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University Of Pennsylvania Law School





Information

  name Penn Law
  established 1790
  type Private
  dean Michael AFitts
  city Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
  students 848
  campus Urban
  website http://lawupennedu


The University of Pennsylvania Law School is the Law School of the University Of Pennsylvania , located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania . Penn Law emphasizes cross-disciplinary education, both within the law school and through courses, certificates, and joint/dual degree programs with the other graduate and professional schools on the Penn campus. {Link without Title}

Penn Law is among the most selective in the country. In 2006 , 25th/75th percentile LSAT scores were 167/171 and GPA scores were 3.5/3.8. Over a third of students identify as persons of color, and 12% of students enrolled with an advanced degree. The school prides itself on its collegiality and the importance it places on diversity [http://www.law.upenn.edu/prospective/pennlife/diversity.html .

It is currently ranked 6th overall by U.S. News & World Report . {Link without Title}


CROSS-DISCIPLINARY STUDIES


Over 70 percent of the Law School faculty hold advanced degrees other than a J.D. , and a third hold secondary appointments in other departments at the University. As a result, many of the law courses have an interdisciplinary perspective. Students are allowed to take four courses outside the Law School as part of their J.D. degree, and many students earn joint/dual degrees or certificates. The Law School is located on the University of Pennsylvania campus, in close proximity to the Wharton School Of Business , the Fels Institute Of Government , the Medical School , the Annenberg School For Communication and the other graduate and professional programs at Penn.


FORMAL JOINT/DUAL DEGREE PROGRAMS


• J.D./M.Bioethics, Department of Medical Ethics in the School of Medicine

• J.D./M.B.A. The Wharton School

• J.D./M.C.P., City & Regional Planning, Penn Design

• J.D./M.A./M.S. Criminology, Department of Criminology

• J.D./M.A./M.S.Ed. Educational Policy or Higher Ed, Graduate School of Education

• J.D./M.E.S. Institute for Environmental Studies

• J.D./M.G.A., Fels Institute of Government

• J.D./A.M. Islamic Studies, Asian & Middle Eastern Studies, School of Arts & Sciences

• J.D./M.A. International Studies, The Lauder Institute (Wharton) and School of Arts & Sciences

• J.D./M.A. Philosophy, Department of Philosophy

• J.D./M.P.H., Graduate Program in Public Health Studies, School of Medicine

• J.D./M.S.W., School of Social Policy & Practice

• J.D./Ph.D. American Legal History, Department of History

• J.D./Ph.D. Communication, Annenberg School for Communication

• J.D./Ph.D. Economics, Department of Economics

• J.D./Ph.D. Philosophy, Department of Philosophy

• J.D./D.E.S.S., Global Business Law, Université Paris 1 Panthéon- Sorbonne Law School and the Institut d'Études Politiques (credits earned enable a graduate to earn a French Master of Law degree)

• J.D./B.A., or B.S. Submatriculation programs with The Wharton School, the Nursing School, the School of Engineering and Applied Science, and the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Pennsylvania


Ad Hoc Joint/Dual Degree Programs Students also create their own ad-hoc programs with other departments such as these examples from recent years:

• J.D./Ed.D., Graduate School of Education

• J.D./M.C.P., Historic Preservation, Penn Design

• J.D./M.D., School of Medicine

• J.D./Ph.D., Communication, Annenberg School for Communication

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Certificate Programs
Students can earn a Certificate of Study within the three year J.D. program.

• Certificate in Business and Public Policy, The Wharton School

• Environmental Policy, Environmental Studies Institute

• Environmental Science, Environmental Studies Institute

• Gender and Sexuality Studies, Women’s Studies/College of Arts and Sciences


Other certificate programs, such as the Certificate in Non-Profit Management at the Fels Institute of Government of the Certificate in Islamic Studies, may be available to students on an ad-hoc basis.

19% of the Class of 2007 earned a Certificate.

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THE CAMPUS


The Law School’s campus consists of four interconnecting buildings around a central courtyard. At the east end of the courtyard is Silverman Hall built in 1900 , housing the Levy Conference Center, classrooms, faculty offices, the Gittis Center for Clinical Legal Studies, and administrative and student offices. Directly opposite is Tannenbaum Hall, which opened in 1993, home to the Biddle Law Library, several law journals, administrative offices, and comfortable student spaces. Gittis Hall sits on the north side and has new state-of-the-art classrooms (renovated in 2006) and new and expanded faculty offices. Opposite is Pepper Hall, which houses administrative offices, a seminar room, and a large classroom.

A small row of restaurants and shops faces the Law School on Sansom Street. North of Penn Law, on Chestnut, is a new deluxe apartment complex with retail outlets scheduled to open in late 2007. Nearby is the Penn Bookstore, the Pottruck Center (a new 115,000 square foot multi-purpose sports activity area), the Institute of Contemporary Art, a performing arts center, and area shops.


PUBLIC INTEREST PROGRAM


Penn Law was the first national law school to establish a mandatory Pro Bono program and the first law school to win the American Bar Association ’s Pro Bono Publico Award. Students complete 70 hours of pro bono service as a condition of graduation. More than 73% of the Class of 2007 exceeded the requirement. Students can create their own placements or select from 1,200 slots in close to 400 public interest organizations in Philadelphia and nationwide.

The Law School awards Toll Public Interest Scholarships to accomplished public interest matriculants and has a generous Public Interest Loan Repayment Program for graduates pursing careers in public interest.

