DREXEL UNIVERSITY KLINE SCHOOL OF LAW
The Drexel Kline Law Difference
“Thomas R. Kline School of Law isn’t a run-of-the-mill professional school. We are training the people who will both serve clients and lead the nation through the rocky shoals of the 21st century. We approach legal education like the stakes are high, because they are.”
Dean Dan Filler
Intensive Real-World Experience
As a Drexel Kline Law student, you’ll take what you learn in the classroom and put it to use in the real world: Represent clients directly under close faculty supervision in our intensive clinics. Gain experience with law firm and corporate practice in our signature co-op externship program. Make an impact with your own pro bono clients. Hone your courtroom advocacy skills. A Drexel Kline legal education doesn’t just happen in the classroom.
Innovative and Engaged Faculty
Our faculty make law come alive because they are expe-rienced lawyer-scholars with a love for teaching. Whether they’re leading national debates around pressing legal issues from civil rights to health policy, representing clients seeking justice or crafting immersive learning experiences, our faculty bring their passion for law into the classroom.
A Diverse and Inclusive Community
Law schools—and the practicing bar—must reflect our
nation’s diversity. Yet diversity is not enough—every student deserves to feel a sense of belonging. The Drexel Kline Law community is built on a commitment to diversity and inclusion, and a belief that law is a tool for justice.
Laser-Focused on Your Success
Individualized career counseling, a commitment to bar success, small classes and personalized academic support programs. And it doesn’t end there. The law school is home to dozens of professional and affinity student organi-zations to help build community and launch your career.
An Exceptionally Collegial Community
We believe that law school can be a collaborative experience. The entire Drexel Kline Law community understands that law school is no zero-sum experience. We foster a collegial and engaged community where faculty, staff and students work together to create a sense a place where every student can find support and encouragement. You will graduate from Drexel Kline Law with friends and colleagues to last a lifetime.
“Whether your goal is to practice in the private, public or non-profit sector, Kline’s curriculum is both broad and deep.”
Deborah Gordon
Associate
Dean of Academic Affairs and Professor of Law
Our Programs
View our offerings and work one-on-one with our admissions team to determine which program best suits your professional goals.
3-Year JD
Our 3-Year JD is anything but traditional, offering nationally acclaimed hands-on learning experiences through co-ops, clinics and pro bono work, plus opportunities for in-depth concentrations and dual degrees. You can start in the fall or get a jump-start by taking a light course load in the summer.
Accelerated 2-Year JD
Earn your JD in just two years. This accelerated JD delivers the same immersive Drexel Kline Law experience— co-ops, clinics, trial advocacy and more—at a faster pace. Save time and get a head start on your career.
Global JD
This program is exclusively for international applicants who already have a bachelor of law degree. Students receive the same high-quality JD in as little as two years by transferring their international credits.
Master of Legal Studies
Expand your legal knowledge and qualify for exciting new careers in regulatory compliance with a Master of Legal Studies (MLS). Our fully online MLS degree includes concentrations in health care compliance, cybersecurity and information privacy, financial regulatory compliance and more.
LLM Programs
Advance your career with a Master of Laws (LLM) degree available on campus and online. We offer a variety of innovative LLM degrees that provide practicing attorneys with more sophisticated and specialized knowledge in fast-changing and high-demand areas of professional practice such as health care and cyber law. Our LLM degree programs are tailored both to attorneys who already practice in the United States and to those who have completed the equivalent of a JD in another country.
Bachelor of Arts
Our cutting-edge Bachelor of Arts in Law degree provides you with in-depth knowledge of American legal systems and an introduction to the study of legal rules that emphasizes the relationships between law and society. Whether you are interested in social justice, public policy, health care or the corporate or entertainment worlds, the BA in Law provides a unique and powerful perspective that will give you an advantage in understanding and solving complex problems.
Dual Degree Programs
The greatest legal issues facing America aren’t just about law — they’re about health care, business and public policy. Equip yourself to face these challenges in one of our dual degree programs:
• JD-Master of Business Administration with Drexel’s award-winning LeBow College of Business
• JD-Master of Public Health with Drexel’s top ranked Dornsife School of Public Health
• JD-Master of Science in Public Policy
“I’m excited to see even more members of the Drexel Kline Law community make an impact in our city, our region and our country.”
Wendy Greene Director of the Center for Law, Policy, and Social Action and Professor of Law
Areas of Impact
Enhance your coursework with an in-depth focus on a particular area of practice.
