Zero-L is designed to provide students from all backgrounds with the tools they need to feel more confident and prepared as they begin law school. Available in an online self-study format, law schools can get students to focus on the most relevant modules for their first year of law school. In response, HLS partnered with Harvard University`s Office of the Vice Provost for Advancement of Learning (VPAL) in 2018 to launch a new online course called Zero-L, which aims to ensure that all incoming students, regardless of background and previous fields of study, begin with the foundational knowledge that will enable them to succeed in law school. (The name Zero-L is a traditional set of terms for law students, second and third year – 1Ls, 2Ls and 3Ls). If you have any questions, please contact Jessica Soban, Associate Dean of Strategic Initiatives, at hlsonline@law.harvard.edu. For institutions facing the prospect of online orientation due to COVID-19, Zero-L also covers some essential elements of law school orientation, such as an introduction to the first year of law school, in an on-demand format that can complement a virtual orientation. Harvard Law School Dean John F. Manning `85, a first-generation university graduate and law student, knows firsthand how much a program like Zero-L has to offer. “When I arrived at HLS as a freshman, I felt very overwhelmed during the crucial first few weeks.

I didn`t know the differences between state and federal courts, what the common law was, or what a “litigator” does for a living. Like many new law students, I felt like everyone around me “understood,” and I didn`t. We created Zero-L to provide new students with a shared knowledge base of the U.S. legal system and legal vocabulary from day one, giving them confidence that they can succeed. The faculty at Harvard Law School consists of the best legal minds from all disciplines who are committed to excellence in teaching. Students learn to prepare for law school from practitioners and academics who are shaping the legal landscape around the world. Harvard is authorized to offer distance learning under the State Reciprocity Agreement (SARA), an agreement that allows Massachusetts colleges to provide distance education to students residing in other SARA participating states. For information on SARA-related complaint procedures for distance learners, see vpal.harvard.edu/nc-sara. “We designed Zero-L as a course that all law schools can benefit from by ensuring that the content does not focus on institution-specific pedagogy,” said Jessica Soban `07, associate dean for strategic initiatives. Topics include algorithms, cloud computing, databases, networks, privacy, programming, scalability, security, and more, with a particular focus on understanding how developers` work and the technology solutions they use can impact customers. Students come away from this course with a first-hand assessment of how everything works, and all the more confident in the factors that should guide their decision-making. A few years ago, administrators at Harvard Law School (HLS) found that the profile of new law students was very different than it was a decade ago.

Students who come to HLS now reflect many different backgrounds and lived experiences, with many others having studied in a STEM field in college, spent four or more years in the workforce, or coming to HLS from abroad. Students get an overview of the most taught courses in the first year, so they are ready to excel in the classroom from day one. Learn more about contracts in this online course from Harvard Law Professor Charles Fried, one of the world`s leading authorities on contract law. Joining an online program with Harvard Law School Executive Education gives you access to the same faculty expertise, unparalleled content, and opportunities to connect with colleagues around the world as our on-campus programs, but with the added flexibility of a virtual classroom. A consortium program from Harvard, MIT, and Tufts featuring academics and students from a wide range of fields of study, including law, economics, government, and more. In-person and online programs for legal frameworks. Strengthen your leadership skills and build a network of peers to advance your career and organization. These online courses are designed for lawyers who want to dive deep into a specific area, and anyone who wants to learn how the law works in practice. These courses are offered by Harvard Law School in partnership with Harvard`s Vice President, Learning and edX and are part of our ongoing commitment to lifelong learning. Are you looking for customized online or personal programs for a group in your company or organization? Tell us what you`re looking for! Learn more about developing a custom program → Zero-L is for personal use only and may not be distributed or distributed in any form without the express written permission of Harvard Law School. This program publishes and distributes experimental material developed by HLS faculty for HLS courses.

Andy Boes `21 studied political science and economics at the University of Notre Dame, but does not come from a family of lawyers. “I haven`t had much contact with the legal world, other than the tangential academic exposure you get from political science,” Boes says. Teaching Zero-L gave him “a good foundation,” he says. “I felt a little more comfortable going to class.” This course is a variant of Harvard University`s Introduction to Computer Science, CS50, designed specifically for lawyers and law students. This course is a variant of Harvard University`s Introduction to Computer Science, CS50, designed specifically for lawyers (and law students). While CS50 itself takes a bottom-up approach and emphasizes mastery of low-level concepts and their implementation details, this course takes a top-down approach and emphasizes mastery of high-level concepts and related design decisions. Ultimately, it provides students with a deeper understanding of the legal implications of clients` technology decisions. Zero-L offers students many opportunities to test their understanding of the material. There are no partitions.

“Zero-L helps new 1Ls build a solid foundation and prepare to begin the first day of law school,” said Victoria McCoy Dunkley, Assistant Professor of Academic and Director of the Academic Success Program at Northeastern University School of Law. The course examines current copyright law; the impact of this Act on arts, entertainment and industry; and ongoing debates on how the law should be reformed.