St. John's University School of Law is a
Roman Catholic
The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics worldwide as of 2025. It is among the world's oldest and largest international institut ...
law school
A law school (also known as a law centre/center, college of law, or faculty of law) is an institution, professional school, or department of a college or university specializing in legal education, usually involved as part of a process for b ...
in
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island country in the Caribbean Sea and the West Indies. At , it is the third-largest island—after Cuba and Hispaniola—of the Greater Antilles and the Caribbean. Jamaica lies about south of Cuba, west of Hispaniola (the is ...
,
Queens
Queens is the largest by area of the Boroughs of New York City, five boroughs of New York City, coextensive with Queens County, in the U.S. state of New York (state), New York. Located near the western end of Long Island, it is bordered by the ...
, New York, United States, affiliated with
St. John's University.
The School of Law was founded in 1925, and confers
Juris Doctor
A Juris Doctor, Doctor of Jurisprudence, or Doctor of Law (JD) is a graduate-entry professional degree that primarily prepares individuals to practice law. In the United States and the Philippines, it is the only qualifying law degree. Other j ...
degrees and degrees for Master of Laws in
Bankruptcy
Bankruptcy is a legal process through which people or other entities who cannot repay debts to creditors may seek relief from some or all of their debts. In most jurisdictions, bankruptcy is imposed by a court order, often initiated by the deb ...
and Master of Laws in U.S. Studies. Over 15,000 St. John's Law graduates are practicing law in the United States and foreign jurisdictions. In 2022, 85.53% of the law school's first-time test takers passed a bar exam.
[
]
LL.M. in Bankruptcy law
St. John's University School of Law offers the only LL.M.
A Master of Laws (M.L. or LL.M.; Latin: ' or ') is a postgraduate academic degree, pursued by those either holding an undergraduate academic law degree, a professional law degree, or an undergraduate degree in another subject.
In many jurisdi ...
in bankruptcy
Bankruptcy is a legal process through which people or other entities who cannot repay debts to creditors may seek relief from some or all of their debts. In most jurisdictions, bankruptcy is imposed by a court order, often initiated by the deb ...
law in the United States. The program is a 30 credit LL.M.
A Master of Laws (M.L. or LL.M.; Latin: ' or ') is a postgraduate academic degree, pursued by those either holding an undergraduate academic law degree, a professional law degree, or an undergraduate degree in another subject.
In many jurisdi ...
, with 6 credits devoted towards a thesis. St. John's School of Law offers over two dozen classes focusing on various issues in bankruptcy. Required courses for the program are: Reorganization Under Chapter 11
Chapter 11 of the United States Bankruptcy Code ( Title 11 of the United States Code) permits reorganization under the bankruptcy laws of the United States. Such reorganization, known as Chapter 11 bankruptcy, is available to every business, w ...
; Bankruptcy Fraud, Ethics, and Malpractice; Bankruptcy Taxation; Bankruptcy Jurisdiction; Bankruptcy Procedure; and Consumer Bankruptcy. Classes are taught by a mixture of law professors, Federal Bankruptcy Court
United States bankruptcy courts are courts created under Article I of the United States Constitution. The current system of bankruptcy courts was created by the United States Congress in 1978, effective April 1, 1984. United States bankruptcy ...
judges, and practicing attorneys. The St. John's LL.M. in Bankruptcy Program is fully accredited. It has been approved by the New York State Department of Education
The New York State Education Department (NYSED) is the department of the New York state government responsible for the supervision for all public schools in New York and all standardized testing, as well as the production and administration o ...
, and has received the acquiescence of the American Bar Association
The American Bar Association (ABA) is a voluntary association, voluntary bar association of lawyers and law students in the United States; national in scope, it is not specific to any single jurisdiction. Founded in 1878, the ABA's stated acti ...
.
