3501 Samson Street
Philadelphia, PA 19104-6204
Phone: 215.898.7400; Fax: 215.898.9606
E-mail: admissions@law.upenn.edu; Website: www.law.upenn.edu
The hallmarks of the Penn Law experience are a cross-disciplinary, globally focused legal education and a vibrant and collegial community that prepares graduates to navigate an increasingly complex world as leaders and influential decision makers. Penn Law, one of the nation's leading law schools, is part of the University of Pennsylvania, one of the world's preeminent research universities. Our faculty collaborate with renowned scholars across Penn and throughout the world. Students enrich their legal educations with study in other disciplines via courses and clinics, certificate programs, joint-degree programs, and public interest projects.
As part of the rigors of legal studies at Penn and unique among top law schools, our students truly own their educational experiences, actively contributing to a collaborative and supportive environment where they learn to solve problems while developing critical professional skills. By taking risks in the classroom, students learn to challenge their thinking; working effectively with colleagues on- and off-campus, they learn about management, leadership, and networking; and by investing in the full life of Penn Law, they discover their strengths and hone their talents.
Penn Law faculty are unparalleled in the depth and breadth of their intellectual interests, the quality of their scholarship, and their teaching excellence. More than 70 percent of faculty members hold advanced degrees in addition to the JD and close to 50 percent hold secondary appointments or an affiliation within the University. Research institutes, centers, and programs foster innovation and attract leading scholars and practitioners from around the globe to address major legal questions and problems in such areas as business, environment, international and comparative studies, health, intellectual property, regulation, and technology.
The Law School enjoys a low student-to-faculty ratio, and faculty employ an open-door policy and encourage students to join in their research endeavors.
Penn Law's four, fully connected buildings surrounding a courtyard are central to our educational mission of collaboration between students, faculty, and staff. Golkin Hall, featuring a state-of-the-art courtroom, auditorium, office space, and classrooms, opened in 2012.
Biddle Law Library, premier among law libraries, is a modern complex with expansive areas, group study rooms, computer labs, and places for quiet study. Librarians teach legal research courses and work closely with students and faculty.
Penn Law's cross-disciplinary curriculum is unrivaled among the leading law schools, providing future lawyers with insights and skills in the various fields in which their clients operate. Students may take classes and earn certificates or joint/dual degrees throughout Penn. The 1L curriculum includes foundational courses plus two electives and legal writing and research instruction individually and in small-group courses. Upper-level students choose electives ranging from standards, such as corporations and evidence, to introductory courses in specialized areas of the law and seminars in emerging fields. As part of their JD degree, students may supplement their legal education with up to four courses at Penn's esteemed graduate and professional schools.
We also offer the Master of Laws (LLM), Master of Comparative Law (LLCM), and Doctor of Juridical Science (SJD).
Penn's three-year JD/MBA (Wharton) is the country's first fully integrated, three-year program offered on one campus by elite law and business schools. Penn offers accelerated, three-year JD/master's degrees in Education, Environmental Studies, Public Health, Public Administration, Social Policy, Bioethics, Criminology, International Studies, and Islamic Studies. Other degree programs include City and Regional Planning, Islamic Studies, and Social Work. Additionally, Penn offers joint JD/PhD degrees in American Legal History, Philosophy, and Psychology. We also offer dual master's degrees in Finance and Law with Sciences Po in Paris and a JD/LLM with Hong Kong University.
Students can also earn certificates in Business and Public Policy, Environmental Policy or Science, Cross-Sector Innovation, Gender and Sexuality Studies, Global Human Rights, East Asian Studies, Middle East and Islamic Studies, Nonprofit Management, and other ad hoc programs.
Our clinical programs are designed to help students build strong relationships with a diverse array of actual clients and develop essential lawyering skills in a real-world professional setting. Penn Law's clinics include opportunities in litigation, business transactions, child advocacy, mediation, legislation, and interdisciplinary practice, as well as international, appellate, and intellectual property and technology law.
Penn Law's curriculum is infused with global analysis at all levels. Through our many international program offerings, students have access to world-class faculty and globally recognized visiting scholars, joint degrees and certificates, overseas fellowship and internship opportunities, the Transnational Legal Clinic, and the Global Research Seminar, an intensive international course where students and faculty investigate contemporary legal challenges, culminating in meetings with experts and stakeholders during an overseas research trip.
