Temple University Beasley School of Law
Encyclopedia
The Temple University James E. Beasley School of Law is the law school and a constituent academic unit of Temple University
. Informally referred to as Temple Law School, the school is located at the Main Campus of Temple University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
. The Temple University James E. Beasley School of Law, has operated continuously since its founding in 1895.
Originally named "The Philadelphia Law School of the Temple College," the Law School was renamed "The Temple University School of Law" in 1910. In recognition of a major endowment gift by James E. Beasley, a Temple Law graduate and distinguished Philadelphia lawyer, the Temple University Board of Trustees changed the official name of the school in 1999 to The James E. Beasley School of Law of Temple University.
Temple Law currently uses both the traditional Socratic method
and the Problem method
in teaching legal theory and skills. In recent years, much emphasis has been placed on developing "real world" skills and students are encouraged to participate in intensive Trial Advocacy or Transactional programs, as well as clinics. During the fall semester of 2011 the school instituted a new mandatory 1L course called "Introduction to Transactional Skills". This will introduce 1L students to transactional law by allowing students to simulate negotiating a deal between a chef and financial backer who are opening a restaurant. The law faculty recognized that law school traditional teaches mostly about litigation and because the majority of lawyers practice in transactional law, students should have an introduction to that side of the law.
As of July 2006, the Law School has the second-highest Pennsylvania Bar Examination passage rate of any Pennsylvania law school. The 2011 version of US News & World Reports ranked Temple University Beasley School of Law 61st overall. The 2010 version of US News & World Reports ranked Temple University Beasley School of Law 2nd nationally in Trial Advocacy, 7th in Legal Writing, and 12th in International Law.
In the 2011 entering class, women represented 44% of the class, 30% were minority students and the average age was 24. The median GPA was 3.39 and the median LSAT score was 160. The 25th/75th percentile of entrants had GPAs of 3.16/3.56, and LSAT scores of 158/163.http://www.law.temple.edu/servlet/RetrievePage?site=TempleLaw&page=Prospective_Profile_Enter_Clas&menuitem=p20
Employment Sector Breakdown:
Employment Rate Within 9 Months: 93.2%
Overall Average Starting Salary: $62,525
Private Practice Average Starting Salary: $87,520
The only other mandatory course requirements for graduation are a serial writing course (consisting of several short paper assignments), a research writing course (consisting of a single lengthy and scholarly work), and Professional Responsibility. Up to the Fall 2008 semester, courses were graded on a B minus curve with few exceptions; generally those exceptions are classes that award a Pass/Fail mark instead of a letter grade. Teachers were guided to award grades of B to less than 50% of the class. Beginning with the Spring 2009 semester, the curve was changed to a B average, with B grades comprising approximately 60% of the class.
Students are left great discretion to choose electives in the their second (2L) and third (3L) year (or fourth year for evening division students). Popular electives include Business Associations (Corporations), Taxation (Federal), Political and Civil Rights, Intellectual Property, and International Law. Students also have limited rights to take classes at the Rutgers School of Law - Camden when Temple does not offer a comparable elective course during a given academic year.
A student must earn a total of 87 credit hours in order to receive the degree of Juris Doctor.
Designed for the practicing attorney, the program is a one-year, 24-credit degree program, scheduled primarily in the evenings and on weekends. Our distance-learning component allows students from across the country to attend evening lectures via live, online broadcasts. Students graduate with a LL.M. degree in Trial Advocacy, and earn 24 substantive CLE credits. In addition, this program provides a segue for our students to teach in academia.
The LL.M. in Trial Advocacy is the only program of its kind in the country. It is an ideal fit for those who aspire to perfect both litigation tactics and courtroom performance
The Integrated Trial Advocacy Program, or ITAP, is a sequence of four classes designed to give students the knowledge and practice to be effective advocates in the courtroom. Law students in the ITAP program are generally in their second year of schooling, although some students choose to take the program in their third year.
During the Fall semester, students take Evidence and Trial Advocacy I concurrently. Evidence classes are typically large in size (50-60 persons) while Trial Advocacy classes are typically 12-person sections designed to allow each student adequate time to practice their skills. Students are required to apply the Evidentiary rules and tactics learned in Evidence class to mock trial scenarios in Trial Advocacy I. Scenarios will typically be based on a fictitious case file, and students practice direct examinations, cross examinations, opening and closing arguments, and motions arguments. Many Trial Advocacy professors encourage open objections, where anyone in the class, and not just the opposing counsel, may raise objections during examinations of witnesses. By the end of Trial Advocacy I, each student (paired with another student as co-counsel) will have tried a complete mock case against another pair of students.
During the Spring semester, students take a practical course in Civil Procedure (as opposed to the more academic Jurisdictional Civil Procedure taught to first years) and Trial Advocacy II. During this phase of the ITAP program, students practice arguing motions, qualifying expert witnesses, and conducting depositions. Like Trial Advocacy I, Trial Advocacy II requires that each student (along with another student as co-counsel) try a complete mock case against another pair of students.
