Syracuse University College of Law

Syracuse University College of Law
Dineen Hall
Dineen Hall in 2015
Parent schoolSyracuse University
Established1895; 129 years ago (1895)
School typePrivate
Parent endowment$1.8 billion (2021)[1]
DeanTerence J. Lau[2][3]
LocationSyracuse, New York, U.S.
Enrollment694 JD; 44 LLM[4]
Faculty56
USNWR ranking120th (2025)[5]
Bar pass rate91.6%[6]
Websitelaw.syr.edu
ABA profileSyracuse University College of Law Profile

Syracuse University College of Law is a Juris Doctor degree-granting law school of Syracuse University in Syracuse, New York. It is one of only four law schools in upstate New York. Syracuse was accredited by the American Bar Association in 1923 and is a charter member of the Association of American Law Schools.

Syracuse's College of Law is a leader in the emerging field of National Security law through the Institute for Security Policy and Law. The College of Law is home to the New York State Science & Technology Law Center. It maintains a chapter of the Order of the Coif law honor society, of which only 86 of the more than 204 ABA-accredited law schools are a member.[7][8] In February 2018, the College of Law announced its formation of the first "real-time, ABA-approved online juris doctor program in the United States." The online J.D. program, titled JDinteractive was launched in 2019.[9]

History

The school began operating in September 1895.[10][11] William Henry Hornblower, a Presbyterian minister, gave the opening address at the initiatory session of the new Syracuse Law school.[12] It was admitted to the Phi Delta Phi legal fraternity in 1898.[13] Classes were held in various downtown area facilities until a move to the E.I. White Hall on the SU campus in 1954.[11]

In 1903, William Herbert Johnson became the first African American graduate of the law school,[11] but was barred by the New York State Bar from the profession because of his race.[14][15] He was posthumously admitted to the New York State Bar in October 2019.[16][17]

Academics

Degree programs

The College of Law offers a residential Juris Doctor (J.D.),[18] a Master of Laws (LL.M.),[19] and an online Juris Doctor (JDinteractive or JDi) program.[20]

The college offers 11 joint degree programs with, among others, Syracuse University's Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, Newhouse School of Public Communications, Whitman School of Management[21][22] and others. Syracuse Law also offers a joint J.D./LL.M. in Advocacy and Litigation, allowing full-time, on-campus J.D. students to earn both their J.D. and LL.M. in just three years without any additional cost beyond that of the J.D.[23] It also offers externships in, among other locations, New York City, Washington, D.C., and London.[24]

Advocacy skills training

The College of Law was honored with the Emil Gumpert Award for the best law school advocacy program in the United States by the American College of Trial Lawyers.[25] The college has won the Tiffany Cup, an award given by the New York State Bar Association to law schools that finished with the best National Trial Competition (NTC) record, 18 times as of 2014.[26]

Syracuse has received the highest award that the American College of Trial Lawyers gives to law schools based on the school's trial advocacy record and the strength of the school's trial training programs. In 2022 U.S. News & World Report ranked the College of Law's trial advocacy program 11th in the United States.[5]

The college of Law has operated the Criminal Defense Clinic since 1971. The clinic helps law students gain practical courtroom experience representing low-income individuals pro-bono throughout Onondaga County, working typically on civil matters such as shoplifting, vandalism and traffic violations.[27]

Rankings

The College of Law is tied for 120th in the 2024-2025 U.S. News & World Report Best Law Schools rankings.[5]

YEAR RANK
2022 102 [28]
2021 111[29]
2020 91[29]
2019 88[30]
2018 92[31]
2017 86[32]
2016 87 [33]
2015 109 [34]
2014 96
2013 97
2012 102
2011 86 [35]

Buildings and facilities

Dineen Hall

The College of Law is located in Dineen Hall on the West Campus expansion area of Syracuse University. On November 5, 2010, the university and the College of Law announced and dedicated the construction of a new law school complex, named Dineen Hall.[36] SU Architecture alumnus Richard Gluckman, of the Gluckman Mayner Architects in New York City, was the lead architect. The complex, located at 950 Irving Avenue, is approximately 200,000 square feet (19,000 m2) and is named for the Dineen family, who provided the $15 million naming gift in a fundraising campaign for the $90 million building.[37][38][39]

