Duquesne University Thomas R. Kline School of Law
The information on this page was provided by the law school.
Official Guide to ABA-Approved JD Programs
Since our founding in 1911, the focus of the Thomas R. Kline School of Law of Duquesne University has been clear: to provide a legal education firmly rooted in justice and the pursuit of the truth. This commitment is enhanced by our focus on educational excellence, ethical values, and openness to diversity. This spurs the Duquesne Kline School of Law to educate ethical, practice-ready lawyers. Our commitment still resonates today as we grapple with complex issues in society and the law. Dean April Barton recognizes, “Now more than ever, society needs skilled lawyers who advocate with integrity and compassion, and who are committed to lead in our ongoing quest for justice.”
We regard education as a path to empowerment. Our desire to improve circumstances is the impetus for our ongoing change and we committed to providing students with well-rounded law studies. The nationally-award winning Appellate Moot Court and highly regarded Trial Advocacy team both deliver experience in courtroom settings.
We developed a Leadership Fellows Program for students to develop an understanding of their own values and the implications their decisions have on others. Faculty teach the importance of understanding all perspectives, concentrating on training lawyers who are well-prepared for any path.
The JD Program
JD Program
At Duquesne Kline School of Law, our aim is to prepare students to make an immediate impact as successful lawyers, responsible leaders, and world citizens. Our unparalleled location in downtown Pittsburgh, within walking distance to the courts, technology corridor, government agencies and corporate leaders, makes the Thomas R. Kline School of Law of Duquesne University a leader in legal education.
We regard education as a path to empowerment. We are committed to providing students with a strong foundation of legal knowledge through our rigorous curriculum. The nationally-award winning Appellate Moot Court and highly regarded Trial Advocacy team both deliver experience in courtroom settings.
As part of our mission to educate lawyers for an evolving practice we have identified three vision pillars:
Collaborative Learning emphasizes our need to educate lawyers with skills beyond the courtroom; in our program we integrate critical modern skills such as financial literacy, business acumen, along with a sophistication and command of emerging technology trends that are transforming our society and global economy.
Teaching Principles of Leadership emphasizes creating a culture that instills a leadership mindset so that our graduates are prepared to ethically lead governments, enterprises, and organizations to make a positive impact in the world around us.
Community Well-Being places inclusion and belonging as fundamental imperatives, while ensuring that we are modeling respectful discourse, and emphasizing healthy living and resilience.
Students may choose to study full-time or part-time to earn the JD degree.
Learn more about Duquesne Kline Law- https://www.duq.edu/academics/colleges-and-schools/law/admissions/index.php
Faculty
Our faculty are accomplished, experienced legal professionals, who have been recognized for their excellence in teaching, accessibility to students, and focus on preparing students to be practice-ready lawyers. The highly ranked Legal Research and Writing program requires students to hone their expertise in this critical area. Duquesne Kline faculty are committed and passionate about the rule of law and teaching it. In addition to the strong foundational curriculum, they offer a combination of legal experience and knowledge on emerging technology and financial literacy to give our students an edge. Faculty teach the importance of understanding all perspectives, concentrating on training lawyers who are well-prepared for any path.
Learn more about Duquesne Kline Law- https://www.duq.edu/academics/colleges-and-schools/law/faculty-and-staff/index.php
Location
Our location in Pittsburgh, steps from the downtown legal, financial, and tech community, offers Duquesne Kline Law students the opportunity to reside and study in one of the most liveable, affordable and vibrant cities in the nation. Law students at Duquesne Kline Law benefit from the university’s urban location to pursue valuable experience through various clinics in and around downtown courts and take advantage of numerous externship options at firms, corporations, and government entities—many of which are a short walk from campus.
Learn more about Duquesne Kline Law- https://www.duq.edu/life-at-duquesne/our-campus/our-pittsburgh-community.php
Curriculum
We focus on building a solid foundation of legal knowledge through the core curriculum while providing extensive elective courses in many areas, including Intellectual Property, Litigation, and Public Interest. While emphasis is placed upon legal research and writing and trial advocacy, the required courses are sufficiently broad to provide all students with the requisite skills to become competent lawyers in any field of practice. A wide selection of elective courses, seminars, externships, and clinics allows students to focus on specialized legal areas and explore the contemporary problems of law and society.
