Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico School of Law
PUCPR School of Law | |
---|---|
Established | 1961 |
School type | Private |
Dean | Jose Frontera |
Location | Ponce, Puerto Rico |
Enrollment | 584[1] |
Faculty | 60 |
Bar pass rate | 39.74%[2] |
Website | www.pucpr.edu/derecho |
ABA profile | http://www.lsac.org/officialguide/2013/lsac_0910.asp |
The Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico School of Law is settled in an area of 124 acres (0.50 km2) in the City of Ponce, Puerto Rico on the Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico main campus. It was established in 1961.[3][4]
History
It was the first private law school established in Puerto Rico. The law school is located in the Spellman Building and was founded in 1961 by Monsignor Fremiot Torres Oliver. The law school received the accreditation from the Puerto Rico Superior Education Council of Puerto Rico on April 13, 1964. The American Bar Association granted provisional accreditation on April 13, 1967, and final accreditation on August 1972. The Law School offers the course of study leading to the J.D. degree through a three year full-time day and a four year part-time evening programs. The law school admits students for its fall (August) and spring (January) sessions. It offers two Joint Degree Programs, the J.D./M.B.A. and J.D./M.P.A. with the University graduate programs.[5]
The School of Law houses a major research library with a collection of about 207,095 volumes and extensive computer-assisted research capabilities including Lexis/Nexis, Westlaw, and MICROJURIS.COM with wireless access to the Internet from anywhere in the law school campus. It is the home of the Revista de Derecho Puertorriqueno which is a student and faculty edited law review published since 1961. The School of Law is noted for its Legal Service Clinic and Externship programs that offer to its students the opportunity to serve the community and the poor in need of legal services. The Legal Clinic and Externship programs provide an excellent opportunity for training our students in advocacy, administrative and judicial proceedings both at the local as well as the federal level.[6]
Students at the School of Law enjoy all of the resources of the Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico. The University offers an array of physical activities including fitness classes; weight training; jogging track; basketball and outdoor pool. It also benefits from its location in the City of Ponce, Puerto Rico home of magnificent museums, churches, theaters and cultural attractions.
The law school has the most active national law student organizations in Puerto Rico,[citation needed] with local chapters of The Federalist Society, the American Bar Association, the Federal Bar Association and the American Association of Trial Lawyers.
The Dean is José A. Frontera Agenjo and the Associate Dean is Fernando Moreno Orama.
Post-graduation employment
According to the Pontifical Catholic University's 2013 ABA-required disclosures, 4.17% of the Class of 2013 obtained full-time, long-term, JD-required employment nine months after graduation, excluding solo practitioners.[7] The Pontifical Catholic University's Law School Transparency under-employment score is 49.6%, indicating the percentage of the Class of 2013 unemployed, pursuing an additional degree, or working in a non-professional, short-term, or part-time job nine months after graduation, and an unknown score of 32.5%, indicated the percentage of graduates whose employment status was not known.[8]
Notable faculty
- Rafael Hernández Colón - Former Governor of Puerto Rico
- Héctor Luis Acevedo- Former Secretary of State and Mayor of San Juan
- Charles Cuprill Oppenheimer - Past Rotary District Governor, Retired Mayor General, Puerto Rico National Guard. Served 3 times as Dean of the Law School. One of the Founders of Ponce School of Medicine. Two time president of Phi Sigma Alpha and "Hermano Emeritus" Medal holder of the Fraternity.
Notable alumni
- Efraín Rivera Pérez - Associate Judge of the Supreme Court of Puerto Rico (retired)
- Aida Delgado - United States magistrate judge and then district judge of the United States District Court for the District of Puerto Rico
- Antonio Fas Alzamora - Puerto Rico Senator, former President of the Senate of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
- Carmelo Ríos Santiago - Senator PNP/Bayamón
- Jennifer González - President of House of Representatives of Puerto Rico
- José Emilio González Velázquez - Former Senator PNP/Arecibo, Superior Court Judge
- Deborah Seilhamer - athlete and daughter of Senator Larry Seilhamer
- Carlos Vargas Ferrer - Representative PPD/District 29 Cidra-Cayey House of Representatives of Puerto Rico
Student organizations
- Student Council
- Federal Bar Association
- Phi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity
- Phi Sigma Alpha Fraternity
- Nu Sigma Beta Fraternity
- American Bar Association
- Organización Pro-Derecho de la Mujer - Pro-female Rights Organization
- The Federalist Society
- Phi Eta Mu Fraternity
- Delta Theta Phi Law Fraternity International
- Educca
- Prima Facie - Student Newspaper
- Tuna de la Escuela de Derecho - University Tuna
- Asociacion de Notarios de Puerto Rico / Capítulo Estudiantil
- Association of Trial Lawyers of America
- American Association of Trial Lawyers.
- APMA-Asociación para la Prevención del Maltrato de Animales
- Sports & Entertainment Law Students Association
- Revista de Derecho Puertorriqueño
See also
References
- ^ http://officialguide.lsac.org/SearchResults/SchoolPage_PDFs/ABA_LawSchoolData/ABA0910.pdf
- ^ "PUCPR School of Law ABA Guide" (PDF).
- ^ StateUniversity.com Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico School of Law.
- ^ Celebran conferencia histórica en PUCPR. La Perla del Sur. Ponce, Puerto Rico. 12 October 2011. Retrieved 12 October 2011.
- ^ [1]
- ^ Omar Carmona-Sánchez. Pontifdical Catholic University of Puerto Rico.
- ^ "Employment Statistics".
- ^ "Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico Profile".
- ^ "Employment Summary for 2013 Graduates".
External links
- Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico School of Law (Spanish language)