Delaware Law Viewbook 2023-2024

PRACTICE. JUSTICE.

The Delaware Law community is passionate, energized, and inclusive. Throughout our 50-year history, we’ve been proud to support students like you in transforming your world through legal education. As you pursue your goals, you’ll form connections that make you feel like you’re right where you belong. Faculty mentors will guide you as you shape your path to a rewarding career.

A vast alumni network will provide opportunities for professional development. And collaborative peers will have your back in law school and beyond.

JOIN A COMMUNITY

Ranked 7th in the nation in percentage of graduates obtaining state and local judicial clerkships —

78% of incoming class identifies as a firstgeneration student

27% of incoming class identifies as a person of color

97% of Class of 2022 survey respondents were employed within 10 months of graduation

100% of incoming students receive renewable scholarship awards, reducing tuition for the duration of their legal education

Statistics represent data collected in 2022–2023.

THAT EMPOWERS YOUR JOURNEY

WILMINGTON, DELAWARE: YOUR GATEWAY

In Wilmington—the nation’s corporate capital—you’ll discover the city where more than 50% of Fortune 500 companies have incorporated, where prestigious Delaware courts reside, and where a short drive will lead you to the extensive legal networks of Philadelphia, Baltimore, New York City, and Washington, D.C. Community partnerships offer ample opportunities for public service.

In this setting, you’ll establish the foundation of your legal career.

Our Campus

Our campus is an ideal place to live and learn—with easy access to cultural, recreational, retail, and dining options.

Put Down Roots

Make the most of your law school experience by choosing to live on campus. We offer singleoccupancy residential halls, as well as one- and two-bedroom townhome apartments.

Get Involved

Write for our law journal or law review. Participate in oral advocacy and transactional competitions.

Join more than 20 student-led organizations. Impact the community through public service volunteer opportunities.

FACULTY MENTORS.

Outsiders know our faculty by their titles: judge, attorney, public defender. But as an insider, you’ll know them differently— as teachers, leaders, and mentors.

You’ll benefit from their scholarship and research in business, corporate, criminal, family, health, constitutional, dignity rights, and environmental law. And you’ll learn from their experience outside the classroom, where they lend their expertise to state and federal court systems, state legislatures, bar associations, and international organizations.

“At Delaware Law, you will be guided by faculty whose top priority is student success. We’re committed to helping you achieve your goals and supporting you on your journey from law school student to legal professional.”

~Todd J. Clark Dean and Professor of Law

JD PROGRAM.

Through a flexible Juris Doctor (JD) program, you’ll pair in-classroom learning with real-world experiences. CHOOSE YOUR

• Three-year, full-time program

• Four-year, part-time, evening program

• JD/Master of Business Administration (MBA) dual-degree program in collaboration with Widener’s School of Business Administration

JD/Master of Public Health (MPH) program in collaboration with Thomas Jefferson University

Tailor your education to your goals and interests.

No matter which program you pursue, you’ll gain specialized training, conduct breakthrough research, participate in advocacy work, shape public policy, and make a difference through public service to the community—all before you graduate.

Signature Programs

Institute of Delaware Corporate and Business Law: focus on law that governs publicly traded businesses, business organizations, and business advising.

Taishoff Advocacy, Technology, and Public Service Institute: develop advanced litigation skills and professional competencies through practical hands-on training experiences while focusing on criminal law and use of technology in the courtroom.

Global Environmental Rights Institute: concentrate on local and global interests including sustainability, climate change, and citizens’ rights.

Family Health Law and Policy Institute: acquire the knowledge, skills, and experience to improve health outcomes for families.

Dignity Rights Project: partner with legal, academic, nonprofit, and community-based organizations throughout the world to advance the human right to dignity.

PREPARE FOR YOUR DREAM ROLE GRADUATE

Legal practice is as demanding as it is rewarding. Here, you’ll develop knowledge, skills, and a professional network that will get you ahead—and set you apart. In addition to law clinic and externship experiences, you’ll attend workshops, training sessions, mentorship programs, and networking events.

These experiences will fuel your transition from law student to lawyer.

PRACTICE READY.

Law Clinics

• Delaware Civil Law Clinic provides pro bono legal representation, advice, and services focused on family law.

• Dignity Rights Clinic serves clients in nonrepresentational matters to advance human dignity under law.

• Environmental and Natural Resources Law Clinic works on the protection of water, air, soil, and endangered species.

• Innocence Delaware Legal Clinic provides support and representation for clients incarcerated for crimes they did not commit.

