Legal Commentary

Can you name this law school?

Founded in 1834, it is the oldest law school in its state, and one of the oldest in the nation. Originally a private school, in 2000, it merged with a flagship public university. A bitter battle followed over whether the school should remain in its original locale or relocate to its new university's main campus.

In the end, both sides won. The law school retained its old home while building new facilities 80 miles away at the university's main campus. The bifurcated structure is, according the the school, "two completely unified, interconnected campuses".* The two-campus structure does, however, have its skeptics and critics.

First-year students select one campus, and all required courses are available there. In the 2L and 3L years, students can switch campuses to take advantage of unique programs or classes available only at the other campus. Upper-level students can also take classes from the remote location through a "highly sophisticated, suitable and advanced audiovisual telecommunications system."**

If you need a another hint, highlight this paragraph to see the hidden white text: Included among this law school's alumni is the first secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

So, what law school is this?

The answer:

The Penn State Dickinson School of Law

The school's original home is in Carlisle, Pa., next to Dickinson College, a liberal-arts institution with which it was once affiliated.

The new location is in University Park, Pa., on the main Penn State campus. The new University Park building, under construction, looks something like a Rubik's Snake. It's quite an impressive structure. If you want to see it, you can watch this 3-D animation video. (WARNING: Contains extremely inspiring music.)

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Notes:

* See http://www.dsl.psu.edu/forms/admit2.pdf.

** See http://www.dsl.psu.edu/admissions/campus.cfm.