Evidence and Civil Procedure classes in ITAP are typically taught by full time faculty members, while Trial Advocacy sections are usually taught by adjuncts who are themselves practicing trial attorneys or judges.
Klein Hall opened in 1972, after a fire destroyed Reber Hall, the previous home of the Law School. Within its eight floors, Klein Hall houses numerous lecture rooms, the Law Library, the moot courtroom, reading rooms, faculty offices, and the offices of Temple's four law journals. The basement level of Klein contains a modest cafe, comfortable sitting areas, classrooms, and a locker room.
In the past, students have criticized Klein Hall as overly austere because of its poured concrete construction and lack of decoration. Judge Charles Klein '21, after whom the building was named, is said to have remarked that he was impressed with the law library and its massive open atria, but that he wondered when the interior would be completed. Perhaps as a result of these criticisms, Klein Hall underwent major renovations beginning in Summer 2002. By 2004, much of the interior of Klein had been replaced, creating a well-lit, modern, and comfortable environment.
Barrack Hall opened in 2002 and houses the Admissions Office, Career Services, several classrooms, and student lounges. Barrack Hall is itself a renovated structure containing state of the art technologies, and has won several awards, including the 2003 Pennsylvania Historic Preservation Award and The Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia's 2002 Award for Adaptive Reuse. The construction of Barrack Hall was made possible by a generous donation from Leonard Barrack '68.
Shusterman Hall was made possible by a generous donation from Murray H. Shusterman '36. The building appears to be a renovated chapel, and serves as the Law School's conference center for career fairs, symposia, and other formal gatherings.
The law library catalog, Diamond, can be accessed through the link.
championships – more than any other school. During these 15 years, the team owns the best record in the
country in national trial advocacy competitions. In the NTC, the school has won their regional tournament 21 years in a row, advanced to the quarterfinal rounds in the nationals 15 years in a row, and finishing first in 1999, 1998, and 1995, and second in 2007, 1993, and 1992.
New inductees argue again in a semi-final round, from which the four best advocates are chosen to argue before real judges in a final competition in the law school's well-appointed Duane, Morris & Hecksher Moot Court Room. First and second place winners are chosen during this event, followed by an induction ceremony for new members before law school administrators, faculty and students, and the finest advocates from the Philadelphia legal community.
During the Spring semester, new members enroll in an Appellate Advocacy course in which they research and write a brief on a current United States Supreme Court case that has been not been decided. The case is argued during the I. Herman Stern Competition. The Appellate Advocacy course satisfies the law school's upper level Research Writing requirement. The final grade in the course depends on the quality of the brief and performance in the Stern Competition. The winners of the Final Round are sent to the American Bar Association National Moot Court Competition.
All third year students in the organization must participate in at least one of the many Moot Court competitions offered by law schools throughout the country, assist in the administration of the Polsky and Stern competitions, and attend lectures on appellate advocacy given by professors and guest speakers who are experienced advocates. Second year members who successfully complete Moot Court requirements earn one ungraded credit; third year students earn two credits.
programs that are open to students from any ABA approved law school: the summer session in Rome
and the spring semester in Tokyo
(at Temple University Japan). The Tokyo program is perhaps the most notable, as it is the only ABA-accredited semester program for law students in Japan
.
Additionally, Temple JD students are eligible to study at the following partner institutions:
Tsinghua University
, Beijing
, China (Fall semester);University College Cork
, Cork
, Ireland (Fall Semester);University of Tel Aviv, Tel Aviv, Israel (Spring Semester);Universiteit Utrecht, Utrech the Netherlands (Spring Semester).
Study abroad credits from any program can be used toward the J.D. program or the joint JD/LL.M. in Transnational Law.
is the U.S. Representative-elect for Pennsylvania's 7th congressional district.
Temple University
Temple University is a comprehensive public research university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Originally founded in 1884 by Dr. Russell Conwell, Temple University is among the nation's largest providers of professional education and prepares the largest body of professional...
. Informally referred to as Temple Law School, the school is located at the Main Campus of Temple University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
. The Temple University James E. Beasley School of Law, has operated continuously since its founding in 1895.
Originally named "The Philadelphia Law School of the Temple College," the Law School was renamed "The Temple University School of Law" in 1910. In recognition of a major endowment gift by James E. Beasley, a Temple Law graduate and distinguished Philadelphia lawyer, the Temple University Board of Trustees changed the official name of the school in 1999 to The James E. Beasley School of Law of Temple University.
Temple Law currently uses both the traditional Socratic method
Socratic method
The Socratic method , named after the classical Greek philosopher Socrates, is a form of inquiry and debate between individuals with opposing viewpoints based on asking and answering questions to stimulate critical thinking and to illuminate ideas...
and the Problem method
Casebook method
The casebook method, also known as the case method, is the primary method of teaching law in law schools in the United States. It was pioneered at Harvard Law School by Christopher Columbus Langdell...
in teaching legal theory and skills. In recent years, much emphasis has been placed on developing "real world" skills and students are encouraged to participate in intensive Trial Advocacy or Transactional programs, as well as clinics. During the fall semester of 2011 the school instituted a new mandatory 1L course called "Introduction to Transactional Skills". This will introduce 1L students to transactional law by allowing students to simulate negotiating a deal between a chef and financial backer who are opening a restaurant. The law faculty recognized that law school traditional teaches mostly about litigation and because the majority of lawyers practice in transactional law, students should have an introduction to that side of the law.
