DePaul University College of Law

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DePaul University College of Law
Established	1912 (formed by merger with the Illinois College of Law, 1897)
School type	Private Roman Catholic
Dean	Jennifer Rosato Perea
Location	Chicago, Illinois, US
Enrollment	2020 JD enrollment; 579 (full-time; 95 part-time)
Faculty	147 (38 full-time; 109 part-time)
USNWR ranking	111th (2022 edition) [1]
Website	law.depaul.edu

The College of Law’s facilities encompass nine floors across two buildings, with features such as the Vincent G. Rinn Law Library and Leonard M. Ring Courtroom. The law school is located within two blocks of state and federal courts, as well as numerous law firms, corporations and government agencies.

The 2021 edition of U.S. News & World Report ranked DePaul Law 118 among U.S. law schools and placed its health law and intellectual property programs among the top 25% of all U.S. law schools.^[2]

History[]

DePaul College of Law started in 1897 as Illinois College of Law, founded by Howard N. Ogden.^[3] It was the only law school not on the East Coast to offer both day and evening classes. ^[4]

DePaul University acquired Illinois College of Law in 1912. This purchase benefited both institutions and saw the law school’s enrollment double to approximately 400 students. Ogden stayed on as the College of Law’s dean, and he became the first non-Catholic trustee of the University. Three years later, upon Ogden’s death, DePaul obtained full ownership of the law school.

Originally housed at 64 East Lake Street, DePaul Law moved to its current home in the Lewis Center at 25 East Jackson Boulevard in 1958. Formerly known as the Kimball Building, it was gifted to DePaul in 1955 by the Frank J. Lewis Foundation. At that time, it was the largest gift received by the University.^[5]

In 1972, DePaul purchased the Finchley Building next door and would later rename it Comerford J. O'Malley Place (commonly known as “O’Malley Place”) in honor of the former president and chancellor of DePaul. Also that year, DePaul Law opened its first legal clinic.^[6]

Rankings and Accolades[]

U.S. News & World Report (2022 Edition) rankings:^{[7] [8]}

• Best Law Schools: #111 out of 198 law schools
• Health Law Program: #23 of 181 law schools (top 20%)
• Intellectual Property Law Program: #30 of 187 law schools (top 25%)
• Legal Writing Program: #41 out of 176 law schools (top 25%)
• Part-Time Law: #26 out of 70 law schools

In 2019 and 2020, preLaw magazine^[9] awarded “A” ratings to College of Law programs in:

• Business Law
• Family Law
• Health Law
• Human Rights Law
• Intellectual Property Law
• International Law

Princeton Review named DePaul College of Law a Top Law School in 2019 and 2020.^[10]

Illinois Super Lawyers^[11] selected 592 DePaul Law alumni as Illinois Super Lawyers in 2020.^[12] In 2019, Illinois Super Lawyers^[13] named 390 DePaul Law alumni as Illinois Super Lawyers (the most from any Illinois law school) and selected 168 as Rising Stars.

Statistics[]

Student body[]

For the 2020 entering class, DePaul Law had 147 full-time students and 24 part-time students with a median LSAT of 155. Ages for all students ranged from 19-54 with a median age of 24 for full-time students and 28 for part-time students.^[14]

Inclusiveness and Diversity[]

Its 2020 entering class was 29% minority students and 56% female students. The College has a full-time director of "diversity, inclusion and student life"^[15] and has created a "Diversity Council" as one of its primary alumni boards.^[16]

Costs[]

For the 2020-2021 academic year, full-time tuition is $48,670 and part-time is $31,620.^[17]

Bar Passage[]

Based on the most recent ABA Bar Passage report, in 2019, DePaul Law had a total of 213 graduates. The total first-time Bar takers in any jurisdiction was 192, and the total who passed the Bar in any jurisdiction was 133.^[18]

Employment[]

Based on the ABA Employment Summary for the Class of 2020, a total of 89.2% of the Class of 2020 obtained employment within 10 months of graduation.^[19]

Academics and Curriculum[]

DePaul Law offers students the opportunity to earn several different degrees, including LLMs and joint degrees with other colleges within the University. DePaul Law has 38 full-time faculty members and 109 part-time faculty members, many of whom have experience in various areas of law, business and other professional sectors.^[20]

Degree Programs[]

DePaul Law offers a wide variety of certificate and degree programs:^[21]

• 12 Juris Doctor (JD) certificates: Art & Museum Law; Business Law; Criminal Law; Family Law; Health Law; Health Care Compliance; Information Technology, Cybersecurity & Data Privacy Law; Intellectual Property; International and Comparative Law; Patent Law; Public Interest Law; and Taxation^[22]
• Seven Joint Degrees: BA/JD (3+3 program with College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences and College of Communication); JD/Master of Arts in International Studies; JD/Master in International & European Business Law; JD/Master of Business Administration; JD Master of Science in Computer Science; JD/Master of Science in Public Service Management; JD/LLM^[23]
• Five Master of Law (LLM) degrees: Health Law; Intellectual Property Law; International Law; Taxation Law; and U.S. Legal Studies^[24]
• Six Master of Jurisprudence (MJ) concentrations: Business Law & Taxation; Criminal Law; Health Care Compliance; Health Law; International & Comparative Law; and Public Interest Law^[25]