Admissions
For the class entering in 2023, St. John's University School of Law accepted 41.48% of applicants, with 26.50% of those accepted enrolling. The average enrollee had a 162 LSAT
The Law School Admission Test (LSAT ) is a standardized test administered by the Law School Admission Council (LSAC) for prospective law school candidates. It is designed to assess reading comprehension and logical reasoning. The test is ...
score and 3.71 undergraduate GPA
Grading in education is the application of standardized measurements to evaluate different levels of student achievement in a course. Grades can be expressed as letters (usually A to F), as a range (for example, 1 to 6), percentages, or as num ...
.
Bar passage rates
In 2023, 87.10% of St. John’s first-time takers passed a bar examination. St. John's University School of Law typically ranks in the top 4 – 7 in bar exam passage for first-time test takers among the fifteen New York State law schools:
July 2004 – 87% / Overall New York State Average – 76.5%
Ranking
National Ranking: for 2025, '' U.S. News & World Report'' ranked St. John's Law tied for 63rd.
Employment
According to St. John's University School of Law's official 2018 ABA-required disclosures, 82.3% of the Class of 2018 obtained full-time, long-term, JD-required employment ten months after graduation.Law School Transparency
Law School Transparency (LST) is a nonprofit consumer advocacy and education organization concerning the legal profession in the United States. LST was founded by Vanderbilt Law School graduates Kyle McEntee and Patrick Lynch. LST describes its ...
under-employment score is 7.1%, indicating the percentage of the Class of 2018 unemployed, pursuing an additional degree, or working in a non-professional, short-term, or part-time job ten months after graduation.
Costs
The total cost of attendance (indicating the cost of tuition, fees, and living expenses) at St. John's University School of Law for the 2014–2015 academic year is $76,614. The Law School Transparency estimated debt-financed cost of attendance for three years is $285,041.
Publications
* ''St. John's Law Review''
* ''American Bankruptcy Institute Law Review''
* ''Journal of Catholic Legal Studies'' (formerly ''The Catholic Lawyer'')
* ''Journal of Civil Rights and Economic Development''
* ''New York International Law Review''
* ''Commercial Division Online Law Report''
* ''N.Y. Real Property Law Journal''
* ''Admiralty Practicum''
Conrad B. Duberstein Moot Court Competition
The Conrad B. Duberstein Moot Court Competition is an annual bankruptcy moot court competition sponsored by St. John's University School of Law and the American Bankruptcy Institute (ABI). The competition is named in memory of former Chief Judge Conrad B. Duberstein, who was a St. John's alumnus and former ABI Director. The competition focuses on significant issues in bankruptcy practice. It is the largest single site appellate moot court competition, with approximately 60 law school teams participating. It is also the only bankruptcy moot court competition in the nation.American Bankruptcy Institute Law Review
The ''American Bankruptcy Institute Law Review'' is a biannual law journal published by St. John's University School of Law and the American Bankruptcy Institute (ABI). A free digital edition of the ''Law Review'' is distributed to all American ...
members organize and run the competition. Additionally, they prepare the bench memo for the judges, field ghost teams, and serve as bailiffs during the competition.
Frank S. Polestino Trial Advocacy Institute (PTAI)
The Frank S. Polestino Trial Advocacy Institute is the mock trial program for St. John's University School of Law.
Notable alumni
Government
* George Grasso
George A. Grasso (born August 15, 1957) is a retired judge from New York City. He is also a 30 year veteran of the New York City Police Department. He retired as first deputy police commissioner in 2010 to become a judge. Grasso retired as Adminis ...
, former NYPD First Deputy Police Commissioner and Judge
* Joseph P. Addabbo
Joseph Patrick Addabbo (March 17, 1925 – April 10, 1986) was a New York City politician who served as a Democrat in the United States House of Representatives from 1961 until his death in 1986. As the chairman of the United States House Appro ...
, US representative
The United States House of Representatives is a chamber of the bicameral United States Congress; it is the lower house, with the U.S. Senate being the upper house. Together, the House and Senate have the authority under Article One of th ...
from New York (1961–86)
* Michael Balboni
Michael Balboni (born May 12, 1959) is a lawyer and politician from New York. He was a member of the State Assembly, the State Senate, and Deputy Secretary for Public Safety of the State of New York.