As of July 2006, the Law School has the second-highest Pennsylvania Bar Examination passage rate of any Pennsylvania law school. The 2011 version of US News & World Reports ranked Temple University Beasley School of Law 61st overall. The 2010 version of US News & World Reports ranked Temple University Beasley School of Law 2nd nationally in Trial Advocacy, 7th in Legal Writing, and 12th in International Law.
Student body
The Law School annually enrolls approximately 240 students in the full-time day division program, and approximately 60 students in the part-time evening division program. The total enrollment is estimated at slightly less than 1,000, although this number fluctuates slightly with transfers and various visiting students. The admission for the Fall 2011 entering class was highly competitive, with 4,144 applicants for an entering class of 270. The class represented 128 different colleges, and 8% had advanced degrees.In the 2011 entering class, women represented 44% of the class, 30% were minority students and the average age was 24. The median GPA was 3.39 and the median LSAT score was 160. The 25th/75th percentile of entrants had GPAs of 3.16/3.56, and LSAT scores of 158/163.http://www.law.temple.edu/servlet/RetrievePage?site=TempleLaw&page=Prospective_Profile_Enter_Clas&menuitem=p20
Faculty
Temple Law School currently employs 64 full-time faculty members and retains numerous local attorneys as adjuncts. Robert J. Reinstein served has a pivotal dean of the Law School from 1989 to 2008, at which time Joanne A. Epps, a long-time professor at Temple Law, took over leadership. Among the notable faculty of Temple Law School include:- David KairysDavid KairysDavid Kairys is Professor of Law at Temple University School of Law. He is the first James E. Beasley Chair .Kairys is a civil rights lawyer. He authored and . He is a gun control proponent....
(civil rights and constitutional law lawyer and the law school's first James E. Beasley Chairman (2001–07)) - Jan C. TingJan C. TingJan C. Ting is a Professor of Law at Temple University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was the Republican candidate for U.S. Senator from Delaware in the 2006 U.S. Senate election, but two years later Ting left the Republican Party in a dispute over his endorsement of Democratic presidential...
(candidate for U.S. Senator from Delaware in 2006 and Assistant Commissioner at the Immigration and Naturalization Service of the U.S. Department of JusticeUnited States Department of JusticeThe United States Department of Justice , is the United States federal executive department responsible for the enforcement of the law and administration of justice, equivalent to the justice or interior ministries of other countries.The Department is led by the Attorney General, who is nominated...
under George H.W. Bush) - Jeffrey L. Dunoff (founder of the Institute for International Law & Public Policy and co-author with Steven R. Ratner and David Wippman of International Law, Norms, Actors, Process: A Problem-oriented Approach.
Career Placement
For 2010 Graduates:Employment Sector Breakdown:
- 39% Private Practice
- 16% Public Interest
- 12% Judicial Clerkship
- 12% Government
- 12% Business
- 7% Academic
- 2% Unknown
Employment Rate Within 9 Months: 93.2%
Overall Average Starting Salary: $62,525
Private Practice Average Starting Salary: $87,520
Juris Doctor (J.D.) Curriculum
First year (1L) day division students have a mandatory curriculum for both Fall and Spring semesters. The Fall course load includes Torts, Contracts, Criminal Law, Litigation Basics, Business Basics, and Legal Research and Writing I. The Spring course load includes Constitutional Law, Property, Civil Procedure I (Jurisdiction), Legal Research and Writing II, and one elective. Evening division students take these courses over their first three semesters in residence.The only other mandatory course requirements for graduation are a serial writing course (consisting of several short paper assignments), a research writing course (consisting of a single lengthy and scholarly work), and Professional Responsibility. Up to the Fall 2008 semester, courses were graded on a B minus curve with few exceptions; generally those exceptions are classes that award a Pass/Fail mark instead of a letter grade. Teachers were guided to award grades of B to less than 50% of the class. Beginning with the Spring 2009 semester, the curve was changed to a B average, with B grades comprising approximately 60% of the class.
Students are left great discretion to choose electives in the their second (2L) and third (3L) year (or fourth year for evening division students). Popular electives include Business Associations (Corporations), Taxation (Federal), Political and Civil Rights, Intellectual Property, and International Law. Students also have limited rights to take classes at the Rutgers School of Law - Camden when Temple does not offer a comparable elective course during a given academic year.
A student must earn a total of 87 credit hours in order to receive the degree of Juris Doctor.
