Widener University Delaware Law School

Last updated
Delaware Law School
Delaware Law School.jpeg
Parent school Widener University
Established1971;53 years ago (1971)
School type Private law school
Parent endowment$87,246,740 [1]
Dean Todd J. Clark
Location Wilmington, Delaware, United States
39°49′02″N75°32′46″W / 39.817305°N 75.546042°W / 39.817305; -75.546042
Enrollment536 (full-time), 127 (part-time) (October 2023) [2]
Faculty33 (full-time), 56 (part-time) [2]
USNWR ranking175 (tied) (2024) [3]
Bar pass rate51.65% (2022 overall first-time takers)
64.79% (2023 PA first-time takers)
53.85% (2022 DE first-time takers)
Website delawarelaw.widener.edu

Widener University Delaware Law School (Delaware Law School and formerly Widener University School of Law) is a private law school in Wilmington, Delaware. It is one of two separate ABA-accredited law schools of Widener University. Widener University Law School was founded in 1971 as the Delaware Law School and became affiliated with Widener in 1975. [4] In 1989, it was known as Widener University School of Law when it was combined with the campus in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. In 2015, the two campuses separated, with the Harrisburg one renamed to Widener University Commonwealth Law School.

Contents

History

Founded in 1971 as The Delaware Law School, the institution became affiliated with then Widener College, later becoming Widener University in 1975 and graduated its first class of 267 in August of that year. The school's name was officially changed to Widener University School of Law in 1989 when the Harrisburg campus was added. On July 1, 2015, the two campuses were separated into two distinct law schools that operate independently of each other, but remain part of the university. Each law school has its own dean, faculty, students, and curriculum.

Campus

Located in Wilmington, Delaware Law School's 40-acre campus is home to 686 students. [2] [5]

Academics

Widener's legal education program included legal clinics that specialize in environmental law, criminal defense, and civil law, which includes family law, and legal assistance on veteran benefits cases. Another opportunity provided to its students is the Taishoff Advocacy, Technology and Public Service 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 Taishoff Advocacy, Technology and Public Service Institute, Widener offers certification in specialized fields of study.

The campus offers a variety of pro-bono work or community outreach opportunities through the Public Interest Resource Center. [6] Students also have the opportunity participate in extra and co-curricular activities such as Moot court, Moe Levine Trial Advocacy Honor Society, and two law reviews: the Delaware Journal of Corporate Law and the Widener Law Review .

Admissions

For the class entering in 2023, the school accepted 67.83% of applicants, with 32.52% of those accepted enrolling. The average enrollee had a 150 LSAT score and 3.26 undergraduate GPA. [7]

Ranking

In the 2013 edition of the U.S. News & World Report   "Best Law School Rankings", Widener was classified as a "fourth Tier" law school and the full-time JD program was not given a numerical value, as U.S. News then only ranked the Top 145, with the rest being unranked. [8] [9] For the 2022 rankings, Widener was ranked in the 147th–193rd ranking category (bottom 25%). For its 2024 rankings, U.S. News & World Report ranked Widener tied for #175 out of 196 ABA schools (bottom 10.71%) and in the #64-70 ranking category out of 70 part-time schools. [3] In 2010, Widener University School of Law was named to a national list of "Top Green Schools" based on the strength of Widener's environmental law curriculum and the school's earth-friendly practices. [10]

Study abroad

Study abroad is offered through the Summer International Law Institute. There are 3 institutes available to students: Kenya, Switzerland and Italy. While abroad, students sometimes have the ability to intern with international organizations.

Post-graduation

Bar passage

In 2022, the overall bar pass rate for Widener Delaware first-time examination takers was 51.65%. The Ultimate Bar Pass Rate, which the ABA defines as the pass rate for graduates who sat for bar exams within two years of graduating, was 84.56% for the class of 2020. [11]

Costs

The total cost of attendance (indicating the cost of tuition, fees, and living expenses) at Widener for the 2023–2024 academic year is $81,484. [12] The Law School Transparency estimated debt-financed cost of attendance for three years is $280,753. [13]

Employment statistics

According to the law professor blog, The Faculty Lounge, based on 2012 ABA data, 38.7% of graduates obtained full-time long term positions requiring bar admission (i.e., jobs as lawyers), 9 months after graduation, ranking 177th out of 197 law schools. [14] [15]

According to Widener's official 2023 ABA-required disclosures, 63% of the Class of 2022 obtained full-time, long-term, JD-required employment nine months after graduation (i.e., jobs as lawyers). [16] Widener's Law School Transparency under-employment score was 18.6%, indicating the percentage of the Class of 2022 unemployed, pursuing an additional degree, or working in a non-professional, short-term, or part-time job nine months after graduation. [17]

Student loan debt

According to U.S. News & World Report, the average indebtedness of 2013 graduates who incurred law school debt was $130,180 (not including undergraduate debt), and 91% of 2013 graduates took on debt. [18]

