Widener University Delaware Law School

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Widener University School of Law
Widener Seal
Established1971
School typePrivate
Parent endowment$58,431,563
DeanLinda L. Ammons
LocationWilmington, Delaware Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, USA
Enrollment1,646
Faculty141[1]
USNWR rankingSecond Tier[2]
Bar pass rate92.31%.[3]
Websitelaw.widener.edu
ABA profileWilmington Campus Profile Harrisburg Campus Profile

Widener University School of Law is the ABA accredited law school of Widener University. The school, founded in 1971 as the Delaware Law School, operates on two of Widener's campuses, one in Wilmington, Delaware, and the other in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

History

Originally founded in 1971 as the Delaware Law School, the institution became affiliated with Widener University in 1975 and graduated its first class of 267 that year. The school's name was officially changed to Widener University School of Law in 1989 when the Harrisburg campus was added. Since its inception, Widener Law has grown to become the largest of all Pennsylvania area law schools.

Campuses

Delaware

The Delaware campus is located north of Wilmington and has a student body of 1,100. It is situated on a 40-acre (160,000 m2) campus.[6] The campus is an East Coast Center for the National Judicial College, hosting continuing legal education opportunities for the nation's judges.[7]

Harrisburg

The Harrisburg campus is located minutes from the state capitol building and downtown Harrisburg. The school is home to the Widener Law & Government Institute, which specializes in the study and improvement of government law. It has a student body of 500 full time and part time students.[8]

Academics

Widener provides a comprehensive legal education program including offering its students the opportunity to work on court cases through legal clinics. The clinics specialize in environmental law, criminal defense, and civil law; which includes bankruptcy, family law, and legal assistance on veteran benefits cases. Another opportunity provided to its students is the Trial Advocacy Institute which offers an eight-day training program that teaches students how to conduct themselves properly in a courtroom trial.

In addition to legal clinics and the Trial Advocacy Institute, Widener offers certification in specialized fields of study. At the Delaware campus it offers special certification from the Health Law Institute, the Institute of Delaware Corporate Law, and Trial Advocacy Institute. At the Harrisburg campus special certification is available through the Law and Government Institute.[9]

Both campuses offer a variety of pro-bono work or community outreach opportunities through the Public Interest Initiative on the Harrisburg campus or the Public Interest Resource Center on the Delaware campus.[10] Students also have the opportunity to participate in extra and co-curricular activities such as Moot court, Moe Levine Trial Advocacy Honor Society, and three law reviews; The Delaware Journal of Corporate Law, The Widener Law Journal, and The Widener Law Review.

Degrees

Juris Doctor degrees are available through both the Delaware and Harrisburg campuses either full time or part time. Also available are specialty degrees varying per location. Available at the Delaware campus is the JD/MBA in Law and Business Administration and the J.D./Psy.D. in Law and Psychology.[11] The Harrisburg campus has the J.D./M.S.L.S. program that allows students the opportunity to get both a Juris Doctor degree and a Masters in Library Science through a partnership with Clarion University.[12]

Graduate degrees via the Delaware campus include Master of Laws in Corporate Law and Finance (LL.M.), Master of Laws in Health Law (LL.M.), Master of Health Administration (M.H.A.), Master of Jurisprudence in Health Law (M.J.), Doctor of Juridical Science (S.J.D.), and Doctor of Laws (D.L.).[11] The graduate Health Law program has been ranked by the 2009 U.S. News & World report as one of the top ten graduate school programs in the nation.[13]

Study abroad

Study abroad is offered through the Summer International Law Institute. There are five institutes available to students; Kenya, Switzerland, Italy, Australia and the most recent addition of China. While abroad students sometimes have the ability to go out on internships with international organizations.

Bar Passage

Since 1998, over 3,600 Widener Law graduates have been admitted to the Pennsylvania Bar – more than any other Pennsylvania area law school.[14] Recently, Widener Law has experienced a steep upward trend in its bar passage rates. Notably, first time takers from both campuses have achieved all-time high passage rates on the Pennsylvania Bar Exam; Harrisburg in July 2009 with 94.32%,[15] and Delaware in February 2011 with 92.31%.[3]

Grading Curve

Widener's grading policy is self-described as rigorous.[16] Unlike most law schools, Widener's policy allows the average grade for first-year courses to be set as low as 2.3, which equates to a grade point average between a "C" and a "C+." The average grade for upper level courses purports to be only slightly more lenient.[16] This low grading curve has been the source of controversy for some students. According to a 2007 student survey conducted by the Princeton Review and sanctioned by the school, "Widener's C grading curve is also a source of frustration. Students worry that their curved grade point averages might not stack up to their competitors, 'causing us to lose out on job opportunities.'" In the same survey, students insist that the current grading policy requires some much needed reform.[17]

Notable alumni

As of 2008, the School of Law has 12,408 living alumni.[18]

Notable Faculty

References

  1. ^ "2011 Faculty". USNWR. Retrieved 2011-04-11.
  2. ^ "2011 Rank". USNWR. Retrieved 2011-04-11.
  3. ^ a b "February 2011 Pennsylvania Bar Examination Statistics" (PDF). Pennsylvania Board of Law Examiners. Retrieved 2011-04-08.
  4. ^ "2011 Full-time Tuition". USNWR. Retrieved 2011-04-11.
  5. ^ "2011 Part-time Tuition". USNWR. Retrieved 2011-04-11.
  6. ^ "Office of the Dean, Delaware Campus". Widener University School of Law. Retrieved 2007-08-31.
  7. ^ "Viewbook 2008-2009". Widener University School of Law. Retrieved 2009-07-09.
  8. ^ "Office of the Dean, Harrisburg Campus". Widener University School of Law. Retrieved 2007-08-31.
  9. ^ "Certificate Programs & Institutes at Widener Law: Focusing On Individual Areas of Law". Widener University School of Law. Retrieved 2007-08-31.
  10. ^ Besso, Michele (July 9, 2006). "Youths learn basics of finance". Delaware Online. Retrieved 2007-08-31.
  11. ^ a b "Academic Programs on the Delaware Campus". Widener University School of Law. Retrieved 2007-08-31.
  12. ^ "Academic Programs on the Harrisburg Campus". Widener University School of Law. Retrieved 2007-08-31.
  13. ^ Allen, Mary (September 5, 2007). "Widener health law program named among nation's best". Widener University. Retrieved 2007-09-05.
  14. ^ "PA Bar Exam Statistics". Pennsylvania Board of Law Examiners. Retrieved 2011-04-11.
  15. ^ "July 2010 Pennsylvania Bar Examination Statistics" (PDF). Pennsylvania Board of Law Examiners. Retrieved 2011-04-08.
  16. ^ a b "Widener's Grading Curve/Ranking Policy". Widener University. Retrieved 2008-07-14.
  17. ^ "Student Survey". Princeton Review. Retrieved 2007-09-26. [dead link]
  18. ^ "Quick Facts". Widener University. Retrieved 2008-10-16.
  19. ^ "Dauphin County Judge Bio's". Dauphin County Website. Dauphin County.
  20. ^ "United States Attorney District of South Carolina". Official United States Attorney's Office Profile. United States Attorney's Office.
  21. ^ "Widener Staff Page of Joe Biden". Retrieved 2009-03-11.

External links

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Widener_University_Delaware_Law_School&oldid=424267282"