Widener University Delaware Law School

Widener University Delaware Law School
Jonathan Schilling · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Name	Widener University Delaware Law School
Established	1971 (as Delaware Law School)
Type	Private
City	Wilmington
State	Delaware
Country	United States

Widener University Delaware Law School is a private law school located in Wilmington, Delaware, with programs in litigation, corporate law, and transactional practice. The school historically served a regional student body and engaged with courts, corporations, and legal organizations across the Mid-Atlantic. Its graduates have worked in state and federal courts, corporate legal departments, and public interest organizations.

History

Founded in 1971 as the Delaware Law School, the institution expanded through affiliations with regional institutions and corporate sponsors, intersecting with legal developments in Delaware General Corporation Law, United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, United States District Court for the District of Delaware, Chancery Court of Delaware, and corporate practice centered on Wilmington, Delaware. Over its history the school has interacted with figures and institutions such as Joel A. Pisano and firms active in Mergers and acquisitions in the Chancery Division, alongside bar associations like the Delaware State Bar Association and national groups including the American Bar Association and Association of American Law Schools. The school’s timeline reflects trends exemplified by events such as the expansion of corporate litigation in the late 20th century and the rise of alternative dispute resolution practices associated with courts like the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.

Campus and Facilities

The campus sits in downtown Wilmington near landmarks including Christ Church, Wilmington and institutions such as the Delaware Historical Society and DuPont Building. Facilities have housed moot courtrooms modeled after venues like the Supreme Court of the United States and clinic spaces serving entities like the Legal Services Corporation and state agencies. The law library supported collections relevant to decisions from the Delaware Supreme Court, records pertaining to corporate filings associated with the Delaware Secretary of State (United States), and material on cases argued before federal judges such as those from the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. The building has hosted symposia with participation from organizations like the American Bankruptcy Institute, Securities and Exchange Commission, and regional firms such as Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom-affiliated practitioners.

Academics and Programs

Academic offerings include the Juris Doctor program and specialized courses in corporate governance reflecting Delaware precedents like those in Smith v. Van Gorkom and jurisprudence associated with the Court of Chancery of Delaware. Curricula incorporate clinics and externships with placements at entities such as the United States Attorney for the District of Delaware, the Delaware Department of Justice, and corporate counsel offices of companies like DuPont and Chemours. Skills training emphasizes trial advocacy referencing practices from the National Institute for Trial Advocacy, alternative dispute resolution methods employed in venues like the International Chamber of Commerce, and transactional drafting relevant to Securities Act of 1933 and Securities Exchange Act of 1934 matters. Joint degree options and continuing legal education coordinate with professional organizations including the Federal Bar Association and academic partnerships with nearby institutions such as Widener University (main campus), regional universities, and law schools in the Mid-Atlantic.

Admissions and Bar Passage

Admissions criteria reference LSAT results and undergraduate records with applicants often competing for limited seats influenced by regional legal markets such as those in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Maryland. Bar passage initiatives have included preparatory programs geared to the Delaware Bar Examination and strategies patterned after programs used in states like New York and New Jersey; outcomes have been tracked relative to benchmarks set by the American Bar Association. Career placement has led alumni to clerkships with judges from courts like the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit and the United States District Court for the District of Delaware, and to employment at firms such as Wilmington law firms and corporate legal departments of companies including Bank of America and M&T Bank affiliates operating in the region.

Student Life and Organizations

Student organizations include chapters tied to national groups such as the American Bar Association, the National Lawyers Guild, and trial advocacy associations like the National Mock Trial Championship participants. Clinics and journals have coordinated events with entities such as the Delaware Volunteer Legal Services and hosted lectures featuring speakers from the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Federal Trade Commission, and academic visitors from institutions such as Harvard Law School and Georgetown University Law Center. Student-run publications address topics ranging from corporate law influenced by Delaware corporate law decisions to public interest issues connected with organizations like the ACLU and Public Citizen.

Notable Faculty and Alumni

Faculty and alumni have included judges, litigators, and corporate counsel who have served in roles at the Chancery Court of Delaware, the United States District Court for the District of Delaware, and in corporate practice at firms such as Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom and Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz. Graduates have clerked for jurists from the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit and held positions within state institutions such as the Delaware Department of Justice and the Office of the Governor of Delaware. The school’s network reaches into national organizations like the American Bar Association, public interest groups including the National Legal Aid & Defender Association, and regulatory agencies such as the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Category:Law schools in Delaware