Frequently Asked Questions
For Graduates (10)
You are required to file a “Notice of Intent” to graduate during the first month of the fall term preceding the semester in which you anticipate completing your academic requirements. Failure to file your “Notice of Intent” in a timely fashion may affect your ability to participate in the annual Commencement ceremony.
Please see the COMMENCEMENT PROCEDURES AND POLICIES. If there are any grades of incomplete on your academic record, the course work must be completed and the change of grade submitted. If you have questions regarding the completion of your academic requirements the registrar's office will be happy to assist you.
The 2010 ceremony will be held on Saturday, May 15, 2010 at Veteran’s Memorial Arena. The ceremony will begin at 3:00pm and last for approximately two and a half hours. Graduates must arrive no later than 2:00pm for check in and lineup. Late arrival may cause you to not be allowed to participate.
Juris Doctorate candidates can reserve their caps/gowns and order graduation announcements during our onsite ordering which will take place in the Atrium on 02/08 and 02/09. Online ordering will be available beginning in the early fall and lasting thru 03/27; after that date you may place orders and reserve regalia in the FCSL bookstore. A late fee will be assessed for orders placed after 03/27.
Graduates should dress in business casual attire. Jackets are not required. Only approved FCSL Regalia will be allowed during the ceremony. Organization stoles and cords, other than those issued by the School for Latin Honors, Law Review, Moot Court, Mock Trial, and Pro-Bono are not permitted. Organizational accessories are only permitted before and after the ceremony. For more information please see the Official Policies and Procedures.
The ceremony will begin promptly at 3:00pm and will last approximately two and one-half hours. Graduates should arrive at 1:45pm for check-in and line up.
Your name will appear in the program if you have completed and turned in all of your graduation paperwork. This includes, but is not limited to your Notice of Intent to graduate and your Graduation Application. You will receive an email closer to the end of your final semester with instructions for the Graduation Application. The Notice of Intent to graduate should be completed the first month of the fall semester prior to completion of your academic requirements. You will be asked closer to the ceremony date to either affirm or defer your Notice of Intent. All of the items mentioned above are mandatory and should be completed in a timely fashion.
Diplomas will be available for pickup from the Registrar’s office approximately 6 weeks following the Commencement ceremony. If you elect to have your diploma mailed, it will be sent to the address on file in your student portal. To verify your address on file is the correct address click here. All address changes must be submitted through your student portal.
No, tickets are not required for the ceremony.
Yes, graduate parking will be located in the ground level open parking lot, Lot Z. This parking lot is located on the Adams St. side of the arena and the cost for parking is $5 per vehicle. In the event of inclement weather, graduates are advised to usse the garage parking adjacent to Lot Z. This is the closest covered parking to the graduate entrance. The cost for all garage parking is $5 per vehicle.
For Guests (2)
Tickets are not required for the ceremony.
The ceremony will begin at 3:00pm last approximately two and one-half hours. It is important to arrive on-time and the doors will close promptly and 3:00 pm and guests will not be permitted to enter the arena until the graduates have been seated.
Information Technology (7)
While we don't offer any official computer-related (i.e.: technically inclined) in our curriculum, we do have resources that Computer Services offers in optional courses over the course of a year.
Typically, we take a small group of interested students and teach them some basics about computer security and how to keep their computer running smoothly.
Recently, we held a small course on the subject of security, and we have three presentations from it:
What does this mean?
The message in the image above is designed to protect and inform you. If you get the message while following a link or from clicking on one of your favorites, then it's likely the link in question is out of date and pointing to the non-secure version of the form.
When you try to load that page, you should get a message explaining the situation, once you're ready, click on the "Continue to Secure Version" to continue.
If you think you've gotten this message in error, please contact the webmaster.
Clients such as Microsoft Outlook, Apple Mail, Mozilla Thunderbird, and the like are not currently supported at this time.
The classroom equipment can be daunting. Here is a guide on how to use the basic operations.
