Temple University—James E. Beasley School of Law

Introduction

Founded in 1884, Temple University is a world-class center of teaching, research, and health care. Temple, a comprehensive public research institution, is the 27th-largest university in the United States with a total enrollment of 38,000 students. The university is comprised of 17 schools and colleges with 4 regional campuses including the main campus, located 1.5 miles from Center City, Philadelphia. Temple is a major international university, with successful campuses in Tokyo and Rome, and educational programs around the world. The School of Law was established in 1895.

Temple University Beasley School of Law is committed to excellence in teaching, scholarship, and service. The law school is one of the top schools in the nation for trial advocacy. Moreover, we are also a top-tier school for both legal research and writing and international law. The faculty is dedicated to preparing students to enter and continue in the legal profession with the highest level of skill possible, a firm commitment to principles of professional responsibility, and a sense of personal obligation to lead and to serve the communities in which they live and practice.

The practice of law is no longer confined to national borders. Temple prepares students to meet the needs of a global society in every legal context. Temple University School of Law offers an impressive array of graduate programs that enrich an already outstanding curriculum. Temple was one of the first law schools in the United States to offer such specialized graduate study, and our programs boast a strong track record and solid history. Whatever your interest, we invite you to consider which of Temple’s programs can help you meet your professional and academic goals.

Philadelphia is an ideal place to pursue a career in the law. The city is home to the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, state appellate and trial courts, and numerous federal, state, and municipal agencies. As the fifth-largest metropolitan region in the country, Philadelphia is a thriving legal marketplace with countless law firms, a robust municipal government, and hundreds of other legal employers.

Law School Enrollment

• Total law school enrollment: 832
• LLM student enrollment: 140
• JD student enrollment: 687
• SJD student enrollment: 5

Facilities and Resources

• Law library reference desk hours:
  • Monday through Thursday, 8:00 am–10:00 pm
  • Friday, 8:00 am–8:00 pm
  • Saturday, 9:00 am–5:00 pm
  • Sunday, 1:00 pm–8:00 pm
• A full range of electronic journals and databases are available to students.
• The law library has a full-time staff, plus other part-time staff.
• Law students have access to state-of-the-art campus fitness and recreation facilities.

Law School Computer and Technical Support

We are committed to ensuring that our students have optimal access to electronic resources. To that end, Temple has implemented an “anytime, anywhere” computer access model that includes a combination of wired and wireless network access, wired study carrels, computer clusters, and state-of-the-art computer labs. Temple is among the most “connected” schools in the country. Smart classrooms equipped with cutting-edge technology, including video, audio, and Wi-Fi Internet access, allow faculty to use technology in all of the classrooms. The faculty and the administration regularly communicate with students via email, and the law school uses a sophisticated course-management system that allows the faculty to post assignments, syllabi, announcements, and links to a variety of additional resources for each class.

Housing

A limited amount of university housing is available to graduate students on a first come, first served basis. Students interested in university-sponsored housing should apply as early as possible. Leases run from August to May.

Most graduate students live off campus in privately leased housing.

Please contact the Law School Graduate and International Programs Office for more detailed information about local housing options: intllaw@temple.edu.

LLM Programs/Areas of Specialization

Temple offers five LLM programs, as well as a Doctorate in Juridical Science (SJD) program.

LLM for Foreign Lawyers

Established in 1973, Temple’s LLM program has become a leader in providing legal education to international lawyers. The general LLM program is grounded in principles of US and international law, and students are challenged by taking beginning and upper-division courses with JD students. Separate coursework on legal research and writing for international students is also included as part of the core curriculum. Some graduates of this program will take a US bar exam or engage in further law study to earn a JD degree. Exceptional graduates of the Temple LLM for Foreign Lawyers degree program may be considered for JD program admission with transfer credit if they demonstrate an excellent LLM grade-point average or present a competitive LSAT score.

