PENN LAW
Cross-Disciplinary Innovation 2
Market-Ready Professionals 8
Distinguished Faculty 14
Internationally Engaged 20
Public Service Ethos 24
Collaborative Community 28
Global, Urban, Ivy 32
Curricular Compass 36
How to Apply 40
Penn Law Profile 46
“At Penn Law, our students receive a rigorous, cross-disciplinary legal education that provides them with the knowledge and skills they need to become leaders in the profession, no matter their interest or passion. Our top-notch faculty are nationally known experts in their fields and deeply committed teachers, who work closely with students to prepare them not only for their first job out of law school, but for their entire careers. Here at the Law School, our collegial and supportive community helps us train better lawyers and allows our students to take full advantage of their legal education. I hope you enjoy learning more about our innovative academic programs and the devoted people who make up the Penn Law community.”
Theodore W. RugerDean and Bernard G. Segal Professor of Law
LEGAL EDUCATION FOR A CHANGING WORLD
A renowned faculty, a wealth of opportunities for cross-disciplinary study, and
countless ways to gain practical experience and develop superb professional skills
keep Penn Law graduates ahead of change. Our well-deserved reputation as a
singularly collaborative professional community nurtures the risk-taking and
teamwork that prepare you to lead in the new legal landscape.
1
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CROSS-DISCIPLINARY INNOVATION | 3
CROSS-DISCIPLINARY
INNOVATIONA Penn Law education prepares you to seize emerging opportunities. At a time when the law increasingly intersects with countless other fields, we are the most interdisciplinary law school in the nation, with a curriculum uniquely focused on integrating the economic and social complexity of a world in transition.
At Penn Law, you will receive a classic legal education adapted to a world in which lawyers must navigate across diverse fields to serve their clients’ needs and to address
virtually every issue facing society. Nearly 100 students graduate each year with joint degrees or certificates that propel them along varied career paths.
Wherever your goals and dreams lead you — whether to a judicial clerkship, to a BigLaw job, to public interest work, to a career in government service or crossing international boundaries, or to leadership in business and industry — there is simply no better education to receive now or for the future.
“Penn Law is a place of tremendous opportunities. The 3-year JD/MBA program offers one-of-a-kind integration, providing you with the analytical toolkit to understand legal issues within the framework of the business world. I feel especially prepared to start my career as a corporate lawyer, having a deep understanding of my clients and their goals. The structure of the program — studying exclusively at Penn Law for year 1 and beginning Wharton coursework in year 2 — ensures that you develop a strong connection with your classmates in both schools. What more could you want?”
Kendra Sandidge L’16, WG’16
Hometown: Roselle, NJBA 2008 University of PennsylvaniaEditor-in-Chief, University of Pennsylvania Law ReviewSummer Associate at Cravath, Swaine & Moore
83% of the Class of 2015 took at least one class at another graduate department outside Penn Law
35 joint degree and certificate programs
offered in conjunction with other Penn schools & departments
90+student organizations,
including 13 affinity groups
50+student group-sponsored lectures
supported by Dean’s speaker fund
18U.S. and international advocacy
competitions in which Law School students participate each year
11academic centers & institutes
9 clinics
6 law reviews & journals
PENN LAW
ACADEMIC PROGRAM
As a 1L, you will learn the foundation of the law with some of the finest professors in the world as you explore traditional legal topics: Constitutional Law, Contracts, Civil Procedure, Criminal Law, Torts, and Legal Practice Skills. You will also select two electives from a rich array of courses, one in a regulatory law topic, and another from a combination of timely subjects. Your faculty — accessible, dedicated teachers — will bring their expertise, research, and cross-disciplinary perspectives to this strong 1L curriculum.
Beyond the first year, you will have the opportunity to craft a course of study from more than 90 courses,
“Philly is so close to NYC and DC. In the same 1L semester, the Penn Law & Business Association visited several leading private equity firms in NYC, which led to an interview and callback offer; I also listened to oral arguments at the Supreme Court for a case we had briefed in our legal writing class.”
Jeremy Pettit L’14, Wharton Certificate in Management
Hometown: Savannah, MOBA 2002 Brigham Young UniversitySummer Clerk, Judge G. Murray Snow, Federal District Court for the District of ArizonaAssociate at Vinson & Elkins (Dallas, TX)
seminars, and clinics offered each semester. And you can augment this curriculum with study abroad, pursuit of a joint degree or certificate in a complementary field, or taking up to four courses at another graduate or professional school at Penn.
In addition, the rich extracurricular life at Penn Law offers many opportunities to develop professional skills, as you work on journals, organize symposia and conferences, take up clinical assignments, perform pro bono work, and engage with the Center on Professionalism.
CROSS-DISCIPLINARY INNOVATION | 5
CERTIFICATE PROGRAMS LOCATION
Wharton Certificate in Management 3
Business Economics and Public Policy 3
Cross-Sector Innovation 5
East Asian Studies 15
Environmental Policy 14
Environmental Science 14
Gender and Sexuality Studies 10
International Business and Law (with ESADE Law School in Barcelona, Spain)
Middle East and Islamic Studies 2
Global Human Rights (multiple Penn schools)
Latin American and Latino Studies 2
Nonprofit Administration 1
Politics 1
DEGREE AND CERTIFICATE PROGRAMS
WITH OTHER SCHOOLS AT PENN
Penn’s world-leading graduate and professional schools place extraordinary cross-disciplinary
resources at your doorstep, with opportunities to pursue more than 35 joint degrees and certificates.
OTHER DEGREE PROGRAMS LOCATION
JD/MSE, Engineering 16 School of Engineering & Applied Science
JD/MCIT, Computing and Information Technology 16 School of Engineering & Applied Science
JD/MCP, City and Regional Planning 13 School of Design
JD/MPA, Public Administration 1 Fels Institute of Government
JD/MPH, Public Health Studies 8 School of Medicine
JD/AM, Islamic Studies 11 School of Arts & Sciences
JD/MSW, Social Work 5 School of Social Policy & Practice
JD/MBA, Business Administration 3 The Wharton School
JD/PhD, American Legal History 12 School of Arts & Sciences
JD/MA, JD/PhD, Philosophy 10 School of Arts & Sciences
JD/PhD, Psychology 10 School of Arts & Sciences
JD/BA, JD/BS 17 School of Arts & Sciences School of Engineering & Applied Science, School of Nursing, The Wharton School
JD/DMD 18 Penn Dental Medicine
18
9
1 3
4
5
67
15
216
14
8
11
1017
12
13
THREE-YEAR PROGRAMS LOCATION
JD/MBA, Business Administration 3 The Wharton School
JD/MA or MS, Criminology 6 School of Arts & Sciences
JD/MSEd, Education Policy 4 Graduate School of Education
JD/MSEd, Higher Education 4 Graduate School of Education
JD/MES, Environmental Studies 14 Institute for Environmental Studies
JD/MA, International Studies 7 The Lauder Institute
JD/MA, Economic Law with Specialization in Global Governance The Université Paris Panthéon-Sorbonne Law School Institut d’Études Politiques
JD/MBE, Bioethics 9 School of Medicine
JD/MSSP, Social Policy 5 School of Social Policy & Practice
JD/MSW, Social Work (for BSW candidates) 5 School of Social Policy & Practice
JD/LLM Hong Kong University
“Today every lawyer requires a basic fluency in finance and management, and Penn Law is in the vanguard of providing these skills to all students as a regular part of the law school curriculum.”
Jodi Schwartz W’81, L’84, WG’84 One of the world’s leading tax attorneysPartner at Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz
PENN LAW
WHARTON ADVANTAGE
Unique Partnership Programs
Through innovative partnerships with the Wharton School, Penn Law students are equipped with the business and management skills and credentials needed to compete in today’s legal landscape.