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Signing up for E2Campus is simple. We have an all-in-one page that allows you to either login to your exisiting account, or sign up for a new one.
Please visit our sign up page for more information.
You will need to download and install the Microsoft Office Compatibility Pack for Word, Excel, and PowerPoint 2007 File Formats from Microsoft.
Vendors
There are many vendor choices for purcahsing a laptop, some of the common vendors are:
There also a number of 3rd party vendors who can offer educational discounts such as:
PC
- Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo, AMD Athlon/Turion (or better) 1.6ghz
- RAM: 2 Gigabytes of RAM (for Microsoft Windows Vista)
- Networking: Wireless A/B/G/N, G or N is recommended.
Mac
Either the MacBook or MacBook Pro are more than adequate for use on the Coastal Law campus.
Note: To participate in ExamSoft exams, you will need MacOS 10.5.x (or later) with a copy of Microsoft Windows XP or Vista running inside of BootCamp.
Software
Microsoft Office (both Windows and Mac) is strongly recommended. The Microsoft Office Student and Teacher Edition is usually recommended.
For Windows users, a good anti-virus package is recommended. There are many choices in this arena, here is a small sampling:
We do have a computer lab on campus that can be used for word processing and research with Westlaw and Lexis-Nexis.
Configuration instructions are available in the computer lab and we ask that configure your system the initial time.
To use Elluminate Live, you'll need to have Sun's Java installed. Additionally, Quicktime Player is strongly recommended
Live@edu (4)
Live@edu is a service offered by Microsoft for use by FCSL students. It includes many different services such as email, file storage, collaboration tools and many others.
Email For Life
Your email account will now remain active forever. In the past we were forced to remove student email accounts 180 days after graduation. By moving to Live@edu we have the ability to keep your email active for as long as you want.
More Storage! Tons of Storage!
Previously we could only give students 500MB for email storage and another 500MB for file storage. With Live@edu you get 10GB of storage for email plus another 25GB for file storage.
Collaboration Tools
You now have the ability to take full advantage of IM, voice and video chat features via Outlook.com and Windows Live Messenger. You can also create workspaces to share with other students if you're working on a project together.
Anywhere Email Access
You now can access your email via Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft Entourage, Mac Mail and many other email clients. You can also connect your mobile device such as your iPhone, Windows Mobile phone, Blackberry and any other time of phone that supports either Exchange, POP or IMAP.
You can access Live@edu by going to https://www.outlook.com/ and entering your Coastal email address and password.
To find out more information about Live@edu, including tutorials ranging from how to send an email to how to connect your mobile device to your account, please go to http://help.outlook.com.
Account (3)
1. Lookup your new Coastal Login
Everything in Live@edu revolves around your new Coastal Login so you need to look it up to get started.
- Browse to the ASSP | Forgot Info page.
- Enter the requested information and click Validate.
- Once validated, you should be shown your new Coastal Login. Be sure to write it down as you will need it for accessing most all Coastal systems and services going forward.
- Click Continue to logon to the ASSP.
2. Change your password
You need to get your password in sync with Live@edu by changing it through the ASSP or a Student Lab PC.
- Choose Change My Password from the ASSP menu bar.
- Read the password requirements and enter your new password as requested.
- Click Change Password. If you receive any response other than, “Your password change was successful”, you need to try again.
3. Activate your Live@edu account
Now that your password is in sync with Live@edu you need to finalize your account.
- Browse to www.outlook.com.
- Enter your new Coastal Login as your Windows Live ID in the format of CoastalLogin@law.fcsl.edu, as well as your new password that you just created.
- Click Sign in.
- You’ll be redirected to a page where you'll need to confirm that your time zone is set to (GMT-05:00) Eastern Time (US & Canada).
- Click OK and you will finally be redirected to your new Live@edu account.
No. Your password that you use for wireless, Student Lab PCs and other systems such as SharePoint, is automatically synchronized from Coastal Law to Live@edu anytime you change it.
