This two-semester colloquium is required for students in the first year of their doctoral dissertation work and is limited to JSD candidates. The objective of the colloquium is to assist students in developing their dissertation research proposals. Weekly colloquium sessions include a mix of lectures and discussion on selected methodological topics relevant to the candidates’ dissertation research; guest lectures by empirical legal research scholars; presentations by and discussions with more advanced doctoral candidates; and presentations by first-year JSD candidates. At the end of the first semester, students submit a preliminary outline of their research design; at the end of the second semester, students submit a draft dissertation proposal.