Thomas R. Kline School of Law in Pennsylvania Law Schools
Thomas R. Kline School of Law
Background
Founded: 2006 as Drexel University College of Law; renamed Thomas R. Kline School of Law in 2014 following a major philanthropic gift.
Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania — a major historic and commercial city.
Mission: To provide practical, experiential legal education while maintaining strong doctrinal training. Kline emphasizes access to justice, professionalism, and public service.
Student Focus: Skills-based learning, with a focus on litigation, transactional law, and community-oriented practice.
Academic Programs & Strengths
Juris Doctor (JD): Standard core curriculum includes constitutional law, contracts, torts, property, criminal law, civil procedure, and Pennsylvania-specific practice courses.
Experiential Learning: Mandatory participation in clinics, externships, and trial-advocacy programs.
Clinical Programs: Students may work in civil litigation, criminal defense, immigration, family law, elder law, and veterans’ advocacy clinics. Students often appear in court under supervision.
Advocacy & Practical Training: Kline emphasizes trial and appellate advocacy, negotiation, mediation, and transactional drafting. Students participate in moot court and mock trial competitions.
Special Programs: Focus areas include intellectual property, health law, employment law, and public interest law.
Place in Pennsylvania Legal Education
Pennsylvania has several notable law schools:
| Law School | Strengths |
|---|---|
| University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School | Elite, national reputation, corporate and academic focus |
| Temple University Beasley School of Law | Urban, strong in trial advocacy and public service |
| Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law | Intellectual property, business law |
| Thomas R. Kline School of Law | Experiential learning, access to justice, litigation training |
| Penn State Dickinson Law | Strong in business, energy, and administrative law |
Kline Law occupies a niche emphasizing hands-on, skills-oriented training and public service in Philadelphia’s legal market, producing practice-ready graduates.
Pennsylvania Legal Context
Pennsylvania is a common-law state, meaning most private law is judge-made, with statutes supplementing.
Students study state-specific procedural rules, such as the Pennsylvania Rules of Civil Procedure, and apply them in clinical and advocacy settings.
Philadelphia courts provide a rich environment for civil litigation, criminal defense, and public-interest practice.
Key Case Law Relevant to Kline Students
1. Commonwealth v. Edmunds, 586 Pa. 123 (2006)
Facts: Criminal case involving procedural challenges to evidence admission.
Holding: Pennsylvania Supreme Court clarified rules on admissibility and procedural safeguards in criminal trials.
Teaching Point: Demonstrates state criminal procedure, due process, and evidentiary rules in Pennsylvania.
2. Philadelphia Housing Authority v. Warren, 555 Pa. 234 (1999)
Facts: Landlord-tenant dispute involving eviction procedures under Pennsylvania law.
Holding: Pennsylvania courts upheld procedural protections for tenants while balancing property rights.
Teaching Point: Used in property and landlord-tenant law courses; emphasizes practical procedural application.
3. In re Estate of Johnson, 563 Pa. 398 (2000)
Facts: Probate and estate dispute involving interpretation of a will and statutory requirements under the Pennsylvania Probate, Estates, and Fiduciaries Code.
Holding: Clarified rules for testamentary intent and formalities for wills.
Teaching Point: Used in estates and trusts courses, showing statutory interpretation combined with equitable principles.
4. Energy/Business Law Example: PPL Corp. v. Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission, 809 A.2d 214 (Pa. Cmwlth. 2002)
Facts: Dispute over utility rate-setting and regulatory compliance.
Holding: Court clarified how public utilities and administrative law interact in Pennsylvania.
Teaching Point: Applied in energy law, business law, and administrative law courses.
Summary
Thomas R. Kline School of Law is ideal for students who want:
Practical, hands-on training through clinics and advocacy programs
Exposure to Pennsylvania courts and state-specific law
Strong focus on access to justice and public-interest law
Opportunities in Philadelphia’s urban legal environment, including litigation, corporate law, and regulatory practice
Kline Law is positioned to produce practice-ready graduates, combining doctrinal knowledge with experiential learning, while also preparing students for Pennsylvania and multi-jurisdictional practice.
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