IMPORTANT: Do NOT change your password in Live@edu. Your password will only be in sync if you change it from the Account Self-Service Portal (ASSP) or a PC in the Student Lab.
Your Windows Live ID is your Coastal Login and is used by Live@edu to access the various services available to you. Your Windows Live ID is not your email alias.
Email (3)
During the migration to Live@edu the entire contents of your old account were exported to a PST file for you.
The contents of your PST file include:
- All email (including the folders they were stored in as well as deleted items)
- All calendar items
- All contact items
- All task items
- All note items
Please contact the Help Desk if you would like the contents of your PST file imported into your new Live@edu account for you.
An email alias is an email address that you can create via the Account Self-Service Portal (ASSP) to receive email at.
For example, by default you can send and receive email via your primary email address which is in the format of CoastalLogin@law.fcsl.edu. If you want to create a more personal email address to receive mail at, you can create an alias composed of your first name, middle initial and last name. So if it's available, you could choose to have an alias of Austin.D.Powers@law.fcsl.edu if Austin (Danger) Powers is your name.
Students no longer have a @fcsl.edu email address. All student addresses are now @law.fcsl.edu.
SkyDrive (3)
SkyDrive is Live@edu's online file storage platform. Currently, all students get 25GB of storage which they can use files of mostly any type.
Currently, each student has 25GB worth of storage for files.
1. Download your files from Digital Locker
In order to migrate files from Digital Locker to SkyDrive, you first need to download all of your files from Digital Locker to your computer.
- Browse to https://locker.fcsl.edu.
- Enter your Coastal Login and password as prompted.
- You should now see a list of all your files and folders in the right pane.Select the check box in the header row next to the label Name to select all the files and folders in your directory.
- Click the Download icon from the menu bar above your file and folder list. This will automatically zip all the files and folders in your directory and prompt you to download that zip file.
- Save the zip file to somewhere on your computer that will be easy for you to find later, maybe your Desktop.
2. Extract the files from Digital Locker
Before you can access and edit your files from Digital Locker, we need to extract them.
- On your Mac, simply double-click the zip file and it should automatically extract the files into a folder in the same location with the name of the zip file.
- On your PC, simply right-click the zip file and choose Extract Files. Follow the prompts to extract the files to a folder in the same location as the zip file.
3. Upload the files to SkyDrive
At this time, SkyDrive doesn't support uploading folders so you'll need to create those first. If you don't have a folder structure, you can simply upload the files into your main My Documents folder.
- Browse to http://www.skydrive.com.
- Enter your Coastal Login and password as prompted. This is the same login you use for your email.
- You should now see a list of the default folders created for you on SkyDrive. For our purposes, we're going to upload all the files from Digital Locker into the My Documents folder as only you have access to that folder by default. Go ahead and click on My Documents.
- From the menu bar you can choose to Add Files or Create Folder and then Add Files into it. If you have a PC and are using Internet Explorer you can install the Upload Tool to enable the capability of dragging and dropping the files you want to upload. If you have a Mac, or aren't using Internet Explorer on a PC, then you will have to upload files 5 at a time.
If you have any questions or need any assistance please contact the Help Desk at HelpDesk@fcsl.edu or 904.680.7624.
Prospective Students (7)
To ensure our graduates are professionally prepared for practice, we offer a large contingent of courses that focus on professional skills and allow practice through simulation.
In addition students may work under the supervision of fulltime faculty members in our legal clinics. There, students work with real clients and gain the kind of insight and understanding that can’t be found in classrooms or textbooks.
Five clinics are currently offered.