Political career
Balboni entered politics as ...
, former deputy secretary of state, public safety – New York State, former NYS senator
* Alessandra Biaggi
Alessandra Rose Biaggi (born May 20, 1986) is an American politician from the state of New York. Biaggi is the granddaughter of former U.S. Congressman Mario Biaggi.
A progressive Democrat, Biaggi served as a member of the New York State Senate ...
(born 1986), New York State senator
The New York State Senate is the upper house of the New York State Legislature, while the New York State Assembly is its lower house. Established in 1777 by the Constitution of New York, its members are elected to two-year terms with no term l ...
* Albert H. Bosch, former US representative
* Ron Brown
Ronald Harmon Brown (August 1, 1941 – April 3, 1996) was an American politician and lobbyist who served as the 30th United States Secretary of Commerce during the first term of President Bill Clinton. Before this, he was chairman of the Democ ...
, former US secretary of commerce
The United States secretary of commerce (SecCom) is the head of the United States Department of Commerce. The secretary serves as the principal advisor to the president of the United States on all matters relating to commerce. The secretary rep ...
and chairman of the Democratic National Committee
* Leonard B. Boudin, prominent civil rights attorney, noted for his representation of anti-war activists during the Vietnam war era.
* Hugh Carey
Hugh Leo Carey (April 11, 1919 – August 7, 2011) was an American politician and attorney of the Democratic Party who served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1961 to 1974 and as the 51st governor of New York from 1975 to 1982.
Early ...
, former governor of New York
The governor of New York is the head of government of the U.S. state of New York. The governor is the head of the executive branch of New York's state government and the commander-in-chief of the state's military forces. The governor ...
* Gregory W. Carman
Gregory Wright Carman (January 31, 1937 – April 5, 2020) was a senior United States Judge of the United States Court of International Trade and was also a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives from New York.
Biograph ...
, former chief judge and judge, US Court of International Trade; former US representative
* William J. Casey
William Joseph Casey (March 13, 1913 – May 6, 1987) was an American lawyer who was the Director of Central Intelligence from 1981 to 1987. In this capacity he oversaw the entire United States Intelligence Community and personally directed the ...
(1913–1987), former director of Central Intelligence
The director of central intelligence (DCI) was the head of the American Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) from 1946 to 2004, acting as the principal intelligence advisor to the president of the United States and the United States National Se ...
and chairman of the US Securities and Exchange Commission
The United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is an independent agency of the United States federal government, created in the aftermath of the Wall Street crash of 1929. Its primary purpose is to enforce laws against market ma ...
* Alfred C. Cerullo III, former New York City commissioner and council member, professional actor in theater and television
* Mario Cuomo
Mario Matthew Cuomo ( , ; June 15, 1932 – January 1, 2015) was an American lawyer and politician who served as the 52nd governor of New York for three terms, from 1983 to 1994. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic ...
(1932-2015), former governor of New York
* Jennifer S. DeSena – civic leader and politician serving as the 38th town supervisor
The administrative divisions of New York are the various units of government that provide local services in the American state of New York. The state is divided into boroughs, counties, cities, towns, and villages. (The only boroughs, the f ...
of North Hempstead, New York
North Hempstead (officially known as the Town of North Hempstead) is one of three towns in Nassau County, on Long Island, in New York, United States. The population was 237,639 at the time of the 2020 census. It is the 7th largest city or town ...
.George Deukmejian
Courken George Deukmejian Jr. (
; June 6, 1928May 8, 2018) was an American politician who served as the 35th governor of California from 1983 to 1991. A member of the Republican Party, he was the state's first governor of Armenian descent.
B ...
, former governor of California
The governor of California is the head of government of the U.S. state of California. The Governor (United States), governor is the commander-in-chief of the California National Guard and the California State Guard.