An accelerated, intensive three-year JD/MBA program prepares students for careers in corporate law, public governance, investment banking, private equity, entrepreneurship, hedge funds, and much more.
A Wharton Certificate in Management — awarded upon completion of a custom-designed, one-semester course open to all 2L and 3L students — is the first of its kind in the country offered by a leading law school.
“The most important issues facing our society are now debated through the framework of corporate law.”
Edward Rock L’83 Saul A. Fox Distinguished Professor of Business Law
CROSS-DISCIPLINARY INNOVATION | 7
Wharton Certificate in Management
Responding to the demands of a rapidly changing legal marketplace, Penn Law offers a Wharton Certificate in Management, a 12-week program designed to increase the business skills and leadership capabilities of upper-level law students who aspire to lead key parts of a firm, business, non-profit, or government agency.
The course is divided into four modules: Finance and Accounting; Leadership and Organization Design; Strategic Decision-Making and Leadership; and Competitive Advantage: Building a Strong Personal Brand.
Designed exclusively for Law School students, the Certificate complements and strengthens the practical training Penn Law students receive as part of a comprehensive, cross-disciplinary legal education. The managerial and leadership skills taught in the course build upon Penn Law students’ extensive practice skills, honed in the Law School’s many clinics, externship programs, and pro bono service opportunities and developed through the Center on Professionalism.
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MARKET-READY PROFESSIONALS | 9
MARKET-READY
PROFESSIONALSBE THE CEO OF YOUR CAREER
At Penn Law, we equip you with the professional competencies and leadership abilities leading employers seek.
Career counselors in the Office of Career Planning & Professionalism, and a multitude of programs offered through the Center on Professionalism, ensure that you are thoroughly prepared to achieve your professional goals from the day you graduate and throughout your career.
We will work closely with you to secure summer and post-graduate employment and to craft a long-term strategy to achieve professional satisfaction.
THE CENTER ON PROFESSIONALISM
To prepare you for today’s highly competitive legal market, the Center on Professionalism offers a suite of executive training programs that round out your academic education and prepare you for the practical demands of the legal marketplace.
Programming develops your skills in these key areas:• Leadership• Management & Career Development• Communication• Relationship-Building
425+clerkships at all levels in the last 5 years
30 Center on Professionalism (COP) 2014-15 offerings
80+students per session participating in COP’s
Nuts & Bolts workshops in Corporate, Criminal, & Litigation practice skills
8 COP executive skills areas
10members of the career planning team
• Strategic Thinking & Organizational Savvy• Client Development & Marketing• Practice Skills & Pro Bono Opportunities• Mastery of Executive Technology
“The resources CP&P provided me with were extremely helpful in my job search. But beyond that, the classes and support that I had throughout law school made the transition to a firm job seamless. I felt completely prepared to take on the depth and complexity of work I was presented at Davis Polk as a summer associate, and I have no question that the feeling will continue into my first year and beyond. The close relationships I developed with my professors, the intricacies of the law I was able to explore through my classes, and the direct support I received from CP&P together made for an invaluable law school experience. My time at Penn Law not only influenced my confidence going into the summer program, but also will have an indelible effect on the rest of my career.”
Preeti Krishnan L’15
Hometown: McLean, VABA 2011 Georgetown UniversityAssociate at Davis Polk (New York, NY)
Resources for Every Career Path
• On-campus interviewing and job fairs.
• Regional interview programs in locations including Los Angeles, San Francisco, Menlo Park, Palo Alto, Miami, Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, and Houston.
• Extensive information about both large and smaller legal markets to help you identify opportunities and gain a competitive edge.
• Programming on a wide range of practice areas.
• Connections with alumni for networking and relationship-building.
• Mock interviews with practicing lawyers.
• Intensive individual assistance in seeking judicial clerkships.
• A full-time counselor specializing in public interest opportunities to help students find post-graduate fellowships and positions in government, with non-profits, and in other public service roles.
• A lifetime commitment to ongoing career counseling and assistance after you graduate.
PENN LAW
Our Counselors & Staff
The Career Planning & Professionalism team assembled to work with you at Penn Law is one of the finest in the country. It includes eight counselors who hold JD degrees and possess diverse experience, from public service, to judicial clerkships, to private practice.
We offer practical programming and identify resources to address the changing legal market.
We provide comprehensive, individual counseling and are available daily to answer all of your questions.
We reserve one hour each week in the first-year curriculum for professional development programming and executive training.
“CP&P was a great help throughout my law school experience. From early on 1L year, the office helped make alumni mentors accessible. As OCI approached, CP&P gave solid resume and interview advice and offered mock interview opportunities. Over the next two years, they were always available to talk through potential career trajectories, and even after I graduated, they helped me prepare for interviews for federal government positions. Finally, their assistance was invaluable when I applied to the Supreme Court. I’d encourage students to make the most of CP&P’s insight, whether for setting goals and strategies, finding alumni, or asking questions about proper etiquette.”
Parker Rider-Longmaid L’13, MPA’13
Hometown: Brookline, MABA 2008 Yale UniversityClerk to Judge Gene E.K. Pratter of the U.S. Circuit Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania (2013–14)Clerk to Judge Anthony J. Scirica of the U.S Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit (2014–15)Bristow Fellow, Office of the Solicitor General (2015–2016)Clerk to Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, U.S. Supreme Court (2016– )
MARKET-READY PROFESSIONALS | 11
“Navigating the clerkship application process is not only difficult and time-consuming, it also requires intense examination of your personal and career goals. Penn Law, the clerkship committee, and Professor Yoo were fantastically helpful at every step of the process. I received personalized, candid, and detailed explanations of what to expect at every step, from deciding where to apply to how to accept an offer.”
Emily Turner L’15
Hometown: Burnsville, NCAB 2002 Bryn Mawr CollegeSummer Associate at Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP (New York, NY)STB Public Interest Fellow, University of North Carolina Center for Civil RightsClerk to Judge Sri Srinivasan of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit (2015– )
JUDICIAL CLERKSHIPS
A Record of Success
No law school in the country does more than Penn Law to support students and alumni seeking judicial clerkships. Mentored to prize the clerkship experience and individually guided through the application process, an uncommonly large proportion of Penn Law graduates — over 400 over the past five years — begin their careers as judicial clerks.
LEGAL PRACTICE SKILLS
The Art of Persuasive Communication
To prepare you for the real world of legal practice, Penn Law revamped its legal writing program, distinguishing the Law School from our peers. In your first year, you will receive practical training in real-world writing and communication skills through a series of simulations. You will also learn a range of other practice skills, including negotiation, basic contract drafting, and fact development — the know-how you need to represent a client.
JUDICIAL CLERKSHIPS MAY 1, 2014 TO APRIL 30, 2015
Circuit 18
District 44
Circuit Court Staff Attorney 1
Magistrate 2
Bankruptcy 1
Armed Forces 1
U.S. Court of Federal Claims 2
Administrative Law Judge 1
DE Chancery 4
State Supreme 4
State Intermediate 1
State Trial 8
International 2
Total 89
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MARKET-READY PROFESSIONALS | 13
MOOT COURT AND JOURNALS
Keedy Cup is the flagship of an active moot court program that sends as many as 18 student teams across the country and around the globe to compete each year.
Students also gain first-hand experience serving on the editorial boards of the Law School’s six journals.
The University of Pennsylvania Law Review, the nation’s oldest, is ranked among the leaders in the number of most-cited articles, U.S. Supreme Court citations, judicial citations, and total citations overall.
