Why Doesn`t Princeton Have a Law School

After all, Princeton`s Law is by no means dead; The university has a long history of producing outstanding jurists. James Madison, the university`s first doctoral student, is considered the principal author of the Constitution, and Woodrow Wilson was a notable constitutionalist before he was elected president of the United States. Twelve Supreme Court justices visited Princeton, three of whom sit on the current court. Yet skeptics have questioned the university`s ability to contribute to the legal field. A 1925 memorandum states: The combination of the university`s elite reputation and numerous cultural references to Princeton Law makes public opinion quite ignorant of the non-existence of the law school. Princeton students, on the other hand, know that their university does not have a law school. However, many students would be surprised to learn that Princeton once had a law school, albeit very recently and a very long time ago. Princeton has shown time and time again that it can do it. Without having the pet peeve of the bar hanging over their heads, students can engage in creative legal research. Many influential constitutional commentators have been drawn to the university because they have this pool of student volunteers. Above all, Edward S. Corwin, who was hired by Woodrow Wilson in 1905, was and is a giant in the field of law. Corwin published more than twenty books on constitutional law, became president of the American Political Science Association, and was affectionately known as “the General” because of his military temperament and very harsh but extremely valuable teaching.

But this does not apply to law firms. A local company – Small & Great – will only be known to the few people who have kept it. If a company conducts a national or international investigation, Small & Great will not do very well. It`s a great law firm, but few people have personal experience with it, and few know enough about the firm to name it in response to questions. Oh, it`s great that it focuses mainly on the single experience. I wish more schools would do that. Princeton professors produce numerous writings on legal issues and offer bachelor`s degree versions of law courses. There are many extracurricular programs and activities aimed at undergraduate (and graduate) students who wish to earn a law degree later. Most importantly, Princeton offers an excellent liberal arts education and produces graduates with the ability to succeed in the legal field. The creation of a law school would divert attention from the university`s recognized emphasis on basic education by diverting faculty and resources to law students. So, yes, Princeton doesn`t have a law school, but we`re doing well without it. Princeton Law School graduates will do well in the workforce.

It doesn`t matter if they have a very good education. (This is actually a pretty serious criticism of legal education. You`ll likely get essentially the same education in many schools. It doesn`t matter if the person giving lectures in front of you (or questioning you Socratically) is known to have written many brilliant articles on legal overviews; The articles in the Law Review do not necessarily reflect the quality of teaching. And ultimately, what you learn in law school has little to do with what you`ll do as a practicing lawyer.) After these unsuccessful attempts, the college eventually established a law school in 1846. The school had three distinguished professors, James S. Green, an American lawyer; Richard Stockton Field `1821, Attorney General of New Jersey; and Joseph C. Hornblower, retired Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of New Jersey. Field built the law school building at his own expense on family land and named it Ivy Hall.

The building, now maintained by Trinity Episcopal Church, still stands in Princeton at its original location on Mercer Street, overlooking Alexander Road. In 1871, the trustees ordered the business committee to consider reviving the law school, but the matter did not receive serious attention. In 1890, Francis Landey Patton remarked at an alumni meeting: “We have Princeton philosophy, Princeton theology, but we must go to Harvard and Columbia to have our right. Gentlemen, it is a disgrace. As soon as I find a man with half a million, I will start law school. Nothing came from that explanation either, probably because a man with half a million never showed up. Patton`s successor, Woodrow Wilson (who was elevated to the position of president of his law professorship), also wanted to establish a law school, but was too busy fighting professors, administrators, and alumni over graduate school and the residential college project to focus on creating a new school. Size does not affect the reputation of law schools. The best colleges or colleges are basically known to the world (or at least to the universe of people likely to be interviewed in surveys), so size doesn`t matter too much. Everyone has heard of Yale, so Yale Law School ranks well, even though the class size is small. The professors designed the program, which was to be completed in three years, although it could be completed in two years. On the recommendation of the Faculty of Law, the college awarded a Bachelor of Laws to students who had completed the program.

Seven law students graduated before teaching at the law school was interrupted in 1852 due to lack of funds. The school was officially closed in 1855. Since Princeton is a large university, many people and even lawyers will be surprised to learn that there is no law school. In fact, James Madison, the father of the Constitution, was a graduate of Princeton University and a lawyer; However, Madison attended Princeton before the university`s short-lived attempt to study law, at a time when law schools were scarce in North America and most lawyers earned their qualifications through apprenticeship. The Woodrow Wilson School has formal joint study agreements with the law schools of Columbia University, New York University, and Stanford University. In addition, students organized joint degrees with law schools from the University of California, Berkeley (Boalt Hall), Chicago, Cornell, Duke, Georgetown, Michigan, North Carolina, Northwest, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Yale University. Some students also complete parallel studies in five years with Harvard Law School. Beginning in 2008-2009, the Woodrow Wilson School will expand the degree to provide the MPP with qualified physicians, graduate students and lawyers. Outstanding professionals in the fields of medicine, science and law have the opportunity to develop and refine their policy skills in order to provide crucial expertise on specialized public policy issues.

They loved the middle of the 19th century, but it died out somehow. During the 1900s, there were plans to restore it, and I think Woodrow Wilson even tried to make a big effort for that. In the 1970s, there was even talk of Princeton potentially acquiring NYU Law when NYU was under financial pressure.

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