Criminal Law
Whether you want to prosecute, defend or work for policy change, Drexel Kline Law’s rich criminal law curriculum and experienced faculty will prepare you to succeed in a fast-paced criminal law career. And our top-ranked trial advocacy program will ensure that you feel comfortable on your very first day in court.
Public Interest Law
Lawyers lead the fight to protect individuals and communities, and to help every individual to gain full access to their rights. Our diverse public interest curriculum, robust clinics and co-op externships, and experienced faculty will help you prepare to join the front lines in the fight for social change.
Intellectual Property Law
Intellectual property is a linchpin of the new technological economy, and lawyers play a key role in negotiating those rights. With coursework in trademarks, patents and copyright, a specialized concentration and co-op externships
focused on IP practice, you’ll graduate with an expertise in intellectual property law.
Civil Litigation & Dispute Resolution
Many disputes are settled out of court, sometimes without a suit ever being filed. At Drexel Kline Law you’ll receive intensive training in litigation theory and develop the practical skills necessary to be a strong advocate in any setting. Our in-house legal clinics give you the opportunity to represent clients and practice before federal courts and agencies, while our moot court, mock trial and ADR teams provide another way to learn and collaborate while honing your advocacy skills.
Health Law
Our nationally ranked health law program, designed by pioneers in the field, will prepare you for legal practice in this increasingly complex area of law. Courses explore everything from major health law policy to the philosophical and ethical underpinnings of the health care system. And our JD-MPH dual degree program offers additional opportunities for advanced study.
Business & Entrepreneurship Law
Put what you learn from courses on entrepreneurship and technology, e-commerce law, transactional lawyering and IP into practice as a law student. Advise Philadelphia start-ups and businesses through our Entrepreneurial Law Clinic or take part in our co-op program, which will allow you to work for academic credit in commercial settings—not just government and non-profit—unlike externships at most other law schools.
Immigration Law
Drexel Kline Law’s expert faculty will help you understand immigration law related to asylum and refugee status, citizenship, the visa system, and administrative and judicial review.
Expand on what you learn in a co-op externship focused on immigration or by advocating for clients through our Federal Litigation and Appeals Clinic, where students argue their own cases in federal court.
Other Areas to Choose From:
• Constitutional Law
• Privacy & Cyber Law
• Labor & Employment Law
• Tax Law
• International & Human Rights Law
“Coursework prepared me for my internship responsibilities— writing legal memos on ethics, constitutional law and evidence, and speaking in court.”
Noah DeSimone, JD ’23
“What’s so great about the co-op program is Kline already has deep relationships with the employers, and there’s such a good selection of placements.”
Andrea Filbeck, JD ’23
Experiential Learning
Gain hands-on legal experience through our co-ops, clinics, pro bono and trial advocacy programs — lbefore you graduate.
Clinics
Represent real clients and fight for the rights of underserved community members in one of Drexel Kline Law’s five legal clinics. Our clinics offer you the opportunity to argue cases in family court, immigration court and even the U.S. Court of Appeals. Experience the thrill and satisfaction of standing up for justice in Philadelphia.
Pro Bono
Our community is deeply committed to making legal services more accessible to underserved communities, as is reflected in our students routinely exceeding the 50-hour pro bono requirement for graduation. Pro bono opportunities abound and include everything from assisting domestic violence victims to counseling local small businesses on tax and legal issues.
Trial Advocacy
By the time you walk into a courtroom as a practitioner, you’ll know exactly what it takes to prepare for and try a case. Drexel Kline Law’s nationally ranked Trial Advocacy Program and accomplished faculty immerse you in every step of litigation, from pre-trial to closing arguments. Our trial team and moot court board allow you to demonstrate your skills in front of veteran judges and lawyers.
Co-ops
A Drexel Kline Law co-op offers so much more than a traditional externship. Founded in 1919, Drexel’s cooperative education program was one of the first of its kind, and it continues to be among the largest and most renowned. Pick a focus area, and we’ll match you with one of our 200+ co-op partners in Philadelphia and beyond. Or create your own co-op placement. Earn academic credit while you work as a part-time or full-time team member in a private practice, non-profit setting, corporate office or government agency.
Our 200+ Co-Op Partners Include:
Law firms such as Armstrong Teasdale, Dilworth Paxson LLP, DLA Piper, Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP, Duane Morris LLP, Young Conaway, Eckert Seamans Cherin & Mellott LLC, Kline & Specter P.C., Spector Gadon Rosen Vinci P.C., and The Beasley Firm LLC.
In-house counsel offices such as Aramark, BDP Inter national, Inc., The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Lannett Company, New Lane Finance, De Lage Landen, Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey, and Wawa, Inc.
Judges, including the Hon. Christopher J. Burke, U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware; the Hon. Robert B. Kugler, U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey; the Hon. Anne E. Lazarus, Pennsylvania Superior Court; Hon. Mark A. Kearney, U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania; and the Hon. David R. Strawbridge, Magistrate Judge, U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.
Public Interest Organizations such as the Juvenile Law Center, HIAS, Legal Clinic for the Disabled, Pennsylvania Institutional Law Project, Philadelphia Volunteers for the Indigent Program, Philadelphia Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts, and Support Center for Child Advocates.
Government agencies such as the United States Environmental Protection Agency, Federal Community Defender Office, U.S. Attorney’s Office, Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office, Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office, City of Philadelphia Law Department, and District Attorney’s Offices of Bucks, Chester, Delaware and Montgomery Counties.
“We support all Drexel Kline Law students through their job search, providing them with comprehensive resources that help them explore, research and connect to find their career path.”
Katie Ball Associate Dean for Career Strategies
Career Strategies
Explore career opportunities that align with your strengths and interests with help from expert advisors.
Committed to Your Success
The Career Strategies Office (CSO) offers an individualized approach that focuses on each student. Everyone approach-es law school with a different set of expectations, hopes and dreams. We strive to help you navigate your career while respecting your values and celebrating your strengths. To accomplish this, we offer 1L advising meetings and manda-tory programming during the first semester to help you learn about the legal profession and prepare for the challenges ahead.
Starting Strong
During the first semester, students attend Professional Fundamentals, a series of presentations that describe the legal market. We teach you how to draft an effective law school resume, write a compelling cover letter and interview with confidence. You’ll learn from graduates who will share their stories and tips with you through panel discussions. In addition, we offer the chance to participate in our Mock Interview Program where you are matched with practicing attorneys in order to polish your interviewing skills ahead of job fairs and other hiring opportunities.
Personalized Advising
Sit down with a CSO advisor and the focus is on you and your professional development. With years of experience and professional connections, our advisors strive to meet you exactly where you are, whether you are a first-generation college graduate or come from a family of lawyers. We encourage exploring practice areas through classes, work and pro bono service. We offer upper-level students the LawFit™ assessment to help identify practice areas that best suit you and spark thoughtful discussions about your strengths and values.
Cultivating Relationships
People are the single greatest resource, and the CSO prides itself in connecting students with graduates across the United States and teaching you how to cultivate your own connections as well. Every Drexel Kline Law student is gifted with membership in the American Bar Association, the Pennsylvania Bar Association and the Philadelphia Bar Association. We were the first Institutional Law School Member of the Philadelphia Bar Association and are proud that our graduates are bar association leaders. Looking
beyond Philadelphia? We can help you identify bar association memberships that will help leverage your specific needs. Whether it’s through LinkedIn, attendance at professional conferences, or programs at the law school or in Center City, we’re all about building relationships early in your law school career.
Programming
The CSO offers and advertises a wide range of programs where you can meet lawyers and learn about different legal careers. Whether it’s an early morning breakfast networking event or an evening reception through a bar association, we encourage our students to attend programs to learn and connect. All programs are advertised through Symplicity, our online career manager system, and are also promoted through the weekly law school newsletter and social media.
Hiring
You come to law school to get a job. Our CSO understands that hiring takes place on many different timelines, and we help you navigate the complex hiring process. Whether it’s your first summer job, a post-graduate public interest
fellow-ship or a part-time position during the school year, the CSO is here to advise you about the deadlines and applications. We explain how to obtain different types of jobs and work with students one-on-one. It can be overwhelming, but the CSO advisors break it down step-by-step.
Diversity Initiatives
Legal employers value diverse applicants and the CSO facilitates a wide variety of local and regional diversity job fairs that serve diverse communities of all types.
“It was clear that even at a comparatively young age, the school was on a rapid upward trajectory.”
Craig Buchholz, JD ’17 Senior Vice President, Global Communications at General Motors
Career Pathways
Prosecutors, corporate litigators, defense attorneys, champions of the public interest, law clerks, government lawyers, transactional attorneys, and so much more—our alumni network spans the legal profession.
Judicial Clerkships
A post-graduate judicial clerkship is a meaningful way to launch your legal career. Many employers concur that a clerkship is a valuable credential when building a competitive resume. Whether federal, state or local, a clerkship offers the opportunity to be mentored by a judge, delve into complex legal issues and hone critical research and writing skills. We work closely with our applicants and follow them from clerkships to job searches after clerkships end.
Public Interest Careers
Public service lawyering requires hands-on experience which you will find at Drexel Kline Law. We are members of PSJD. org, the largest public interest career network in the U.S. and promote participation in the annual Equal Justice Works (EJW) conference and job fair. The Oxholm Fellowship unique to Drexel Kline Law enables two secondyear students to work for the City of Philadelphia Law Department. Whether discussing student loan forgiveness through AccessLex or advising students about post-graduate fellowships, we offer support to our public interest law students.
Government Hiring
Drexel Kline Law graduates work for the U.S. Department of Justice, U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission, Military JAG Corps, Pennsylvania Office of General Counsel, New Jersey Attorney General’s Office and the City of Philadelphia Law Department, to name a few employers. Our graduates also find full-time positions with district attorney’s offices throughout the United States. Through panel discussions, webinars and subscription services, the CSO offers our students the latest information and teach you to apply effectively.
JD Advantage Careers
A growing number of jobs in privacy, cybersecurity, wealth management and compliance value graduates with law degrees. We help foster interest in these JD Advantage positions through advising, panel discussions and support membership in organizations such as IAPP.
After Graduation
We stay in touch and offer advising services for graduates beyond the first job. We find that maintaining connections with graduates enriches our advising and enables us to
serve as trusted advisors when you contemplate a new legal position. We help plan alumni receptions in different cities and collaborate with our alumni relations office to maintain strong ties well beyond graduation. Our alumni network is more than 2,000 strong and growing.
Class of 2023: By the Numbers
138 of our 152 graduates or 90.7% were employed in full-time, long-term, bar passage required or JD Advantage jobs widely considered the gold standard for post-graduate legal employment with law firms, as judicial clerks, in business and industry, and in public service within 10 months of graduation:
• 130 were employed in full-time, long-term positions requiring or anticipating bar passage
• 8 found employment in full-time, long-term JD Advantage roles in wealth management, compliance and government roles Additionally, two graduates continued their education, pursuing advanced degrees.
“Our cohort has been really unified, we’ve really been building each other up. It really feels like a community.”
Boarder Tsai, JD ’24
Student Life
Students’ lives involve more than classes, exams, co-ops and clinics. In Philadelphia, students have easy access to incredible restaurants, a lively theater scene, museums and mile after mile of bike paths.
Events and Activities
Dozens of student organizations from the American Constitution Society to the Black Law Students Association keep the calendar filled with events that bring leading lawyers and jurists to campus. The Drexel Law Review, Mock Trial Team, Moot Court Board and Alternative Dispute Resolution Competition Team all give students a chance to hone their skills. The Student Bar Association organizes a variety of social and professional events where you’ll meet other students and alumni.
Campus Housing
Drexel University offers on-campus housing for graduate students at Stiles Residence Hall, located at our Center City Campus. A free shuttle service, Dragon Shuttle, is available to all Drexel University students, conveniently located near the law school and Stiles Hall.
Off-Campus Housing
Living in University City
Home to nearly 45,000 college students who attend three different universities, University City offers plenty of student housing, restaurants and entertainment.
Living in Center City
Students often choose to live in Center City, Philadelphia’s “downtown”—offering proximity to restaurants, entertainment, transit, retail, green space and so much more.
Living Away from the City
Thanks to an excellent network of public transportation, living in the Philadelphia suburbs (including Bucks, Chester, Delaware and Montgomery counties), Delaware or New Jersey are great options for many students.
Transportation
SEPTA is Philadelphia’s public transportation system that utilizes subways, trains, buses and trolleys to take you wherever you want to go in the city and surrounding suburbs. Students receive a discount on transit passes purchased through Drexel. The law school is conveniently located near SEPTA stations and stops.
Safety
Drexel University’s Department of Public Safety maintains a full-time presence to secure the University City Campus.
Officers patrol by foot, vehicle and bicycle to support community policing, and they work in coordination with the Philadelphia Police Department to respond to incidents.
Our proximity to the University of Pennsylvania campus means our students have strong security beyond the Drexel campus.
Walnut Hill
Garden Cour t
Cedar Park
University City
Hill West
Central University City
30TH Street Station Kline Sc hool of Law
Village
Airpor t 9 Miles
Trial Advocacy Institute
Center City
