Penn State Dickinson Law: A Legacy of Legal Education and Notable Alumni

Penn State Dickinson Law, established in 1834 as The Dickinson School of Law, stands as the oldest law school in Pennsylvania and the fifth-oldest in the nation. Its rich history, distinguished programs, and notable alumni have solidified its place as a leading institution in legal education. This article explores the history, programs, rankings, and notable alumni of Penn State Dickinson Law.

Historical Overview

Founded by the Honorable John Reed, an eminent jurist and author of "Pennsylvania Blackstone," Dickinson Law has a long and storied past. Originally affiliated with Dickinson College (1834-1917), it became an independent institution in 1917 before merging with Pennsylvania State University in 2000.

The merger with Penn State expanded Dickinson Law's reputation, network, and joint degree programs, complementing its legacy as an innovative leader in experiential education. From 2006 to 2014, Penn State's Dickinson School of Law operated as a single law school with two campuses - one in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, and one in University Park, Pennsylvania.

Key Milestones

1834: Founded as The Dickinson School of Law.
1917: Became an independent institution.
1949: Pennsylvania Historical Marker designated.
1997: Merger with Penn State University began.
2000: Merger with Penn State University completed.
2006-2014: Operated as a single law school with two campuses.
2008: Extensive renovation of Trickett Hall began, including the Law School's library, named in honor of H. Laddie Montague, Jr.
2023: Danielle M. Conway, dean, named to “The 2023 Law Power 100” list by City & State Pennsylvania.

Academic Programs and Curriculum

Dickinson Law offers J.D. and LL.M. degrees in law and hosts visiting scholars. The school emphasizes experiential learning, requiring students to earn at least six of 12 required experiential learning credits in a real-world practice setting. These settings include:

Certified legal internships within in-house legal clinics.
Internships with government, nonprofit, or private offices.
Full immersion in the Semester-in-Practice program.
International venues.

The curriculum is designed to provide a comprehensive understanding of both national and transnational law. The second and third years are distinguished by "The Lawyer As…" electives and experiential learning opportunities organized by the way lawyers use their training. Students may earn up to six credits towards the J.D. degree from approved graduate-level courses offered by other Penn State departments.

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Joint Degree Programs and Certificates

Dickinson Law offers an array of joint degree programs, allowing students to graduate with both a J.D. and a master's degree from a coordinate department of Penn State. Current joint degree offerings include:

J.D./M.B.A.
J.D./M.P.A.
J.D./M.P.H.
J.D./DrPH.

Additionally, Dickinson Law offers certificate programs in which students may hone their expertise in a specific area by taking a prescribed combination of core and elective courses.

Experiential Learning Opportunities

Dickinson Law provides various experiential learning opportunities, including:

Semester-in-Washington, D.C.
Medical-Legal Partnership Clinic with Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center.

Law Journals

Dickinson Law features three scholarly journals, including the Dickinson Law Review. Founded in 1897, the Law Review is one of the oldest continually published law school journals in the country.

Rankings and Recognition

EduRank positions Pennsylvania State University - Dickinson Law as 1880th in the world, 651st in North America, and 613th in the United States based on aggregated alumni prominence.

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Facilities

Lewis Katz Hall was renovated and rebuilt to comply with LEED Silver standards.

Notable Alumni

Dickinson Law boasts a distinguished roster of alumni who have made significant contributions to law, politics, business, and public service. Here are some notable individuals:

Lisa Benzie: Class of 2002, named to “The 2023 Law Power 100” list.
Matthew Brann: Class of 1990, chief United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, named to “The 2023 Law Power 100” list.
Christopher F. Burne: Graduated with Juris Doctor, United States Air Force lieutenant general and was Judge Advocate General of the Air Force from May 2014 until May 2018.
Jennifer Craighead Carey: Class of 1993, named to “The 2023 Law Power 100” list.
Pedro Cortés: Politician, served twice as Secretary of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
Andrew Gregg Curtin: American lawyer and politician, served as the 15th governor of Pennsylvania during the American Civil War.
Mike Fitzpatrick: American attorney and politician who served as a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives, representing Pennsylvania's 8th congressional district.
Daniel Flood: Studied in 1929, American attorney and politician, a Democratic United States Representative from Pennsylvania.
Jim Gerlach: Representative for Pennsylvania's 6th congressional district, serving from 2003 to 2015.
Kim R. Gibson: Senior United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania.
Milton W. Glenn: American Republican Party politician who represented New Jersey's 2nd congressional district in the United States House of Representatives.
Rick Gray: American lawyer and politician, who was mayor of Lancaster, Pennsylvania from 2006 until 2018.
T. Millet Hand: Graduated with Juris Doctor in 1922, American Republican Party politician who represented New Jersey's 2nd congressional district in the United States House of Representatives.
Daniel Brodhead Heiner: U.S. Representative from Pennsylvania.
John D. Hopper: Pennsylvania politician, a member of the Pennsylvania State Senate from the 31st district.
Arthur James: American lawyer, politician, and judge, served as the 14th lieutenant governor and the 31st governor of Pennsylvania.
Brian F. Jackson: Class of 1992, named to “The 2023 Law Power 100” list.
John E. Jones III: President at Dickinson College and a former United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania.
Paul Kanjorski: U.S. Representative from Pennsylvania.
Tom Marino: American politician and attorney, who served as a United States Representative from Pennsylvania.
Michael McDonald: Class of 1979, named to “The 2023 Law Power 100” list.
Julia K. Munley: Graduated with Juris Doctor in 1992, an American judge who is serving as a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania.
John C. Pettit: Former Washington County district attorney.
Sylvia H. Rambo: United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania from her appointment in 1979 until her retirement in August 2024.
Thomas M. Reap: American lawyer and college football coach.
Tom Ridge: American politician and author who served as the Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and as the United States secretary of homeland security.
Carl Risch: Lawyer, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General in the Office of Legal Policy at the U.S. Department of Justice.
Andrew Sacks: Attorney.
Rick Santorum: Graduated with Juris Doctor in 1986, American politician, attorney, author, and political commentator who represented Pennsylvania in the United States Senate from 1995 to 2007.
Lansdale Ghiselin Sasscer: Graduated with Juris Doctor in 1914, represented the fifth district of the state of Maryland in the United States House of Representatives.
Joseph S. Ammerman: U.S. Representative from Pennsylvania.
Kimberly Selemba: Class of 2004, named to “The 2023 Law Power 100” list.
D. Brooks Smith: Senior judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit.
Edward George Smith: Graduated with Juris Doctor in 1986, United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.
John Sydney Fine: American lawyer, judge, and politician, served as the 35th governor of Pennsylvania.
Steven M. Toprani: Class of 2004, named to “The 2023 Law Power 100” list.
Thomas I. Vanaskie: Former United States circuit judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit and former judge of the United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania.
William W. Caldwell: Graduated with Bachelor of Laws, American attorney and jurist who served as a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania.

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