Chicago-Kent College of Law

What Chicago-Kent College of Law does

Chicago-Kent College of Law is a private, nonprofit law school founded in 1888 and operating as an academic unit of Illinois Institute of Technology since 1969. The school is headquartered at the Conviser Law Center, 565 West Adams Street in downtown Chicago, Illinois. Chicago-Kent delivers a Juris Doctor (J.D.) program with twelve formalized certificate concentrations, Master of Laws (LL.M.) programs with a 25-year history enrolling students from more than sixty countries, joint degrees with Illinois Institute of Technology and other area universities, and non-degree certifications for working professionals. The portfolio is supplemented by legal clinics (the C-K Law Group), the Patent Hub, externships, and a five-semester Legal Research and Writing program, all designed to deliver hands-on practice experience before graduation. The institution employs 501-1,000 staff and faculty, including 53+ full-time faculty, 9 clinical faculty, and 10 legal research and writing faculty.

Name

Chicago-Kent College of Law

Legal name

Chicago-Kent College of Law at Illinois Institute of Technology

Website

https://kentlaw.iit.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1893

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Chicago-Kent College of Law is a private nonprofit law school within Illinois Institute of Technology offering J.D., LL.M., joint-degree, and certificate programs from its downtown Chicago campus. It serves prospective attorneys and working professionals with top-7 nationally ranked IP Law and top-12 Trial Advocacy programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Legal Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

ABA-Accredited JD-Granting Law Schools (EDAHAIAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

LLM & Post-JD Graduate Law Programs (EDAHAIAC), Law School Continuing Legal Education (CLE) & Executive Programs (EDAHAIAH), Legal & Compliance (CLE, Paralegal CE) (EDAAALAB)

Keywords

• Legal education programs
• Juris doctor degree
• Intellectual property law
• Trial advocacy training
• Continuing legal education

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. J.D. and LL.M. Tuition: Revenue from tuition and fees for J.D. programs, LL.M. programs, and non-degree certifications. The school offers joint degree programs with Illinois Institute of Technology and other universities.
2. CLE (Continuing Legal Education): Continuing legal education programs and offerings for practicing attorneys
3. Certificate Programs: Specialized certification programs for working professionals seeking specialized training without formal degree enrollment

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Chicago-Kent College of Law is a private law school that sells Juris Doctor (J.D.) degrees, Master of Laws (LL.M.) degrees, joint degree programs with partner universities, non-degree certifications for working professionals, and continuing legal education (CLE) for practicing attorneys. Its offerings are supplemented by practical training programs including legal clinics, Patent Hub, trial advocacy, externships, and a five-semester legal writing requirement. The school operates as an academic unit of Illinois Institute of Technology from its Conviser Law Center in downtown Chicago.

Product overview

Chicago-Kent College of Law operates as a law school offering a comprehensive legal education portfolio. The core offerings include a J.D. Program with twelve specialized certificate tracks (including top-ranked Intellectual Property Law and Labor and Employment Law) and LL.M. Programs (including International Intellectual Property Law and Financial Markets Compliance). These are supplemented by Non-Degree Certifications, Joint Degree Programs with partner universities, and extensive practical training through Legal Clinics (C-K Law Group), Trial Advocacy, Externships, and a five-semester Legal Research and Writing Program. The school also supports student development through its Public Interest Center and publishes the Chicago-Kent Journal of Intellectual Property. Rankings include 7th nationally for IP Law and 12th for Trial Advocacy (U.S. News 2024-2026).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• J.D. Program Three-year Juris Doctor degree program with twelve formalized certificate programs including top-ranked Intellectual Property Law and Labor and Employment Law programs, plus trial advocacy training; designed for prospective lawyers preparing for the bar exam and legal practice.
• LL.M. Programs Master of Laws degree programs including International Intellectual Property Law, Financial Markets Compliance Online Program, and general LL.M. offerings for foreign-trained attorneys seeking U.S. legal credentials; 25-year history educating students from over sixty countries.
• Non-Degree Certifications Specialized training certifications for working professionals who wish to receive focused training without enrolling in a formal degree program.
• Joint Degree Programs Concurrent degree programs allowing students to pursue two degrees at Illinois Institute of Technology and other Chicago-area universities for cross-disciplinary expertise.
• Legal Clinics (C-K Law Group) Hands-on clinical programs including Intellectual Property, Entertainment, and Entrepreneurship Law Clinic; Immigration Law Clinic; Plaintiffs Employment Law Clinic; Tax Clinic; and Patent Hub providing real-world legal experience for law students.
• Trial Advocacy Program Ranked 12th nationally by U.S. News and World Report 2024-2025, providing extensive courtroom skills training and competition opportunities for law students.
• Intellectual Property Law Program Ranked 7th nationally by U.S. News & World Report 2026 (highest-ranked IP law program in Illinois and the Midwest), providing comprehensive education in intellectual property law with co-directors Graeme B. Dinwoodie, Sarah Fackrell, Greg Reilly, and Cathay Y. N. Smith.
• Externships Placements for students with governmental agencies, law firms, corporations, and advocacy organizations in the Chicago legal community to gain practical legal experience.
• Continuing Legal Education (CLE) Continuing legal education programs and offerings for practicing attorneys seeking professional development credits.
• Chicago-Kent Journal of Intellectual Property

Quantifiable outcome

• 90.57% ultimate bar pass rate (2021 graduates passing bar in any jurisdiction within two years)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.