University of Pennsylvania Law Review
University of Pennsylvania Journal of Constitutional Law
University of Pennsylvania Journal of International Law
University of Pennsylvania Journal of Business Law
University of Pennsylvania Journal of Law and Social Change
University of Pennsylvania East Asia Law Review
PENN LAW
ACCESSIBLE SCHOLARS, DEVOTED TEACHERS
The essence of a great law school is a great faculty. Since 2000, we have grown the Penn Law faculty by nearly 50 percent while holding the size of the student body steady. This has further strengthened the Law School’s academic rigor and fostered close, mentoring relationships between students and teachers.
SCHOLARSHIP
Our professors are renowned and prolific scholars, publishing broadly-acclaimed books and articles that advance knowledge in the law and related fields. Nearly 70 percent of faculty members hold an advanced degree in addition to the JD, and almost half have a PhD.
DISTINGUISHED FACULTY | 15
DISTINGUISHED
FACULTYINSTITUTES AND CENTERS
Dedicated to integrating knowledge, Penn Law professors lead cross-school and interdisciplinary centers at the University that attract scholars, experts, and practitioners from all fields and from around the world.
The 11 institutes and centers housed in the Law School sponsor groundbreaking research on vital issues facing society and host a vibrant calendar of lectures, symposia, conferences, and events.
Center for Asian Law
Center for Ethics & the Rule of Law
Center for Tax Law & Policy
Center for Technology, Innovation & Competition
Criminal Law Research Group
Institute for Law & Economics
Institute for Law & Philosophy
Legal History Consortium
Penn Program on Documentaries & the Law
Penn Program on Regulation
Quattrone Center for the Fair Administration of Justice
“My education best prepared me to be successful in my future career by teaching me how to think and reason like a lawyer. Although I learned a great deal of substantive legal doctrine, it was the practice of dissecting the cases and applying the doctrine that will stick with me no matter what field of law I pursue.”
Jonathan Ellis L’10 BS 2003 North Carolina State University
Clerk to the Hon. A. Raymond Randolph, U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit (2010-11)Bristow Fellow, Office of the Solicitor General (2011-12)Clerk to Chief Justice Roberts, U.S. Supreme Court (2012-13)Associate at Latham & Watkins (Washington, D.C.)
PENN LAW
TEACHING
A low student-faculty ratio and small class sizes lead to close collaboration among students and professors. Faculty share their research at informal brownbag lunches and seek student feedback on their scholarship. Professors partner with students on field-based teaching and research activities in the U.S. and abroad and are actively involved in the Penn Law community, from participating in student-organized symposia and conferences to competing in the Celebrity Law Chef Cook-Off.
STUDENTS WORK WITH PROFESSOR TOM BAKER ON HEALTH CARE REFORM
During summer 2013, students working with Professor Tom Baker helped lay the groundwork
for a comprehensive and objective examination of the implementation of the Affordable Care
Act. Baker is a preeminent scholar in insurance law and a member of Penn’s Health Insurance
Exchange (HIX) Research Group, a cross-disciplinary team of scholars working in health and
policy-related fields. He and his students spent the summer compiling a state-by-state
database of information about the online insurance markets that are the linchpin of the
new health care law. The database will be used to analyze how well different insurance
exchanges perform. “Professor Baker is concerned about developing his students to be
lawyers who are engaged and give back to the community,” said Whitney Mayer L’15,
one of the students who participated in the project.
65 full-time faculty
2/3with advanced degrees in addition to the JD
50% Penn Law faculty with secondary appointments or affiliations with other Penn schools & programs
12 faculty members on Penn Law’s
clerkship committee
80+ adjuncts & lecturers
12books recently published by faculty in 2014
62articles recently published by faculty in 2014
(not counting book chapters and working papers)
“Say ‘law and film’ to many people and the first thing they think of is copyright. But lawyers are increasingly producing documentaries to tell their clients’ stories in arbitration and mediation proceedings, and in legislative and executive-branch hearings.”
Regina Austin L’73 William A. Schnader Professor of Law Director, Penn Program on Documentaries and the Law
“Business law deploys a handful of economic and organizational fundamentals in an ever-changing political economy, both national and global. The results are dynamic, often surprising, and always compelling.”
William Bratton Nicholas F. Gallicchio Professor of Law; Co-Director, Institute for Law & Economics
“The law offers opportunities for involvement in a broad range of activities, from teaching and research to litigation and legislation. Learning the law at Penn offers an opportunity to profit from the insights and techniques of other disciplines while studying with talented and supportive people.”
Stephen Burbank David Berger Professor for the Administration of Justice
DISTINGUISHED FACULTY | 17
“China’s importance to the world economy and to fundamental issues of law and governance cannot be overstated. American
law students need to understand the origin and evolution of legal institutions and practices in China and its neighbors.”
Jacques deLisle Stephen A. Cozen Professor of Law
Co-Director, Center for Asian LawDirector, Center for East Asian Studies
“Studying American history from the perspective of law as well as religion gives students and scholars new insight into the ways that religious life and the rule of law have interacted — and why conflicts between them have produced so much controversy.”
Sarah Barringer Gordon Arlin M. Adams Professor of Constitutional Law and Professor of History
“The clinical experience is the perfect venue for students to apply the theoretical law that they’ve learned in other classes. It’s real
clients in the real world with real consequences and real impact.”
Praveen Kosuri Practice Professor of Law
Director, Entrepreneurship Legal Clinic
PENN LAW
“Brains don’t commit crimes; people do. We do not blame and punish brains; we blame and punish people. The criteria for responsibility and excuse are behavioral,
including mental states. Neuroscience is learning much about causes of behavior, but causation alone does not excuse behavior.”
Stephen J. Morse Ferdinand Wakeman Hubbell Professor of Law; Professor of Psychology and Law in Psychiatry
“Understanding the social implications of using race in scientific research and biotechnologies is especially urgent today and demands an interdisciplinary
approach that includes law, social science, biology, and ethics.”
Dorothy E. RobertsGeorge A. Weiss University Professor of Law and Sociology
and the Raymond Pace and Sadie Tanner Mossell Alexander Professor of Civil Rights
“Internet policy must take into account how much the underlying technology and the demands being placed on the network are changing.”
Christopher S. YooJohn H. Chestnut Professor of Law and Professor of Communication and Computer & Information Science Founding Director, Center for Technology, Innovation & Competition
DISTINGUISHED FACULTY | 19
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“This summer I accomplished a dream of working for the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner on Refugees (UNHCR). Penn Law prepared me for this opportunity through its wide range of course offerings. From Professor Burke-White’s Public International Law course to Professor Paoletti’s Transnational Legal Clinic, Penn Law gave me a solid foundation in international law that allowed me to venture into the U.N. world.”
Megan Smith L’16
Hometown: Texarkana, TXBA 2010 Brown UniversitySummer Legal Intern, U.N. Office of the High Commissioner on Refugees
A WORLD OF OPPORTUNITIES
In a world without borders, Penn Law has developed innovative and strategic global initiatives that move far beyond standard law school offerings. A global perspective is infused throughout the curriculum, and students have myriad opportunities to address issues in international and comparative law here and abroad.
You can:
• Earn a master’s degree in international studies from the University’s Lauder Institute or a master’s in law from Sciences Po/Paris or Hong Kong University in addition to your JD.
• Become an International Summer Human Rights Fellow and spend a summer doing human rights work in Africa, Asia, Europe, or Latin America.
• Gain hands-on experience and cross-cultural understanding at an overseas firm through the Penn Law International Internship Program.
• Practice international law as counsel to clients petitioning for refugee status in the Transnational Clinic and engage in broader advocacy efforts related to international law and treaty obligations.
• Travel overseas with a Penn Law faculty member as part of Penn Law’s Global Research Seminar, an unparalleled research and learning opportunity combining an intensive seminar with hands-on fieldwork.
• Study alongside 100 LLM students from more than 45 countries who come from such careers overseas as sitting judges, government officials, NGO leaders, bankers, academics, and attorneys with the world’s leading law firms.
