University of New Hampshire School of Law


The University of New Hampshire School of Law is a public law school in Concord, New Hampshire associated with the University of New Hampshire. It is the only law school in the state and was founded in 1973 by Robert H. Rines as the Franklin Pierce Law Center, named after the 14th President of the United States and New Hampshire native. The school is particularly well known for its Intellectual Property Law program. On April 27, 2010, Franklin Pierce Law Center formally signed an agreement to affiliate with the University of New Hampshire.

History

The University of New Hampshire School of Law was founded in 1973 as the Franklin Pierce Law Center, becoming the first law school in New Hampshire. On April 27, 2010, Franklin Pierce Law Center formally signed an affiliation agreement with the University of New Hampshire. The school was renamed the University of New Hampshire School of Law when the affiliation became effective.
As of 2018, among all ranked law schools in the United States, UNH Law is 85th. The school has been among the top 10 intellectual property law schools in the United States for the past 25 years. In its 2019 ranking of "America's Best Intellectual Property Law Programs", U.S. News & World Report ranked UNH Law's program 5th in the nation in the intellectual property specialty rankings. Most recently, UNH Law was ranked 48th by Above The Law's 2018 rankings which are outcome oriented.

Academic programs

UNH Law offers a JD program, as well as masters-level programs in the law, including the Master of Laws in Intellectual Property, Master of Laws in Commerce and Technology, and Master of Law in International Criminal Law and Justice. It is the only law school in the United States offering a graduate degree in intellectual property designed for scientists, engineers and any interested persons not holding a law degree.

Daniel Webster Scholar Honors Program

In 2005, the New Hampshire Supreme Court launched an alternative bar licensing process at the UNH School of Law. The Daniel Webster Scholar Honors Program, a collaboration of the Court, New Hampshire School of Law, the New Hampshire Board of Bar Examiners, and the New Hampshire Bar Association, is an intensive practice-based honors program that encompasses the last two years of law school. Students apply to the program during the spring of their 1L year. Enrollment in the program is limited to 20 students per class year for 40 total. Once accepted to the program, students go through a rigorous program of clinical experiences under the supervision of judges, lawyers, and bar examiners, and compile a portfolio of work. Graduates of the program must pass the Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination and meet character and fitness requirements to be admitted to the New Hampshire bar, but are exempt from taking the state's bar examination. Webster Scholar graduates may still qualify to sit for the bar examination in any other U.S. jurisdiction. The first class of Webster Scholars graduated in 2008.

Students

Students from around the world attend UNH Law, and the school celebrates the traditions and cultures of its many international students throughout the year. The school hosts events such as Lunar New Year, the Indian "festival of lights" or Diwali, an Afro-Caribbean Night and a Christmas party. Each summer, UNH Law holds the Intellectual Property Summer Institute, during which student barbecues have become a tradition on evenings during summer. During Orientation Week, students partake in an annual ice cream social. Fall mid-terms are followed closely each year by the Buck Bowl, an intramural touch football tournament, and the JIVE! talent show. With a tradition rich in public service, the school hosts the Bruce Friedman Community Service Day each year, honoring the late professor Bruce E. Friedman, an advocate of social justice.

Employment

According to New Hampshire University School of Law's official 2017 ABA-required disclosures, 95% of the Class of 2017 obtained full-time, long-term, JD-required employment nine months after graduation. For the class of 2017, only 3 out of 61 students were unemployed as the other 58 held either bar required jobs, J.D. advantage jobs, or professional positions.

Cost

The tuition at the University of New Hampshire School of Law for the 2018–2019 academic year is $37,401 for NH residents, and $41,401 for non-residents. The Law School Transparency estimated debt-financed cost of attendance for three years is $201,783; only 1.9% of students pay full price, however.

Exchange programs

In February 2011, UNH Law entered into an exchange agreement with Shanghai Jiao Tong University, KoGuan Law School allowing students from each institution to enroll abroad for a semester. Classes in both countries will be taught in English and credits will transfer to the student's home school. The school holds several summer programs in the law that are open to students from other schools, including: the China Intellectual Property Summer Institute in cooperation with Tsinghua University Law School in Beijing; the eLaw Summer Institute in collaboration with the University College Cork Faculty of Law in Cork, Ireland; the Intellectual Property Summer Institute, hosted at New Hampshire Law's main campus; and the Advanced Topics in International Criminal Law and Justice Seminar in Washington, D.C.

Organizations

Students run a variety of professional and cultural organizations, including the Student Bar Association which serves as the student government. Students participate in two law journals—IDEA: The Law Review of the Franklin Pierce Center for Intellectual Property and the University of New Hampshire Law Review—and send Moot Court teams to competitions around the United States. Other active organizations include: