Widener University Commonwealth Law School
Parent schoolWidener University
Established1989
School typePrivate law school
Parent endowment$91,000,000[1]
DeanMichael Hussey
LocationHarrisburg, Pennsylvania, United States
Enrollment316[2]
Faculty15[2]
USNWR ranking147th–192nd (bottom 25%) (2023)[3]
Websitecommonwealthlaw.widener.edu

Widener University Commonwealth Law School (Widener Law Commonwealth) 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.[4] 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).

History

The Widener University School of Law in Harrisburg was founded in 1989, as an expansion of Widener University's existing law school in Wilmington, Delaware. Anthony J. Santoro, who served as Dean of law from 1983 to 1992, felt that there was a need for legal education in Harrisburg, the capital city of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.[5] The law school became one of two law school campuses operated by Widener University.[4]

On July 1, 2015, the two campuses separated into two distinct law schools that operate independently of each other, but remain part of the Widener University.[6] Each law school has its own dean, faculty, students, curriculum, and accreditation. The first Dean of the renamed Widener University Commonwealth Law School in Harrisburg was Christian A. Johnson. The law school chose the name Commonwealth to reflect its mission and ties to the Pennsylvania government and in recognition of Pennsylvania as one of four commonwealths in the nation.[4]

Campus

Located in Pennsylvania's capital of Harrisburg, the campus spans 19 acres and includes 4 academic and administrative buildings as well as recreation and parking areas. The law library houses significant regional legal collections.[7]

Academics

The school offers the Juris Doctor as well as certificate programs.[7][8] It also offers two dual degree programs, a JD/Online Master of Business Administration with the Widener University School of Business Administration and a JD/Master of Library Science with Clarion University of Pennsylvania.[7]

Central Pennsylvania Law Clinics

Widener Law Commonwealth operates the Central Pennsylvania Law Clinics (CPLC) which provide legal services to the local community. The CPLC runs four clinics:[9]

  • Administrative Law Clinic
  • Consumer Law Clinic
  • Elder Law Clinic
  • Family Justice Clinic

Dauphin County Bar Association

Beginning in 2014, the law school created the a joint venture with the Dauphin County Bar Association, to create a legal incubator program. The program is housed within the Dauphin County Bar Association's office while Widener provides legal education and support. The program's mission is to allow new graduates the resources, space, and training needed to create new solo law firms which benefit the local community.[10][11]

Bar pass rates

Below are the Ultimate Bar Passage rates from the law school's ABA reports:[12]

  • 2019 graduating class: 78.21%
  • 2018 graduating class: 90.00%
  • 2017 graduating class: 87.30%
  • 2016 graduating class: 95.65%
  • 2015 graduating class: 95.12%

Employment

According to the American Bar Association's Employment Reports, 83% of the law school's 2019 graduating class is employed in Pennsylvania and the largest employment type (20% of graduates) is state and federal judicial clerkships.[13] In fall 2020, preLaw Magazine recognized Widener Law Commonwealth as the #1 school in their Employment Honor Roll.[14]

Admissions

For the 2021 entering class, the law school accepted 58.87% of applicants and 27.07% of those accepted enrolled, with enrolled students having an average LSAT score of 148 and an average undergraduate GPA of 3.20.[15]

The law school offers several 3+3 early admissions programs with partner schools:

Notable alumni

References

  1. ↑ Palochko, Jaqueline (1 February 2019). "Which Pennsylvania college has the largest endowment?". The Morning Call. Retrieved 19 November 2019.
  2. 1 2 "2018 ABA 509 Required Disclosures Widener Law Commonwealth". ABA Required Diclosures. American Bar Association. Retrieved 19 November 2019.
  3. ↑ "Widener University Commonwealth". U.S. News & World Report. Retrieved 17 April 2022.
  4. 1 2 3 Blumenthal, Jeff (27 March 2015). "Philadelphia-area law school takes unusual step, will split in two". Philadelphia Business Journal. Retrieved 9 January 2020.
  5. ↑ "Widener University celebrates the legacy of former law dean". Widener University News. September 11, 2019. Retrieved 9 January 2020.
  6. ↑ McKelvey, Wallace (27 March 2015). "Widener University separates its Harrisburg and Delaware law schools". Penn Live. Retrieved 19 November 2019.
  7. 1 2 3 "Widener University Commonwealth Law School". LSAC Official Guide to Law Schools. Law School Admission Council. Retrieved 20 November 2019.
  8. ↑ "Certificate Programs". Retrieved 19 November 2019.
  9. ↑ "Central Pennsylvania Law Clinics | Widener Law Commonwealth | Harrisburg, PA". Widener Law Commonwealth. Widener University. Retrieved 7 January 2020.
  10. ↑ University, Widener Law Commonwealth | Harrisburg, PA | Widener. "Widener Incubator Program Helps Launch New Lawyers in Harrisburg · Widener Law Commonwealth | Harrisburg, PA". Widener Law Commonwealth | Harrisburg, PA | Widener University. Retrieved 2016-01-24.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  11. ↑ "Base · Law Office of Jason R Carpenter". Law Office of Jason R Carpenter. Retrieved 2016-01-24.
  12. ↑ "ABA Bar Passage Outcomes". Bar Passage Report. American Bar Association. Retrieved 25 November 2019.
  13. ↑ "Employment Summary Reports". Section of Legal Education - Employment Summary Reports. American Bar Association. Retrieved 26 February 2020.
  14. ↑ "preLaw Magazine". PreLaw Magazine. National Jurist. Retrieved 17 September 2020.
  15. ↑ "Widener-Commonwealth 2021 Standard 509 Information Report". abarequireddisclosures.org. American Bar Association. Retrieved 1 September 2022.
  16. ↑ "Law Admissions Partnership Programs | Widener Law Commonwealth". Widener Law Commonwealth. Widener University. Retrieved 7 January 2020.
  17. ↑ "Law Early Admissions Program". Elizabethtown College. Retrieved 10 December 2019.
  18. ↑ "Juris Doctorate Partnership with Widener University". Cabrini University. Retrieved 10 December 2019.
  19. ↑ "Law school forges agreement with Wilson College that allows students to earn JD in six years". Widener University Commonwealth Law School. Retrieved 10 December 2019.
  20. ↑ "Pre-Law / Academics". Pre-Law. Westminster College. Retrieved 2 December 2021.
  21. 1 2 "York County District Attorney Honored with Excellence in Public Service Award". Widener Law Commonwealth. Widener University. 21 November 2018. Retrieved 7 January 2020.
  22. ↑ "Justice P. Kevin Brobson | Supreme Court Justices | Supreme Court | Courts | Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania". PA Courts. Retrieved 11 April 2022.
  23. ↑ "Who Is Ultimately Responsible for Public Health?" (PDF). Widener Law. Vol. 14, no. 2. Fall 2007. p. 3. Retrieved 7 January 2020.
  24. ↑ "Widener Law Commonwealth alum announced as White House counsel". Widener Law Commonwealth. Widener University. 28 November 2016. Retrieved 7 January 2020.
  25. 1 2 "Second Widener Law Commonwealth alum announced to White House legal team". WPMT Fox43. Harrisburg, PA. 24 January 2017. Retrieved 7 January 2020.
  26. ↑ "Graduation Speaker Chosen". Widener University. 19 February 2019. Retrieved 7 January 2020.
  27. ↑ "Chief Judge Henry W. Van Eck". US Bankruptcy Court Middle District of Pennsylvania. US Courts. Retrieved 12 March 2020.

40°19′27.0″N 76°51′16.9″W / 40.324167°N 76.854694°W / 40.324167; -76.854694

This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.