INTERNATIONALLY ENGAGED | 21
INTERNATIONALLY
ENGAGED
“Global perspective and cultural sensitivity are essential skills for 21st century lawyers. Through its unparalleled international faculty and programming, Penn Law is uniquely equipped to prepare its students to thrive personally and professionally around the world.”
Frank DeSimone L’15, MA’15
Hometown: Rosemont, PABA 2009 Harvard UniversityAssociate at Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer (New York, NY)
BOK VISITING INTERNATIONAL PROFESSORS
Our Bok Visiting International Professors each year are a prestigious cohort of experts invited to deliver special seminars at Penn Law. During the past year, Penn Law hosted faculty from the University of Hong Kong, the University of the Andes (Columbia), the London School of Economics, and the Max Planck Institute for Tax Law and Public Finance (Germany).
GLOBAL RESEARCH SEMINAR
Students who participate in the Global Research Seminar travel abroad to study cutting-edge issues with experts from around the world. Recent topics include Rising Powers in International Law (Brazil and China), Comparative Internet Law (Belgium and Germany), Indian Private Law (India), Islamic Finance (Malaysia), International Bankruptcy Law ( Japan), and Globalization of Corporate Governance (Italy).
91 students who worked, volunteered, studied,
or conducted research abroad last year
26 students who worked overseas last summer
in global law firms or human rights organizations
36Penn Law courses each year focusing on
international or comparative law
30Bok Visiting International Professors
9 Global Research Seminars involving travel to
Brazil, China, Europe, India, Japan, & Malaysia
50+ global centers at Penn
5 international partner schools
3 regional specialization certificates in
East Asian Studies, Middle East Studies, & Latin American Studies
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INTERNATIONALLY ENGAGED | 23
STUDY ABROAD PROGRAMS
Barcelona (ESADE Law School)
Beijing (Tsinghua Law School)
Hong Kong (Hong Kong University)
Paris (Sciences Po)
Tokyo (Waseda Law School)
PENN LAW
90%of Class of 2015 exceeded 70-hour
pro bono requirement
28,219hours of pro bono service by Class of 2015 students
100%students requesting summer public sector summer internship funding who receive it
155 students who received guaranteed
summer funding in 2015
$140,000per student maximum TolLRAP eligibility
for public interest careers
TOLL PUBLIC INTEREST CENTER
Celebrating Over 25 Years of Service
The Toll Public Interest Center is the hub of Penn Law’s robust public interest community.
Public service has always been an essential feature of legal education at Penn Law. A wide array of public service opportunities focus on civic engagement, personal enrichment, and professional skill development.
Through dozens of pro bono projects, Penn Law students address issues about which they are most passionate. We were the first school to receive the American Bar Association’s Pro Bono Publico Award in recognition of our impactful public service initiatives.
Whether you are launching a career in public service or preparing for a lifelong commitment to pro bono work, you will gain valuable hands-on experience and develop core professional skills.
Through TPIC, students enjoy the rewards of making a difference in the lives of others, such as:
• Helping thousands of low-income individuals secure essential public benefits.
• Partnering with non-profits and prominent law firms to engage in impact litigation and to advocate for systemic change.
• Traveling around the globe to engage in law-related education and advocacy.
• Educating hundreds of school children about the law, civics, and entrepreneurship.
PUBLIC SERVICE ETHOS | 25
“By connecting students to practitioners in the public interest community — locally, nationally, and internationally — we
create pathways to public interest careers.”
Arlene Rivera FinkelsteinAssociate Dean for Public Interest Programs
Toll Public Interest Center
PUBLIC SERVICE
ETHOS
GITTIS CENTER FOR CLINICAL LEGAL STUDIES
The nationally acclaimed Gittis Center for Clinical Legal Studies is Penn Law’s teaching law firm. The Center’s nine clinics bridge classroom learning with real-world practical experience and public service on behalf of real clients. Individualized mentoring and supervision by experienced faculty-practitioners help students develop core lawyering competencies and foster professional identities.
We offer diverse externships for academic credit with government and non-profit organizations. Students have the opportunity to complement in-house clinical work and deepen professional skills development at 30 externship sites in Philadelphia, New York, and Washington, D.C., including the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office, the Capital Habeas Unit of the Federal Defenders, the New York Attorney General’s Office, the Securities and Exchange Commission, the National Labor Relations Board, and the U.S. State Department Office of the Legal Adviser.
Recently, clinic students:
• Mediated conflicts including international child custody disputes.
• Engaged in extensive discovery and litigated multi-day hearings in state and federal courts in housing, employment, and civil rights cases.
• Coordinated business transactions involving real estate acquisition and multi-staged financing.
• Negotiated an international distribution agreement for an online magazine focused on Arab women’s issues.
• Obtained a grant of asylum for a client facing certain harm if returned to his home country.
PENN LAW
9client-based clinics
Civil Practice
Criminal Defense (with the Defender Association of
Philadelphia)
Detkin Intellectual Property and Technology Legal Clinic
(with the schools of Engineering, Medicine, Wharton, and Arts
& Sciences)
Entrepreneurship (with Wharton)
Interdisciplinary Child Advocacy (with the schools of Medicine and
Social Policy & Practice, and the Children’s Hospital of
Philadelphia)
Legislative
Mediation
Supreme Court Litigation (with the Paul Hastings law firm)
Transnational Law
30 governmental and non-profit
externship sites in Philadelphia, New York, and Washington, D.C.
230 student spots each year in the
clinical program’s many offerings
• Successfully defended clients accused of misdemeanors and felonies in criminal court.
• Briefed and argued pro bono cases in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit.
• Protected vulnerable children at risk as court-appointed child advocates.
• Interned in Washington, D.C., and drafted proposed legislation on emerging public policy issues.
• Won four groundbreaking recent U.S. Supreme Court cases, in conjunction with a large national law firm.
“Our clinics help students build strong relationships with diverse clients, develop essential lawyering skills, and apply their talents and creativity to problem solving in real world professional settings.”
Louis RulliDirector of Clinical Programs and Practice Professor of Law Gittis Center for Clinical Legal Studies
PUBLIC SERVICE EITHOS | 27
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COLLABORATIVE COMMUNITY | 29
COLLABORATIVE
COMMUNITYOUR COLLABORATIVE COMMUNITY
The Power of Diversity
Whoever you are and wherever you come from, the power of diversity at Penn Law creates a supportive and inclusive community where collaboration and teamwork are prized. We appreciate differences and are willing to engage colleagues and faculty in ways that respect, and even celebrate, the many differences in philosophy and experience that appear in a community as rich in ideas and backgrounds as Penn Law.
Our supportive community encourages students to take intellectual risks. Our belief — confirmed by feedback we receive from employers and leaders in the profession — is that students who learn the law in an encouraging and supportive environment, such as Penn Law’s, make exceptional lawyers and leaders.
“To collaborate means to ‘labor together,’ which I have found to be a distinctive feature of the Penn Law community. By working together, we learn to rely on each other. Knowing that you can turn to upperclassmen for advice and your section-mates for notes or to talk over a lecture requires a certain amount of trust. Having that kind of trust takes a lot of stress out of the law school experience and truly makes Penn Law unique!”
Seferina Berch L’17
Hometown: New York, NYBA 2014 University of Chicago
YOUR LIFETIME NETWORK
The Law School’s collaborative community equips you with a lifetime network of alumni, colleagues, and friends who will contribute to your advancement. We have active alumni clubs throughout the United States and abroad, including places such as Brazil, China, France, Greece, Italy, Japan, South Korea, and the United Kingdom.
Penn Law graduates serve as attorneys, policy makers, corporate executives, deal makers, and entrepreneurs in specialties from academia to securities law to voting rights and more.
They lead multinational companies and health care institutions, run non-profit organizations, advise government officials, and forge market-changing mergers.
