The Ordem da Coifa is an honor society for exceptional legal students, attorneys, judges, and law instructors. Membership is awarded based on high standards and is considered a mark of distinction. The organization traces its roots back to medieval times, and schools with active chapters include prestigious universities.
The Ordem da Coifa is an honor society for great achievers in the legal field. Membership is awarded to exceptionally talented legal students, attorneys, judges and law instructors. As with other honor associations, it has a charter that sets the standards for admission, along with a staff of officers to enforce the rules and carry out the order. Being invited to join this order is considered a mark of great distinction in the legal community.
Among law students, participating law schools typically nominate the top 10% of any graduating class to the Order of the Coifa, although some students may be omitted from a list of nominations due to concerns about their character or aptitude. Lawyers, judges and instructors may be appointed to the order by their contemporaries. Schools with active chapters include the University of Chicago, Duke University, University of California, Berkeley, Yale, Stanford University, and Loyola Marymount University, among many others.
The organization traces its roots back to the United States in 1902, when the University of Illinois founded Theta Kappa Nu to establish an honor society for law students. By 1908, Theta Kappa Nu had become the Order of the Caul, and a large number of schools had applied for their own charters. To be enrolled in the application, the candidate must have a Juris Doctorate (JD) degree.
The history of society is actually much older. It all started with a tradition in the medieval era, when distinguished lawyers had the right to wear the headdress. Members of the medieval order were the only ones appointed to coveted legal positions and, in some cases, the only people admitted to practice in certain courts. Full privileges were not revoked until the 19th century, but they left behind an enduring legacy that associated distinction with membership.
The purpose of the order is to recognize and promote legal distinction. When someone is inducted, he or she is given a certificate, badge, key, and sometimes also a form of headdress, for formal events. For schools to be admitted, 80% of existing members must agree, and the school must generally receive high ratings and general praise. For schools, chapter membership can be a blow, as it suggests they are among the top law schools in the country.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
