The University of New Hampshire Franklin Pierce School of Law is a

public In public relations and communication science, publics are groups of individual people, and the public (a.k.a. the general public) is the totality of such groupings. This is a different concept to the sociology, sociological concept of the ''Öf ...

law school A law school (also known as a law centre or college of law) is an institution specializing in legal education, usually involved as part of a process for becoming a lawyer within a given jurisdiction. Law degrees Argentina In Argentina, ...

Concord, New Hampshire Concord () is the capital city of the U.S. state of New Hampshire and the county seat, seat of Merrimack County, New Hampshire, Merrimack County. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census the population was 43,976, making it the third larg ...

, associated with the

University of New Hampshire The University of New Hampshire (UNH) is a public land-grant research university with its main campus in Durham, New Hampshire. It was founded and incorporated in 1866 as a land grant college in Hanover in connection with Dartmouth College ...

. It is the only law school in the state and was founded in 1973 by

Robert H. Rines Robert Harvey Rines (August 30, 1922November 1, 2009) was an American lawyer, inventor, musician, and composer. He is perhaps best known for his efforts to find and identify the Loch Ness Monster. Biography Rines was born August 30, 1922 in Boston ...

as the

Franklin Pierce Franklin Pierce (November 23, 1804October 8, 1869) was the 14th president of the United States, serving from 1853 to 1857. He was a northern Democrat who believed that the abolitionist movement was a fundamental threat to the nation's unity ...

Law Center, named after the 14th

President of the United States The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States of America. The president directs the Federal government of the United States#Executive branch, executive branch of the Federal gove ...

and

New Hampshire New Hampshire is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Gulf of Maine to the east, and the Canadian province of Quebec t ...

native. (Pierce was the only U.S. President from the state of New Hampshire.) The school is particularly well known for its

Intellectual Property Law Intellectual property (IP) is a category of property that includes intangible creations of the human intellect. There are many types of intellectual property, and some countries recognize more than others. The best-known types are patents, cop ...

program.

History

George Peter Alexander Healy - Franklin Pierce - Google Art Project

The University of New Hampshire Franklin Pierce School of Law was founded in 1973 as the Franklin Pierce Law Center, becoming the first law school in

. On April 27, 2010, Franklin Pierce Law Center formally signed an affiliation agreement with the

. The school was renamed the University of New Hampshire School of Law when the affiliation became effective. At the alumni reception during the

INTA Inta (russian: Инта́, kv, Инта) is a town in the Komi Republic, Russia. Population: History Inta was founded circa 1940 as a settlement to support a geological expedition to explore coal deposits and projecting of mines. The city's ...

Annual Meeting in 2019, Dean Carpenter announced the incorporation of "Franklin Pierce" back into the school's name. The school was renamed the University of New Hampshire Franklin Pierce School of Law. As of the 2023 rankings, among all ranked law schools in the United States, '' U.S. News & World Report'' ranked UNH Franklin Pierce Law 105th. The school was ranked 48th by Above the Law's 2018 rankings which are outcome (i.e. bar passage rate and employment results) oriented, but was unranked in 2022. Pierce has been among the top 10 intellectual property law schools in the United States for the past 25 years. In its 2021 ranking of "America's Best Intellectual Property Law Programs", ''U.S. News & World Report'' ranked UNH Law's program 4th in the nation in the intellectual property specialty rankings. Among online law schools, UNH was ranked #1 by Best Value Schools in 2022.

Academic programs

The UNH Franklin Pierce School of Law offers a residential Juris Doctor (JD) program, as well as

Master's degree A master's degree (from Latin ) is an academic degree awarded by universities or colleges upon completion of a course of study demonstrating mastery or a high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice.

, joint degree, and dual degree programs. The masters-level programs in law include the

Master of Laws A Master of Laws (M.L. or LL.M.; Latin: ' or ') is an advanced postgraduate academic degree, pursued by those either holding an undergraduate academic law degree, a professional law degree, or an undergraduate degree in a related subject. In mo ...