Alumni also help our students prepare for their careers, volunteering as mentors and guest speakers at the Law School, conducting mock interviews, and attending informal networking lunches.
L.E.A.R.N. PENN LAW EQUAL JUSTICE LIGHT OPERA BLSA’S SADIE SYMPOSIUM BOWLING CLUB FOUNDATION AUCTION MUSICAL PERFORMANCE ALEXANDER CONFERENCE
PENN LAW
STUDENT GROUPS
Join an established student group or find like-minded colleagues to start your own. We are home to groups that consider substantive legal issues, run symposia, welcome speakers on career exploration, perform musicals, and bowl competitively.
“Collaboration at Penn Law makes for a collegial, friendly environment to grow as a lawyer.”
Géraldine Rothschild L’15, Wharton Certificate in Management
Hometown: West Hartford, CTBA 2012 Brandeis UniversityAssociate at Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP (New York, NY)
COLLABORATIVE COMMUNITY | 31
PENN LAW
GLOBAL, URBAN, IVY | 33
OUR UNIVERSITY
Penn Law is a small law school offering a rare blend of an inviting and green Ivy League university with global reach in the heart of a great city.
Enjoy world-class cultural performances at the Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts. Tour inspiring exhibits at the Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, the Institute of Contemporary Art, and the Fisher Fine Arts Library. Attend conferences and guest lectures at our sister schools on campus. Work out in our state-of-the-art fitness facility, the Pottruck Center, with its four floors of fitness equipment, Olympic-size pool, and climbing wall.
Visit University City’s popular stores, restaurants, cafes, cinema complex, and lovely parks. Admire the fine Victorian houses, many of which have been divided into affordable apartments. Follow Penn Park east across the Schuylkill River and experience everything that downtown Center City has to offer.
GLOBAL, URBAN,
IVY
CAMPUS WITHIN A CAMPUS
Built around a tree-lined central courtyard, Penn Law occupies the finest urban law school campus in America. Our four interconnected buildings integrate classrooms, faculty and administrative offices, and many gathering places to encourage interaction and engagement among faculty, students, and staff.
There is no better place to study law than Philadelphia, America’s fifth-largest city and home to a vital legal community. Just a train ride from the nation’s political and financial capitals, the Law School’s location affords almost limitless internship and externship opportunities.
Moreover, with a reputation as one of the most livable cities in the country, Philly is lively and affordable. World-class museums, (sometimes) championship sports teams, a vibrant theater and art scene, and some of the nation’s best restaurants make our city a place where there is always something to see or do.
ART MUSEUM KIMMEL CENTER BOATHOUSE ROW THE LINC ITALIAN MARKET LOVE STATUE ELFRETH’S ALLEY ACADEMY OF MUSIC
PHILADELPHIA
City of Neighborhoods
ART MUSEUM KIMMEL CENTER BOATHOUSE ROW THE LINC ITALIAN MARKET SANSOM STREET RITTENHOUSE SQUARE CITIZENS BANK PARK INDEPENDENCE HALL READING TERMINAL MARKET
Credit: Photos by R. Kennedy & B. Krist for GPTMC
LOVE STATUE ELFRETH’S ALLEY ACADEMY OF MUSIC
PENN LAW
A CURRICULUM RICH IN SUBSTANCE AND CHOICE
The First Year Program
The Juris Doctor degree requirements at Penn Law have been established to assure that students graduate with the analytical and critical intellectual skills necessary to meet tomorrow’s challenges in an ever-changing world, a thorough understanding of the basic principles of the law, an appreciation of the value of contributing to society through pro bono legal service, the ability to research and convey ideas and legal arguments both cogently and coherently, and an understanding of, and an appreciation for, legal ethics and the inherent responsibilities of becoming a member of the legal profession. In light of these goals, the Penn Law faculty creates a rich and diverse curriculum for our students.
Here, to give you a sense of the breadth of the curriculum, is a listing of courses taught in recent semesters. Note that, because our faculty is engaged in cutting-edge scholarship in all fields, our course and seminar roster changes frequently, and we cannot guarantee that any given course will be taught in any specific semester.
CURRICULAR COMPASS | 37
CURRICULAR
COMPASSFIRST YEAR CURRICULUM COURSES:
Civil Procedure
Constitutional Law
Contracts
Criminal Law
Torts
Legal Practice Skills: Yearlong
SAMPLES OF RECENT REGULATORY ELECTIVES:
Administrative Law
Bankruptcy
Environmental Law
Legislation
Public International Law
SAMPLES OF RECENT OPEN ELECTIVES:
Chinese Law
Introduction to Intellectual Property Law and Policy
Introduction to Jurisprudence
Law and Economics
Law and Society in Japan
Legal Responses to Inequality
Property
THE SECOND & THIRD YEAR CURRICULUM REQUIREMENTS:
54 semester hours (up to four courses can be taken outside Penn Law at one of Penn’s 11 other grad schools)
Senior research and writing project
Professional Responsibility course
Public Service (70 hours minimum requirement)
ADMINISTRATIVE LAW AND REGULATION
Administrative Law
Advanced Regulatory and Policy Law Seminar
Antitrust
Church and State
Cultural Heritage and the Law
Election Law and Policy
Energy Law and Climate Change
Regulatory Law and Policy Seminar
Transnational Legal Clinic
BUSINESS AND TRANSACTIONAL LAW
Accounting
Advanced Corporate Law: M&A
Advanced Issues in Corporate Law
Advanced Regulatory Law and Policy Seminar
Antitrust
Bankruptcy
Business Bankruptcy: Chapter 11
Business Strategy and Corporate Law
Challenges Facing the General Counsel
Commercial Finance
Commercial Litigation Strategy
Common Law Contracts for Civil Lawyers
Contracts
Contract Drafting
Corporate Finance
Corporate Finance: Legal Aspects
Corporate Taxation
Corporations
Cross-Border M&A
Deals
Detkin IP and Technology Legal Clinic
Distressed Dealmaking
Entrepreneurship Legal Clinic
Federal Income Tax
Financial Accounting
General Counsel
Insurance Law and Policy
PENN LAW
Intellectual Property and Corporate Lawyering
International Business Transactions
International Commercial Arbitration
Introduction to Intellectual Property Law and Policy
JD/MBA Capstone Course
Money Laundering
M&A Litigation Seminar
M&A through the Business Cycle
Mediation Clinic
Negotiation and Dispute Resolution
Partnership Tax
Patent Law — Appellate Advocacy
Patent Litigation
Property
Real Estate Transactions
Regulatory Law and Policy Seminar
Securities Bootcamp
Securities Regulation
Strategic Transactions in the Fashion & Retail Industries
Structured Finance and Securitization
Thinking Like a Litigator
Trademarks
Transactional Drafting
Transactional Lawyering
Trial Advocacy
Wharton Certificate in Management
White Collar Crime
Widening the Lens on Corporation Law
CIVIL LITIGATION: PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE
Administrative Law
Advanced Problems in Federal Procedure
Appellate Advocacy
Civil Practice Clinic
Civil Pre-Trial Litigation
Civil Procedure
Comparative Constitutional Law
Complex Litigation
Constitutional Criminal Procedure
Constitution Outside of the Courts: Theory and History
Constitutional Litigation
Criminal Defense Clinic
Cybercrime
Drug Product & Liability Litigation
Evidence
Federal Courts
Federal Indian Law
International Human Rights
Juvenile Justice Seminar
Lawyering in the Public Interest Seminar
Legislation
Legislative Clinic
Litigation for Social Change
Mediation Clinic
Political Law
Practice of Law
Refugee Law
Regulatory Law and Policy Seminar
Remedies
Supreme Court Clinic
Torts
Transnational Legal Clinic
Trial Advocacy
Externship: Death Penalty (Federal Defender)
Externship: Federal Appellate Litigation
Externship: Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission
Externship: U.S. Attorney’s Office, Civil Division
CONSTITUTIONAL LAW AND CIVIL LIBERTIES
Appellate Advocacy
Church and State
Comparative Constitutional Law
Conflict of Laws
Constitutional Criminal Procedure
Constitutional Litigation
Constitutional Theory
Death Penalty in the U.S. in Theory & Practice
Federal Courts
First Amendment: Free Speech and Press
First Amendment in the 21st Century
Immigration Law
International Human Rights
Juvenile Justice Seminar
Litigation for Social Change
Parents, Children, and the State
Political Philosophy of the U.S. Constitution
Privacy and Data Protection
Property
Supreme Court Clinic
Technology and Policy
Terrorism and International Law
Topics in Defamation
Transnational Legal Clinic
Externship: PA Human Relations Commission
CRIMINAL LAW AND PROCEDURE
Appellate Advocacy
Constitutional Criminal Procedure
Conviction Integrity
Criminal Defense Clinic
Criminal Law Research Group: The American Criminal Code Project
