Franklin Pierce Law Center

Infobox Law School
name = Franklin Pierce Law Center


imagesize = 50
motto = "Inspiring Excellence"
established = 1973
type = Private
head = John D. Hutson, President and Dean
city = Concord
state = New Hampshire
country = United States
students = 513
faculty = 43
ranking = 3rd tier
bar pass rate = 83%
annual tuition = $35,300
homepage = [http://www.piercelaw.edu/ www.piercelaw.edu]

The Franklin Pierce Law Center (Pierce Law or FPLC) is a private, nonprofit, American Bar Association-accredited law school located in Concord, New Hampshire. The school is named after the 14th President of the United States and New Hampshire native Franklin Pierce and is the only law school in New Hampshire. It was founded in 1973 by Robert H. Rines.

Academic programs

Pierce Law offers both J.D. and Master's programs in the law. Students in the J.D. program have the opportunity to select a concentration in commerce and technology, criminal law, general practice, intellectual property, and social justice. The school is highly recognized for its Master of Laws in Intellectual Property (L.L.M-IP) and its Master of Laws in Commerce and Technology (LLM-CT). It is also the only law school offering a graduate degree in intellectual property designed for scientists, engineers and any interested persons not holding a law degree (M.I.P.).

The school also 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 Pierce Law's main campus; and the Advanced Topics in International Criminal Law and Justice Seminar in Washington, D.C.

Daniel Webster Scholar Honors Program

In 2005, the New Hampshire Supreme Court launched an alternative bar licensing process at the state's only law school, Franklin Pierce Law Center. The Daniel Webster Scholar Honors Program, a collaboration of the Court, Pierce 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 (first) year. Enrollment in the program is limited to 15 students.

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 will graduate in 2008.

Student life

Students at Pierce Law run a variety of professional and cultural organizations, including the Student Bar Association (SBA) which serves as the student government. Students participate in two law journals -- "IDEA: The Intellectual Property Law Review", and the "Pierce Law Review" -- and send Moot Court teams to competitions around the United States. Other active organizations include:

* American Constitution Society
* Black Law Student Association
* Biking Over to School is Sweet (BOSS)
* Christian Legal Society
* Entertainment Law Society
* Federalist Society
* Hillel
* Hispanic National Bar Association
* International Intellectual Property Organization
* J. Reuben Clark Law Society
* Lambda Law
* Licensing Executive Society
* Namaste India
* Outdoors Club
* Phi Alpha Delta Legal Fraternity (PAD)
* Sports Club
* Spouses and Significant Others Organization
* Student Intellectual Property Law Association (SIPLA)
* Taiwanese Student Association
* Teen Court
* Women's Law Student Association

Traditions and activities

During Orientation Week, the school offers an annual ice cream social and tour of the Lakes Region. 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 October, honoring the late professor Bruce E. Friedman, an advocate of social justice.

Students from around the world attend Pierce 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. During the spring semester, international students present "Brown Bag Lunch" programs where they present interesting brief lectures on the culture and traditions of their home country, and offer samples of native dishes.

Each summer, Pierce Law also holds the Intellectual Property Summer Institute and the Advanced Licensing Institute, during which barbecues have become a tradition on evenings during summer.

Reputation

Pierce Law is among the top intellectual property law schools in the United States. In its 2009 edition of "America's Best Graduate Schools," "U.S. News & World Report" ranked Pierce Law's program fifth in the nation in the intellectual property specialty rankings.

Publications

* [http://reporter.piercelaw.edu/ Pierce Law Reporter] - School news web log
* [http://www.piercelaw.edu/magazine/ Pierce Law Magazine] - alumni magazine
* [http://www.piercelaw.edu/lawreview/ Pierce Law Review]
* [http://www.piercelaw.edu/idea/ IDEA: The Intellectual Property Law Review]
* [http://www.piercelaw.edu/risk/ Risk: Health, Safety and Environment] (defunct)
* [http://www.piercelaw.edu/germeshausen/news.php Germeshausen Center Newsletter]

Notable faculty

* James E. Duggan, former professor and current Associate Justice of the New Hampshire Supreme Court [http://www.courts.state.nh.us/supreme/meetduggan.htm]
* Thomas G. Field Jr. [http://www.piercelaw.edu/tfield/]
* John Burwell Garvey [http://www.piercelaw.edu/johngarvey/]
* William O Hennesey [http://www.piercelaw.edu/williamhennessey/]
* Karen Hersey [http://www.piercelaw.edu/karenhersey/] , former Senior Counsel for Intellectual Property at MIT
* Marcus Hurn [http://www.piercelaw.edu/marcushurn/]
* John D. Hutson [http://www.piercelaw.edu/johnhutson/] , Dean and President
* Karl F. Jorda [http://www.piercelaw.edu/karljorda/]
* Kimberly Kirkland [http://www.piercelaw.edu/kimberlykirkland/]
* William J. Murphy [http://www.piercelaw.edu/williammurphy/]
* Susan Richey [http://www.piercelaw.edu/susanrichey/] , Associate Dean
* Mary W. S. Wong

Notable alumni

*Bing Wang, Vice Dean, Tsinghua University School of Law, China's first patent agent
*Samuel Der-Yeghiayan, United States federal judge for the Northern District of Illinois
*Donna Edwards, attorney and politician
*Frank Guinta, mayor of Manchester, New Hampshire
*Evelyn Handler, former president of the University of New Hampshire and Brandeis University
*John Hart, author of "The King of Lies" [http://www.amazon.com/dp/031234161X/]
*Christopher L. Irving, former Consumer Advocate for the City of New York
*Roger Manno, Maryland politician
* William J. Murphy, Speaker of the House, Rhode Island House of Representatives
* John Perrault, New Hampshire lawyer and poet
*Tim Ryan, U.S. Representative (D–Ohio 17th District)

External links

* [http://www.piercelaw.edu Franklin Pierce Law Center]
* [http://www.ipmall.fplc.edu/ IP Mall - Pierce Law's Award Winning IP Website]
* [http://grad-schools.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/usnews/edu/grad/rankings/law/brief/lawrank_tier3_brief.php US News Tier 3 listing]