(LLM) in Intellectual Property (L.L.M-IP), Master of Laws in Commerce and Technology (LLM-CT), and Master of Laws in International Criminal Law and Justice (L.L.M-ICLJ). The school also confers a Masters of Intellectual Property (MIP), making it one of the only law schools in the United States offering a graduate degree in intellectual property specially designed for scientists, engineers and any interested persons not holding a law degree. The law school also collaborates with the greater University of New Hampshire System to offer three dual degree programs: JD/

MBA A Master of Business Administration (MBA; also Master's in Business Administration) is a postgraduate degree focused on business administration. The core courses in an MBA program cover various areas of business administration such as accounti ...

with the Peter T. Paul College of Business and Economics, JD/ MPP with the Carsey School of Public Policy, and a JD/ MSW. Students who complete specialized coursework may earn a Certificate in Entertainment Law, Health Law & Policy, Sports & Entertainment Law, Sports Law, or Intellectual Property Law.

Centers and institutes

FPCenter for Intellectual Property Oct 2021

* Franklin Pierce Center for Intellectual Property * Sports and Entertainment Law Institute
Warren B. Rudman Center for Justice, Leadership, & Public Service

Hybrid JD Program

In 2019, UNH Franklin Pierce School of Law welcomed its first Hybrid JD class. Students in the Hybrid program earn their JD in three and a half years and complete their classes through a mix of in-person and remote instruction. Hybrid students come to the school for an intensive immersion program over the course of one weekend every month. The Hybrid program focuses on Intellectual Property ("IP"), Technology, and Information Law. Hybrid students are typically already full-time professionals in the IP, technology, or privacy spheres. The Hybrid JD program is ABA-approved and is the first Hybrid JD program with a focus in IP.

Daniel Webster Scholar Honors Program

In 2005, the

New Hampshire Supreme Court The New Hampshire Supreme Court is the supreme court of the U. S. state of New Hampshire and sole appellate court of the state. The Supreme Court is seated in the state capital, Concord. The Court is composed of a Chief Justice and four Associat ...

launched an alternative bar licensing process at the UNH School of Law. The Daniel Webster Scholar Honors Program, a collaboration of the Court, the law school, the New Hampshire Board of Bar Examiners, and the

New Hampshire Bar Association The New Hampshire Bar Association (NHBA) is the integrated (mandatory) bar association of the U.S. state of New Hampshire. History NHBA's lineage extends back to county bar chapters such as New Hampshire's Grafton County Bar Association which ...

, 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 20 students per class year. 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 The Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination (MPRE) is a 120-minute, 60-question, multiple-choice examination designed to measure the knowledge and understanding of established standards related to a lawyer's professional conduct. It i ...

(MPRE) and meet character and fitness requirements to be admitted to the New Hampshire bar, but are exempt from taking the state's bar examination. Daniel 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.

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 are 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 Tsinghua University (; abbr. THU) is a national public research university in Beijing, China. The university is funded by the Ministry of Education. The university is a member of the C9 League, Double First Class University Plan, Projec ...

Law School in

Beijing } Beijing ( ; ; ), Chinese postal romanization, alternatively romanized as Peking ( ), is the Capital city, capital of the China, People's Republic of China. It is the center of power and development of the country. Beijing is the world's Li ...

; the eLaw Summer Institute in collaboration with the

University College Cork University College Cork – National University of Ireland, Cork (UCC) ( ga, Coláiste na hOllscoile Corcaigh) is a constituent university of the National University of Ireland, and located in Cork. The university was founded in 1845 as one o ...

Faculty of Law in

Cork Cork or CORK may refer to: Materials * Cork (material), an impermeable buoyant plant product ** Cork (plug), a cylindrical or conical object used to seal a container ***Wine cork Places Ireland * Cork (city) ** Metropolitan Cork, also known as G ...

Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel, the Irish Sea, and St George's Channel. Ireland is the s ...

; 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.

Clinics

There are five

clinics A clinic (or outpatient clinic or ambulatory care clinic) is a health facility that is primarily focused on the care of outpatients. Clinics can be privately operated or publicly managed and funded. They typically cover the primary care need ...

where student attorneys, mentored by an experienced and licensed attorney, assist low-income people with their legal matters. The

allows second- and third-year law students to appear in court with a bar-licensed mentor. The clinical programs include work in Civil Practice, Criminal Practice, Immigration Law, Intellectual Property & Transaction, and International Technology Transfer.

Intellectual Property Summer Institute

The school also hosts the Intellectual Property Summer Institute (IPSI), where students and professionals from around the world gather to take IP courses and attend seminars from prominent IP practitioners and scholars. IPSI was first established in 1987, and was brought back in a completely virtual format in 2020.