Criminal Law Theory
Cybercrime
Death Penalty in the U.S. in Theory & Practice
Evidence
International Human Rights
Introduction to Intellectual Property Law and Policy
Juvenile Justice
Law & Documentary Media
Mediation Clinic
Money Laundering
Remedies
Supreme Court Clinic
Thinking Like a Litigator
Trial Advocacy
Visual Legal Advocacy
White Collar Crime
Externship: District Attorney’s Office — Montgomery County
Externship: District Attorney’s Office — Philadelphia
EMPLOYMENT LAW/EMPLOYEE BENEFITS
Administrative Law
Business Bankruptcy: Chapter 11
Contract Drafting
Employee Benefits
Employment Discrimination
Employment Law
Entrepreneurship Legal Clinic
Legal Responses to Inequality
Litigating Employment Class & Collective Actions
Visual Legal Advocacy
Externship: Community Legal Services
Externship: PA Human Relations Commission
ENVIRONMENTAL LAW
Administrative Law
Advanced Regulatory Law and Policy Seminar
Animal Law and Ethics
Energy Law and Climate Change
Environmental Lawyering
International Environmental Law
Property
Regulatory Law and Policy
Externship: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
FAMILY LAW
Anatomy of a Divorce
Appellate Advocacy
Civil Practice Clinic
Family Law
Interdisciplinary Child Advocacy Clinic
Juvenile Justice
Marriage: History and the Law
Mental Health Law
Parents, Children, and the State
Property
HUMAN RIGHTS LAW
Animal Law and Ethics
Appellate Advocacy
China and International Human Rights
Constitutional Litigation
Immigration Law
International Human Rights
Lawyering in the Public Interest
Legal Responses to Inequality
Litigation for Social Change
Human Rights, Corporate Responsibility, & Information Communications Technology
Post-Conflict and Transitional Justice
Race, Education, and the Law
Refugee Law
Religion, Law, and Lawyering
Transnational Legal Clinic
Externship: Federal Appellate Litigation
Externship: PA Human Relations Commission
HEALTH LAW
Administrative Law
Animal Law and Ethics
Detkin Intellectual Property and Technology Legal Clinic
Drug Product Liability Litigation
Health Law and Policy
Insurance Law and Policy
Intellectual Property and National Economic Value Creation
Mental Health Law
Neuro Law
CURRICULAR COMPASS | 39
Patent Law
Patent Law — Appellate Advocacy
Patent Litigation
Pharmaceutical Regulation & Enforcement
Public Health Law
Regulation of Health Insurance Markets
Technology and Policy
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY AND TECHNOLOGY LAW
Copyright
Cultural Heritage & the Law
Cybercrime
Detkin IP and Technology Legal Clinic
Entrepreneurship Legal Clinic
First Amendment in the 21st Century
Human Rights, Corporate Responsibility, & Information Communications Technology
Intellectual Property & Corporate Lawyering
Intellectual Property and National Economic Value Creation
Intellectual Property Litigation in the Digital Age
Intellectual Property Theory Colloquium
Internet, State Power, and Free Expression
Introduction to Intellectual Property Law & Policy
Patent Law
Patent Law — Appellate Advocacy
Patent Litigation
Property
Technology and Policy
Trademarks
INTERNATIONAL LAW
Bok Course: Asian Courts in Context
Bok Course: Cause Lawyering: New Directions in Public Interest
Litigation in India
Bok Course: The ICC from the Perspective of an Appellate Judge
Chinese Law
Comparative & Constitutional Law
Cross-Border M&A
GRS: Comparative Corporate Governance and Financial Regulation
GRS: Disasters and the Law
Intellectual Property Transactions
International Business Transactions
International Civil Litigation
International Commercial Arbitration
International Environmental Law
International Human Rights
International Law and International Relations
International Trade Regulation
Islamic Finance
Jewish Law
Law and Empire
Law & Society in Japan
Money Laundering
Public International Law
Refugee Law
Research in Foreign and International Law
Transnational Legal Clinic
PERSPECTIVES ON THE LAW
Advanced Legal Research
Animal Law and Ethics
Appellate Advocacy
Church and State
Client Leverage and Law Firm Management
Comparative Constitutional Law
Cultural Heritage & the Law
Election Law
First Amendment in the 21st Century
Freedom and Responsibility
Health Law and Policy
Intellectual Property & Corporate Lawyering
Intellectual Property and National Economic Value Creation
International Human Rights
Internet, State Power, and Free Expression
Introduction to Intellectual Property Law and Policy
Introduction to Law and Economics
Introduction to Philosophy of Law
Jewish Law
Juvenile Justice Seminar
Law and the Morality of War
Law and Economics Seminar
Law and Empire
Law and Sexuality
Lawyering in the Public Interest Seminar
Legal History
Legal Responses to Inequality
Litigation for Social Change
Neuro Law
Political Authority and Political Obligation
Political Law
New Models for Post-Secondary Education
Problems in Law and Morality
Race, Education, and the Law
Regulation of Health Insurance Markets
Religion, Law, and Lawyering
Rule of Law: Policy and Practice
Trial Advocacy
Urban Law: Contemporary Legal Problems
Visual Legal Advocacy
Writing About the Law
Writing for Practice
PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITY AND ETHICS
Appellate Advocacy
Client Leverage and Law Firm Management
E-Discovery
Lawyering in the Public Interest
Problems in Law and Morality
Professional Responsibility
Professional Responsibility in Public Interest Practice
Religion, Law, and Lawyering
Thinking Like a Litigator
Transnational Legal Clinic
PROPERTY AND REAL ESTATE LAW
Deals
Entrepreneurship Legal Clinic
Environmental Lawyering
International Environmental Law
Land Use Law
Property
Real Estate Transactions
Externship: Delaware Riverkeeper
PUBLIC INTEREST
Administrative Law
Animal Law and Ethics
Appellate Advocacy
Civil Practice Clinic
Constitution Outside of the Courts: Theory and History
Constitutional Litigation
Education Law and Policy
Employment Discrimination
Entrepreneurship Legal Clinic
Federal Courts
Immigration Law
Juvenile Justice Seminar
Lawyering in the Public Interest Seminar
Legislative Clinic
Litigation for Social Change
Mental Health Law
Parents, Children, and the State
Public Interest Law and Entrepreneurship
Race, Education, and the Law
Visual Legal Advocacy
Externship: Community Legal Services
Externship: Death Penalty (Federal Defender)
Externship: Delaware Riverkeeper
Externship: Lerner Fellow — Child Welfare Policy
Externship: PA Human Relations Commission
TAX LAW
Corporate Taxation
Employee Benefits
Federal Income Tax
Legal Aspects of Entrepreneurship
Partnership Tax
Structured Finance and Securitization
Tax Policy Seminar
CLINICAL/EXPERIENTIAL
Appellate Advocacy
Civil Practice Clinic
Civil Pre-Trial Litigation
Contract Drafting
Criminal Defense Clinic
Deals
Detkin Intellectual Property and Technology Legal Clinic
Entrepreneurship Legal Clinic
Interdisciplinary Child Advocacy Clinic
Lawyering In the Public Interest
Legal Practice Skills
Legal Scholarship and Academic Writing
Legislative Clinic
Mediation Clinic
Negotiations
Pre-Trial Litigation
Practice of Law
Refugee Law
Supreme Court Clinic
Transactional Drafting
Transnational Legal Clinic
Writing for Practice
Externship: Community Legal Services
Externship: Death Penalty (Federal Defender)
Externship: Delaware Riverkeeper
Externship: District Attorney’s Office - Montgomery County
Externship: District Attorney’s Office - Philadelphia
Externship: Federal Appellate Litigation
Externship: Lerner Fellow – Child Welfare Policy
Externship: Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission
Externship: U.S. Attorney’s Office, Civil Division
Externship: Women’s Law Project
CO-CURRICULAR
East Asia Law Review
Journal of Business Law
Journal of Constitutional Law
Journal of International Law
Journal of Law and Social Change
Law Review
Littleton Fellows
Frederick Douglass Moot Court Competition
Giles S. Rich Patent Law Moot Court Competition
Jessup Moot Court Competition
Keedy Cup
Marshall Moot Court Competition
Mock Trial Team Competition
Moot Court Board
National Moot Court Competition
Other Extramural Competitions
PENN LAW
HOW TO APPLY
LSAC online application may be found at www.lsac.org or visit
www.law.upenn.edu/admissions/jd
HOW TO APPLY | 41
HOW TO
APPLYADMISSIONS AND FINANCIAL AID
Each year, we enroll a select class of individuals who are academically gifted, professionally accomplished, intellectually curious, and culturally and geographically diverse. While academic excellence is important in the evaluation process, we consider each application holistically. We do not apply numeric cutoffs for the Law School Admission Test (LSAT) nor GPA. Instead, we read each individual file, including letters of recommendation, personal statement, supplemental essays, and resume, to gain a full picture of every applicant.