• Pennsylvania Criminal Defense Law Clinic certifies students to represent defendants in criminal cases.

• Veterans Law Clinic champions compensation for veterans with disabilities.

Externships

• Clinical, judicial, and health law externships equip you to work side-by-side with judges, public defenders, government officials, and other legal professionals.

• Josiah Oliver Wolcott Fellowships offer select law students an opportunity to clerk for a justice of the Delaware Supreme Court or the Delaware Court of Chancery.

150+ externship placements

250+ cases litigated by student attorneys in the Environmental and Natural Resources Law Clinic

8K+ clients served

50K+ student case hours at Delaware Civil Law Clinic since 1988

$16M+ in disability benefits recovered by Veterans Law Clinic students and attorney volunteers

As a Delaware Law graduate, you’ll belong to a vibrant alumni community. From judges and politicians to community activists and champions of justice in all practice areas, our alumni are accomplished professionals ready to welcome you to their networks.

“As a first-generation law student, Delaware Law was the perfect fit for me. Professors and alumni have supported me through every step of my legal education and career. The education was rigorous yet practical, setting me on a path to a successful career as a commercial litigator, Assistant U.S. Attorney, and now as a member of the federal judiciary.”

~ U.S. Magistrate Judge Scott W. Reid ’02

13,000+ alumni practicing in all 50 states and on 6 continents

240+ judges, including two state Supreme Court justices

1,240+ law firm partners

1,050+ in government positions

Submit these materials for admission consideration:

• Online application

• Personal statement

• Standardized test scores, LSAT preferred

• Official transcripts from all schools attended

• Suggested: up to 3 letters of recommendation

When reviewing your application, we look at the full picture, including your work and life experience, community involvement, extracurricular activities, and graduate study.

Our generous scholarship awards to incoming students are renewable and awarded upon acceptance. For more information about funding your legal education, visit delawarelaw.widener.edu/financialaid.

Admissions Office 4601 Concord Pike, Wilmington, DE 19803 302-477-2703 delawarelaw@widener.edu

Every year, Delaware Law awards renewable merit scholarships to qualified applicants to reduce tuition costs. To cover the balance of tuition and living expenses, many students borrow loan funds. Law school is a significant financial commitment — and it pays off. This funding can play a significant role in helping you secure your future success.

RENEWABLE SCHOLARSHIPS

Academic, Merit Based Scholarships

$5,000–$37,000

Awarded to first year students

OVER 15 MILLION

Awarded in institutional scholarships and grants

2023–24 Academic Year

In addition to loans and merit scholarships, Delaware Law offers additional unique opportunities for upper level students to cover the cost of your legal education including:

• Over 30 endowed and sponsored scholarships each year through the generous support of alumni and friends of Delaware Law

• Fellowships:

Wolcott Fellowships — the only fellowship program in American legal education that offers students an opportunity to serve as a clerk for a justice of the Delaware Supreme Court. The fellowship provides academic credit and a scholarship grant

John F. Schmutz Corporate and Business Law Fellowship — awarded to a student who is a member of the Delaware Journal of Corporate Law and offers a stipend and the opportunity for writing and research in corporate law as well as involvement in prestigious functions such as the Pileggi lecture

Domestic Violence Research and Advocacy Fellowship — awarded to an academically gifted student and a commitment to stopping domestic violence through pro bono service

Domestic Violence Community Awareness Project Student Coordinator — provides a leadership opportunity to recruit, train, and manage student volunteers who will educate the community about the legal rights of domestic violence survivors

Delaware Law Financial Aid Checklist

These are the basic steps every Delaware Law student will follow in order to apply for financial aid. Some students may be selected for verification and will be notified in writing of what additional documentation must be submitted.

Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA): Submit the FAFSA online at studentaid.gov. The results of the processed FAFSA will be sent to the student and school electronically, provided our school code is indicated. Our school code is B04724.

Widener University Delaware Law School

Financial Aid Data Form (complete and submit online at delawarelaw.widener.edu/dataform): Students should indicate on the form the amount of loan they would like to borrow from the Federal Direct Subsidized/Unsubsidized Loan Program. Completion of the loan amount box on the Financial Aid Data Form authorizes Delaware Law to certify a loan.

Federal Direct Loan Applications: The FAFSA is not a loan application, but is used to determine eligibility for Federal Student Aid (FSA) programs. All incoming students borrowing for the first time at Delaware Law School must complete a Federal Direct Subsidized/Unsubsidized Master Promissory Note (MPN) online at studentaid.gov.