Programs of Excellence[]

DePaul Law has six "Programs of Excellence".^[26]

• Business Law & Tax Law
• Family Law (Schiller DuCanto & Fleck Family Law Center)
• Health Law (Mary and Michael Jaharis Health Law Institute)
• Immigration Law & Human Rights Law (International Human Rights Law Institute)
• Intellectual Property Law & Information Technology Law (Center for Intellectual Property Law & Information Technology (CIPLIT®); Center for Art, Museum & Cultural Heritage Law)
• Public Interest Law & Public Service (Center for Public Interest Law)

Other Centers and Institutes include the Center for Animal Law and the Center for Jewish Law & Judaic Studies

Annual Events[]

Throughout the year, DePaul College of Law hosts many symposia and programs covering legal topics. Annual events include:

• The Clifford Symposium on Tort Law and Social Policy is not only DePaul Law’s longest running program but also is the longest running civil justice symposium in the country. Established in 1994 by Robert Clifford (JD ’76), this two-day event looks at real world legal issues and provides real world solutions. Recent topics have included the opioid crisis, dark money and judicial elections, and patient safety.^[27]
• The Enlund Scholar-In-Residence Program was established in 1988 by alum E. Stanley Enlund, and the lecture provides unique perspectives on law and social justice. Recent topics have included immigration enforcement during the Trump Administration, the emotional root of law, and Puerto Rican statehood.
• The Jaharis Symposium on Health Law and Intellectual Property is an interdisciplinary symposium that focuses on the legal, technological and social ramifications of the changing medical landscape. Recent topics have included genetics, biohacking, and telehealth.^[28]
• The Family Law Symposium is hosted by the Schiller DuCanto & Fleck Family Law Center, and this annual day-long event looks at relevant issues involving family law such as elder law, public benefits, and guardianship.^[29]
• The Intellectual Property Scholars Conference (IPSC) was founded by DePaul Law in 2000. IPSC brings together intellectual property scholars from across the world to present their works-in-progress and benefit from the feedback of colleagues. Held at DePaul Law every four years (most recently in 2019), the conference is co-sponsored by the IP programs at UC Berkeley School of Law, Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law at Yeshiva University, and Stanford Law School.^[30]
• The DePaul Law Review Symposium and the DePaul Business & Commercial Law Journal Symposium are hosted by two of the school’s law journals and cover timely legal issues and topics while also providing journal content.

Campus and Facilities[]

As part of the DePaul University Loop Campus, DePaul Law occupies nine floors of the Lewis Center and O’Malley Place buildings, which are located on the corner of Jackson Boulevard and Wabash Avenue. They include smart, technology-enabled classrooms, as well as student lounges and meeting areas. The Leonard M. Ring Courtroom offers a simulated space to practice advocacy skills, while the three floors of the Vincent G. Rinn Law Library contain an extensive collection of legal texts and places for study and research.

The DePaul University Loop Campus also includes the DePaul Center, which houses the University’s main Loop library, a Barnes & Noble, University Ministry, and shops and restaurants. DePaul’s Colleges of Business, Communications, Continuing and Professional Studies, and Computing and Digital Media are also located on the Loop Campus.

Student Opportunities[]

Experiential Learning[]

Clinics[]

The College of Law’s legal clinics allow students to assist clients who are facing real legal issues. Available to second- and third-year students, DePaul Law offers nine in-house and field clinics.^[31]

• Asylum & Refugee
• Business Law
• Civil Litigation & Health Law
• Civil Rights
• Criminal Appeals
• Croak Community Legal Clinic
• Family Law
• Immigration Law
• Technology/Intellectual Property

Legal Writing[]

DePaul Law’s Legal Analysis, Research & Communication (LARC) Program begins with a three-semester sequence of classes that culminates in a legal writing course.^[32] Beginning Fall 2020, students will be placed in one of six specialized Legal Writing sections: Business Law, Family Law, Health Law, Intellectual Property Law, Litigation or Public Interest Law.^[33]

Third Year in Practice Program (3YP)[]

One of DePaul Law’s offerings is the Third Year in Practice (3YP) Program. 3YP provides qualifying students with the opportunity to engage in the actual and simulated practice of law by employing a combination of select courses and field placements to facilitate a student’s transition into the practice of law based on their professional interests.^[34]

Student Organizations[]

Organizations and affinity groups include the Asian Pacific American Law Students Association, the Black Law Student Association, OUTlaws, the Public Interest Law Association, and the Society for Asylum & Immigration Law, among many others.

Journals[]

DePaul Law publishes five academic journals:^[35]

• Law Review
• Business and Commercial Law Journal
• Journal of Art, Technology & Intellectual Property Law
• Journal of Health Care Law
• Journal for Social Justice

The DePaul Law Review and the DePaul Business and Commercial Law Journal also host annual symposia.

Notable alumni[]

The following are some of DePaul Law's most notable alumni.