Established in the Constit ...
and attorney general
In most common law jurisdictions, the attorney general (: attorneys general) or attorney-general (AG or Atty.-Gen) is the main legal advisor to the government. In some jurisdictions, attorneys general also have executive responsibility for law enf ...
* Dominick L. DiCarlo, former US and chief judge of the US Court of International Trade
* Richard Donoghue
Richard Donoghue is an American attorney and prosecutor who served as the acting United States Deputy Attorney General, United States deputy attorney general from December 2020 to January 2021. Previously, he served as the principal associate dep ...
, US attorney for the Eastern District of New York.Alexander Farrelly
Alexander Anthony Farrelly (December 29, 1923 – September 10, 2002) was an American politician and the fourth elected Governor of the United States Virgin Islands, serving from 1987 to 1995.
Farrelly graduated from St. John's University, Q ...
, former governor of the US Virgin Islands
* John J. Ghezzi, former NYS secretary of state
* Frank A. Gulotta, Nassau County district attorney and NYS Appellate Division judge
* Lester Holtzman (1913-2002), former US representative and NY judge
* Charles Hynes
Charles Joseph Hynes (born Charles Aiken Hynes; May 28, 1935 – January 29, 2019), also known as Joe Hynes, was an American lawyer and Democratic politician from New York who served as Kings County District Attorney from 1990 to 2013.
Ea ...
, former district attorney
In the United States, a district attorney (DA), county attorney, county prosecutor, state attorney, state's attorney, prosecuting attorney, commonwealth's attorney, or solicitor is the chief prosecutor or chief law enforcement officer represen ...
of Kings County, New York
Kings or King's may refer to:
*Kings: The sovereign heads of states and/or nations.
*One of several works known as the "Book of Kings":
**The Books of Kings part of the Bible, divided into two parts
**The ''Shahnameh'', an 11th-century epic Persia ...
(Brooklyn)
* Melinda Katz
Melinda R. Katz (born August 29, 1965) is an American attorney and politician from New York City, serving as District Attorney of Queens since January 1, 2020. A Democrat, she previously served as the Queens Borough President. Katz was also a ...
(born 1965), district attorney
In the United States, a district attorney (DA), county attorney, county prosecutor, state attorney, state's attorney, prosecuting attorney, commonwealth's attorney, or solicitor is the chief prosecutor or chief law enforcement officer represen ...
of Queens, New York
Queens is the largest by area of the Boroughs of New York City, five boroughs of New York City, coextensive with Queens County, in the U.S. state of New York (state), New York. Located near the western end of Long Island, it is bordered by the ...
, former borough president of Queens, NYC council member, and NYS Assembly member
* Raymond W. Kelly, former New York City Police Department
The City of New York Police Department, also referred to as New York City Police Department (NYPD), is the primary law enforcement agency within New York City. Established on May 23, 1845, the NYPD is the largest, and one of the oldest, munic ...
commissioner
* Henry J. Latham
Henry Jepson Latham (December 10, 1908 – June 26, 2002) was an American attorney, politician, and jurist from New York. A Republican, he served in the New York State Assembly from 1941 to 1942, the United States House of Representatives from 19 ...
, former US representative
* Jack Martins
Joaquim "Jack" M. Martins (born June 19, 1967) is an American attorney and politician serving as a member of the New York State Senate representing the New York's 7th State Senate district, 7th district. A Republican Party (United States), Repu ...
, NYS senator
* Basil Paterson
Basil Alexander Paterson (April 27, 1926 – April 16, 2014) was an American labor lawyer and politician. He served in the New York State Senate from 1966 to 1971 and as secretary of state of New York under Governor Hugh Carey from 1979 to 1983. ...
, former New York State secretary of state and NYS senator
* Harvey Pitt
Harvey L. Pitt (February 28, 1945 – May 30, 2023) was an American lawyer. He served as the 26th chairman of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for 18 months from August 2001 to February 2003, a period that encompassed the Septem ...