Federal Direct GradPLUS Loan Application:

Graduate students needing additional funding beyond the Federal Direct Loan can log onto studentaid.gov to apply. Students borrowing this loan for the first time will also need to complete a Federal Direct GradPLUS Master Promissory Note (MPN). If you need an endorser to sign for this loan, you will need to complete a new MPN each time that you request a new Federal Direct GradPLUS loan.

Department of Education’s Student Loan

Acknowledgment: It is recommended that all borrowers complete the Department of Education’s Annual Student Loan Acknowledgment process at studentaid.gov.

For more information, visit our website at delawarelaw.widener.edu/financialaid or email us at delawarelawfinaid@widener.edu

FALL 2023 ENTERING CLASS PROFILE

• Median GPA: 3.26

• Median LSAT: 150

• Median Age: 23

• # Colleges Represented: 101

• % Racially Diverse: 29

• % Female: 48

• % First Generation: 84

• Total #1L Students: 244

*as of Orientation

DEGREES OFFERED

• JD (Juris Doctor)

• JD/MBA (Business Administration)

• JD/MPH (Public Health)

INSTITUTES PROVIDING CONCENTRATED STUDY

• Institute of Delaware Corporate and Business Law

• Environmental Rights Institute

• Family Health Law & Policy Institute

• Taishoff Advocacy, Technology and Public Service Institute

• Dignity Rights Institute

LAW REVIEWS AND HONOR SOCIETIES

• Delaware Journal of Corporate Law

• Widener Law Review

• Moot Court Honor Society

• Transactional Law Honor Society

CLINICAL PROGRAMS AND PROFESSIONAL TRAINING

• Delaware Civil Clinic

• Dignity Rights Clinic

• Environmental & Natural Resources Law Clinic

• The Innocence Delaware Legal Clinic

• Pennsylvania Criminal Defense Clinic

• Veterans Law Clinic

• Clinical, Judicial & Health Law Externships

• Wolcott Fellowships

TUITION

• $1,850 per credit

• Full-time Regular Division (three year program) $27,750 per semester (rate based upon a typical 15 credit semester)

• Part-time Extended Division (four year program) $20,350 per semester (rate based upon a typical 11 credit semester)

APPLICATION PROCEDURES

• The admissions process is paperless

• All documents must be submitted electronically through the LSAC Credential Assembly Service (lsac.org)

• Application Fee—$60

application fee waived if applying on or before Feb. 1

• Application Deadline—May 15

ENROLLMENT OPTIONS

Delaware Law offers a three-year, full-time JD program as well as a four-year, part-time, evening JD program, enabling you to choose the schedule that best balances your life and work commitments.

SAMPLE CLASS SCHEDULES

Full-Time Regular Division Schedule (3-Year Program)

Fall

Torts I — 4 credits (M 1:00–2:20 pm / W TH 2:30–3:50 pm)

Contracts I — 4 credits (T W F 10:00–11:20 am)

Property I — 4 credits (M TH 10:00–11:20 am / T 2:30–3:50 pm)

Applied Learning Lab — 1 credit (T 10:15–11:10 am)

Legal Methods I — 3 credits (W F 12:30–1:55 pm)

Spring

Criminal Law — 3 credits

Civil Procedure I — 4 credits

Property II — 2.5 credits

Legal Methods II — 2.5 credit

Applied Learning Lab — 1 credit

Constitutional Law I — 2 credits

Part-time Evening Extended Division Schedule (4-Year Program)

Fall

Torts I — 4 credits (M 6:20–8:15 pm / W 8:25–10:20 pm)

Property I — 4 credits (M 8:25–10:20 pm / TH 6:20–8:15 pm)

Applied Learning Lab — 1 credit (W 7:20–8:15 pm)

Legal Methods I — 3 credits (W 6:20–7:15 pm / TH 8:25–10:15 pm)

Spring

Criminal Law — 3 credits

Property II — 2.5 credits

Legal Methods II — 2.5 credits

Constitutional Law I — 2 credits

Applied Learning Lab — 1 credit

ON-CAMPUS HOUSING

Single-occupancy residence halls and one- and two-bedroom apartments, situated on our 34-acre campus, provide the ultimate convenience.

4601 Concord Pike, Wilmington DE 19803

With a JD from Delaware Law, you will enter the legal profession with knowledge gained from direct, practical, hands-on experience.

Our innovative curriculum requires twelve experiential learning credits; it’s no wonder that Delaware Law graduates are practice ready!

LAW CLINICS

Build the professional skills and confidence you need for your future by handling real cases for real clients with the support and supervision of full-time faculty who are practicing attorneys.