• Legal Aid Society of Metropolitan Family ServicesflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 April 2026Chicago-Kent's Ronald W. Staudt Public Interest Partner Award recipient. The organization provides legal assistance on family law, elder law, and other issues to those who can't afford it. Chicago-Kent has partnered with the Legal Aid Society since 2013, providing volunteer opportunities for students. Deputy Director Loren Gutierrez '17 started as a volunteer at the organization.
• Impact for EquitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Public-interest law and policy center combating racial, economic, and social injustice. Ella Robinson '28 will spend summer 2026 at Impact for Equity as Justice John Paul Stevens Public Interest Summer Fellowship recipient.
• Illinois Human Rights CommissioncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026State agency promoting freedom from discrimination as defined by the Illinois Human Rights Act. Sara Schlecht '28 will work for the commission as Justice John Paul Stevens Public Interest Summer Fellowship recipient. Katherine Hanson '22 completed Edward Coles Fellowship with the commission.
• Illinois Prison ProjectcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Nonprofit working for a more humane prison system throughout Illinois. Tashi Gordillo '26 (Pro Bono Student Leader Award recipient) completed bulk of 687.5 service hours with the organization.
• McAndrews, Held and Malloy, Ltd.flagshipChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2025Intellectual property boutique firm where 20% of lawyers (13 of 65) are Chicago-Kent alumni including President Robert A. Surrette '97 (Chair of Chicago-Kent Board of Advisors) and General Counsel Deborah Laughton '02. The firm actively recruits from Chicago-Kent, particularly through the IP program.
• Incubate IPcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2025Patent law firm founded by Randy Micheletti '09 serving startups with affordable IP legal protections. Micheletti recruits most of his attorneys from Chicago-Kent due to the school's strong legal writing program. He also teaches as an adjunct at the school.
• Pro Bono Patent HubcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Chicago-Kent's pro bono Patent Hub connects students with entrepreneurs needing patent assistance. Randy Micheletti '09 works with clients through this program. The Hub is part of Chicago-Kent's IP program providing real-world experience.
• Illinois Institute of TechnologyflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Chicago-Kent is the law school of Illinois Institute of Technology. Joint degree programs available with Stuart School of Business. Dean Jason J. Czarnezki leads the law school under the university umbrella. Lewis Collens is professor emeritus and president emeritus of Illinois Tech.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• University of Chicago Law School: Elite Chicago-based law school and one of the top-ranked programs nationally. Competes for the same high-ability Chicago-area applicants and recruits from the same major law firms.
• Fordham Law School: Private urban law school in New York with similarly strong IP program. Comparable in mission, rankings tier, and urban-market positioning.
• Washington University in St. Louis School of Law: Private Midwestern law school with strong IP program and similar overall ranking band. Directly comparable in size, structure, and IP/trial advocacy strength.
• DePaul University College of Law: Chicago-based law school with strong IP and health law programs. Direct competitor for the same applicant pool and Chicago legal market employers, particularly for IP-focused students.
• Northwestern Pritzker School of Law: Another Chicago-based private law school with strong IP, business, and trial advocacy programs. Direct competitor for the same Chicago-area applicant pool, alumni networks, and recruiter relationships.
• Loyola University Chicago School of Law: Chicago-based Jesuit law school with overlapping practice-oriented programs. Most direct geographic competitor for students seeking a Chicago legal education at a non-T-14 institution.
• Case Western Reserve University School of Law: Private research-university law school with comparable IP and trial advocacy strengths. Similar size, ranking band, and urban Midwestern positioning.

Regional players

• Marquette University Law School: Wisconsin-based private law school with similar size and Jesuit-affiliated ethos. Competes for similar Midwest applicants seeking a private legal education.
• University of Illinois College of Law: Illinois flagship public law school with comparable IP and trial advocacy programs. Competes for in-state applicants but operates under a different public-university funding model.
• Indiana University Maurer School of Law: Big Ten-adjacent law school with strong IP program. Comparable in size and ranking tier to Chicago-Kent, competing for similar Midwest applicants and IP-focused students.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ChicagoKentLaw
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/ChicagoKentLaw
• Facebookfacebook.com/ChicagoKentLaw
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/illinois-institute-of-technology
• Instagraminstagram.com/chicagokentlaw

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Chicago-Kent College of Law