Graduate Law Program (LL.M., S.J.D., Certificate, Teaching Fellowship)
The Law School offers several advanced degree programs. Candidates have the option of selecting from a specialized Master of Laws Degree (LL.M.) in Trial Advocacy, Transnational Law or Taxation. Certificate programs in Estate Planning and Employee benefits are offered through the Taxation program. International lawyers also have the opportunity to design their own curriculum through Temple's General LL.M. program. In addition to the LL.M., Temple offers an advanced degree for aspiring scholars, the Doctor of Juridical Science (S.J.D.), and a Graduate Teaching Fellowship program that provides training to become a professor of law.LL.M. in Trial Advocacy
At the forefront of teaching trial advocacy, Temple University Beasley School of Law has consistently been ranked by U.S. News & World Report in the top two in trial advocacy. The LL.M. in Trial Advocacy curriculum integrates the development of theory and theme, confidence in presentation, extemporaneous speech and persuasion in the court room. The program is performance based, featuring a “learn by doing” approach.Designed for the practicing attorney, the program is a one-year, 24-credit degree program, scheduled primarily in the evenings and on weekends. Our distance-learning component allows students from across the country to attend evening lectures via live, online broadcasts. Students graduate with a LL.M. degree in Trial Advocacy, and earn 24 substantive CLE credits. In addition, this program provides a segue for our students to teach in academia.
The LL.M. in Trial Advocacy is the only program of its kind in the country. It is an ideal fit for those who aspire to perfect both litigation tactics and courtroom performance
LL.M. in Transnational Law
The Transnational LL.M. 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. Candidates for the LL.M. degree must complete the 3-credit International Law course plus 24 credits of advanced course work in international and comparative law, including one course in which a scholarly paper is produced. Some or all of the credits of the credits may be earned at one or more of Temple's international campuses in Tokyo or Rome. All courses counted toward the degree must be completed within a four-year period. A grade point average of 2.5 is required to earn the degree.LL.M. in Taxation
Both new and experienced lawyers choose the Graduate Tax Program at Temple to deepen their understanding of complex taxation issues. The program provides candidates with a strong foundation in tax law, as well as the opportunity to develop expertise beyond the level of study offered in J.D. programs. A degree candidate must satisfactorily complete 24 credit hours of course work including all core curriculum requirements and a writing seminar. Candidates may study on a full-time or part-time basis and all coursework must be completed within four years of initial matriculation. Applicants must have satisfactorily completed a basic income tax course in law school or demonstrated comparable work experience. An applicant who cannot meet this requirement must take the basic course in taxation offered in Temple's J.D. program in the student's first term after admission to the LL.M. program.General LL.M. for International Lawyers
Temple offers a general studies LL.M. program for foreign-trained lawyers. This academic program gives international lawyers the freedom to design a course of study tailored to their specific interests and aspirations. With the exception of two required research and writing courses, students can design their own curriculum from more than 180 courses offered annually in American and International law. General LL.M. degree candidates must successfully complete 24 credit hours of course work with a cumulative grade point average of 2.0 (out of a possible 4.0). The program can be completed in two semesters beginning in August and continuing through May. In addition to the Main campus in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the General LL.M. is offered in Tokyo, Japan and Beijing, China. Students can also earn up to 6 credits at Temple's six-week summer law program in Rome, Italy. Students in this program must complete classes at the main campus.Doctor of Juridical Science
The Doctor of Juridical Science is a research-oriented degree program designed for those seeking to pursue careers as law teachers and scholars of law. Candidates enrolled in the S.J.D. program are required to spend their initial academic year in residence at the Main campus in Philadelphia. Admission is extremely selective as only a few candidates are offered admission each year. Applicants must present outstanding academic credentials and demonstrate the capacity to complete a doctoral dissertation of publishable quality that will make an original contribution to scholarly legal literature.Estate Planning and Employee Benefits Certificates
An Estate Planning Certificate and Employee Benefits Certificate is offered through the Graduate Tax Program for practitioners who do not wish to pursue an LL.M. degree. The Estate Planning Certificate (EPCERT) exposes students to federal estate, gift, and generation-skipping taxation issues, as well as federal income taxation of trusts and estates. The program benefits practitioners who want to concentrate on tax issues involved in estate planning and estate administration, and provides training for relatively inexperienced practitioners who want to acquire an advanced level of expertise in this area. The Employee Benefits Certificate (EBCERT) covers basic rules governing employee benefits, the taxation of welfare benefit plans and qualified employee benefit plans. New practitioners looking to become expert in this complicated area as well as experienced practitioners wishing to concentrate on a new area of tax law will benefit from these courses.Abraham L. Freedman Graduate Teaching Fellowship
The two-year program provides the training and experience critical to becoming a successful law school professor. Since 1975, the Abraham L. Freedman Teaching Fellowship Program at the Beasley School of Law has produced outstanding law school professors, with graduates found at accredited law schools throughout the United States. The experienced lawyers admitted to the Freedman Fellow program receive an annual stipend and earn an LL.M. degree. Fellows gain extensive practice in law school teaching and receive the support to produce quality scholarship during their residence. Fellows work collaboratively with Temple faculty members on doctrinal courses and teach alongside the professors in Temple's nationally renowned legal research and writing program. In their final semester, Fellows teach an upper-level course in Temple's curriculum.Integrated Trial Advocacy Program (ITAP)
The Beasley School of Law, named after one of Philadelphia's greatest trial attorneys, is well known for its intensive trial program.The Integrated Trial Advocacy Program, or ITAP, is a sequence of four classes designed to give students the knowledge and practice to be effective advocates in the courtroom. Law students in the ITAP program are generally in their second year of schooling, although some students choose to take the program in their third year.