The Delaware Civil Clinic has provided pro bono legal representation, advice, and referrals since 1984. Law students have assisted thousands of clients, handling legal issues in the areas of family law, intimate partner violence, and estate planning.

The Dignity Rights Clinic is the first law school clinic in the world dedicated to advancing the principle of human dignity under law and provides legal services to clients in non-representational matters to help shape law’s commitment to the equal, inherent, and inalienable worth of every member of the human family.

Since 1989, the Environmental and Natural Resources Law Clinic has engaged hundreds of law students in projects to protect water, air, soil, and endangered species. Law students have litigated more than 250 cases

in 20 federal and state juridical and administrative courts. The clinic is the fourth oldest of its kind in the nation and continues to be preeminent.

The Innocence Delaware Legal Clinic allows students to partner with Innocence Delaware, a non-profit that provides representation to people unjustly incarcerated in Delaware for crimes they did not commit. Students assist Innocence Delaware in their mission by learning post-conviction law and practicing innocence work.

In the Pennsylvania Criminal Defense Clinic, students represent clients from initial interview through final disposition in criminal cases. Since its opening in 1995, the Clinic’s work has also included post-conviction representation of deathrow inmates and juvenile lifers in state and federal courts – including the United States Supreme Court.

The Veterans Law Clinic, which has been recognized in the National Jurist’s coverage of “Innovative Clinics,” was the first of its kind to champion compensation for disabled veterans. Law students serve an underrepresented population in need and gain firsthand legal experience working on veterans’ benefits appeals and estate documents.

EXTERNSHIPS

Our Judicial and Public Interest Externship programs provide opportunities for second- and third-year students to earn academic credit while working with judges, state and local prosecuting attorneys, public defenders, legal services lawyers, and government and non-profit agencies.

PUBLIC INTEREST PRO BONO SERVICES

Our Public Interest Resource Center creates opportunities for meaningful pro bono service experiences through collaboration with charitable, civic, community, religious, educational, and government organizations.

TRIAL ADVOCACY

The Taishoff Advocacy, Technology, and Public Service Institute offers training in the fundamental skills required for professional advocacy, with a focus on criminal law and the use of technology in the judicial system. (continued on back)

You can sharpen your trial advocacy skills with the seven-day Intensive Trial Advocacy Program led by highly experienced trial attorneys, judges, and law professors who provide valuable training in fundamental trial skills. The program culminates in a simulated jury trial, where you can practice your newly acquired legal skills.

ADDITIONAL PRACTICE OPTIONS

You also can hone your practice skills through:

• Our highly ranked Delaware Journal of Corporate Law or the Widener Law Review

• Moot Court, Mock Trial, or Transactional Law student societies

• Youth Court , training middle school students to hear cases involving their peers, with a focus on restorative justice

• Josiah Oliver Wolcott Fellowships, only program of its kind providing law students an opportunity to clerk for a justice of the Delaware Supreme Court

• The Medical Legal Partnership, measuring how unmet legal needs are affecting the health of vulnerable populations

CONTACT INFORMATION

For more information about our practical learning opportunities feel free to contact:

Francis Catania

Director of Experiential Education, Director of Externship Programs, Associate Professor

E-mail: fjcatania@widener.edu

Phone: 302-477-2108

150+ sites for judicial externships

950+ wills prepared by students and attorney volunteers for first responders as the Delaware State Affiliate for the Wills for Heroes program

8K+ clients served through the Delaware Civil Clinic

50K+ student case hours offered through the Delaware Civil Clinic

$16M+ in disability benefits recovered by Veterans Law Clinic students and attorney volunteers

300+ cases litigated by student attorneys in the Environmental and Natural Resources Law Clinic

JD/MBA ( JURIS DOCTOR/ MASTER OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION )

Delaware Law School, in conjunction with Widener University School of Business Administration, offers a JD/ MBA that can be completed in 4 years of full-time study or 5 years of parttime study.

ADMISSION

Interested applicants must meet the qualifications for admission set forth by both Delaware Law and the School of Business Administration.

All applicants to the JD/MBA program must complete at least one full year of law school having achieved a 2.7 cumulative grade point average before admission to the dual degree program will be granted.

• Currently enrolled JD students may apply to the dual degree program up to the third full-time semester or fourth part-time semester of law school, provided they have achieved a minimum 2.7 cumulative grade point average. The GMAT is waived for JD students meeting this criteria.

• JD students must schedule an advising appointment with Professor Paul Regan prior to beginning

courses at the School of Business Administration.

