Seton Hall University School of Law is the law school of Seton Hall University, and is located in downtown Newark, New Jersey. Seton Hall Law is the only private law school in New Jersey. The school confers three law degrees: Juris Doctor, Master of Laws, and Master of General Legal Studies. Founded in 1951, it is accredited by the American Bar Association (ABA), and is also a member of the Association of American Law Schools (AALS).[3]
History
On February 5, 1951, Seton Hall University School of Law opened on the old John Marshall site, 40 Journal Square, Jersey City with an entering class of 72 students.[3] The school was also fully accredited by the American Bar Association in the same year of its opening. Kathleen M. Boozang became Dean in 2015 succeeding Patrick E. Hobbs. Boozang stepped down from her position as dean effective January 1, 2023, at which time Kip Cornwell was named interim dean.
The J.D. degree program of 88 credits can be pursued as a full-time or a weekend student. Full-time students can complete the program in three years; weekend students can complete in four years or fewer if they accelerate their studies. Weekend students spend alternating weekends on campus each semester and engage in asynchronous online coursework while off-campus.
Other degree offerings
Seton Hall Law used to offer a Masters in Jurisprudence (M.S.J.) with concentrations in Financial Services Compliance, Health and Hospital Law, Pharmaceutical and Medical Device Law and Compliance, Intellectual Property Law, or Privacy Law & Cyber Security, but as of September, 2022 offers only a Master's degree in General Legal Studies (M.L.S.) with no concentrations.[5]
A Master of Laws (LL.M.) is also offered only for those who already hold a J.D. (or its foreign equivalent) with concentrations in Financial Services Compliance, Health Law, and Intellectual Property Law.
The school also offers several joint degree programs with other faculties of the University. For example, there is a combined J.D./M.A. (or MADIR) program with the University's Whitehead School of Diplomacy.
Admissions
For 2020, the entering class had an average LSAT score of 158 and average GPA of 3.55.[6] No LSAT or GRE is required for the non-J.D. programs.
Centers
The Center for Health & Pharmaceutical Law & Policy educates lawyers and health care sector professionals regarding the complex set of laws that govern patients, health care providers, and life science companies.
The Institute for Privacy Protection educates consumers and businesses to provide inter-disciplinary forums to address emerging privacy issues by educating professionals, businesses, and organizations in this rapidly evolving area.
The Seton Hall Law Gibbons Institute of Law, Science & Technology educates and trains the next generation of attorneys and professionals for the complex issues they will face as scientific and technological advances challenge business, law, and legal institutions.
The Center for Social Justice offers pro bono and clinical programs, enabling students to gain hands-on experience while providing legal services to economically disadvantaged area residents.
The Center for Policy and Research provides law students with an opportunity to gain experience in forensic analysis and investigation through research into national policies and practices.
Ranking
In 2020, the U.S. News & World Report ranked the law school 59th in the nation.[7] For the 2023 rankings, U.S. News & World Reports ranking of the school fell to 73rd.[1] For 20 years, the school's health law program was ranked in the Top 10 by U.S. News & World Report.[8]
The National Law Journal ranked Seton Hall's 2017 graduating class as 1st in the nation for state and federal clerkships and 17th in the nation for employment.[10][needs update]
Employment and bar passage
Total employment rate for the Class of 2018 J.D. program was 98%. Bar Pass required or J.D. Advantage totaled 94.3%. Employed students hold positions in Judicial Clerkships (58.23%), Private Practice (26.58%), Corporate or Business (6.96%), Government or Public Interest (6.33%), and 1.9% unemployed graduates are seeking employment.[11][needs update]
Seton Hall Law's overall bar passage rate for first-time test takers in July 2019 was 94.26%.[12]
Costs
The tuition and fees for Seton Hall University School of Law are $54,848 for incoming full-time students and $41,136 for incoming part-time students for the 2019–20 academic year. However, 81% of incoming students in 2018 received scholarship funding, and 75%-85% of funded students typically renew scholarships after the first year.[13]
The median grant amount was $25,000 for full-time students and $19,400 for weekend students, bringing net-tuition (tuition less scholarship and grants) for those receiving the median grant amount to $27,206 for full-time students and $19,754 for weekend students.[14]
The interim dean is John Kip Cornwell. On November 9, 2022, the Office of the Provost announced that former dean Kathleen Boozang would be "stepping down as dean effective January 1, 2023 and returning to the faculty".
^Seton Hall University School of Law, Seton Hall University School of Law (May 31, 2023). "Master's Degree in General Legal Studies". Master's Degree in General Legal Studies. Retrieved May 31, 2023.((cite web)): CS1 maint: url-status (link)
^Speiser, Matthew. "Jersey City honors trail blazing judge with post office dedication", The Jersey Journal, December 9, 2014. Accessed February 27, 2018. "Shirley A. Tolentino was a woman of many firsts.In 1976, she was the first female African-American Jersey City Municipal Court judge. In 1981, she became the first black female presiding judge of the Jersey City Municipal Court. And in 1984, she became the first female African-American Superior Court judge in the state.... She received her Juris Doctorate from Seton Hall Law School in 1971 as the only female African-American student in her class."