Employment

According to the 2019 ABA Employment Summary Report, 96.7% of the Class of 2019 obtained employment within ten months after graduation. 80% of graduates from the Class of 2019 were employed in bar passage-required jobs. The school is ranked 1st in New England and 5th in the U.S. for jobs on the open market.

Cost

The tuition at the University of New Hampshire School of Law for the 2018–2019 academic year was $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; however, only 1.9% of students pay full price.

Students

For the class entering in 2021, UNH Franklin Pierce School of Law accepted 49.70% of applicants with 37.44% of those accepted enrolling, while the enrolled students had an average 158 LSAT score and 3.5 college GPA. Students from around the world attend UNH Franklin Pierce School of 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 Lunar New Year is the beginning of a calendar year whose months are Lunar phase, moon cycles, based on the lunar calendar or lunisolar calendar. The Lunar New Year as a celebration is observed by numerous cultures. It is also named "Chinese New ...

, the

India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area, the List of countries and dependencies by population, second-most populous ...

n "festival of lights" or

Diwali Diwali (), Dewali, Divali, or Deepavali ( IAST: ''dīpāvalī''), also known as the Festival of Lights, related to Jain Diwali, Bandi Chhor Divas, Tihar, Swanti, Sohrai, and Bandna, is a religious celebration in Indian religions. It is ...

, an Afro-Caribbean Night and a

Christmas Christmas is an annual festival commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25 as a religious and cultural celebration among billions of people around the world. A feast central to the Christian liturgical year ...

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 midterms are closely followed by the Buck Bowl, an intramural touch football (American), touch football tournament. The annual Barrister's Ball is organized by the Student Bar Association and takes place in the spring. 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.

Organizations

Students 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 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.

Publications

* ''University of New Hampshire Law Review'', formerly ''Pierce Law Review.'' * '' IDEA: The Law Review of the Franklin Pierce Center for Intellectual Property'', a student-run academic law journal and nationally acclaimed intellectual property law journal * ''Pierce Law Magazine'', an alumni magazine with a focus on the accomplishments of

alumni Alumni (singular: alumnus (masculine) or alumna (feminine)) are former students of a school, college, or university who have either attended or graduated in some fashion from the institution. The feminine plural alumnae is sometimes used for grou ...

* ''UNH Sports Law Review'', a student-run academic law journal focusing on

sports law "Unprintworthy" redirects are redirect pages on Wikipedia that aid online navigation, but would have little or no value as pointers to target articles in a hard-copy book. The name of a redirect may be unprintworthy for a number of reasons, incl ...

Notable faculty

* John T. Broderick Jr. (b. 1947), former Dean and President; former

Chief Justice * John D. Hutson (b. 1947), former Dean and President * Michael McCann (b. 1976), ''

Sportico Penske Media Corporation (PMC) () is an American digital media, publishing, and information services company based in Los Angeles and New York City. It publishes more than 20 digital and print brands, including ''Variety'', ''Rolling Stone'', '' ...

'' contributor, former ''

Sports Illustrated ''Sports Illustrated'' (''SI'') is an American sports magazine first published in August 1954. Founded by Stuart Scheftel, it was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the National Magazine Award for General Excellence tw ...

'' attorney and writer, and director of the UNH Sports and Entertainment Law Institute * Dana Remus, former property law professor and current White House counsel to the Biden Administration *

Mary W. S. Wong Mary Wong is the vice president for strategic community operations, planning & engagement at ICANN (the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers). Prior to taking up a full-time position with ICANN, she was the founding director of the ...

, founding director for the Center for Intellectual Property, subsequently an executive with ICANN

Notable alumni

* Carol Ann Conboy (b. 1947), New Hampshire Supreme Court justice *

Samuel Der-Yeghiayan Samuel Der-Yeghiayan (born February 16, 1952) is a former United States District Court Judge of the Northern District of Illinois. He was appointed in 2003. Der-Yeghiayan is noteworthy as being the first Armenian immigrant U.S. District Court Ju ...

(b. 1952),

United States federal judge In the United States, federal judges are judges who serve on courts established under Article Three of the U.S. Constitution. They include the chief justice and the associate justices of the U.S. Supreme Court, the circuit judges of the U.S ...

for the

Northern District of Illinois The United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois (in case citations, N.D. Ill.) is the federal trial-level court with jurisdiction over the northern counties of Illinois. Appeals from the Northern District of Illinois a ...

