DePaul University College of Law

Introduction

DePaul University College of Law is centered in the heart of downtown Chicago, providing its students with a rich and dynamic urban setting. DePaul University is the nation’s largest Catholic university and among the largest private universities in the nation, as well as one of the largest private universities in Illinois. The College of Law is fully accredited by the ABA, is a member of AALS and Order of the Coif, and offers full-time, part-time, and summer programs. Its location—centered within the city’s business and legal communities—provides students with extensive contact with Chicago’s legal community, and students gain access to a national law alumni network that is more than 15,000 strong. The law school is within walking distance of the state and federal courts, a variety of government offices, and numerous corporations and law firms. DePaul law graduates reside in all 50 states and in more than 20 countries, and among them are three former mayors of Chicago, more than 350 state and federal judges, and numerous CEOs, CFOs, executives, and partners at corporations and law firms worldwide.

Students

DePaul University was founded in 1898 by the Vincentian Fathers as a school for children of immigrants. Its students represent a rich diversity in age, ethnicity, education, and career experiences. This broad diversity of backgrounds and knowledge provides a connectedness within the institution, creating a genuine sense of community among the students, faculty, and staff. The average age of the entering class is 23. The class is composed of 59 percent women and 24 percent minorities. Fifty percent of the full-time class is from out of state.

Faculty

DePaul faculty members are recognized scholars who represent a variety of professional backgrounds and specialties. Consistent with the university’s Vincentian mission of service to the community, they work tirelessly in service to the legal profession and to the community and have achieved national recognition in teaching, research, scholarly activities, and professional service. They are extremely accessible, approachable, and are deeply committed to the success of their students.

Library, Publications, Research Centers, and Institutes

The College of Law’s three-story law library offers extensive resources for study and research. Its staff includes six professional librarians and five full-time support staff, and it is open year-round.

DePaul offers writing, publishing, and editing opportunities through seven student-edited law journals and a traditional law review that explore issues in nearly every area and specialization of the law, including business and commercial law; art, technology, and intellectual property law; health care law; social justice; sports law and contemporary moral problems; and women, gender, and the law.

The College of Law also maintains eight research centers and institutes dedicated to teaching, research, advocacy, student placement, and public education and engagement across a wide range of disciplines:

• Center for Animal Law
• Center for Art, Museum, and Cultural Heritage Law
• Center for Intellectual Property Law and Information Technology
• Center for Jewish Law and Judaic Studies
• Center for Public Interest Law
• International Human Rights Law Institute
• Mary and Michael Jaharis Health Law Institute
• Schiller DuCanto and Fleck Family Law Center

Special Programs

Academic Support Program

DePaul considers the success of every student paramount to its success as a law school. For more than a decade, the law school’s Academic Support Program has helped first-year students develop the critical thinking and analytical skills that law school demands.

Bar Passage Program

Through a series of workshops, DePaul’s Bar Passage Program ensures that graduating students are aware of the rigors of this all-encompassing exam and learn how to prepare for it academically, financially, and emotionally.

First-Year Advising Program

All first-year students can contact faculty experts who will serve as a point of contact for advice on course selection and other academic matters. The College of Law’s director of advising also provides personalized advising and support to all students regarding course planning, registration, and graduation requirements.

Preparing to Practice

All first-year students are required to take “Preparing to Practice.” This new and innovative 16-week professional development course provides students with the professional, strategic, and interpersonal skills that are critical for career success.

Clinical Programs

Since 1977, students have gained valuable hands-on experience through the college’s now eight clinical concentrations:

• Asylum & Immigration
• Civil Rights Law
• Criminal Appeals
• Family Law
• Mediation as Advocate
• Misdemeanor
• Poverty Law
• Technology/Intellectual Property

Field Placement Program

With more than 3,500 externship placements since its creation in 1975, DePaul’s Field Placement Program provides academic credit through supervised fieldwork with federal and state judges, various municipal agencies, and a number of nonprofit and for-profit organizations.

Third Year in Practice (3YP) Program

DePaul’s Third Year in Practice (3YP) option allows students to complete their general law school course requirements in two years and spend their third year of law school immersed in practice.

Certificate Programs

DePaul recognizes the growing integration of legal issues in nearly every professional field and offers 11 comprehensive certificate programs to help students develop specific professional and legal expertise in Business Law, Criminal Law, Family Law, Health Law, International and Comparative Law, Public Interest Law, and Tax Law, as well as 4 in Intellectual Property Law (General, Arts and Museum, Information Technology, and Patents).

Study-Abroad Programs

DePaul offers study-abroad, practicum, and international-exchange opportunities in some of the world’s most captivating countries. These unique immersion experiences focus on international legal issues ranging from financial transactions to employment law to human rights, while providing students with an opportunity to learn about the history and culture of another country.

Study Abroad

• Berlin, Germany: Law and Critical Social Justice
• Buenos Aires, Argentina: Legal Dimensions of Doing Business in Latin America
• Havana, Cuba: Future Foreign Investment, Trade and Business Transaction
• Heredia, Costa Rica: Human Rights Law in the Americas
• Madrid, Spain: European Business and Commercial Law and Human Rights Law

Practicum

• Chiapas, Mexico: Human Rights Practicum

International Exchange

• Madrid, Spain: Pontificia Universidad Comillas School of Law
• Vienna, Austria: Vienna University of Economics and Business

Joint-Degree and Master of Laws (LLM) Programs

DePaul offers ten joint-degree and four master of laws (LLM) programs:

• BA/JD 3+3 Program with the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences at DePaul University.
• JD/MBA with DePaul’s nationally recognized Kellstadt Graduate School of Business.
• JD/MS in Public Service Management with the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences promotes effective management of government and nonprofit organizations.
• JD/MA in International Studies with the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences offers concentrations in International Political Economy and Global Culture and complements DePaul’s strong international law offerings.
• JD/MS in Computer Science Technology with the College of Computing and Digital Media explores the intersections of law, computer science, telecommunications, and information systems.
• JD/Master in International European Business Law (Pontificia Universidad Comillas).
• JD/LLM joint-degree programs in Health Law, Intellectual Property Law, International Law, and Taxation.
• DePaul’s Master of Laws (LLM) programs include Health Law, Intellectual Property Law, International Law, and Taxation.

Specialized First-Year Legal Writing Sections

Applicants may apply for a seat in one of three specialized sections of Legal Analysis, Research, and Communication, which focus on family law, intellectual property law, or public interest law.

Housing

Located in Chicago’s Loop just two blocks south of the law school, University Center is a residence hall offering furnished apartments and suites. Amenities include a rooftop garden, multimedia rooms, a fitness center, food court, laundry facilities, shops on the lower level, 24-hour security, and keycard access to the building and elevators.

Admission

DePaul adheres to a policy of nondiscrimination and encourages applications from traditionally underrepresented groups. Admission decisions are based on a variety of factors, and each file is reviewed thoroughly. Undergraduate GPA and LSAT scores are significant admission criteria. For the 2017–2018 academic year, approximately 2,000 candidates applied for 240 seats in the full-time day program and 25 seats in the part-time evening program. Admitted students are automatically considered for available scholarships. Because applications are reviewed on a rolling basis, early application is highly recommended.

Career Services

DePaul’s Law Career Services Office is dedicated to the needs of law students and offers valuable assets such as one-on-one career counseling, job fairs, résumé and cover-letter reviews, and exhaustive online job postings for students and alumni.