We are very deliberate about making Penn Law a collegial and collaborative community. We find that students who choose to study the law here are supportive of one another, contribute in countless ways inside and out of the classroom, and become great institutional citizens and future professionals.
Our students come from all over the country, from more than 200 undergraduate institutions, and from around the globe. They come from a broad spectrum of academic, professional, ideological, and economic backgrounds. Almost 70 percent of our students have had at least one year of work experience prior to attending law school, approximately one-third identify as students of color, and typically 10 percent hold an advanced degree. This breathtaking diversity inspires a cross-fertilization of ideas that makes the Penn Law educational experience intellectually rewarding and professionally transformative. We welcome your interest in becoming part of this extraordinary community.
Renée C. PostAssociate Dean, Admissions and Financial Aid
PENN LAW
Application Requirements
Applicants for admission to Penn Law must hold a bachelor’s degree, take the Law School Admission Test (LSAT), and register with the Credential Assembly Service (CAS). Applicants must also submit two letters of recommendation, preferably from academic instructors; however, if you have been out of school for a number of years, you may submit letters from employers or other individuals who can evaluate your potential for success in a rigorous law program. Applicants must submit a current resume, must write a personal statement on a topic of their choice, and have the option to select among four supplemental essays. The personal statement is your interview on paper. You may wish to describe aspects of your background and interests — intellectual, personal, or professional — and how you will uniquely contribute to the Penn Law community and/or the legal profession.
The application fee is $80.00; applicants for whom the fee will pose a financial burden may apply for a fee waiver.
Detailed information and instructions regarding each application requirement and the LSAC Credential Assembly Service may be found on our website at www.law.upenn.edu/admissions/jd/.
Standards for Admission
Admission to Penn Law is highly selective. Last year, we received over 5,000 applications for the approximately 250 seats in the entering class.
Our selection process is designed to ensure that each candidate is evaluated in terms of his or her academic promise and potential contribution to the intellectual life of the Law School and to the legal profession.
The Admissions Committee considers numerous factors — both academic and nonacademic — to achieve our goal of enrolling a class that is highly accomplished and diverse. There is no pre-law educational requirement or even a specific recommended course of study for admission to Penn Law. Strength of character, breadth of knowledge, and intellectual maturity constitute the base upon which our legal education builds. As such, Penn Law seeks to enroll individuals who have demonstrated outstanding academic success, who are intellectually curious, and who possess superior writing, oral communication, and analytical skills. We also seek individuals who will positively contribute to the Penn Law community and ultimately, to the legal profession, based on their diverse backgrounds, their personal and professional experiences, service and leadership, and any challenges or obstacles that they may have overcome.
Importantly, the Admissions Committee bases its decisions on all material submitted with each application. While undergraduate grade point average and LSAT score are significant factors, they are not decisive factors. There is no minimum LSAT or GPA below which a candidate will not be considered.
Transfer & Visiting Admission
We welcome applications from current, full-time law students who wish to transfer to Penn Law or who wish to visit for up to one year at Penn Law. Applicants for transfer or visiting student admission must be in good standing at a law school that is both accredited by the American Bar Association and a member of the Association of American Law Schools. Detailed information and instructions regarding transfer and visiting student admission may be found on our website at www.law.upenn.edu/admissions/jd/.
DEADLINES
Early Decision (Binding)
Round 1
November 15 – Application must be received*
December 1 – Application must be complete
December 31 – Decisions will be sent
Round 2
January 7 – Application must be received*
January 15 – Application must be complete
January 31 – Decisions will be sent
*Early Decision applications must be submitted through LSAC no later than November 15 for Round 1 or January 7 for Round 2. All supporting documents, including the LSAC Credential Assembly Service Report, must be received by December 1 for Round 1 or January 15 for Round 2 Early Decision consideration.
Regular Decision**
March 1 – Application must be receivedMarch 15 – Application must be complete
**Decisions are made on a rolling basis.
APPLYING FOR JOINT-DEGREE PROGRAMS
Penn Law leads in cross-disciplinary education of law students. Every year, a number of our applicants and students apply to more than 20 formal joint-degree programs, either contemporaneously with the Penn Law application or in the first or second year of their law study. Additionally, on an ad hoc basis, students have successfully combined graduate study outside of these formal programs in other graduate and professional schools at the University of Pennsylvania. If you are interested in supplementing your legal education with study at other programs/schools at the University, we encourage you to discuss that interest with their respective Admissions Departments. Note that you must apply individually to each program; admissions decisions are made by each program independently. You will find a list of most of our available formal joint-degree programs on the Application for Admission. Additionally, detailed information regarding each program may be found on our website at https://www.law.upenn.edu/academics/crossdisciplinary/.
Exception: If you are applying for the three year JD/MBA program, please do not fill out nor submit the Fall 2016 — First Year JD Application through LSAC. Instead, you must apply exclusively through Wharton at www.wharton.upenn.edu/mba/. There, you will find a Law School Application Supplement. Please reference the Law School Application Instructions and Guidelines through Wharton for further important information. You can still apply Early Decision Round 1 or Round 2 for the JD program with the three year JD/MBA application through Wharton.
HOW TO APPLY | 43
PENN LAW
Loans
In addition to the aforementioned grants and scholarships, there are a variety of federal and private loans for which students may be eligible. Students admitted to Penn Law will receive information on the various loans for which they may apply and will work directly with the Law School financial aid staff in completing this process.