The study-abroad program offers opportunities in Tokyo, Hamburg, Beijing, Tel Aviv, Barcelona, Paris, and Hong Kong. This wide array of opportunities allows students to apply what they learn in the classroom to real-world settings abroad.
Penn has a long-standing commitment to public service. All students participate in our ABA award-winning pro bono program, gaining practical experience and professional skills while implementing solutions to complex societal problems; thus benefiting underserved causes, communities, and government agencies. The Toll Public Interest Center is dedicated to ensuring that all students graduate with valuable pro bono experience and a commitment to service wherever their legal careers take them. The Center offers strong mentoring to public interest students and oversees two dozen student initiatives as well as the Toll Public Interest Scholars Program.
We are at the forefront of support for public service careers with scholarships, guaranteed summer funding, and generously funded loan forgiveness and fellowships for post-graduate work.
Our JD students come from 40 states, 20 countries, and more than 200 undergraduate institutions, creating one of the nation's most diverse student bodies. About 11 percent of students hold advanced degrees and, on average, 65 percent have taken time off before law school. The diversity of the community, including 100 LLMs from around the globe, creates a dynamic and engaging classroom environment. Over 90 student groups provide countless opportunities for students to work and socialize together. Activities cover a wide spectrum of academic interest areas, identity groups, political affiliations, sports, journals, moot court and mock trial programs, and service organizations.
The University of Pennsylvania Law Review is the nation's oldest law review and among the most distinguished. Penn Law's tradition of exceptional journal scholarship also includes the Journal of Business Law, Journal of Constitutional Law, East Asia Law Review, Journal of International Law, and Journal of Law and Social Change.
Penn Law's nationally recognized moot court program is fed by great student interest in appellate advocacy. Our many mock trial teams travel and compete successfully throughout the country and overseas.
The demand for a Penn Law education has risen dramatically. In 2010–2011, close to 5,000 applicants sought admission to the JD program.
The Law School evaluates each application holistically. While academic excellence is of primary importance, we take all factors into consideration and do not apply numeric LSAT or GPA cutoffs. Instead, each file is read by members of the Admissions Committee; letters of recommendation, examples of written expression, and a résumé are also considered to develop a full picture of each applicant.
We begin processing applications on September 1. Applications received by November 15, and completed by December 1, will be considered for our early decision (binding) program; these applicants receive a decision by the end of December. The regular admission deadline is March 1. Our program is limited to fall semester, full-time students.
First-year students who have achieved excellent records in a full-time law school program may apply as transfer students by July 1 following their first year. Transfer decisions are made on a rolling basis, beginning in mid-June.
Students enjoy a green university campus combined with an exciting and affordable urban experience minutes from downtown Philadelphia, one of the nation's most historic and liveliest cities. Students select from a wide range of on- and off-campus living arrangements.
Penn Law is committed to making the benefits of a legal education accessible and affordable for all students. We maintain a substantial need-based grant and loan aid program, offering approximately 80 percent of the student body financial assistance. Penn Law guarantees summer funding for public service-related work and offers generous loan forgiveness and repayment programs for graduates who pursue public interest careers. We also consider all admittees for merit-based scholarships.
Our Career Planning and Professionalism office exposes students to a vast array of legal employers, nationally and internationally, as well as to Penn alumni worldwide, and provides students with a wealth of resources and programs to assist students in determining their professional goals and preparing for rewarding careers.
Penn Law's Center on Professionalism offers students programming to develop critical complementary skills and expand students' knowledge of the competencies needed for leadership in the profession.
Penn Law graduates enjoy fulfilling and rewarding careers in every arena of practice, business, and advocacy. In recent years, graduates began their careers in private practice (70–75 percent), judicial clerkships (15–20 percent), government or public interest (4–8 percent), academia (1–2 percent), and business and industry (3–4 percent).
Penn Law has chosen not to include an applicant profile because LSAT and GPA figures alone do not capture the qualities that make our students so dynamic. We value our students' diverse backgrounds, rich life experiences, leadership, community service, professional accomplishments, advanced degrees and coursework, motivation, initiative, and exemplary writing skills. While admission to Penn Law requires an excellent academic record, the Admissions Committee approaches each application holistically and takes all of these factors into consideration.