Message from the Dean

Keio University Law School (Keio Law School) was established in April 2004, when the new system for training legal professionals was launched. The law school's mission of providing specialized legal education that bridges theory and practice is a perfect match for the spirit of Keio University: "jitsugaku (science)." Since then, based on the core principles of "internationalism, interdisciplinarity, and cutting-edge research," Keio Law School has aimed to foster a wide range of human resources demanded by society. We have steadily built a track record in legal professional training, and in recent years, around 80 percent of our graduates ultimately pass the bar examination. The cumulative total of our alumni working as practicing legal professionals has reached approximately 2,900. In addition to the three branches of the legal profession—judges, prosecutors, and attorneys—we have also produced many graduates who work as business professionals and civil servants, regardless of whether they have obtained legal qualifications.

A "profession" is characterized as a socially recognized occupation dedicated to serving the public interest. Its members acquire specialized skills, backed by a high level of academic knowledge, through special education and training, and on that basis, provide specific services in response to individual requests from the general public. To train legal professionals, meticulous guidance and rigorous evaluation are essential. At Keio Law School, based on the Keio University spirit of "learning while teaching, teaching while learning," students constantly strive for excellence by teaching and learning from one another in various situations. Senior students with the same aspirations are also enthusiastic about mentoring their junior counterparts. This is the greatest appeal of studying at Keio Law School, and the very strong positive correlation confirmed between students' academic performance (GPA) and their success in the bar examination can be considered a testament to this approach.

To become a legal professional, one must acquire not only fundamental legal knowledge and legal reasoning skills but also a strong sense of professional ethics to sincerely address individual facts and disputes. Among Keio Law School's required courses, the fundamental law subjects cultivate a balance of theoretical thinking and practical sensibility. In the fundamental legal practice subjects, experienced faculty with practical expertise impart essential techniques for applying the law. In today's world, where problems are becoming more complex, spanning various fields and crossing national borders, there is a demand for the ability to accurately grasp the diverse needs of a constantly changing society, resolve disputes by applying the law in light of principles such as justice and fairness, and propose new legal systems. Through our rich selection of over 100 elective courses (including fundamental and adjacent legal studies, as well as advanced and cutting-edge subjects) and workshop programs, which embody our guiding principles of "internationalism, interdisciplinarity, and cutting-edge research," students acquire the skills to confront and take on new challenges.

In addition to our Juris Doctor program, which prepares students for the Japanese bar examination, Keio Law School launched the Master of Laws (LL.M) in Global Legal Practice in April 2017. This is a one-year program of specialized legal education conducted in English, leading to a Master of Laws (LL.M.) degree. It offers internationally recognized specialized legal education in English for those motivated to utilize their legal skills and play an active role globally. In this "Japanese LL.M.," Japanese students and a diverse group of international students study together. We aim to foster human resources who can be active internationally in a wide range of fields, including international organizations, legal development assistance, and international commercial arbitration, as well as attorneys and business professionals seeking overseas training. A major feature is that students in the Juris Doctor program can also take these courses as electives, providing them with the opportunity to interact with international students from various countries.

To reiterate, the role of Keio Law School is not limited to training the three branches of the legal profession. Specialized professionals with legal knowledge are expected to play various active roles at the forefront of society, and the range of fields where our graduates can be active—including corporations, government agencies, and international organizations—is steadily expanding. We sincerely hope that those of you with the drive and high aspirations to acquire the specialized knowledge of law, the spirit to take on the challenges of a new era, and the will to train yourselves to become "leaders of all society" will enroll at Keio Law School.