Government[]

• Albert E. Bennett, Illinois State Senator
• Michael A. Bilandic, former mayor of Chicago and Chief Justice of the Illinois Supreme Court
• Richard J. Daley, former mayor of Chicago
• Richard M. Daley, former mayor of Chicago
• Kirk Dillard, Chairman, Regional Transportation Authority; former Illinois State Senator
• Benjamin L. Hooks, American civil rights leader, executive director of the NAACP (1977 to 1992)
• J. Elmer Lehr, former Wisconsin State Senator
• Erica MacDonald, United States Attorney for the District of Minnesota
• Richard A. Napolitano, Illinois State Representative
• John Stroger, former president of the Cook County Board of Commissioners; namesake of Stroger Hospital
• Samuel Skinner, former U.S. federal prosecutor for the Northern District of Illinois and U.S. Treasury Secretary and Chief of Staff under President George H.W. Bush
• Juliana Stratton, Lieutenant Governor of Illinois
• Charles E. Tucker, Jr., retired U.S. Air Force major general and executive director of the World Engagement Institute (WEInstitute)

Judiciary[]

• The Honorable William J. Bauer, senior judge, United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
• The Honorable Thomas Durkin, U.S. District Judge, Northern District of Illinois
• The Honorable Lee M. Jackwig, United States Bankruptcy Judge, Southern District of Iowa
• The Honorable Franklin Valderrama, U.S. District Judge, Northern District of Illinois

Business[]

• Jack M. Greenberg, former chairman and CEO of McDonald’s Corporation
• Michael Jaharis, founder of Kos Pharmaceuticals and Vatera Healthcare Partners LLC, and co-founder of Arisaph Pharmaceuticals
• Andrew J. McKenna, chairman emeritus of McDonald’s Corporation
• Harry Nicholas Pritzker, entrepreneur and philanthropist, patriarch of the Pritzker Family

Law[]

• Robert A. Clifford, prominent Chicago trial attorney
• Gerald D. Hosier, intellectual property attorney and patent litigator
• Perry Wilbon Howard, attorney and Republican civil rights activist from Mississippi
• Sidney Korshak (1908–1996), an attorney best known as a liaison between the Chicago Outfit crime syndicate and corporate Hollywood, was a DePaul College of Law graduate.^[36] He is the subject of numerous biographies and articles. Korshak, was widely considered to be a power broker in Hollywood and was reportedly one of the inspirations for Robert Duvall's character in The Godfather.^[37]
• James Lyons, prominent Denver attorney and former federal judicial nominee to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit
• George Remus, notorious Chicago criminal defense attorney and, later, bootlegger in Cincinnati, Ohio, known as the “King of the Bootleggers,” was an Illinois College of Law graduate.

Arts[]

• Chaz Ebert, CEO and publisher of Ebert Digital, which runs RogerEbert.com
• Dennis Shere, author
• Jody Weiner, novelist, non-fiction author, film producer and lawyer

Notable faculty[]

Former[]

• M. Cherif Bassiouni (professor 1964–2012) held the title of distinguished research professor of law at DePaul and was nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize in 1999 for his work on behalf of the International Criminal Court. He taught international criminal law and served as the president of DePaul's International Human Rights Law Institute. In 2007, he was awarded the Hague Prize for International Law for his "distinguished contribution in the field of international law".
• Susan Bandes is Centennial Distinguished Professor Emeritus at DePaul Law. She is one of the most widely cited law professors in the field of criminal law and procedure,^[38] and one of the founders of the field of Law and Emotion. Her book The Passions of Law is referred to as a "groundbreaking anthology" and a "high water mark" of the emerging discipline of the study of law and emotion."^[39]
• Erwin Chemerinsky (assistant professor, 1980–83; associate professor, 1983–1984) is a nationally known professor of constitutional law and federal civil procedure, currently dean of the University of California, Berkeley School of Law.^[40] At DePaul, he taught courses in administrative law, constitutional law, federal courts, and a seminar on law and the mass media. He was recognized by DePaul as an "Outstanding Teacher" in 1983.
• Clarence Darrow, a criminal defense attorney known for the Scopes Trial and the Leopold and Loeb case, among others, was an early adjunct professor at the College.
• James Fleissner (visiting professor 2003–2005) served as deputy to Special Counsel Patrick Fitzgerald in the Justice Department investigation into allegations that one or more government officials illegally disclosed the identity of a CIA agent. He is a professor at Mercer University's Walter F. George School of Law^[41] in Macon, Georgia. While at DePaul, he taught criminal law, criminal procedure and evidence.

Current[]

• Roberta Kwall is the Raymond P. Niro Professor at DePaul Law; the founder of the Center for Intellectual Property Law & Information Technology (CIPLIT) at DePaul Law; and the author of several books, including Remix Judaism: Preserving Tradition in a Diverse World, (Rowman & Littlefield, 2020) and The Soul of Creativity (Stanford U. Press, 2010.)^[42]

References[]

External links[]

• Official website

Coordinates: 41°52′41″N 87°37′36″W / 41.8780°N 87.6266°W / 41.8780; -87.6266