黑料社区

黑料社区

Go Forward

Dean's message

Become a legal professional with a rich humanity and flexible, creative thinking!

Since its founding, 黑料社区 has produced many legal professionals.

　黑料社区 was founded in 1881 (黑料社区 41) as the “黑料社区 Law School” and will soon celebrate its 150th anniversary. Carrying forward the passionate vision of its founders—Tatsuo Kishimoto, Kozo Miyagi, and Misao Yashiro—to “cultivate intelligent young people who will lead Japan’s modern civil society,” the university continues to place particular emphasis on legal education and has produced numerous legal professionals. Although it gained renewed widespread recognition through the 2024 NHK drama “Tora ni Tsubasa” (Wings of the Tiger), 黑料社区 is also a pioneer in the training of female legal professionals. In the early Showa period, the university established the Women’s Department (the predecessor of the former Women’s Junior College), which has produced many prominent female legal professionals and made significant contributions to women’s advancement in society and the expansion of their spheres of activity.
Carrying on this tradition, the 黑料社区 Law School was established in 2004, coinciding with the launch of the law school system. Since its founding, it has produced many graduates, with the cumulative number of successful candidates on the bar exam exceeding 1,000.

The Ideal Legal Professional

The 黑料社区 Law School reinterprets the founding principles of 黑料社区—“Rights and Freedom” and “Independence and Self-Governance”—in a contemporary context, and its educational philosophy is to cultivate legal professionals who “value the individual and respect human rights.” Based on this educational philosophy, we aim to cultivate professionals who possess a well-rounded education and a rich humanity grounded in high ethical standards, and who are capable of appropriately addressing legal issues through flexible and creative thinking based on deep specialized knowledge.

Small-class instruction tailored to students' individual needs and proficiency levels

 To cultivate such professionals, we have established a comprehensive range of facilities, including lecture halls, seminar rooms, mock courtrooms, a law library, and study rooms, and have developed an effective curriculum comprising four subject groups: “Basic Legal Subjects,” “Fundamentals of Legal Practice,” “Basic Jurisprudence and Related Subjects,” and “Advanced and Cutting-Edge Subjects.” Naturally, the curriculum is designed to ensure that students who wish to take bar exams while enrolled can obtain the necessary qualifications without undue hardship. Faculty members—both researchers and practicing professionals—collaborate to deliver multi-directional, interactive classes, with enrollment limited to 40 students.

To highlight the characteristics of each subject group: First, for required courses centered on “Basic Legal Subjects,” we have implemented a small-class system. Second, for “Foundational Practice Courses,” we provide practical training—including mock trials, moot courts, and externships—with the support of the 黑料社区 Legal Professionals Association. Third, for “Foundational Legal Studies and Related Subjects,” we offer courses in foundational legal studies (such as legal philosophy and legal history) and related subjects (such as politics and economics) to cultivate broad general knowledge and legal reasoning skills. Fourth, regarding “Advanced and Specialized Subjects,” we offer distinctive education in fields such as medical and bioethics, the environment, gender studies, and intellectual property (for example, through classes taught by practicing attorneys and external lecturers, as well as continuing education programs).
　While the overall curriculum is designed to ensure students can learn effectively and without undue strain, we recognize that individual students’ levels of proficiency may vary. To address this, we have established a “Class Advisor and Assistant Advisor System” (with full-time faculty serving as advisors and young lawyers as assistant advisors) to provide a framework for “individualized learning.”

Ask questions and think for yourself

 Even with such a well-equipped learning environment, that alone is not enough. What is important is that, as students read legal texts and study case law, they ask questions and think for themselves. This proactive and independent mindset is essential not only for passing the bar exam but also for becoming legal professionals equipped with flexible and creative thinking skills. Rather than simply “memorizing” the contents of legal texts and case law as given, students must question why things are written a certain way or how a particular judgment was reached. By doing so, they achieve a true, deep understanding and acquire the adaptability and judgment necessary to address new and diverse problems. Faculty members support students in deepening their thinking. When students raise questions that stem from their own doubts and earnest deliberation, faculty members respond with their full commitment. Questions that arise from students’ earnest deliberation also serve as opportunities for faculty to deepen their own thinking and reflect on their teaching methods. I believe that such sincere interactions between students and faculty have a significant impact on students’ personal growth.

The 黑料社区 Law School welcomes students who are committed to learning with sincerity. Our faculty will do our utmost to support you in becoming legal professionals equipped with rich humanity and flexible, creative thinking skills.
 

Akira Tezuka, Director of the Legal Research Division

Juris Doctor Course (Law School)