(1945-2023), former chairman of US Securities and Exchange Commission
* Charles B. Rangel
Charles Bernard Rangel ( ; June 11, 1930 – May 26, 2025) was an American politician who served as U.S. representative for districts in New York City for 46 years. A member of the Democratic Party, he was the second-longest serving incumbent ...
, US representative
* John J. Santucci (1931-2016), former district attorney of Queens
* Paul Vallone
Paul Angelo Vallone (June 2, 1967 – January 28, 2024) was an American politician and attorney from the state of New York. A Democrat, Vallone represented the 19th district on the New York City Council from 2014 to 2021; the district was loca ...
, New York City council member
* Rose Pugliese, minority leader Colorado state legislature
Judges
* Harold Birns
The Supreme Court of the State of New York, Appellate Division, First Judicial Department, or simply the First Department, is one of the four geographical components of the New York Supreme Court, Appellate Division, the intermediate appellat ...
, former associate justice, Appellate Division of the New York Supreme Court, First Judicial Department
* Carmen Beauchamp Ciparick
Carmen Beauchamp Ciparick (born January 1, 1942) is a judge who served as associate judge on the New York Court of Appeals, the highest court in the state of New York, from 1994 through 2012, when she reached mandatory retirement age. As of June ...
, former judge, New York Court of Appeals
The New York Court of Appeals is the supreme court, highest court in the Judiciary of New York (state), Unified Court System of the New York (state), State of New York. It consists of seven judges: the Chief Judge of the New York Court of Appeal ...
* P. Kevin Castel, judge, US District Court for the Southern District of New York
* Raymond J. Dearie, judge and former chief judge, US District Court for the Eastern District of New York; Judge, United States Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court
The United States Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (FISC), also called the FISA Court, is a United States federal courts, U.S. federal court established under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 (FISA) to oversee requests ...
* Janet DiFiore
Janet Marie DiFiore (born August 9, 1955) is an American lawyer and judge who served as the Chief Judge of New York Court of Appeals from 2016 to 2022. DiFiore was born in Mount Vernon, New York, and graduated from Long Island University and S ...
, Chief Judge, New York Court of Appeals
* Patricia DiMango
Patricia Mafalda DiMango (born May 19, 1953) is a retired American justice of the Supreme Court of Kings County, New York, and television personality.
DiMango starred as one of three judges along with Judge Tanya Acker, Judge Larry Bakman, Judge ...
, former Justice, New York Supreme Court
The Supreme Court of the State of New York is the superior court in the Judiciary of New York. It is vested with unlimited civil and criminal jurisdiction, although in many counties outside New York City it acts primarily as a court of civil ju ...
* John Francis Dooling Jr., former judge, U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York
* Conrad B. Duberstein, former chief judge of the US Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of New York
* Randall T. Eng, presiding justice, New York Supreme Court, Appellate Division
The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of the State of New York is the intermediate appellate court in New York State. The state is geographically divided into four judicial departments of the Appellate Division. The full title of each is, u ...
* Theodore T. Jones Jr., former Judge, New York Court of Appeals
* Guy James Mangano, former Presiding Justice of New York Supreme Court, Appellate Division
* Edward D. Re, former Chief Judge and Judge, US Court of International Trade
* Joanna Seybert, Judge, US District Court for the Eastern District of New York
* Samuel A. Spiegel, former Justice, New York Supreme Court
* John E. Sprizzo, former Judge, US District Court for the Southern District of New York
* Nancy J. Waples, Associate Justice, Supreme Court of Vermont
Media and entertainment
* Dane Clark
Dane Clark (born Bernhardt Zanvilevitz; February 26, 1912September 11, 1998) was an American character actor who was known for playing, as he labeled himself, "Joe Average."
Early life
Clark was born Bernhardt Zanvilevitz (later Bernard Zanvill ...
, actor
* Michael Tucci
Michael Tucci (born April 15, 1946) is an American actor and retired high school teacher. He played Pete Schumaker in ''It's Garry Shandling's Show'' (1986–1990), and Sonny LaTierri in the 1978 film '' Grease''.
