Thomas R. Kline School of Law
 | |
| Motto | Scientia, Ars, Officium Knowledge, Skill, Duty |
|---|---|
| Established | 2006 |
| Dean | Roger J. Dennis |
| Location | , , |
| Campus | University City Main Campus |
| Affiliations | Drexel University |
| Website | www.drexel.edu/law |
The Earle Mack School of Law is the law school of Drexel University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. The school opened in the fall of 2006 and was the first new law school in Philadelphia in over a thirty year time period,[1] and is the newest school within Drexel University. Serving both undergraduate and graduate students, the law school offers Juris Doctor degrees and requires all students to take part in their cooperative education program.[2]
History
In 2005 Drexel University announced its plans to create a new law school adjacent to the Drexel University Main Campus W. W. Hagerty library in West Philadelphia. That same year Drexel received approval from the Pennsylvania Department of Education to start the school. The decision to launch a law school with cooperative education in a city with five other law schools was based on a demand for graduates with immediate experience, with the president of Drexel University, Constantine Papadakis, saying that employers "like to hire a graduate and have them immediately be useful."[3] The Earle Mack School of Law joins Temple University, University of Pennsylvania, Villanova University, Rutgers, and Widener University to become the sixth law school in Philadelphia. The School of Law is the first new law school to be opened by a doctoral university in a twenty-five year period nationwide.[4]
The inaugural class of the Earle Mack School of Law began classes on August 16, 2006. Construction on the temporary law school building resulted in classes being held on Drexel University's Main Campus and within the Jenkins Law Library and the auditorium of the National Constitution Center.[5] The anticipated class size was 120 students; ultimately, the inaugural class consisted of 183 students with an incoming GPA of 3.4 and an LSAT score of 156.[6][7] On May 1, 2008 the Drexel University College of Law was renamed the Earle Mack School of Law in honor of Earle I. Mack, a Drexel University alumnus, after a donation of $15 million dollars.[8]
Academics
The Law School offers Juris Doctor degrees and joint-degree programs for those pursuing a degree through Drexel University. The Law School received provisional accreditation from the American Bar Association in February 2008 enabling the first graduating class, 2009, to take the bar exam upon graduation.[9] The school concentrates on entrepreneurial business, health law, and intellectual property law and currently has 24 full time faculty members.[4][10] The Law School is the first to have enrolled all of its students in the Philadelphia Bar Association's Young Lawyers Section.[11][12] The students also have automatic membership to the Jenkins Law Library.[13]
Cooperative education
Like Drexel University's The Ultimate Internship, the Law School offers cooperative education for its students. The Law School is the second law school in the country to have a co-op program for law students, the first being Northeastern University.[3] The first co-op cycle for the law school started in September 2007 and over ninety area corporations, law offices, judiciary positions, non-profit organizations, and government offices offered internship positions.[14][15][16]
During their first year at law school students concentrate on basics such as legal writing and contracts before starting their first six month co-op cycle.[17] In order to be eligible to participate in the program students must complete their first year with a minimum GPA and satisfy any job orientation that is required. While on co-op students are required to work at least 20 hours a week at their position and take an additional 3 credit hours in either a class or an approved academic program.[18]
Facilities
In 2005 the Philadelphia Planning Commission approved Drexel's then estimated $13 million temporary law school.[19] Construction on the temporary law school building began in the fall of 2006 and was completed during the winter term. The $14 million building opened for classes on January 8, 2007.[5][20]
The 65,000 square foot complex features a moot courtroom, a two-floor library, a two-story atrium for meetings and casual conversation, faculty/staff offices, and several rooms available for students to meet and work. The building also shares Drexel's campus-wide wireless Internet access.[20] The permanent location for the law school, placed on the corner of Philadelphia's 33rd and Chestnut streets, is projected to be completed and open in 2012.[6]
References
- ^ "Drexel University Board of Trustees Authorizes University to Open College of Law". BusinessWire. September 28, 2005. Retrieved 2008-04-05.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ Key, Peter (April 21, 2005), Drexel outlines law school plan, Philadelphia Business Journal, retrieved 2006-09-12
{{citation}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=and|date=(help) - ^ a b Pfeiffer, Sacha (October 20, 2005). "New co-op law school will compete with Northeastern". The Boston Globe. Retrieved 2006-12-28.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ a b Monaghan, Suzanne (2006), Drexel U. Marks Opening of Its Brand-New Law School, kyw1060.com, retrieved 2006-09-12
{{citation}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=and|date=(help) - ^ a b Blumenthal, Jeff (September 15 2006), First response to Drexel law school exceeds expectations, Philadelphia Business Journal, retrieved 2006-12-28
{{citation}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=and|date=(help) - ^ a b Blumenthal, Jeff (November 2, 2007), Drexel's law school hopes to be accredited by summer, Philadelphia Business Journal, retrieved 2008-02-16
{{citation}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=and|date=(help) - ^ Dubey, Aditi (August 11, 2006). "College of Law to open next week". The Triangle. Retrieved 2008-06-30.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ "Drexel U. names law school". Philadelphia Business Journal. April 30, 2008. Retrieved 2008-05-01.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ "Drexel law school gets provisional accreditation". Philadelphia Inquirer. February 19, 2008. Retrieved 2008-02-20.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ "Drexel University: Law School Faculty: Full-time Faculty". Earle Mack School of Law. June 6, 2008. Retrieved 2008-06-10.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ Dubey, Aditi (March 9, 2007), Philadelphia Bar Association recognizes Drexel CoL, The Triangle, retrieved 2007-03-27
{{citation}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=and|date=(help) - ^ "Philadelphia Bar Association Recognizes College of Law". Drexel Daily Digest. March 8, 2007. Retrieved 2007-03-27.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ "Earle Mack School of Law - Jenkins Library". Earle Mack School of Law. Retrieved 2007-04-27.
- ^ "Law Co-op Education: Overview". Earle Mack School of Law. April 11 2007. Retrieved 2007-04-27.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ Baxter, Brian (December 15, 2006). "Founding Father: Carl Oxholm III, GC of Drexel University". Law.com. Retrieved 2008-06-10.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ "Law Co-op Education: Co-op Partners". Earle Mack School of Law. November 7 2006. Retrieved 2006-11-25.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ Blumenthal, Jeff (April 28, 2006), Drexel law school surpasses goal for 1st class admissions, Philadelphia Business Journal, retrieved 2007-04-27
{{citation}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=and|date=(help) - ^ "Law School: Co-op Highlights". Earle Mack School of Law. Retrieved 2008-02-15.
- ^ Blumenthal, Jeff (September 29, 2005), Drexel Trustees Approve New Law School, Philadelphia Business Journal, retrieved 2008-04-05
{{citation}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=and|date=(help) - ^ a b "Drexel University: Law School Building". Earle Mack School of Law. November 21 2006. Retrieved 2008-06-17.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|date=(help)