Donna Edwards Donna Fern Edwards (born June 28, 1958) is an American politician who served as the U.S. representative for from 2008 to 2017. The district included most of Prince George's County, as well as part of Anne Arundel County. She is a member of the ...

(b. 1958), former U.S. Representative (D– Maryland 4th District) *

Frank Guinta Frank Christopher Guinta (born September 26, 1970) is an American businessman and politician who represented New Hampshire's 1st congressional district in the United States House of Representatives from 2011 to 2013 and 2015 to 2017. A member of ...

(b. 1970), former mayor of

Manchester, New Hampshire Manchester is a city in Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, United States. It is the most populous city in New Hampshire. At the 2020 census, the city had a population of 115,644. Manchester is, along with Nashua, one of two seats of New Ha ...

, and former U.S. Representative (R– New Hampshire 1st District) (Master of Intellectual Property) *

Evelyn Handler Evelyn Erika Handler (née Sass; May 5, 1933 – December 23, 2011) served from 1980 to 1983 as the University of New Hampshire's fourteenth, and first female, President. Handler was the first woman in the country to be named president of a publi ...

(1933–2011), former president of the University of New Hampshire and

Brandeis University , mottoeng = "Truth even unto its innermost parts" , established = , type = Private research university , accreditation = NECHE , president = Ronald D. Liebowitz , p ...

* John Hart (b. 1965), author of '' The Last Child'' * Paul Jabour (b. 1956), Rhode Island state senator *

Roger Manno Roger P. Manno (born April 26, 1966) is an American politician. He was elected to the Maryland House of Delegates in 2006 to represent the 19th Legislative District, and in 2010 was elected to the Maryland State Senate. Background Roger P. Ma ...

(b. 1966), Maryland state senator * William J. Murphy (b. 1963), former Speaker of the House,

Rhode Island House of Representatives The Rhode Island House of Representatives is the lower house of the Rhode Island General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Rhode Island, the upper house being the Rhode Island Senate. It is composed of 75 members, elected ...

* Tim Ryan (b. 1973), U.S. Representative (D– Ohio 13th District) *

Matt Soper Matt Soper is a Republican, who represents Colorado House of Representatives District 54, which encompasses parts of Mesa and Delta counties on Colorado's Western Slope. Background Soper holds degrees from Colorado Mesa University, the Univer ...

(b. 1984), current member of the

Colorado House of Representatives The Colorado House of Representatives is the lower house of the Colorado General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Colorado. The House is composed of 65 members from an equal number of constituent districts, with each distr ...

and first Seventh-day Adventist to serve as member of the Colorado Legislature *

Donna Soucy Donna M. Soucy (born September 7, 1967) is an American attorney and Democratic member of the New Hampshire Senate, first elected in 2012 in the 18th district. She is previously served as the President of the New Hampshire Senate, from December 5 ...

(b. 1967), New Hampshire state senator File:Judge Der-Yeghiayan.jpg, U.S. District Court Judge The Honorable

File:Donna Edwards Official.jpg, Former U.S. Representative

Maryland Maryland ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It shares borders with Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware and the Atlantic Ocean t ...

File:Frank Guinta, Official Portrait, 112th Congress.jpg, Former U.S. Representative

File:Roger Manno (2007).jpg,

State senator A state senator is a member of a state's senate in the bicameral legislature of 49 U.S. states, or a member of the unicameral Nebraska Legislature. Description A state senator is a member of an upper house in the bicameral legislatures of ...

File:Rep. Tim Ryan Congressional Head Shot 2010.jpg, U.S. Representative Tim Ryan of

Ohio Ohio () is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. Of the List of states and territories of the United States, fifty U.S. states, it is the List of U.S. states and territories by area, 34th-l ...

File:Donna Soucy SNHU 2016 closeup.jpg, New Hampshire State Senator

References

External links

Official website
{{Coord, 43, 12, 26, N, 71, 32, 45, W, type:landmark, display = title Buildings and structures in Concord, New Hampshire Educational institutions established in 1973 1973 establishments in New Hampshire Law schools in New Hampshire Universities and colleges in Merrimack County, New Hampshire Education in Concord, New Hampshire University of New Hampshire