Locations

With law schools in both Carlisle and University Park, Pennsylvania, Penn State offers you choices as you consider three years of learning with legal scholars, ambassadors, diplomats, judges, and lawyers from around the world. Both schools offer clinical, externship, and joint-degree opportunities. Both schools have new LEED-certified buildings with state-of-the-art classrooms, courtrooms, and libraries. They are connected with the world via the most advanced, high definition, digital audiovisual telecommunications systems available.

Dickinson Law

Penn State Law

Leadership

Dickinson Law

Gary Gildin, Interim Dean and Professor of Law; Hon. G. Thomas and Anne G. Miller Chair in Advocacy
Carla D. Pratt, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Educational Equity

Penn State Law

Hari M. Osofsky, Dean and Distinguished Professor of Law
Victor Romero, Associate Dean of Academic Affairs

Dickinson Law Directory

Penn State Law Directory

Diversity

Penn State is committed to educating a diverse student body. In encouraging diversity, our law schools strive to produce attorneys who look ahead to serving clients with varied backgrounds and lifestyles.

Dickinson Law Diversity

Penn State Law Diversity

History

The Pennsylvania State University, founded in 1855, is the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania's sole land-grant institution and its largest public university. Penn State's land-grant mission embraces teaching, research, and public service in order to support the citizens of the Commonwealth, collaborating with industrial, educational, and agricultural partners to generate, disseminate, integrate, and apply knowledge that is valuable to society.

Founded in 1834 by Judge John Reed, The Dickinson School of Law is the oldest law school in Pennsylvania and the fifth-oldest in the nation. In 2000, the law school merged with Penn State. From 2006 until 2015, Penn State's Dickinson School of Law is operating as a single law school with two campuses—one in Carlisle and one at University Park in State College, Pennsylvania. In the summer of 2014, Penn State received approval from the American Bar Association to operate the two campuses as two distinct, fully accredited Penn State law schools, both of which share the history and esteemed achievements of The Dickinson School of Law.

Throughout its history, The Dickinson School of Law has trained distinguished graduates who have gone on to become leaders of the bar, the judiciary, government, and business. These alumni include the first secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security; five governors; U.S. senators and congressmen; more than 100 federal, state and county judges; and countless prominent lawyers and civic leaders.

Thanks in large part to the generosity of the late Lewis Katz, alumnus and longtime benefactor of the school, the facilities in Carlisle and at University Park feature LEED-certified buildings with state-of-the-art classrooms, conference rooms, and advanced high-definition audio-visual capabilities.