield Circuit Court
    • Henrico Circuit Court
    • Richmond Circuit Court
    • Chesterfield Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court
    • Henrico Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court
    • Richmond Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court
    • United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
    • United States District Court
    • United States Bankruptcy Court
    • United States Magistrate

Criminal Law Faculty

University of Richmond School of Law is fortunate to have a highly-distinguished criminal law faculty.

Additionally, our practitioners who teach courses in this area include a federal judge, Virginia trial and appellate judges, and a number of the Commonwealth’s most well-respected prosecutors and defense attorneys.