When it comes to choosing a Delaware law school, the choice is quite simple. While there may be a large number of law schools just over the border in Philadelphia, there is just one ABA-approved law school in Delaware.
If you are considering completing your legal education in Delaware, you'll want to know what this school offers.
Widener University Delaware Law School
Widener University operates two campuses of their law school. Widener University Delaware Law School is in Wilmington, Delaware, and Widener University Commonwealth Law School is in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. These campuses split into independent law schools in 2015. Although both remain a part of Widener University, they are separately administrated and operate independently with their own deans and faculty.
If you dream of practicing business law, Wilmington's status as America's "corporate capital" may make Delaware Law School an attractive choice. Most big corporations incorporate in Delaware because of the state's business-friendly laws, and where better to learn them than the Institute of Delaware Corporate and Business Law?
Widener University also offers an online Master of Jurisprudence in Corporate Compliance. Students who complete this program can become certified compliance and ethics professionals.
Delaware Law School's Veterans Law Clinic, the first of its kind when it was founded in 1997, has recovered more than $13 million in benefits owed to veterans and offers students valuable hands-on experience.
Don't want to hunt for an apartment? You can choose to live in on-campus housing on Delaware Law School's 34-acre campus.
Delaware Law School graduates have occupied many prestigious positions in Delaware and nationally. President Joe Biden taught at Delaware Law School for almost two decades as an adjunct professor. The school's alumni include many politicians, including numerous state assemblypeople and congresspeople.
Some Caveats
It's important to note that Delaware Law School's first-time bar passage rate has historically been considerably lower than that of many of Pennsylvania's law schools. Most Delaware Law grads take the Pennsylvania bar exam, which had an overall passage rate of around 80% in 2020 for students from ABA-approved schools. Only about 63% of first-time test takers from Delaware Law passed. However, around 85% of Delaware Law grads pass the bar within two years of graduation, which is on par with most ABA-accredited schools.
On the other hand, attending the only local law school can be a point of pride, and locals recognize and respect Delaware Law School's reputation.
Additional Guidance
After setting your sights on a particular law school, you'll be ready to face your next set of challenges. Getting admitted to law school, financing your legal education, passing the bar, and finding your first job will all involve complicated considerations. FindLaw for Law Students contains resources to help you confidently grapple with these issues.