• Application available: August through July
• Application deadline: March 15 for August enrollment
• Application fee: $50
• Letters of recommendation: 3 recommended, 2 required
• Official transcripts or foreign university credential evaluation report required
• Also required: CV or résumé and a personal statement
• Tuition: approximately $28,400 per year
• Approximately 50 students participate in this program each year

For more information, please visit the School of Law website, or contact

Karen McMichael
Director of International Programs
Temple University Beasley School of Law
1719 N. Broad Street, Klein Hall, Room 710
Philadelphia, PA 19122
USA

Phone: 215.204.1448
Fax: 215.204.2282
Email: intllaw@temple.edu

LLM in Transnational Law

The Transnational LLM is designed for recent law school graduates who wish to specialize in international law, and for established attorneys who wish to develop or expand an international legal practice. Students may complete coursework at any of the campuses, including Philadelphia, Tokyo, and Rome.

For more information, please visit the School of Law website, or contact

Louis Thompson
Assistant Dean
Temple University Beasley School of Law
1719 N. Broad Street, Klein Hall, Room 710
Philadelphia, PA 19122
USA

Phone: 215.204.1448
Fax: 215.204.2282
Email: intllaw@temple.edu

LLM in Taxation and Certifications in Employee Benefits and Estate Planning

For over 30 years, Temple University’s internationally known tax program has offered a strong foundation in the basics of tax law, as well as an opportunity to develop expertise in highly specialized areas of taxation such as estate planning, employee benefits, and international tax. This program is open to students who have completed their JD in the US or have completed their first law degree in their home country.

For more information, please visit the School of Law website, or contact

Kathy Mandelbaum
Director, Graduate Tax Law Program
Temple University Beasley School of Law
1719 N. Broad Street, Klein Hall, Room 710
Philadelphia, PA 19122
USA

Phone: 215.204.1448
Fax: 215.204.2282
Email: intllaw@temple.edu

LLM in Trial Advocacy

Temple University Beasley School of Law is at the forefront of teaching trial advocacy. The LLM in Trial Advocacy curriculum integrates the development of theory and theme, confidence in presentation, extemporaneous speech, and persuasion in the courtroom. The program is performance based, featuring a “learn-by-doing” approach. Our distance-learning component allows students from across the country to attend evening lectures via live, online broadcasts.

For more information, please visit the LLM in Trial Advocacy website, or contact

Barbara Lynn Ashcroft
Director, LLM in Trial Advocacy
Temple University Beasley School of Law
1719 N. Broad Street, Klein Hall, Room 615
Philadelphia, PA 19122
USA

Phone: 215.204.5314
Fax: 215.204.5994
Email: llmtrial@temple.edu

LLM in Asian Law

This program is designed primarily for JD holders (and potential JD students) or lawyers from foreign common law jurisdictions, who would use Temple’s curricular strengths and existing programs as a bridge to take or expand their careers to Asia, the most dynamic region in the twenty-first-century world. Our substantive depth and our existing physical presence in the capitals of the nations with the three largest economies in Asia makes us the program of choice for those wishing to become Asian law specialists. Our program is unique in requiring candidates to spend a semester at a law school/program in Asia, ensuring that graduates of the program are exposed not just to substantive aspects of the law, but to the almost equally important nuances of the legal, economic, and social cultures from which those laws spring.

For more information, please visit the School of Law website, or contact

Louis Thompson
Assistant Dean
Temple University Beasley School of Law
1719 N. Broad Street, Klein Hall, Room 710
Philadelphia, PA 19122
USA

Phone: 215.204.1448
Fax: 215.204.2282
Email: intllaw@temple.edu

Doctorate in Juridical Science (SJD)

Individuals who have completed a JD or LLM from a US law school (or a master of laws degree from an overseas law school) may wish to earn an internationally recognized PhD equivalent in law. The SJD program is designed for law graduates who have demonstrated an aptitude for legal scholarship and potential for law teaching. This highly selective research-based program requires students to complete a doctoral dissertation of publishable quality that will make an original contribution to scholarly legal literature.

For more information, please visit the School of Law website, or contact

Karen McMichael
Director of International Programs
Temple University Beasley School of Law
1719 N. Broad Street, Klein Hall, Room 710
Philadelphia, PA 19122
USA

Phone: 215.204.1448
Fax: 215.204.2282
Email: intllaw@temple.edu