During the Fall semester, students take Evidence and Trial Advocacy I concurrently. Evidence classes are typically large in size (50-60 persons) while Trial Advocacy classes are typically 12-person sections designed to allow each student adequate time to practice their skills. Students are required to apply the Evidentiary rules and tactics learned in Evidence class to mock trial scenarios in Trial Advocacy I. Scenarios will typically be based on a fictitious case file, and students practice direct examinations, cross examinations, opening and closing arguments, and motions arguments. Many Trial Advocacy professors encourage open objections, where anyone in the class, and not just the opposing counsel, may raise objections during examinations of witnesses. By the end of Trial Advocacy I, each student (paired with another student as co-counsel) will have tried a complete mock case against another pair of students.
During the Spring semester, students take a practical course in Civil Procedure (as opposed to the more academic Jurisdictional Civil Procedure taught to first years) and Trial Advocacy II. During this phase of the ITAP program, students practice arguing motions, qualifying expert witnesses, and conducting depositions. Like Trial Advocacy I, Trial Advocacy II requires that each student (along with another student as co-counsel) try a complete mock case against another pair of students.
Evidence and Civil Procedure classes in ITAP are typically taught by full time faculty members, while Trial Advocacy sections are usually taught by adjuncts who are themselves practicing trial attorneys or judges.
Facilities
The Law School currently conducts their academics in three Temple University buildings: Klein Hall, Barrack Hall, and the Shusterman Hall Conference Center.Klein Hall opened in 1972, after a fire destroyed Reber Hall, the previous home of the Law School. Within its eight floors, Klein Hall houses numerous lecture rooms, the Law Library, the moot courtroom, reading rooms, faculty offices, and the offices of Temple's four law journals. The basement level of Klein contains a modest cafe, comfortable sitting areas, classrooms, and a locker room.
In the past, students have criticized Klein Hall as overly austere because of its poured concrete construction and lack of decoration. Judge Charles Klein '21, after whom the building was named, is said to have remarked that he was impressed with the law library and its massive open atria, but that he wondered when the interior would be completed. Perhaps as a result of these criticisms, Klein Hall underwent major renovations beginning in Summer 2002. By 2004, much of the interior of Klein had been replaced, creating a well-lit, modern, and comfortable environment.
Barrack Hall opened in 2002 and houses the Admissions Office, Career Services, several classrooms, and student lounges. Barrack Hall is itself a renovated structure containing state of the art technologies, and has won several awards, including the 2003 Pennsylvania Historic Preservation Award and The Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia's 2002 Award for Adaptive Reuse. The construction of Barrack Hall was made possible by a generous donation from Leonard Barrack '68.
Shusterman Hall was made possible by a generous donation from Murray H. Shusterman '36. The building appears to be a renovated chapel, and serves as the Law School's conference center for career fairs, symposia, and other formal gatherings.
Temple Law Library
With over 620,000 volumes, Temple's Law Library is among the larger law libraries in the country. The library spans the third to seventh floors of the building and includes seven levels of book stacks. The collection is particularly strong in 18th and 19th century Anglo-American monographs, and law-related government publications.The law library catalog, Diamond, can be accessed through the link.
Trial Team
Since 1995, Temple's Trial Team has won 5 national (3 NTC, 2 ATLA) and 15 invitationalchampionships – more than any other school. During these 15 years, the team owns the best record in the
country in national trial advocacy competitions. In the NTC, the school has won their regional tournament 21 years in a row, advanced to the quarterfinal rounds in the nationals 15 years in a row, and finishing first in 1999, 1998, and 1995, and second in 2007, 1993, and 1992.
Moot Court
Temple Moot Court was started in the 1950s and is the only honor society at the law school. Moot Court members are selected as second-year law students through the Samuel L. Polsky Selection Competition, which is held during the Fall semester. Polsky participants research and write an appellate brief, then argue both sides of the case before experienced attorneys who serve as appellate court justices. Students receiving the highest scores for brief writing and oral argument are invited to join the Society.New inductees argue again in a semi-final round, from which the four best advocates are chosen to argue before real judges in a final competition in the law school's well-appointed Duane, Morris & Hecksher Moot Court Room. First and second place winners are chosen during this event, followed by an induction ceremony for new members before law school administrators, faculty and students, and the finest advocates from the Philadelphia legal community.