- Family and Child Advocacy Clinic
- Juvenile Law Clinic
- Consumer Law Clinic
- Immigration Law Clinic
- Caribbean Law Clinic
In addition to our clinics, students may apply for various for-credit externships and judicial internships. Some placement opportunities include:
- Florida Supreme Court
- Florida District Courts of Appeal
- U.S. Attorney
- State Attorney
- Public Defender
- City of Jacksonville General Counsel
- Jacksonville Area Legal Aid
- Florida Department of Children and Families
- Florida Attorney General
- Social Security Administration Office of Hearings and Appeals
- Numerous state courts in Florida and Georgia
Coastal Law’s moot court teams continue to establish an impressive record at statewide, national and international moot court competitions. Moot court is an extracurricular activity in which appellate court proceedings are simulated. Coastal Law teams consistently place at or near the top of the state’s most prestigious statewide moot court competitions, including The E. Zehmer Moot Court Competition, as well as The Robert Orseck Moot Court Competition. Likewise, Coastal Law has solidified national recognition, taking top honors at competitions including The Chicago Bar Association National Constitutional Law Competition. Internationally, Coastal Law has been ranked among the top 10, as recognized at The Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition in Washington D.C.
Coastal Law mock trial teams enjoy similar successes, having advanced to regional rounds of numerous national competitions, including The National Trial Competition, The American Association of Justice Competition, and The Buffalo Niagara Invitational Competition. Mock Trial allows students to develop and demonstrate trial advocacy skills in competitive state and national simulated jury trials.
Among the many advantages that set Coastal Law apart from our comparator schools is the curriculum, which allows our students to align career interests with specialized areas of expertise. A certificate program is a formal course of study within the curriculum that is comparable to a college major. Coastal Law offers five certificate programs.
- Sports Law
- Family Law
- Environmental Law
- Research, Writing and Drafting Certificate
- International and Comparative Law
Coastal Law’s faculty has earned international legal acclaim; from authoring case books and articles to counseling the Iraqi Constitutional Commission and advising the UN war crimes tribunal in The Hague. They create a challenging and motivating academic environment, yet as former judges, practicing attorneys, government officials, and corporate executives, they offer realistic legal perspectives.
However, in addition to providing a time-honored, fully accredited legal education, the professors here are accessible to the students and are able to share realistic, experience-based approaches that are valuable to someone studying to become a lawyer.
Jacksonville is a metropolitan center of more than 1,000,000 people, including one of the youngest populations in Florida. Boasting 68 miles of ocean coastline, 300 miles of riverfront, and one of the largest park systems in the country, the city offers an outstanding array of outdoor activities of all types. Dotted with unique neighborhoods & restaurants, exceptional arts & culture, and an astounding variety of entertainment options and professional sports -- including NFL, PGA Tour, LPGA, ATP Tennis, hockey and baseball -- Jacksonville will provide you with the idyllic setting for a legal education while you enjoy warm winters and beach-filled summers.
Individual Academic Success Counseling
First year students meet with an Academic Success Counselor for individual attention to review grades and course selection, discuss life issues that may affect, or may have affected, academic performance.
In addition, the department assists students in adjusting to law school and its unique stresses and challenges.
P.A.S.S. Assistant Program
This program designed especially for first-semester students as part of Coastal’s commitment to providing every student with resources needed to succeed.
Each P.A.S.S. section will be assigned to an upper division student called a “P.A.S.S. Assistant” (“PA”); PAs are chosen from upper-level students demonstrating high academic achievement.
PAs are available to meet one-on-one with students for additional assistance on topics including note-taking, case briefing, synthesis of material, case analysis, time management, outlining, and test-taking strategies. Meeting with a PA is voluntary and open to all first-semester students as a supplement to P.A.S.S.
Writing Center
The practice of law requires students to acquire a unique style of writing in order to be successful both in law school and in the future practice of law.
The Writing Specialist and/or Writing Center teaching assistants are available to meet with students undertaking any kind of legal writing, discuss/review writing samples, and learn to improve grammar and writing style.
In addition Coastal Law conducts several skills workshops covering a wide range of topics including punctuation, organization, and style.
As a Coastal Law student, you’ll have convenient access to our Academic Success Counselors and to bar preparation classes and study groups. Coastal Law graduates consistently pass the bar in Florida, most recently with an 85.2 percent pass rate in February 2008. That rate placed Coastal Law third among Florida's 10 law schools and was almost nine points higher than the state average.
