Western New England University School of Law
| Western New England University School of Law | |
| Parent school | Western New England University |
|---|---|
| Established | 1919 |
| School type | Private non-profit |
| Dean | Arthur R. Gaudio |
| Location | Springfield, MA, US |
| Enrollment | |
| Faculty | 36 (See List) |
| LSAT 75th% | 156 |
| Median LSAT | 153 |
| LSAT 25th% | 151 |
| Median Undergrad. GPA | 3.2 |
| Volumes in law library | 400,000 |
| Annual tuition | $36,826 |
| Website | www1.law.wne.edu |
| ABA profile | link |
| Outlines | 0 (See List) |
Western New England University School of Law is located in Springfield, MA
Western New England College School of Law is a private, American Bar Association-accredited law school in Springfield, Massachusetts, the only ABA-accredited law school in Massachusetts outside the greater Boston area. It is one of the four schools of Western New England College.
The law school offers both full- and part-time programs. The full-time program is divided into three sections during the first year, with approximately 50 students in each section; the part-time evening program consists of a single section comprised of approximately 40 students.
History[edit | edit source]
Western New England College was established in 1919 as a branch of Northeastern University. It began offering evening law classes to residents of western Massachusetts. In 1923 the first seven law graduates were recognized. In 1951, Western New England College incorporated as its own institution. The full-time law program began in 1973.
Curriculum[edit | edit source]
The school offers two law programs, a JD and an LLM. Three joint-degree programs are also available: JD/MBA with the School of Business; JD/MSW with Springfield College; and a JD/MRP with the University of Massachusetts at Amherst.
Western New England College School of Law also offers two Bachelor/JD programs to the college's undergraduate students. The 3+3 Law Program allows students in most majors to complete a Bachelor's program and a JD in six years. The six-year Biomedical Engineering/Law program provides students with the opportunity to earn an undergraduate biomedical engineering degree and a JD in six years. The Six-year Biomedical Engineering/Law program opens in the fall of 2007.
LL.M. Program in Estate Planning and Elder Law[edit | edit source]
The LL.M. Program in Estate Planning and Elder Law is a part-time program designed to accommodate attorneys who wish to obtain the LL.M. This is the only such program in the Northeast and one of only a few in the nation.
Law and Business Center for Advancing Entrepreneurship[edit | edit source]
The Western New England College Law and Business Center for Advancing Entrepreneurship was established to offer graduate business and law students an opportunity to provide practical consultation to entrepreneurs starting new and building existing small businesses. The Small Business Clinic, one of five clinics associated with the School of Law, is the cornerstone program of the Center. The Clinic pairs students from the Schools of Law and Business to offer legal and business consultation to small businesses in the area. Areas of expertise include legal advice in corporate and commercial law as well as business advice on marketing, human resources, and competitive analysis.
S. Prestley Blake Law Center[edit | edit source]
History[edit | edit source]
In the early 1970s, the Western New England College Board of Trustees set up the Law School Study Committee to investigate the viability of a full time day program for the School of Law. This program opened in the fall of 1973. Since no proper facility was available on the Western New England College campus the School of Law was housed at the former Our Lady of Lourdes School on Tinkham Road in Springfield. Students referred to this building as "Our Lady of the Law School."
In May 1974, a Building Committee was formed. Blueprints were drawn up in the spring of 1976 and groundbreaking on the facility began on May 2, 1977. The building was opened on August 19, 1978, at a cost of $3.4 million. The building is named after S. Prestley Blake, President and Cofounder of Friendly's Ice Cream after he made a gift of $250,000 to the project.
Law Center Expansion Plans[edit | edit source]
On September 19, 2006, Western New England College announced a $20 million fundraising campaign titled Transformations: The Campaign for Western New England College.
One of the major projects that will be funded through the donations to the capital campaign is a $5.5 million expansion to the S. Prestley Blake Law Center. Groundbreaking on the expansion is expected to begin in the spring of 2007 and the new wing will include seminar, study, and meeting rooms; an expanded library; and modernization of several classrooms and the Moot Court Room.
Notable alumni[edit | edit source]
- Stephen Buoniconti '95 - member of the Massachusetts Senate.
- Lawrence Cafero '81 - member of Connecticut House of Representatives.
- Gale D. Candaras '82 - member of the Massachusetts Senate (served 2007 - present) and former member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives (served 1996 - 2006).
- Michael Christ '02 - member of Connecticut House of Representatives.
- Cheryl A. Coakley-Rivera '95, member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives (served 1998 - present).
- Michael Mori '94 - U.S. Marine Corps lawyer.
- Tim Murray '94 - current Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts and former Mayor of Worcester, Massachusetts.
- Larry O'Brien '42 - Former National Basketball Association Commissioner and former U.S. Postmaster General.
- Angelo Puppolo '01 - member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives (served 2007 - present) and former City Councilor in the city of Springfield, Massachusetts.
- John E. Sweeney '91 - Former Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives from upstate New York and noted conservative legislator.
External links[edit | edit source]
- Western New England College School of Law
- Western New England College School of Law Admissions
- Princeton Review
- U.S. News and World Report