In addition to our solid core curriculum which prepares student generally to practice in any area of the law, we offer innovative options to hone skills in areas essential to modern lawyering. These include our Financial Toolkit, the Business Micro-credential for Lawyers, Coding for Lawyers, and the Leadership Seminar.
Duquesne Kline Law is committed to providing an exceptional education to a diverse student body. We understand the need to prepare lawyers from all backgrounds to practice in our increasingly diverse society.
Learn more About Duquesne Kline Law- https://www.duq.edu/academics/colleges-and-schools/law/academics/registrar/curriculum/index.php
Outcomes Matter
At Duquesne Kline Law we consistently out-perform all expectations and predications. Our consistently high Bar passage and employment rates are two tangible measures of our success. We make a diligent effort to ensure that our students are ready for any challenge they will face in the profession.
Bar Studies
According to the American Bar Association, bar-passage rates are “the single best outcome measure...in assessing whether a law school is maintaining a ‘rigorous program of legal education’”. Our nationally recognized Bar Studies program ensures that students are thoroughly prepared for the bar examination in any jurisdiction.
During every year of study, you can take advantage of academic excellence programs, followed closely by comprehensive bar preparation. Duquesne Kline Law’s bar services offer you a rigorous curriculum taught by acclaimed professors, a nationally ranked legal writing program, hands-on learning gained through unique clinical programs, and special bar preparation options.
Learn More About Duquesne Kline Bar Studies- https://www.duq.edu/academics/colleges-and-schools/law/academics/bar-studies/index.php
ABA and Accreditation
Duquesne Kline Law is accredited by the American Bar Association (ABA) and is a member of the American Association of Law Schools (AALS).
https://www.duq.edu/academics/colleges-and-schools/law/about/aba-and-accreditation.php
Experiential Learning
Clinics, Externships, and Pro Bono
Confirmation of our commitment to public service is found in the nearly 23,000 hours of free legal service that Duquesne Kline Law students have provided through law clinics, externships, and pro bono programs, during the past year.
Clinics
Duquesne Kline Law faculty and experienced attorneys instruct, support, and supervise law students as they participate in live client experiences and appearances in court.
The Tribone Center for Clinical Legal Education enables Duquesne students to serve the community while working for credit and receiving practical legal education.
Clinical opportunities include:
- Civil Rights Clinic
The Civil Rights Clinic offers income-qualified clients legal assistance with record expungements. Students also assist individuals with completing the complex Pennsylvania Board of Pardons' clemency application and complete filings with the Board. - Family Law Clinic
Students in the Family Law Clinic work under the supervision of a family law attorney to represent income-qualified clients with cases involving domestic abuse, divorce settlement, child support, and child custody. - Federal Litigation Clinic
The Federal Litigation Clinic focuses on the litigation of actual cases pending before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit and the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania. Many of the cases involve the representation of inmates in cases that the federal courts have identified as potentially meritorious. - Wills and Healthcare Decisions Clinic
This clinic focuses on assisting low-income clients with Wills, Living Wills, Advance Directives, Memoranda regarding Conduct of Funeral and Burial or Cremation and Durable Power of Attorney matters. - Unemployment Compensation Clinic
The Unemployment Compensation Clinic provides representation to low-income clients before unemployment compensation referees in hearings and appeals to the Board of Review. - Urban Development Practicum
The Urban Development Practicum provides a range of legal services associated with real estate development occurring in several distressed communities in Greater Pittsburgh. - Veterans Clinic
This clinic assists veterans accepted into the Veterans Court of the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas. Eligible students are certified by the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania to appear in court. The clinic trains law students in a holistic approach to the law focusing on the problem-solving philosophy and recidivism-reducing techniques. - Youth Advocacy Clinic
The Youth Advocacy Clinic provides a unique opportunity for students to represent children in both delinquency and education matters.
Externships
In partnership with the legal community, the externship program enhances our strong academic tradition by incorporating real-world experiential learning into the curriculum to cultivate skilled and knowledgeable students ready to join the workforce with the competencies, knowledge, and professionalism to excel.