During the Spring semester, new members enroll in an Appellate Advocacy course in which they research and write a brief on a current United States Supreme Court case that has been not been decided. The case is argued during the I. Herman Stern Competition. The Appellate Advocacy course satisfies the law school's upper level Research Writing requirement. The final grade in the course depends on the quality of the brief and performance in the Stern Competition. The winners of the Final Round are sent to the American Bar Association National Moot Court Competition.
All third year students in the organization must participate in at least one of the many Moot Court competitions offered by law schools throughout the country, assist in the administration of the Polsky and Stern competitions, and attend lectures on appellate advocacy given by professors and guest speakers who are experienced advocates. Second year members who successfully complete Moot Court requirements earn one ungraded credit; third year students earn two credits.
Law Journals
The Law School maintains four law journals: Temple Law Review, Temple International and Comparative Law Journal, Temple Journal of Science Technology and Environmental Law, and Temple Political and Civil Rights Law Review. The Temple Law Review is published quarterly, and the other journals are published on a bi-annual basis.Study abroad programs
The Law School offers two study abroadStudy abroad
Studying abroad is the act of a student pursuing educational opportunities in a country other than one's own. This can include primary, secondary and post-secondary students...
programs that are open to students from any ABA approved law school: the summer session in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
and the spring semester in Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
(at Temple University Japan). The Tokyo program is perhaps the most notable, as it is the only ABA-accredited semester program for law students in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
.
Additionally, Temple JD students are eligible to study at the following partner institutions:
Tsinghua University
Tsinghua University
Tsinghua University , colloquially known in Chinese as Qinghua, is a university in Beijing, China. The school is one of the nine universities of the C9 League. It was established in 1911 under the name "Tsinghua Xuetang" or "Tsinghua College" and was renamed the "Tsinghua School" one year later...
, Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
, China (Fall semester);University College Cork
University College Cork - National University of Ireland, Cork
University College Cork is a constituent university of the National University of Ireland. The university is located in Cork....
, Cork
Cork (city)
Cork is the second largest city in the Republic of Ireland and the island of Ireland's third most populous city. It is the principal city and administrative centre of County Cork and the largest city in the province of Munster. Cork has a population of 119,418, while the addition of the suburban...
, Ireland (Fall Semester);University of Tel Aviv, Tel Aviv, Israel (Spring Semester);Universiteit Utrecht, Utrech the Netherlands (Spring Semester).
Study abroad credits from any program can be used toward the J.D. program or the joint JD/LL.M. in Transnational Law.
Notable alumni
- Lynne AbrahamLynne AbrahamLynne Abraham served as the District Attorney of the City of Philadelphia from May 1991 to January 2010. She was the first woman to serve as Philadelphia's District Attorney. Abraham won election to that position four times. As District Attorney, she oversaw the largest district attorney's office...
(1965), former district attorney of Philadelphia. - Barbara AdamsBarbara Adams (General Counsel of Pennsylvania)Barbara Adams was appointed General Counsel of Pennsylvania on June 1, 2005 by Governor Edward G. Rendell. Adams, who was raised in Pottsville, Pennsylvania, had been a partner with Duane Morris LLP in Philadelphia since 1986, a firm she joined originally as a summer associate in 1977.Adams...
, (1978) General CounselGeneral CounselA general counsel is the chief lawyer of a legal department, usually in a corporation or government department. The term is most used in the United States...
of PennsylvaniaPennsylvaniaThe Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to... - Hon. James G. Arner, current President Judge of Pennsylvania Courts of Common PleasPennsylvania Courts of Common PleasThe Pennsylvania Courts of Common Pleas are the trial courts of the Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania .The Courts of Common Pleas are the trial courts of general jurisdiction in the state....
, Clarion County, PennsylvaniaClarion County, PennsylvaniaAs of the census of 2000, there were 41,765 people, 16,052 households, and 10,738 families residing in the county. The population density was 69 people per square mile . There were 19,426 housing units at an average density of 32 per square mile... - Amy BanseAmy BanseAmy Banse is president of Comcast Interactive Media , a division of Comcast formed in 2005. She joined Comcast in 1991.Banse graduated from Springside School in 1977, Harvard University in 1982, and Temple Law School in 1987....
(1987), president of Comcast Interactive MediaComcast Interactive MediaComcast Interactive Media is a division of Comcast focusing on online media. CIM was created in 2005 and is headed by President, Amy Banse, and Executive Vice President, Samuel Schwartz...
. - Edward G. Biester, Jr.Edward G. Biester, Jr.Edward George Biester, Jr. is a retired Republican politician and judge who served as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania, from 1967 to 1977....
(1955), U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania (1967–1977); Attorney General of Pennsylvania (1979–1980); Judge-Bucks County Court of Common Pleas (1980–2006); U.S. Court of Military Commission Review (appointed September 2004). - Pat Browne, Pennsylvania Senator for the 16th district.
