Law School Commencement
Commencement is a ceremony to celebrate, honor and recognize our graduates who have completed the requirements of the Master of Laws Degree, Juris Doctor, or Master of Studies in Law. The Master of Laws Degree (LL.M.) degree prepares students for leadership roles in the global legal market. The Master of Laws is an internationally recognized postgraduate law degree. It is designed for international attorneys who are interested in receiving a degree in American law and the U.S. legal system. The Juris Doctor (J.D.) is the first earned law degree with two to three years of post-baccalaureate study. The Master of Studies in Law (M.S.L.) is designed primarily for students who have already established a career in a profession where they will benefit from having an additional background in legal studies.
The University has commencement celebrations at the end of the fall and spring semesters (December and May). Students completing degree requirements during the summer term will participate in spring commencement. Students planning to participate in their commencement ceremony must submit their application for Master of Laws Degree, Juris Doctor Degree, or Master of Studies in Law Degree to Donna Haverkamp, the Student Records Administrator in Room 204 by the deadline for the semester they plan to graduate:
Fall - Last business day of March
Spring & Summer - Last business day of October
Commencement Ceremony Dates
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Fall |
Spring |
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Saturday, May 13, 2023 |
Questions
Law students or family members with questions regarding Law School graduation events should contact:
- Cory Payne, Commencement Coordinator, Dean's Office, cory.payne@washburn.edu or (785) 670-1663.
- Shelby Grau, Director of Compliance and Administration, Room 331A, shelby.grau@washburn.edu or (785) 670-1455.
- graduates@washburnlaw.edu
If you have questions about whether you have completed all requirements for graduation in December, you should contact:
- Donna Haverkamp, Student Records Administrator, Room 204, donna.haverkamp@washburn.edu or (785) 670-1661.
Short URL for this page:
https://washburnlaw.edu/commencement
- Obtaining a Transcript
- Registrars Office
- Official Transcript Form - to request an official transcript in person
- National Clearinghouse - to request an official transcript online
- Bar Exam Preparation.
- Certification forms to take the bar exam in states other than Kansas should be turned in to Donna Haverkamp in Room 204.
- Copies of your law school application can be requested from Donna Haverkamp in Room 204.
Each fall and spring semester law school staff host a meeting for graduating law students to update them about requirements for graduation, commencement, and the bar exam. Below are links to the meeting handouts.
- Application for: J.D. Degree (15 KB PDF) | LL.M. Degree (13 KB PDF)
- Graduation and Post-Graduation Procedures (123 KB PDF)
- Graduation Checklist: J.D. (100 KB PDF)
- Obtaining a Transcript
- Bar Exam Profile Form (86 KB PDF)
- Bar Exam Application Checklist (196 KB PDF)
- Bar Exam: Fingerprint Submission (648 KB PDF)
- Bar Exam State Application Information (179 KB PDF)
- Bar Exam Loan Providers and Information (147 KB PDF)
Watch video from fall 2022 meeting (48:01).
• Dean Lowry (Welcome) at 00:00
• Professor Griggs (Bar Exam) at 00:38
• Professor Baldwin (Bar Workshops) at 6:50
• Dean King (Job Search and Bar Loans) at 09:10
• Ms. Haverkamp (Graduation Checklist) at 23:20
• Ms. Payne and Director Grau (Commencement) at 34:00
Watch May 14, 2022 commencement on YouTube.
- J.D. (100 KB PDF)
Note: If you took a hybrid course or participated in a competition prior to fall 2019 these may fulfill J.D. requirements. See Donna Haverkamp with questions. - M.S.L
Upper Level Certification Forms:
- Oral Presentation (33 KB PDF)
- Writing Presentation (33 KB PDF)
Stoles and cords may be worn by law graduates during commencement excercises in accordance with established policy.
Place your stole over your robe first.
Cords are placed on top of the stole. If the cord is multi-strand, the knot should be placed in the center of the back of your neck with the tassel ends even in front. A safety pin to secure your cord or stole can be obtained from Shelby Grau in room 331A. Secure your cords/stole ONLY to your robe (don't pin all the way through your shirt/jacket/collar because you will have an issue as soon as you sit down).