Single Semester Externship Placements
The School of Law offers one-semester and summer-session externship placements in county, state, and federal judicial offices; city, state, and federal government agencies; legal aid and non-profit organizations; and private practice or in-house counsel settings.
Available opportunities include:
- Government externships
Students at government placements gain criminal law exposure through assisting public defenders and prosecutors and work in the legal departments of federal and state agencies in matters related to employment, tax, and environmental law, among others. - Judicial externships
For judicial externs, opportunities are available to work with both the federal and state courts at trial and appellate court levels. - Non-Profit externships
Non-profit externs serve legal aid providers and in-house legal departments of large and small non-profit organizations in matters ranging from child welfare to environmental protection, immigration, housing protection, and health law. - Private-sector externships
Students interested in private practice can gain experience in various fields, including civil litigation, family law, estate planning, immigration, bankruptcy, alternative dispute resolution, general commercial law, and more.
Yearlong Externship Programs
Yearlong externships feature on-site placement combined with classroom instruction and classroom credit.
Available opportunities include:
- Criminal Prosecution Program
The Criminal Prosecution Program provides students with an on-site externship at the Allegheny County District Attorney’s Office and classroom instruction in criminal law. - Pennsylvania Innocence Project
Duquesne Law students have a unique opportunity to work as externs or volunteers with the Pennsylvania Innocence Project. The statewide program works to exonerate those convicted of crimes they did not commit and prevent the innocent from being convicted. - Public Defender Program
This year-long externship program is designed to provide students with an understanding of the process of criminal defense while offering practical, hands-on experiences with actual persons accused of a crime in district courts and the Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County.
Pro Bono
Pursuant to the School of Law’s mission of service, students are encouraged to participate in pro bono activities, including assisting with a court information hotline, offering wills clinics to the community, assisting with protection from abuse cases, and participating in the name change project. Students also regularly partner with various local legal service providers and pro bono attorneys who offer low-cost or no-cost legal assistance to the community.
Study Abroad
Students interested in an international experience may participate in Study Abroad programs in Ireland and Europe.
- Duquesne Kline has outstanding ABA-approved summer programs in Human Rights Law, Law of the E.U., and International Arbitration in Dublin and Belfast, Ireland.
- The European Law program allows students to study at the University of Cologne in Germany and experience the different cultures in Cologne, Strasbourg, and Luxembourg. This three-week program offers modules in European Public Law, Corporate Governance, and European Intellectual Property Law. Students will also benefit from optional international externship placements after the conclusion of summer coursework.
Multidisciplinary Education
Students who wish to acquire a multidisciplinary background may choose from a variety of dual and joint degree programs, concentrations and specializations, and the Business Essentials for Lawyers Micro-Credential program.
Joint Degree Programs
The School of Law offers the following dual-degree programs for students who wish to acquire a structured, multidisciplinary background:
- JD/MBA
- JD/MS-Environmental Science and Management
- JD/MA-Healthcare Ethics
- JD/MA-Philosophy
A joint degree with the Pittsburgh Theological Seminary is also available:
- JD/MA-Divinity
Note:Each graduate program has its own admissions process. Students may apply to law and graduate programs concurrently or apply to the graduate program during their 1L year. Students are strongly encouraged to complete their 1L year before beginning their graduate school program.
Concentrations
By providing students with an opportunity to focus on specific practice areas, the concentrations play a role in achieving the School of Law’s learning outcomes, focusing on developing student knowledge, skills, and professional identity.
Optional concentrations for law students are available in four areas of practice:
- Business Law
- General Practice
- Government
- Litigation
Business Essentials for Lawyers Micro-Credential Program
Offered in collaboration with Duquesne's Palumbo-Donahue School of Business, the innovative program provides business acumen and financial tools to serve lawyers in modern practice. Credits earned in the program also may be used toward earning a joint JD-MBA degree.
Dual and Joint degrees
The School of Law offers the following dual-degree programs for students who wish to acquire a structured, multidisciplinary background:
- JD/MBA
- JD/MS-Environmental Science and Management
- JD/MA-Healthcare Ethics
- JD/MA-Philosophy
A joint degree with the Pittsburgh Theological Seminary is also available:
- JD/MA-Divinity
NOTE: Each graduate program has its own admissions process. Students may apply to law and graduate programs concurrently or apply to the graduate program during their 1L year. Students are strongly encouraged to complete their 1L year before beginning their graduate school coursework.