Partnerships

Undergraduate programs

Qualified undergraduate students at Widener University are eligible to apply to the law school under three special admissions programs. [19]

Stockton University

Beginning in 2009, Widener Law has offered an express admissions option to students and alumni from Stockton University. [23]

Notable faculty

Notable alumni

Related Research Articles

Boston College Law School is the law school of Boston College, a private Jesuit research university in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts. It is situated on a 40-acre (160,000 m2) campus in Newton, Massachusetts, about 1.5 miles (2.4 km) from the university's main campus in Chestnut Hill.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Temple University Beasley School of Law</span> Law school at Temple University, Pennsylvania

The Temple University James E. Beasley School of Law is the law school of Temple University, a public research university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It was founded in 1895 and enrolls about 650 students.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ave Maria School of Law</span> Law School

Ave Maria School of Law is a private Roman Catholic law school in Naples, Florida. It was founded in 1999 and is accredited by the American Bar Association.

Mississippi College School of Law is an American Bar Association accredited law school. MC Law is one of two law schools in the state of Mississippi, and is the only law school in the capital city of Jackson, Mississippi. The school is a professional school of Mississippi College, founded in 1826.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Case Western Reserve University School of Law</span> Private law school in Cleveland, Ohio, US

Case Western Reserve University School of Law is one of eight schools at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio. It was one of the first schools accredited by the American Bar Association. It is a member of the Association of American Law Schools (AALS). It was initially named for Franklin Thomas Backus, a justice of the Ohio Supreme Court, whose widow donated $50,000 to found the school in 1892.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Atlanta's John Marshall Law School</span> Private for-profit law school in Atlanta, Georgia, USA

Atlanta's John Marshall Law School (AJMLS) is a private for-profit law school in Atlanta, Georgia. It was founded in 1933 and named for John Marshall, the fourth chief justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. AJMLS is accredited by the American Bar Association.

Western State College of Law at Westcliff University is a private, for-profit law school in Irvine, California. It offers full and part-time programs and is approved by the American Bar Association. Western State pays a fee to receive services from the Association of American Law Schools (AALS).

Seton Hall University School of Law is the law school of Seton Hall University, and is located in downtown Newark, New Jersey. Seton Hall Law is the only private law school in New Jersey. The school confers three law degrees: Juris Doctor, Master of Laws, and Master of General Legal Studies. Founded in 1951, it is accredited by the American Bar Association (ABA), and is also a member of the Association of American Law Schools (AALS).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thomas Goode Jones School of Law</span> Law school in Montgomery, Alabama, US

The Thomas Goode Jones School of Law is the law school of Faulkner University, located in Montgomery, Alabama.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">University of Illinois College of Law</span> Public law school in Champaign, Illinois, US

The University of Illinois College of Law is the law school of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, a public land-grant research university in Champaign and Urbana, Illinois. It was established in 1897 and offers the Juris Doctor, Master of Laws, and Doctor of Juridical Science degrees.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St. Mary's University School of Law</span> Catholic law school in San Antonio, Texas, US

St. Mary's University School of Law is the law school of St. Mary's University, a private Catholic university located in San Antonio, Texas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Norman Adrian Wiggins School of Law</span> Private law school in Raleigh, North Carolina, United States

The Norman Adrian Wiggins School of Law is a private law school in Raleigh, North Carolina, United States. Founded in 1976, the law school is one of six graduate programs offered by Campbell University. The school is named after its founder, Norman Adrian Wiggins, former President and Chancellor of Campbell University, and creator of the institution's law division. Originally housed on the main campus of Campbell University in Buies Creek, the school moved to a newly constructed facility in downtown Raleigh in September, 2009.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Liberty University School of Law</span> Law school of Liberty University

The Liberty University School of Law is the law school of Liberty University, a private evangelical Christian university in Lynchburg, Virginia. The school offers the J.D., L.L.M., and J.M. degrees.

Regent University School of Law is the law school of Regent University, a private Christian university in Virginia Beach, Virginia. It was founded in 1986 and accredited by the American Bar Association in 1996.

The NKU Salmon P. Chase College of Law is the law school of Northern Kentucky University, a public university in Highland Heights, Kentucky. It provides both part-time and full-time programs of study that lead to a Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree, as well as joint degrees in JD/Master of Business Administration, JD/Master of Health Informatics, and JD/Master of Business Informatics. The law school also has a program that leads to a LLM degree in U.S. law that is designed for internationally trained lawyers, and a program that leads to a MLS degree designed for individuals interested in developing a better understanding of the law as it affects their careers involving legal or regulatory issues.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rutgers Law School</span> Public law school in New Jersey, US

Rutgers Law School is the law school of Rutgers University, with classrooms in Newark and Camden, New Jersey. It is the largest public law school and the 10th largest law school, overall, in the United States. Each class in the three-year J.D. program enrolls approximately 350 law students. Although Rutgers University dates from 1766, its law school was founded in Newark in 1908. Today, Rutgers offers the J.D. and a foreign-lawyer J.D., as well as joint-degree programs that combine a J.D. with a graduate degree from another Rutgers graduate program.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">University of Toledo College of Law</span> Public law school in Toledo, Ohio, US

The University of Toledo College of Law is the law school at the University of Toledo, and is located on the university's main campus in a residential neighborhood in western Toledo, Ohio. The school is fully accredited by the American Bar Association and is a member of the Association of American Law Schools.