Students interested in public interest work receive funding for summer positions through money the student-run Equal Justice Foundation or via funding from Penn Law. Additionally, the Law School funds students interested in working internationally through the International Human Rights Fellowship.




GITTIS CENTER FOR CLINICAL LEGAL STUDIES


Students have a wide variety of opportunities to use their legal training in Penn Law’s client-centered clinics that focus around the distinct roles that lawyers play in various parts of our society. The Clinic provides the opportunity for students to explore the intersection of the legal system with a broad array of societal issues while developing skills common to any practice setting. Students may enroll in clinical courses in their second and third years of law school.

Civil Practice Clinic

Students serve clients in civil litigation in housing, consumer, family law, employment discrimination, and government benefits disputes.

Entrepreneurship Legal Clinic

Students provide representation to an entrepreneurial client base, from emerging businesses and non profit organizations to larger organizations involved in community economic development activities.

Mediation Clinic

In this unique clinic, students are trained in dispute resolution skills and serve as front-line appointed mediators in civil litigation, criminal and family disputes, employment discrimination, and on-campus disciplinary matters.

Legislative Clinic

Students combine classroom study of legislative lawyering and public policy with firsthand experience in legislative and federal placements in Washington, D.C. and Harrisburg, PA.

Inter-Disciplinary Child Advocacy Clinic

Taught by a Penn Law clinical professor and a pediatrician, and a social work supervisor, Penn Law students team with medical, nursing, and social policy & practice students to represent children.

Transnational Clinic

Students work with clients across cultures, languages, borders and legal systems. Cases may include immigration-related matters, human rights claims and international transactions and development projects.

Criminal Defense Clinic

Students get first-hand experience trying cases in the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas and the Philadelphia Municipal Court under the close supervision of a senior trial attorney from the Defender Association of Philadelphia.

Lawyering in the Public Interest

Students examine lawyering themes that arise in the representation of low-income and disadvantaged clients.

Lawyering in the Public Interest

Students examine lawyering themes that arise in the representation of low-income and disadvantaged clients.

Externships

Penn Law externs can elect from a diverse and rich mix of experiences in a range of unique Philadelphia organizations.




JOURNALS


Students at the Law School publish these journals:


• '' University Of Pennsylvania Law Review '', the oldest law review in the United States.

• ''University of Pennsylvania Journal of Constitutional Law'', celebrating its 10th anniversary

• ''University of Pennsylvania Journal of Business and Employment Law''

• ''University of Pennsylvania Journal of International Law''

• '' University Of Pennsylvania Journal Of Law And Social Change '', Penn Law’s newest official journal


Students also self-publish these unofficial journals:

• ''Journal of Animal Law and Ethics''

• ''Journal of International Law and Policy''

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INSTITUTES & PROGRAMS


Penn Law’s institutes and programs address many legal issues from a cross-disciplinary perspective. For example, the Institute for Law & Economics is a joint research center of the Law School, Wharton, and Penn’s Department of Economics whereas the Penn Program on Regulation focuses on the study and teaching of regulation and administrative law, involving departments from throughout the University.

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HISTORY


The University of Pennsylvania Law School officially traces its origins to a series of lectures delivered in 1790 by James Wilson , a signer of the Declaration Of Independence and a Justice of the first Supreme Court Of The United States . He presented his views on topics in law at a series of influential lectures to President George Washington and the members of his cabinet.

Following this early beginning, Penn began offering a full-time program in law in , Penn Law once again reformed legal education by initiating a three-year curriculum and instituting stringent admissions requirements.

In 1900, the new Law School building (now Silverman Hall) opened in its present site on the Penn campus with its massive Georgian structure of brick and limestone with ornamental details throughout. It was at the time considered the largest structure devoted solely to legal education in the country.

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SCHOLARSHIPS


Penn Law offers a number of scholarship programs to reduce the financial burden on students, encourage academically talented students to attend, and encourage students to explore different areas of study.

The Levy Scholars Program, started in 2002 by Chair of the Penn Board of Overseers Paul Levy and his wife Karen, offers a full-tuition scholarship for the first year, with half-tuition scholarships for the next two years. It also includes mentoring relationships with faculty, program support, and research opportunities. Cross-disciplinary studies are especially encouraged.

The James Wilson Scholarship, named for the Founding Father that became Penn's first professor of law, provides $60,000 in scholarship assistance over three years.

The Silverman-Rodin Scholars Program, established in 2004 by Penn Law alumnus Henry Silverman in honor of former Penn president Judith Rodin , provides a full-tuition scholarship for the first year, and half-tuition scholarship for the second year, and selects individuals for academic achievement and demonstration of leadership.

The Dean’s Scholarship is a one-year merit scholarship based primarily on academic achievement and nonacademic factors such as leadership, service, and life or work experience. The number of Dean's Scholarships that are awarded varies from year to year.

The Public Interest Scholars Program offers full tuition for the first year and two-thirds tuition thereafter, and selects students on the basis of past public interest work and future interest in public service. This scholarship has two funding sources: 1) Robert Toll L’66 and his wife Jane and 2) Morris M. Shuster and the Class of ’54, with significant support from Valla Amsterdam, This is the only scholarship program that requires a separate application.


Source: Penn Law Merit Scholarship Programs {Link without Title}


EXTERNAL LINKS

  • Penn Law Website: {Link without Title}

  • Cross-Disciplinary Information: http://www.law.upenn.edu/crossdisc/