Library

Its library is a congressionally designated depository for Federal materials[40] and houses a collection of Supreme Court Justice Robert H. Jackson's artifacts and documents.[41][42]

Research centers

Employment

According to Syracuse University College of Law's 2021 ABA-required disclosures, 124 of the 165 members of the Class of 2021 obtained full-time, long-term, JD-required employment nine months after graduation, with the top three locations of employment being New York, Washington, D.C., and New Jersey.[43] Syracuse University College of Law's Law School Transparency under-employment score for the class of 2021 is 17.6%.[44]

Cost of Attendance

Tuition for the on-campus J.D. program is $62,220 for the 2024–25 academic year.[45] The estimated annual cost of attendance, including tuition, fees, and living expenses, is $88,090.[46]

Publications

Notable alumni

Main article: List of Syracuse University College of Law alumni

The College of Law has over 11,000 law alumni in all 50 states and 39 foreign countries.[48]

Notable professors

See also

References

  1. ^ "Syracuse endowment posts 30.8% return". Archived from the original on December 17, 2021. Retrieved December 17, 2021.
  2. ^ "SU appoints Terence J. Lau as new College of Law dean". The Daily Orange. June 5, 2024. Retrieved July 31, 2024.
  3. ^ "Terence J. Lau L'98 Named Dean of the College of Law". Syracuse University College of Law. June 5, 2024. Retrieved July 31, 2024.
  4. ^ "Fast Facts: Syracuse University College of Law". Syracuse University College of Law. Retrieved August 20, 2022.
  5. ^ a b c "Syracuse University". Best Law Schools. U.S. News & World Report. Retrieved 13 May 2023.
  6. ^ Conrad, Robert (October 25, 2017). "College of Law New York Bar Exam Pass Rate is Highest in Decades". Retrieved 2018-03-25.
  7. ^ Smith, Anesha. "member chart". www.orderofthecoif.org. Archived from the original on 2014-03-27. Retrieved 2018-03-25.
  8. ^ "ABA-Approved Law Schools: Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar". www.americanbar.org. Retrieved 2018-03-25.
  9. ^ Janelle (July 23, 2020). "Syracuse gets ABA approval to expand online law degree program". The National Jurist. Retrieved 10 April 2021.
  10. ^ "150 Years Timeline". www.syracuse.edu. Syracuse University. Retrieved 21 March 2021.
  11. ^ a b c "History and Timeline". Syracuse University College of Law. Retrieved 10 April 2021.
  12. ^ "Democrats Gathering in Syracuse". The Evening Herald. Carbondale, Pennsylvania. September 23, 1895. p. 1. Retrieved 20 November 2020 – via Newspapers.com Open access icon.
  13. ^ "Adjourns to meet in Ann Arbor". Evening Star. Washington, District of Columbia. 30 December 1898. p. 10. Retrieved 20 November 2020 – via Newspapers.com Open access icon.
  14. ^ Johnson, Paula C. (16 October 2019). "Commentary: A century later, bar to admit Syracuse's first black law graduate". The Post-Standard. Retrieved 17 March 2021.
  15. ^ Johnson, Paula C. (2004–2005). "Honoring William H. Johnson, Class of 1903: The First African American Graduate of Syracuse University College of Law". Syracuse Law Review. 55. HeinOnline: 429. Retrieved 7 October 2022.
  16. ^ "William Herbert Johnson L'1903, the College's first African American graduate, will be posthumously". Syracuse University College of Law. October 3, 2019. Retrieved 17 March 2021.
  17. ^ Sanders, Jennifer D. (17 October 2019). "Hidden History: William Herbert Johnson, the first African American graduate of Syracuse University's College of Law, will be posthumously admitted to NYS Bar". WSYR-TV. Retrieved 17 March 2021.
  18. ^ "J.D. Residential". Syracuse University College of Law. Retrieved August 20, 2022.