The University of Detroit Mercy School of Law is the law school of the University of Detroit Mercy and is located in Downtown Detroit, Michigan across from the Renaissance Center. Founded in 1912, Detroit Mercy Law is a private Roman Catholic law school and has been ABA-accredited since 1933. The Law School has an annual enrollment of 612 students including 223 Nonresident Aliens, and currently has 67 faculty members.

Cooley Law School (Cooley) is a private law school in Lansing, Michigan, and Riverview, Florida. It was established in 1972. At its peak in 2010, Cooley had over 3,900 students and was the largest US law school by enrollment; as of the Spring of 2022, Cooley had approximately 500 students between its two campuses. In November 2020, Western Michigan University's board of trustees voted to end its affiliation with Cooley, which began in 2014, with disassociation effective November 5, 2023. As of 2024, Cooley has failed to reach the 75% two year bar passage required of ABA Standard 316 for continued accreditation. Multiple media outlets have labeled Cooley the "worst law school in America".

Widener University Commonwealth Law School is a law school located in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, and part of Widener University, a private university in Chester, Pennsylvania. It is one of two separate ABA-accredited law schools of the university. It was founded in 1989 as an expansion of Widener University's law school in Wilmington. It awards the Juris Doctor degree in its full-time and part-time programs and is a member of the Association of American Law Schools (AALS).

References

  1. ↑ "Widener University - US News Best Colleges". U.S. News & World Report. Retrieved 12 March 2017.
  2. 1 2 3 "2023 Standard 509 Information Report -Widener Delaware School of Law". abarequireddisclosures.org. American Bar Association . Retrieved January 29, 2024.
  3. 1 2 "Widener University--Delaware". usnews.com. U.S. News & World Report . Retrieved 30 January 2024.
  4. ↑ "Delaware Law School at Widener University". sites.udel.edu. Delaware Law School at Widener University. Retrieved 25 August 2024.
  5. ↑ "Delaware Campus Quick Facts" (PDF). Widener University School of Law. Retrieved 2011-05-10.
  6. ↑ Besso, Michele (July 9, 2006). "Youths learn basics of finance". Delaware Online. Retrieved 2007-08-31.
  7. ↑ "2023 Standard 509 Information Report -Widener Delaware School of Law". abarequireddisclosures.org. American Bar Association . Retrieved January 29, 2024.
  8. ↑ "Best Law School Rankings | Law Program Rankings | US News". Grad-schools.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com. Retrieved 2016-03-01.
  9. ↑ "Methodology: 2016 Best Law Schools Rankings". US News. Retrieved 2016-03-01.
  10. ↑ "PreLaw - Back to School 2010". Nxtbook.com. Retrieved 2016-03-01.
  11. ↑ "Widener Delaware Law School - Bar Passage". abarequireddisclosures.org. American Bar Association . Retrieved 29 January 2024.
  12. ↑ "Tuition and Fees | Widener Law's Office of the Bursar administers tuition and bill payment". Archived from the original on July 14, 2014. Retrieved July 12, 2014.
  13. ↑ "Find a Law School". LST Score Reports. Retrieved 2016-03-01.
  14. ↑ Rosin, Gary. "Full Rankings: Bar Admission Required, Full-Time, Long Term", The Faculty Lounge, 30 March 2013. Retrieved on 2 May 2013
  15. ↑ "Home". Employmentsummary.abaquestionnaire.org. Retrieved 2016-03-01.
  16. ↑ "Consumer Information and ABA Required Disclosures". Archived from the original on July 14, 2014. Retrieved July 12, 2014.
  17. ↑ "Find a Law School". LST Score Reports. Retrieved 2016-03-01.
  18. ↑ "Grad Debt Programs | Top Law Schools | US News Best Graduate Schools". Grad-schools.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com. Retrieved 2016-03-01.
  19. ↑ "Widener University Partnership". Widener Law. Retrieved 2011-04-18.
  20. ↑ "Widener University Express Admissions". Widener Law. Retrieved 2011-04-18.
  21. ↑ "Widener Fast Track". Widener Law. Retrieved 2011-04-18.
  22. ↑ "Stockton Partnership". Widener Law. Retrieved 2011-04-18.
  23. ↑ "Stockton Express Admissions". Widener Law. Retrieved 2011-04-18.
  24. ↑ "Widener Staff Page of Joe Biden". Archived from the original on 2008-10-06. Retrieved 2009-03-11.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.