Deadlines and Events

Columbia Law School’s Class Day will be held on Monday, May 15, 2023. Guests can enter the venue (South Lawn, in front of Butler Library) at 4:30 p.m. The ceremony will start at 5:30 p.m., and the reception will start at 8 p.m. The University Commencement Ceremony will take place on Wednesday, May 17, 2023, in the morning.

During Class Day, graduates will hear their names read and the ceremony is exclusively for the Law School. Commencement is a ceremony with all university graduates. It is a lot of fun but individual names are not read.

We look forward to celebrating with you!

Questions? Email [email protected].

2/17 – 2/24            
Interested Graduation Speakers (J.D. and LL.M.) can submit a two-minute video. The Deadline is noon on February 24, 2023. Please submit all videos to: [email protected] with the subject line: GRAD SPEAKER VIDEO SUBMISSION.

2/27– 3/1                  
J.D. and LL.M. Graduation Speaker first round voting ends at 4 p.m. on March 1. Ballots will be sent out via SurveyMonkey.

2/27–3/3                 
Graduation Marshal Applications are due no later than 3 p.m. on March 3. SIGN UP HERE if you are interested.

2/27–3/3                 
Willis L.M. Reese Prize Award voting ends at 3 p.m on March 3. Ballots will be sent out via SurveyMonkey.

3/1                             
Deadline: Completion of pro bono service requirement (J.D.s only). Please see the Pro Bono Program and FAQs for details. For further questions, contact, email Marka Belinfanti at [email protected]. Failure to comply prohibits you from getting your Columbia Law School Class Day Tickets.


3/2–3/3                   
J.D. and LL.M. Graduation Speakers runoff voting ends at 3 p.m. on March 3. Ballots will be sent out via SurveyMonkey.

3/5                             
Deadline: 11:59 p.m.: Marching Order Form. Failure to comply prohibits you from ordering caps ($80) and gowns during the Graduation Fair and may result in a fee. Doctoral Gown $78, Doctoral Hood $40, Late Fee $40.

Student Services has a limited number of tams (caps). If you are having financial trouble, please email [email protected] on or before 4 p.m at April 11, 2023.           

3/7–3/9                     
Graduation Fair at the Bookstore, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., University Bookstore, Lerner Hall. Cap and gown fitting/ordering and graduation vendors (rings, announcements, diploma frames, etc.). If you are unable to go to the bookstore, please EMAIL your information on or before April 15.

3/7–3/9                 
Portrait shots with GradImages, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Feldberg Lounge. No appointment is needed. You only pay when you would like to purchase the photo.

3/15                           
Deadline:
Bar Housing Application.

3/22
University Commencement Ticket Available! (Instructions here)
Online registration for tickets is required for graduating students and their guests. Please use this LINK to request graduate tickets by 11:59 p.m. EDT on Friday, May 12, 2023. Graduate degree candidates may request up to two (2) tickets for their guests. Please note that these are NOT the Law School Class Day Tickets.

3/30
Deadline (J.D.s only): Please provide your graduation employment information in Symplicity. Failure to comply prohibits you from getting your Columbia Law School Class Day tickets. Questions? Email [email protected],

4/1                             
Deadline: Submission of the final draft of the J.D. Major Writing Credit paper and for all fall 2022 outstanding written work for J.D. and LL.M. degree candidates (unless the instructor specifies an earlier due date).

4/1–4/30                 
Application periods for the July administration of the New York State Uniform Bar Examination. Make sure to submit your application during this period; New York does not accept late applications.

4/11                            
Deadline:
Students who have completed the audio pronunciation, phonetic pronunciation, and name on the program can order their cap ($80) and regalia at the bookstore. Failure to order by this date will delay your regalia and may result in a fee. Doctoral Gown $78, Doctoral Hood $40, Late Fee $40Student Services has a limited number of tams (cap), if you are having financial trouble, please email m[email protected] on or before April 11, 2023, at 4 p.m. EDT.

4/12
Columbia Law School Class Day Tickets are Available!

Graduating students can now request up to six (6) tickets for their guests. Please use this LINK to request tickets by Friday, April 28, 2023, at 11:59 p.m. EDT. Graduating students do NOT need a ticket for themselves. Please note that these are NOT the University Commencement tickets. 

4/26                           
Last day of spring 2023 classes.

4/28
Deadline:
Last day to request your Columbia Law School Class Day tickets.

4/30                           
Deadline
for filing applications to take the July bar exam in New York State and in most other states. 

5/1                             
Deadline to submit all outstanding spring 2023 written work for May 2023 J.D. and LL.M. degree candidates (unless the instructor specifies and earlier due date). Last day to file the final copy of LL.M.  essay with the Office of Graduate Degree Programs.

5/1
Waitlist tickets distribution starts. Students who have requested more than the six (6) allocated tickets will start receiving their extra tickets. 

5/5                             
Bar housing decisions are sent out via email.

5/5
Rental gown distribution to students begins and continues through the morning of Law School graduation. Gowns are to be picked up at the Columbia Bookstore the week of May 5. The bookstore will ship regalia to students who opted for the regalia to be shipped to their preferred address.

5/12                            
All grades for May 2023 degree candidates must be recorded in LawNet to allow graduation clearance by the close of business on Monday, May 15.  

5/12
Deadline: The Commencement Office will officially close registration for Commencement tickets on Friday, May 12, at 11:59 p.m. Please see HERE how to download your University Commencement tickets. These are NOT the Law School Class Day Tickets.

5/15                           
Deadline: Approved residents for bar housing must sign housing renewal. Denied residents must move out of university housing by May 31.

5/15                           
Columbia Law School Graduation on campus. Gates open at 4:30 p.m.

5/17                           
University Commencement.  

5/24                           
Deadline: Last day to return rental regalia to the Columbia Bookstore. The cap is yours to keep.