  19. ^ "Master of Laws (LL.M.) in American Law". Syracuse University College of Law. Retrieved August 20, 2022.
  20. ^ "JDinteractive: Online J.D. Program". Syracuse University College of Law. Retrieved August 20, 2022.
  21. ^ "Joint Degrees". Syracuse University College of Law. Retrieved August 20, 2022.
  22. ^ Wood, Sarah (January 7, 2021). "Syracuse University Launches Joint J.D./M.B.A. Degree Program - Higher Education". Diverse: Issues In Higher Education. Retrieved January 24, 2021.
  23. ^ "Joint Degrees".
  24. ^ "Externships". Syracuse University College of Law. Retrieved August 20, 2022.
  25. ^ "Advocacy Training". Syracuse University College of Law. Retrieved 10 April 2021.
  26. ^ Grosso, Jaclyn D. (April 1, 2014). "College of Law Trial Team Wins Tiffany Cup, Finishes Fifth in National Trial Competition". Syracuse University News. Syracuse, NY. Retrieved August 20, 2022.
  27. ^ Infeld, Zach (2 October 2022). "Since 1971, SU's Criminal Defense Clinic has given students court experience". The Daily Orange. Retrieved 7 October 2022.
  28. ^ Zaretsky, Staci (2021-03-30). "The 2022 U.S. News Law School Rankings Are Here - Page 3 of 3 - Above the Law". Retrieved 2023-09-19.
  29. ^ a b "2021 USNews Law School Rankings". LawSchooli. 2021-07-17. Retrieved 2023-09-19.
  30. ^ Zaretsky, Staci (2018-03-14). "The 2019 U.S. News Law School Rankings Leak: The Top 100 - Page 2 of 2 - Above the Law". Retrieved 2023-09-19.
  31. ^ "2018 USNews Law School Rankings Arrive!!!". LawSchooli. 2017-03-08. Retrieved 2023-09-19.
  32. ^ Zaretsky, Staci (2016-03-10). "The 2017 U.S. News Law School Rankings Leak: The Top 100 - Page 2 of 2 - Above the Law". Retrieved 2023-09-19.
  33. ^ "The 2016 US News Law School Rankings Are Here | Blueprint Prep LSAT". Blueprint Prep. Retrieved 2023-09-19.
  34. ^ "PRELAW HANDBOOK - 2015 LAW SCHOOL RANKING". www.prelawhandbook.com. Retrieved 2023-09-19.
  35. ^ Mystal, Elie (2010-05-07). "Open Thread: 2011 U.S. News Law School Rankings (78 – 100) - Above the Law". Retrieved 2023-09-19.
  36. ^ "Syracuse College of Law :: Dineen Hall". Archived from the original on 2011-10-28. Retrieved 2011-11-04.
  37. ^ Tobin, Dave (11 September 2014). "See Syracuse University's new, $90 million law school building, Dineen Hall". Syracuse Post-Standard. Retrieved 17 April 2021.
  38. ^ Rodoski, Kelly (1 September 2010). "An enduring tribute: The Dineen family honors their parents with a landmark gift to the College of Law for construction of a new building". Syracuse University Magazine. 27 (3): 42–43. Retrieved 17 April 2021.
  39. ^ Bidwill, Colleen (5 November 2010). "College of Law: University dedicates site of building with celebration of $15 million donation". The Daily Orange. Retrieved 17 April 2021.
  40. ^ "Depository Library Number - 0389A". catalog.gpo.gov. FDLP Library Directory. Retrieved 10 April 2021.
  41. ^ Grosso, Jaclyn D. (December 2, 2005). "Historic Nuremberg Trials artifacts donated to SU College of Law". SU News. Retrieved 10 April 2021.
  42. ^ "Collections: Syracuse University College of Law". law.syr.edu. Retrieved 2018-03-25.
  43. ^ "Standard 509 disclosures". employmentsummary.abaquestionnaire.org. Retrieved 2018-03-25.
  44. ^ "Syracuse University LST Report Overview". Law School Transparency. Retrieved 10 April 2021.
  45. ^ "Cost of Attendance: On-Campus J.D. Program". College of Law. Retrieved 2024-07-31.
  46. ^ "Cost of Attendance". Syracuse University College of Law. Retrieved August 10, 2022.
  47. ^ "History – Syracuse Law Review". Lawreview.syr.edu. Retrieved 2017-06-19.
  48. ^ View Book (PDF). Syracuse University College of Law. Retrieved 10 April 2021.

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