- Rhonda Brownstein (1986), Visiting Assistant Professor at the University of Denver School of Law; Former Legal Director at the Southern Poverty Law CenterSouthern Poverty Law CenterThe Southern Poverty Law Center is an American nonprofit civil rights organization noted for its legal victories against white supremacist groups; legal representation for victims of hate groups; monitoring of alleged hate groups, militias and extremist organizations; and educational programs that...
in Montgomery, AlabamaMontgomery, AlabamaMontgomery is the capital of the U.S. state of Alabama, and is the county seat of Montgomery County. It is located on the Alabama River southeast of the center of the state, in the Gulf Coastal Plain. As of the 2010 census, Montgomery had a population of 205,764 making it the second-largest city... - Jim CawleyJim CawleyJames "Jim" Cawley is the 32nd and current Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania.-Political career:He was appointed to the Bucks County Board of Commissioners following the resignation of Mike Fitzpatrick and was elected to a full term in 2007, when he became chairman of the board...
, 32nd Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania. - Lawrence CoughlinLawrence CoughlinRobert Lawrence Coughlin was an American lawyer and Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania.-Early life and education:...
(1958), former member of the U.S. House of RepresentativesUnited States House of RepresentativesThe United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
. - Thomas M. FogliettaThomas M. FogliettaThomas Michael "Tom" Foglietta was United States Ambassador to Italy and anAmerican politician from the state of Pennsylvania, most notable for his time in the House of Representatives from 1981 to 1997....
(1952), former member of the U.S. House of RepresentativesUnited States House of RepresentativesThe United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
for . - Vincent FumoVincent FumoVincent Joseph "Vince" Fumo is a former politician, lawyer and businessman from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. A Democrat, he represented a south Philadelphia district in the Pennsylvania Senate from 1978 to 2008. On March 16, 2009, he was convicted of 137 federal corruption charges...
(1972), former member of the Pennsylvania Senate. - Mitchell S. GoldbergMitchell S. GoldbergMitchell S. Goldberg is a United States federal judge.Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Goldberg received an A.B. from Ithaca College in 1981 and a J.D. from Temple University Beasley School of Law in 1986. He was an assistant district attorney in the Philadelphia District Attorney's Office from...
(1986), judge on the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. - John E. GordonJohn E. GordonJohn Edward "Ted" Gordon is a retired United States Rear Admiral who served as Judge Advocate General of the Navy from 1990 until 1992, when he was forced to resign in the aftermath of the Tailhook scandal.-Biography:...
, (1973) Judge Advocate General of the NavyJudge Advocate General of the NavyThe Judge Advocate General of the Navy is the highest ranking uniformed lawyer in the United States Department of the Navy. The Judge Advocate General is the principal advisor to the Secretary of the Navy and the Chief of Naval Operations on legal matters pertaining to the Navy...
, 1990-92 - Clifford Scott GreenClifford Scott GreenClifford Scott Green was a judge on the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. Green was the eighteenth African American Article III judge appointed in the United States, and the second African American judge on the United States District Court for the Eastern...
, former judge on the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of PennsylvaniaUnited States District Court for the Eastern District of PennsylvaniaThe United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania is one of the original 13 federal judiciary districts created by the Judiciary Act of 1789...
. - Barbara S. JonesBarbara S. JonesBarbara Sue Jones is a United States federal judge for the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York.-Early life and education:Born in Inglewood, California, Jones received a Bachelor of Arts from Mount St...
(1973), judge on the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York. - Mark LevinMark LevinMark Reed Levin is a lawyer, author and the host of American syndicated radio show The Mark Levin Show. Levin served in the cabinet of President Ronald Reagan and was a chief of staff for Attorney General Edwin Meese...
, Chief of Staff to Attorney General Edwin MeeseEdwin MeeseEdwin "Ed" Meese, III is an attorney, law professor, and author who served in official capacities within the Ronald Reagan Gubernatorial Administration , the Reagan Presidential Transition Team , and the Reagan White House , eventually rising to hold the position of the 75th Attorney General of...
and nationally syndicated radio host. - Mary M. LisiMary M. LisiMary Mona Lisi is the chief judge of the United States District Court for the District of Rhode Island.- Early life and education :...
, Judge, United States District Court for the District of Rhode IslandUnited States District Court for the District of Rhode IslandThe United States District Court for the District of Rhode Island is the Federal district court whose jurisdiction is the state of Rhode Island. The District Court was created in 1790 when Rhode Island ratified the Constitution...
. - Seamus McCaffreySeamus McCaffreySeamus McCaffery is a Justice on the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania. He is a member of the Democratic Party. Prior to his election to the Supreme Court, he was a judge on the Superior Court of Pennsylvania and a municipal court judge in Philadelphia...
, Justice on the Supreme Court of PennsylvaniaSupreme Court of PennsylvaniaThe Supreme Court of Pennsylvania is the court of last resort for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. It meets in Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.-History:...
. - Kenneth Levine (1990, J.D.), Co-Founder of Nelson Levine de Luca & Horst, Current President of the National Association of Subrogation Professionals
- James P. McGraneryJames P. McGraneryJames Patrick McGranery was an American lawyer and politician.-Biography:Born in Philadelphia, he served in World War I as an observation balloon pilot with the United States Army Air Service, and as an adjutant in the One Hundred and Eleventh Infantry...