• Currently enrolled MBA students must take a standardized test (LSAT preferred), meet all law school admission criteria and character and fitness requirements, and enroll prior to completion of their last 9 credits of qualifying MBA coursework.

JD/MBA CREDITS

Students admitted to the JD/MBA program will receive up to 9 credits toward the MBA degree for qualifying coursework taken as part of the JD program, and 9 credits toward the JD degree for qualifying coursework taken as part of the MBA program, thus resulting in a total reduction of 18 credits had the two degrees been pursued separately. No credit toward the JD degree can be given for MBA courses taken prior to matriculation at Delaware Law.

CONTACT INFORMATION

JD Program, Delaware Law

Professor Paul L. Regan

T: 302-477-2171

E: plregan@widener.edu

MBA Program, Widener University

Associate Dean Jose Proenca, PhD

MBA Program Director

T: 610-499-4330

E; jproenca@widener.edu

Widener University

Whitney Turner Program and Advising Coordinator

T: 610-499-4304

E: wdturner@widener.edu

For more information, visit our website at delawarelaw.widener.edu/jdmba

JD/MPH ( JURIS DOCTOR/ MASTER OF PUBLIC HEALTH

Delaware Law’s Family Health Law and Policy Institute, in conjunction with Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia, offers a JD/MPH, the first of its kind in the Delaware Valley. Students may elect full-time or parttime study. Depending on your course of study, completion of the dual degree program will take between 3–7 years.

ADMISSION

Interested applicants must meet the qualifications for admission set forth by both Delaware Law and Thomas Jefferson University, and admission to the dual degree program is determined independently by each of the two schools.

It is recommended that students first apply to Delaware Law and, upon acceptance, then apply to Thomas Jefferson University.

• Students seeking to enter the dual degree program typically begin their studies at Delaware Law, taking a minimum of 54 credits (typically, 2 years of full-time study or 2.5 years of part-time study) toward

completion of the JD degree. The student should have a minimum law school grade point average of 3.0 to be eligible for the dual degree program, although exceptions may be made in individual cases. Eligible candidates will be invited for an interview at Jefferson.

• Current Jefferson MPH students seeking to pursue the dual degree will be required to complete the Delaware Law application, take a standardized test (LSAT preferred) and complete all qualifying MPH coursework with a 3.0 or better grade point average.

JD/MPH CREDITS

Students admitted to the dual degree program will receive up to 12 credits toward the MPH degree for qualifying coursework taken as part of the JD program, and 12 credits toward the JD degree for qualifying coursework taken as part of the MPH program, thus saving time and expense associated with 24 credits had the two degrees been pursued separately. No credit toward the JD degree can be given for MPH course work taken prior to matriculation at Delaware Law.

CONTACT INFORMATION

JD Program, Delaware Law

Professor John Culhane

Family Health Law and Policy Institute

T: 302-477-2107

E: jgculhane@widener.edu

MPH Program, Jefferson College of Population Health

Rosemary Frasso, PhD, MSc, CPH

T: 215-503-8901

E: rosemary.frasso@jefferson.edu

Jefferson College of Population Health

April Smith

Admissions Program Coordinator

T: 215-503-5305

E: april.smith@jefferson.edu

For more information, visit our website at delawarelaw.widener.edu/jdmph

For general questions about the dual degree programs, please contact Delaware Law School Admissions Office at DelawareLaw@widener.edu or 302-477-2703.

At Delaware Law, you are part of a dynamic network with more than 13,000 alumni practicing locally, across the country, and throughout the world. Whether you come to Delaware Law knowing very few lawyers or hundreds, we’ll make sure you leave here with a strong professional network that will help you go farther than you ever thought possible.

Delaware:

2,009 total

196 law firm partners

46 judges

1 state Supreme Court Justice

New Jersey:

2,690 total

222 law firm partners

56 judges

1 state Supreme Court Justice

Pennsylvania:

6,037 total

487 law firm partners

105 judges

Maryland: 489 total

14 law firm partners

7 judges

Total Network

• 13,000+ alumni in all 49 states, D.C., and on 6 continents, making an impact around the world

• 237 judges

• 2 state Supreme Court Justices

• 1,241 law firm partners

Whether you envision yourself at a law firm, a district attorney’s office, a non-profit organization, or a major corporation, a Delaware Law degree positions you to succeed from day one. With the foundation of a Delaware Law education and the support of our large professional network, our graduates confidently pursue a wide variety of career paths, achieving success and personal fulfillment along the way.

*Remaining graduates are in: