Maurice A. Deane School of Law

Maurice A. Deane School of Law
Name	Maurice A. Deane School of Law
Established	1976
Type	Private
Parent	Hofstra University
City	Hempstead
State	New York
Country	United States
Dean	James S. Fanto
Students	600

Maurice A. Deane School of Law is the law school of Hofstra University located in Hempstead, New York. The school offers Juris Doctor and advanced law degrees and operates clinics, journals, and externships in the New York metropolitan area. It participates in regional and national initiatives involving courts, bar associations, and legal aid organizations.

History

The school opened in 1976 during an era of expansion for private universities such as Yeshiva University, Fordham University, and St. John's University law programs, drawing leadership from figures linked to Nassau County public service and legal practice. Early milestones included accreditation by the American Bar Association and membership in the Association of American Law Schools, aligning the school with institutions like Columbia Law School, New York University School of Law, and Brooklyn Law School. Significant developments included the naming gift from Maurice A. Deane, expansion of clinical offerings in response to trends championed by jurists at the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit and partnerships with entities including the New York State Unified Court System and the Legal Aid Society.

Campus and Facilities

The law center is situated on the main campus of Hofstra University near facilities used by programs such as Hofstra Athletics and the university's Northwell Health collaborations. Facilities include moot courtrooms modeled after spaces used by the United States Supreme Court, library collections comparable to those at regional law libraries serving the Nassau County Bar Association, and technology suites supporting practice-ready training similar to initiatives at Stanford Law School and Harvard Law School. The complex hosts lecture halls where visiting speakers have included judges from the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, advocates from the American Civil Liberties Union, and scholars affiliated with Yale Law School.

Academics and Programs

The curriculum grants the Juris Doctor and offers LL.M. concentrations in areas such as corporate law, intellectual property, and dispute resolution, reflecting subject matter studied at Fordham Law School, Boston University School of Law, and University of Pennsylvania Law School. Course offerings span constitutional litigation influenced by precedents from cases argued before the United States Supreme Court, administrative law engaging with agencies like the Securities and Exchange Commission, and clinical sequences similar to programs at Georgetown University Law Center. Students may participate in law journals that publish work on topics ranging from environmental statutes adjudicated in the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit to transactional drafting used in firms like Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom.

Admissions and Student Body

Admissions draw applicants from across the United States and internationally, competing with applicants to schools such as Rutgers Law School and Pace University School of Law. Criteria include LSAT or GRE scores, undergraduate records from institutions like Binghamton University and Stony Brook University, and professional experiences with firms, non‑profits, or government offices including the Nassau County District Attorney's Office and the New York State Attorney General. The student body engages in student government, chapters of national organizations such as the Federalist Society and the National Lawyers Guild, and participates in externships at venues like the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York.

Clinical Programs and Experiential Learning

Clinical offerings include general practice and specialty clinics addressing immigration matters similar to cases before the Board of Immigration Appeals, clinical collaborations with veterans' groups akin to Veterans Legal Services, and transactional clinics modeled after programs at University of California, Berkeley School of Law. Students litigate in local tribunals, negotiate settlements in mediations informed by standards from the American Arbitration Association, and work on appellate briefs referencing precedents from the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit and the New York Court of Appeals.

Faculty and Administration

Faculty have included scholars and practitioners with backgrounds in federal and state judiciaries, legislative staffs, and major law firms such as Cravath, Swaine & Moore and Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison. The administration collaborates with university leadership, deans from peer institutions such as Syracuse University College of Law, and advisory board members from corporate legal departments at firms like Goldman Sachs and JP Morgan Chase. Visiting professors have included academics who also teach at Harvard Law School, Columbia Law School, and NYU School of Law.

Notable Alumni and Achievements

Alumni have served as judges in state and federal courts, prosecutors in offices such as the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, legislators in the New York State Legislature, and executives at corporations including IBM and Ralph Lauren Corporation. Graduates have won awards from organizations like the American Bar Association and have argued matters in appellate courts including the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit and the New York Court of Appeals. The school’s clinics have been recognized by entities such as the Legal Services Corporation for impact in community representation.

Category:Hofstra University Category:Law schools in New York (state)