Merit Scholarships
Penn Law awards merit scholarships to a select number of students based primarily on their academic achievements and intellectual ambition, but also based on nonacademic factors such as leadership, service, and professional or life experiences. All applicants who are admitted to the Law School are considered for our merit scholarships. Although there is not a separate application for merit scholarships, applicants who are nominated by the Admissions Committee may be asked to complete an interview or to submit an essay for particular scholarships. Scholarship nominees and recipients are notified on a rolling basis between January and late April.
Levy Scholars Program Silverman-Rodin Scholarship
Full tuition for three years Full tuition 1L, half tuition 2L
Roberts Scholarship James Wilson Scholarship
$75,000–$120,000 over three years $66,000–$90,000 over three years
FINANCING YOUR LEGAL EDUCATION
With over 100 newly named scholarship funds and more than 100 percent growth in financial aid over the past decade, Penn Law is fully invested in your future.
We are committed to guiding our applicants through the financial aid process and to helping our students develop a sound financial plan for their legal education. We provide generous financial assistance to deserving students through a variety of grants, scholarships, and loans. Importantly, admission decisions at Penn Law are made without regard to an applicant’s financial need. Therefore, financial aid applications are reviewed only after a student has been admitted. Following is an overview of the types of aid that are available to our students. Detailed information regarding financial aid and scholarships, as well as instructions for applying, may be found on our website at www.law.upenn.edu/admissions/financing/applicants/.
Applying for Financial Aid
Eligibility for need-based aid or grants is determined from financial information provided by the applicant, the applicant’s parent(s), and if applicable, the applicant’s spouse. Applicants for financial aid are required to submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and the Need Access Application. You may submit the FAFSA electronically at www.fafsa.ed.gov. The Need Access Application is available at www.NeedAccess.org.
If you are interested in applying for need-based aid, complete the aforementioned financial aid forms as early as possible so that your financial aid analysis can be completed soon after you have been admitted. We strongly recommend that all applicants submit these forms by March 1, even if they have not yet received an offer of admission.
PENN LAW
Dean’s Scholarship
$15,000–$60,000 over three years
STUDENT BUDGET* (2015–16)
Tuition and Fees $ 58,918
Room and Board 14,690
Books 1,700
Health Insurance 3,732
Miscellaneous 3,190
Total $ 82,230
*Students who earn a joint degree or certificate will also incur a nominal administrative fee.
HOW TO APPLY | 45
Funding for Public Interest
Toll Public Interest Scholarships and Loan Repayment Assistance
Penn Law, committed to promoting the pursuit of public interest careers, has developed the Toll Public Interest Scholars Program for select incoming students and the Toll Repayment Assistance Program (TolLRAP) for graduates.
The Toll Public Interest Scholars Program combines financial support (full tuition for the first year and two-thirds tuition for the second and third years) and a challenging academic program for highly accomplished students seeking academic training and practical experience in public interest law. Scholars are selected on the basis of their demonstrated commitment to public service, their academic record, and their potential for leadership in the legal community.
Loan Repayment Assistance
TolLRAP offers generous repayment assistance, on an annual basis, to Penn Law graduates working in public service careers. The amount of assistance is based on a formula that considers the applicant’s annual income and law school debt.
Penn Law’s financial commitment to lawyering in the public interest is unsurpassed. Our loan repayment assistance program leads the nation, ensuring that graduates pursuing public interest careers can have significant student loan burdens eliminated.
Summer funding for qualifying public interest work is guaranteed.
In addition to scholarship assistance and generous loan forgiveness, we help launch legal careers through a number of postgraduate fellowships available exclusively to our graduates.
SALARY INFORMATION (2014)
LAW FIRM
25th/75th Percentiles $160,000/$160,000
Median $160,000
Salaries Reported 209/210 (99%)
STUDENT PROFILE – CLASS OF 2018*
Applicants 5,081
Enrolled 239
Women 46%
Students of Color 34%
Average Age 24
Out of College One or More Years 65%
Advanced Degrees 7%
LSAT GPA
75th Percentile 170 3.95
25th Percentile 163 3.52
DISTRIBUTION
This year’s class includes students from 28 states, the District of Columbia, countries across the globe (including Canada, China, Ethiopia, Panama, South Korea, and Taiwan), and 132 colleges and universities.
*As of August 21, 2015
Penn Law students are recruited nationally and internationally by a wide array of employers.
PENN LAW
PROFILEStudents at Penn Law thrive academically, professionally, and socially, thanks to a small, supportive community; the preeminence of our school and university; and a focus on redefining what it means to be a lawyer. For a comprehensive set of employment statistics, please see our website www.law.upenn.edu/careers.
PENN LAW
44.9%New York
9.1% California
2.5%Massachusetts
1.5% International
GENERAL EMPLOYMENT INFORMATION (2014)
Graduating Class Size 278
Employment Status Known 278
Employed 274
Start Date Deferred 1
Seeking Employment 0
Not Seeking Employment 0
Enrolled in Full-Time Degree 3
Unknown 0
EMPLOYMENT REQUIREMENTS
Bar Required – Full-time 263
Bar Required – Part-time 1
J.D. Advantage 10
Professional – Other 0* Other includes AZ, CO, CT, GA, KY, LA, NV, OH, OK, VA, WA.
OUR 2014 GRADUATES ARE WORKING
IN THE FOLLOWING
FIELDS:
OUR 2014 GRADUATES ARE WORKING
IN THE FOLLOWING
GEOGRAPHIC REGIONS:
76.6%Law Firm
3.6% Public Interest
12%Judicial Clerkships
3.3% Government/Military
13.5%Pennsylvania
3.3% Delaware
2.2%Illinois
1.1% Florida
CAREER PLANNING & PROFESSIONALISM
3.6% Business or Industry
<1% Academic
11.3% Washington D.C.
2.5% Texas
1.5% New Jersey
6.6% Other*
JUDICIAL CLERK
25th/75th Percentiles $50,622/$61,622
Median $60,000
Salaries Reported 31/33 (94%)
BUSINESS OR INDUSTRY
25th/75th Percentiles $100,000/$135,000
Median $120,000
Salaries Reported 9/10 (90%)
GOVERNMENT/MILITARY
25th/75th Percentiles $25,000/$60,000
Median$60,000
Salaries Reported 9/9 (100%)
PUBLIC INTEREST
25th/75th Percentiles $41,250/$55,066
Median $49,000
Salaries Reported 10/10 (100%)
ACADEMIC
25th/75th Percentiles <5 reported
Median <5 reported
Salaries Reported <5 reported
PENN LAW PROFILE | 47
PENN LAW
University of Pennsylvania Law School
3501 Sansom Street
Philadelphia, PA 19104-6204
Office of Admissions & Financial Aid
Admissions: 215.898.7400
Financial Aid: 215.898.7743
Fax: 215.898.9606
Admissions Email: [email protected]
Financial Aid Email: [email protected]
Office of Graduate Programs
Telephone: 215.898.0407
Fax: 215.573.2025
Email: [email protected]
http://www.law.upenn.edu
UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA NON-DISCRIMINATION POLICY STATEMENT
The University of Pennsylvania values diversity and seeks talented students, faculty and staff from diverse backgrounds. The University of Pennsylvania does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, creed, national or ethnic origin, citizenship status, age, disability, veteran status or any other legally protected class status in the administration of its admissions, financial aid, educational or athletic programs, or other University-administered programs or in its employment practices. Questions or complaints regarding this policy should be directed to the Executive Director of the Office of Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity Programs, Sansom Place East, 3600 Chestnut Street, Suite 228, Philadelphia, PA 19104-6106; or 215.898.6993 (Voice) or 215.898.7803 (TDD). The University’s annual security and fire safety report is available at http://www.publicsafety.upenn.edu/. The University of Pennsylvania must reserve the right to make changes affecting policies, fees, curricula, or any other matters announced in this publication or on its website.
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