JD Program
2023-2024
Your Future Begins Here
A national leader in interdisciplinary legal education, Penn Carey Law’s rigorous curriculum and experiential learning model prepares students to launch impactful careers in a wide variety of legal specialties and sectors. Our inclusive, vibrant community encourages students to take intellectual risks, explore innovative approaches, and collaborate to achieve unrivaled scholarly impact.
STUDENT PROFILE CLASS OF 2026*
Meet the Class
*This profile reflects the class as of August 31, 2023.
Learning Beyond The Classroom
A Cross-Disciplinary Education
Penn Carey Law’s cross-disciplinary academic programs are fully integrated with the University of Pennsylvania’s world-class institutions, including the Wharton School, Perelman School of Medicine, Fels Institute of Government, and six other partner schools. This collaboration provides our students with unparalleled opportunities to prepare for successful careers and engage with every major issue facing our society.
Learning Beyond The Classroom
A Cross-Disciplinary Education
Penn Carey Law’s cross-disciplinary academic programs are fully integrated with the University of Pennsylvania’s world-class institutions, including the Wharton School, Perelman School of Medicine, Fels Institute of Government, and six other partner schools. This collaboration provides our students with unparalleled opportunities to prepare for successful careers and engage with every major issue facing our society.
Class of 2023
%
joint degree
a joint
degree
%
certificate of
study
EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING
The Gittis Legal Clinics, the Law School’s teaching law firm, puts students on the front lines of representing clients with complex legal concerns under the close supervision of dedicated seasoned attorneys. Students can also choose from numerous field placements and externships at governmental agencies and nonprofit organizations to train in a wide variety of legal work outside the Law School. Explore legal clinics and externship opportunities →
The Legal Practice Skills program involves year-long simulation courses that teach fundamental lawyering skills through case studies, hypothetical exercises, and real-world lawyering assignments.
Gittis Legal Clinics
Real-World Career Success
Penn Carey Law’s Future of the Profession Initiative (FPI) leads essential, forward-thinking interdisciplinary discourse on the dynamic forces driving change in the legal profession. The Future of the Profession Lab tackles emerging issues in the profession and applies human-centered design to solve complex problems within the U.S. legal system. Explore the Future of the Profession Lab →
Employment Statistics
%
of the Class of 2022 graduates
are either employed or enrolled in full-time graduate studies
students and alumni
received judicial clerkships in the last five years
14.4%
13.6%
8.2%
3.1%
2.7%
1.6%
7.8%
DC
PA
CA
NJ
TX
DE
Other*
*Other includes AL, AZ, CO, FL, GA, ID, IL, LA, MA, MO, NC, OH, OR, VA
An Ethos of Service
The Toll Public Interest Center (TPIC) houses the Law School’s pro bono program and oversees robust programming to support students’ development as practice-ready, civically engaged leaders who embrace service. All JD students engage in a 70-hour pro bono program and can take advantage of exceptional learning opportunities through more than 20 student-led pro bono projects across six practice areas and a Mobile TEAMS Initiative that connects students to clients near and far.
TPIC also works closely with students and alumni interested in leveraging their law degrees to effect positive change. Flagship initiatives like the Toll Public Interest Scholars, the Toll Public Interest Fellows, and the TolLRAP loan repayment program ensure Penn Carey Law graduates can actualize their public interest goals.
The Leo Model Foundation Government Service & Public Affairs Initiative prepares students for leadership in government and policymaking, and the Cozen Family Voting Rights Fellowship supports graduates working to advance and protect voting rights.
Pioneering Scholarship
Faculty engage policymakers on issues ranging from regulation to international law and expand students’ knowledge and experience through innovative courses and collaborative cross-disciplinary research.
Our 10 centers and institutes cultivate cutting-edge legal research and position Penn Carey Law at the helm of thought leadership on today’s most pressing legal issues. Discover our academic centers and institutes →
Academic Centers
& Institutes
A Global Legal Education
Partnerships with premier institutions like the London School of Economics, Sciences Po, Hong Kong University, and Hebrew University offer students cross-cultural experiences and a deeper engagement with foreign law.