(1928), former judge on the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, former United States Attorney GeneralUnited States Attorney GeneralThe United States Attorney General is the head of the United States Department of Justice concerned with legal affairs and is the chief law enforcement officer of the United States government. The attorney general is considered to be the chief lawyer of the U.S. government...
. - Franklin J. MaloneyFranklin J. MaloneyFranklin John Maloney was a Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania.Franklin J. Maloney was born in Philadelphia. He graduated from Temple University Law School in 1922, and is still considered one of their notable graduates...
(1922), former member of the U.S. House of RepresentativesUnited States House of RepresentativesThe United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
. - Frank A. Mathews, Jr.Frank A. Mathews, Jr.Frank Asbury Mathews, Jr. was an American Republican Party politician from New Jersey. Mathews represented in the United States House of Representatives from 1945 to 1949....
(1920), former member of the U.S. House of RepresentativesUnited States House of RepresentativesThe United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
for . - Gary C. MatznerGary C. MatznerGary C. Matzner is the co-founder and former mayor of the Village of Pinecrest, Florida. He was elected to a four-year term as mayor in November 2004. The Village of Pinecrest, Florida is located within Miami-Dade County. He rallied the community to save the former Parrot Jungle site which is now...
, current mayor of Pinecrest, FloridaPinecrest, FloridaPinecrest is a suburban village in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States of America. The population was 19,055 as of the census of 2000. Pinecrest is governed by a five-member Village Council and operates under the Council-Manager form of government....
. - Pat MeehanPat MeehanPatrick Leo "Pat" Meehan is a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives, representing since January 3, 2011. The district includes most of Delaware County and parts of Chester and Montgomery Counties...
, United States House of Representatives, Pennsylvania 7th District; former United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. - James M. MunleyJames Martin MunleyJames Martin Munley is a United States federal judge.Born in Scranton, Pennsylvania, Munley received a B.S. from the University of Scranton in 1958 and was a Private in the United States Army from 1958 to 1960. He received an LL.B. from Temple University School of Law in 1963. He was a law clerk,...
(1963), judge on the United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania. - Allen RosenbergAllen Rosenberg (rower)Allen Perry Rosenberg is an American former rower and rowing coach. He won 12 international and national gold and silver medals as a rower, and teams he coached won more than 24 gold and silver medals in the Olympics and world championships.-Early life:Rosenberg, who is Jewish, was born in...
, rower and rowing coach - Timothy J. SavageTimothy J. SavageTimothy J. Savage is a United States federal judge.Savage was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He received a B.A. from Assumption College in 1968. He received a J.D. from Temple University School of Law in 1971. He was in private practice in Pennsylvania from 1971 to 2002...
(1971), judge on the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. - John F. StreetJohn F. StreetJohn Franklin Street was the 97th Mayor of the City of Philadelphia. He was first elected to a term beginning on January 3, 2000, and was re-elected to a second term beginning in 2004...
(1975), former mayor of Philadelphia. - Charles SwiftCharles SwiftCharles D. Swift is a former Lieutenant Commander in the U.S. Navy, Judge Advocate General's Corps and Visiting Associate Professor of Law at Emory University School of Law. During the course of his Navy career, he was assigned to the Department of Defense Office of Military Commissions. He is...
(1999 L.L.M.), a Lieutenant CommanderLieutenant CommanderLieutenant Commander is a commissioned officer rank in many navies. The rank is superior to a lieutenant and subordinate to a commander...
in the U.S. NavyUnited States NavyThe United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
, Judge Advocate General's CorpsJudge Advocate General's Corps, U.S. NavyThe Judge Advocate General's Corps also known as the "JAG Corps" or "JAG" is the legal arm of the United States Navy. Today, the corps consists of a worldwide organization of more than 730 Judge Advocates, 30 limited duty officers , 500 enlisted members and nearly 275 civilian personnel, serving...
. - Petrese B. TuckerPetrese B. TuckerPetrese B. Tucker is a United States federal judge.Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Tucker received a B.A. from Temple University in 1973 and a J.D. from Temple University School of Law in 1976. She was a law clerk, Hon. Lawrence Prattis, Common Pleas Court from 1976 to 1978. She was in private...
(1976), judge on the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. - Franklin S. Van Antwerpen, judge on United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, former judge on the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.
- Melissa Murphy WeberMelissa Murphy WeberMelissa Murphy Weber is an attorney and Pennsylvania politician.Weber graduated with a degree in Economics from Denison University in 1991. While attending Denison University, Weber achieved All-American honors in lacrosse. She received her LL.M. in Trial Advocacy from Temple University School of...
(2002 L.L.M.), former member of the Pennsylvania House of RepresentativesPennsylvania House of RepresentativesThe Pennsylvania House of Representatives is the lower house of the bicameral Pennsylvania General Assembly, the legislature of the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. There are 203 members, elected for two year terms from single member districts....
.
See also
- Pennsylvania Law Schools
is the U.S. Representative-elect for Pennsylvania's 7th congressional district.