Student Life
Student Organizations
The various student organizations host speakers, organize fundraisers, and participate in community service activities.
- American Bar Association/Law Student Division
- American Constitution Society for Law and Policy
- Animal Law Society
- Black Law Students Association
- Christian Legal Society
- Corporate Law Society
- Criminal Law Association
- Duquesne Italian-American Law Society
- Education Initiative for Individual Diversity
- Education Law and Policy Society
- Election Law Society
- Environmental Law Society
- Family Law Society
- Federalist Society
- First Generation Society
- Health Law Society
- Hispanic American Bar Association
- International & Immigration Law Society
- Jewish Law Students Association
- Lambda Law Society
- Labor & Employment Law Society
- Military Law Society
- Older and Wiser Law Students
- Phi Alpha Delta
- Public Interest Law Association
- Sports and Entertainment Law Society
- Student Bar Association
- Women's Law Association
Housing
Law students who wish to reside on-campus can live in graduate student housing in University Residence Halls. Most law students choose to live off-campus, often sharing apartments with other law students. The neighborhoods of Pittsburgh provide an array of affordable housing options for law students. Pittsburgh’s South Side is a popular location because students can walk to campus or take the university's South Side Shuttle bus. Many other students live in nearby Pittsburgh neighborhoods such as Downtown, Oakland, the North Shore, Shadyside, or Squirrel Hill.
Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh is consistently ranked as one of the top cities in the nation to live, work, and study. Being located in the heart of downtown Pittsburgh is one of the best advantages we have to offer law students. When students enroll at Duquesne Law, they become part of the School of Law community and the greater legal community. Federal, state, and local courts, law firms, corporations, and tech companies are all within walking distance of the School of Law. This proximity to the legal community provides our students with a uniquely comprehensive experience.
Community
For more than a century, Duquesne Law has offered a rigorous legal education, with an emphasis on justice and service to others. Duquesne Law students work hard and are driven to do their best, but are collegial and work cooperatively with faculty and their peers.
The School of Law fosters an environment that encourages students to reach their potential while remaining committed to ethics and working for the greater good. Our consistently high bar pass rate and employment outcomes verify that ours is a formula for success.
Career Placement and Bar Passage
Tuition and Aid
| Expense | Cost |
|---|---|
| Tuition |
$52,332.00
|
| Fees |
$1,084.00
|
| Expected Cost of Attendance |
$70,060.00
|
The Thomas R. Kline School of Law at Duquesne University consistently strives to ensure that the exceptional private legal education provided by the law school is within reach of all qualified students. Through the generosity of our dedicated alumni and the university's efforts, Duquesne Kline Law has been able to offer generous merit scholarships to enrolling students. Combining generous merit scholarships with outstanding outcomes on the Bar exam and employment makes Duquesne Kline Law an excellent value in legal education.
Incoming students do not need to submit a separate application for Merit Scholarship awards. Once a student is accepted, the application will be reviewed for Merit Scholarship consideration. Dean’s Scholarship Awards provide full tuition to select applicants each year. Dean’s Scholarships and Merit Scholarships are renewable for three years of law school (4 years for part-time students) as long as the student remains in good academic standing. Duquesne Kline Law does not award conditional scholarships.
Students are admitted only for the fall semester. In evaluating applications, the complete academic record is reviewed with consideration given to the competitiveness of the undergraduate institution, rigors of the curriculum, rank in class, and the overall academic performance. The LSAT is considered an essential factor. Graduate study, work experience, extracurricular activities, leadership, and recommendations also contribute to the committee's assessment.
Admission Decisions: Beyond the Numbers
We employ a holistic review in evaluating applications. The complete academic record is reviewed with consideration given to the competitiveness of the undergraduate institution, rigors of the curriculum, rank in class, and the overall academic performance. The LSAT or the GRE are considered essential factors. Graduate study, work experience, leadership experience, extracurricular activities, and recommendations also contribute to the committee's assessment. Several optional essays are offered so that students may relay facets of their life that inform the admissions decision.
Admitted Applicant Profile