Personal life
He graduated from H ...
, actor
* Terence Winter
Terence Patrick Winter (born October 2, 1960) is an American writer and producer of television and film. He was the creator, writer, and executive producer of the HBO television series '' Boardwalk Empire'' (2010–2014). Before creating ''Boar ...
, Emmy Award
The Emmy Awards, or Emmys, are an extensive range of awards for artistic and technical merit for the television industry. A number of annual Emmy Award ceremonies are held throughout the year, each with their own set of rules and award categor ...
-winning screenwriter
A screenwriter (also called scriptwriter, scribe, or scenarist) is a person who practices the craft of writing for visual mass media, known as screenwriting. These can include short films, feature-length films, television programs, television ...
and producer of television and film
Sports
* Mickey Fisher (1904/05–1963), basketball coach
* Sam Nahem
Samuel Ralph Nahem (October 19, 1915 – April 19, 2004), nicknamed "'Subway Sam", was an American pitcher for the Brooklyn Dodgers (1938), St. Louis Cardinals (1941), and Philadelphia Phillies (1942 and 1948). His professional baseball playing ...
(1915–2004), Major League Baseball pitcher
* Elliot Steinmetz (born 1980), basketball coach
* Elaine Weddington Steward, lawyer working for Major League Baseball
* Fred Thompson
Freddie Dalton Thompson (August 19, 1942 – November 1, 2015) was an American politician, attorney, lobbyist, columnist, actor, and radio personality. A member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party, he served as a Unite ...
(1933–2019), Hall of Fame track and field coach
Other
* Anthony Bevilacqua
Anthony Joseph Bevilacqua (June 17, 1923 – January 31, 2012) was an American cardinal of the Catholic Church. He served as archbishop of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia from 1988 to 2003. Bevilacqua previously served as bishop of the Diocese ...
, Roman Catholic Cardinal and Archbishop of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
* Leonard Boudin
Leonard B. Boudin (July 20, 1912 – November 24, 1989) was an American civil liberties attorney and left-wing activist who represented Daniel Ellsberg of Pentagon Papers fame and Benjamin Spock, the author of '' Baby and Child Care'', who advoca ...
, lawyer and civil rights activist
* Clarence Dunnaville
Clarence M. Dunnaville Jr. (born 1933) is an American lawyer and civil rights activist, honored for his career achievements by the Virginia State Bar, as well as by the Library of Virginia.
Early life and education
Born in Roanoke, Virginia, Dun ...
, lawyer and civil rights activist
* Kate O'Beirne
Kate Walsh O'Beirne (September 23, 1949 – April 23, 2017) was the former president of National Review Institute and the Washington, D.C. editor of ''National Review''. Her column, "Bread and Circuses," covered Congress, politics, and U.S ...
, journalist, political commentator, magazine editor
* Ian Schrager
Ian Schrager (born July 19, 1946) is an American entrepreneur, hotel manager, hotelier and real estate developer, credited for co-creating the "boutique hotel" category of accommodation. Originally, he gained fame as co-owner and co-founder of S ...
, hotelier and real estate developer
* David D. Siegel, law professor, legal scholar and commentator
* Joseph Cammarata
Joseph Cammarata is an American attorney mainly known for handling the high-profile case against President Bill Clinton, in which he represented Paula Jones in a sexual harassment lawsuit against President Clinton. Cammarata also represented se ...
, lawyer and partner at Chaikin, Sherman, Cammarata & Siegel, P.C.; represented Paula Jones
Paula Corbin Jones (born Paula Rosalee Corbin; September 17, 1966) is an American civil servant. A former Arkansas state employee, Jones sued United States President Bill Clinton for sexual harassment in 1994. In the initial lawsuit, Jones accus ...
See also
* Law of New York
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Saint John's University Law
Catholic law schools in the United States
Universities and colleges established in 1925
Law schools in New York City
St. John's University (New York City)
1925 establishments in New York City