Signature programs such as our Global Research Seminars provide rich international learning experiences covering a wide range of cutting-edge legal topics. The Law School’s robust selection of 45+ courses on international, foreign, and comparative law empower students to pursue a global legal education without even leaving Philadelphia.
Our students engage with distinguished international scholars and influential global leaders, take part in internationally focused research projects and fact-finding missions, and participate in conferences, consortia, and symposia around the world.
Penn Carey Law will prepare you to break new paths, challenge assumptions, and engage with today’s most pressing global issues. Discover Penn Carey Law’s global connections →
A Collegial Culture
Law school is rigorous yet rewarding. Life at Penn Carey Law is supportive, encouraging, and dynamic—a place where you can fully develop your personal and professional potential.
Penn Carey Law’s small classes mean our students enjoy individual attention and support from faculty and staff, and our students and genuinely encourage and celebrate each other’s success.
Our Inclusive Community
The Office of Equity & Inclusion (E&I) is a partner for students, staff, faculty, and alumni in advancing inclusive excellence. E&I offers programming, workshops, and resources to support all members of the Penn Carey Law community in developing the professional skills and substantive knowledge necessary to engage on matters of equity and justice, cultivate meaningful community, and nurture a deep sense of belonging for all.
E&I also works closely with members of communities that have been historically underrepresented in the legal profession to ensure access, equity, and support.
Thrive in Philadelphia
Boasting a 9,200-acre park system, Philadelphia is home to idyllic settings such as Penn’s Morris Arboretum and Fairmount Park. Sports fans, artists, and music enthusiasts flock to the city, where the next world-class performance, gallery, or championship game is a short walk or subway ride away.
The city’s historical neighborhoods and diverse communities blend small-town warmth with the energy of an urban center on the East Coast. A city where people enjoy sharing their traditions with newcomers, Philadelphia is a place you can make your own.
Financing Your Education
We provide generous assistance to qualified students through a variety of grants, scholarships, and loans. Penn Carey Law also offers targeted support for students who demonstrate a commitment to public interest, as well as a loan repayment assistance program for graduates entering public interest careers. Students also may be eligible for federal and private loans.
Visit our website for more information:
https://www.law.upenn.edu/admissions/financing.
Learning Outcomes
Demonstrate a core knowledge and understanding of substantive and procedural law in a number of different subject areas;
Engage in legal analysis and reasoning, conduct efficient and effective legal research, apply problem-solving skills, and present findings, analyses, and recommendations efficiently and effectively in both written and oral communication;
Work collaboratively;
Demonstrate an understanding of the interdisciplinary nature of law and the contributions and benefits to legal analysis and problem-solving that other disciplines can make;
Exercise proper professional judgment and fulfill ethical responsibilities to clients, the profession, and society in general; and
Utilize a range of professional skills that facilitate active, competent, and ethical participation in the legal profession.
University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School
Philadelphia, PA 19104-6204
Office of JD Admissions & Financial Aid
Financial Aid:
Fax:
JD Admissions Office Email:
Financial Aid Email:
The University of Pennsylvania values diversity and seeks talented students, faculty and staff with diverse backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives. The University of Pennsylvania does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, creed, national or ethnic origin, citizenship status, age, disability, veteran status or any other legally protected class status in the administration of its admissions, financial aid, educational or athletic programs, or other University-administered programs or in its employment practices. Questions or complaints regarding this policy should be directed to the Executive Director of the Office of Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity Programs, Franklin Building, 3451 Walnut Street, Suite 421, Philadelphia, PA 19104-6106; or (215) 898-6993. The University’s security policies and annual report is available at https://www.publicsafety.upenn.edu/clery/. The University of Pennsylvania must reserve the right to make changes affecting policies, fees, curricula, or any other matters announced in this publication or on its website.