Excel in the Ethical Practice of Law

We educate lawyers to preserve the highest ideals of our profession and to promote equal justice and democratic discourse through leadership, service, and civic engagement. As a student at Duquesne Kline, you will receive a well-rounded legal education full of opportunities to practically apply your coursework—through our clinics, our appellate programs, and innovative offerings, like our Leadership Fellows Program and JD/ MBA program.


Your courses are taught by our acclaimed faculty who are committed to our students’ success. They work to ensure your legal education prepares you with the modern skills needed to excel in the practice of the law.

Prepare for Your Future

Providing a pathway to an honorable pursuit of law is at the core of who we are.

Admissions

Be the first to know about everything related to the Duquesne Kline School of Law – from insightful information about our programs and the application process to updates on upcoming admissions events.

Outstanding Academic Experience

We are dedicated to excellence. Your experience here will give you the knowledge, analytical skills, ethical strength, and leadership mindset to succeed.

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Empowered

Ranked #89 by U.S. News and World Report, the Duquesne Kline School of Law has earned its strong reputation by what we provide inside and out of the classroom. Students graduate empowered by community-focused and collaborative learning and a drive for excellence across all aspects of the law.

Law alumni at an event dinner

Prepared

Over 8,500 Kline School of Law Alumni are currently practicing law across multiple areas of the profession. They make an impact around our nation and the world. They are ready to help you blaze your professional path with advice, internships, and experience.

Group of law students engaged with presenter who is not in photo.

Engaged

Leadership, service, and civic engagement can be discussed in the classroom, but they are developed through practice, via active participation in group settings, and by working with and for the larger community.

Why Study at Duquesne Kline School of Law?

 
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Degree Programs and Innovative Options

Becoming a lawyer opens career possibilities. From government to business to private practice, there are many different career routes for you to choose with a law degree. Our diverse and innovative programs are designed to turn your goals into reality

Degree Programs
Ryan Williams teaching
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Acclaimed Faculty

You will learn with acclaimed faculty who are passionate about their profession and the difference it can make. Duquesne Kline Law faculty offer you a combination of legal experience, knowledge of emerging technology in the field, and commitment to excellence that gives you a legal education to prepare you for whatever is next.

Meet our Faculty
law professors

Impressive Bar Passage Rate

Thomas R. Kline School of Law of Duquesne University is ranked 6th in the nation as "Top Law School for Bar Passage". Successful bar passage doesn't just happen. It starts with academic rigor, individual attention, acclaimed professors, and a carefully conceived program of special bar preparation options.

Bar Studies
Dean Barton speaking at podium

Purposeful, Professional, Ethical

There is one factor that distinguishes our law school, and that, quite simply, is the fact that we are part of Duquesne University, a Catholic institution dedicated to moral, ethical and spiritual values. In an era when ethical concerns are among the most important questions facing the legal profession, the Duquesne Kline School of Law reflects the University's unique and historical emphasis on justice and service to others. Those values are outlined in our Learning Outcomes and Performance Criteria.

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Our breathtaking new façade, front entranceway, and third-floor archival collection room was made possible by the generosity of Thomas R. Kline, L’ 78.

Duquesne - Pittsburgh Connection

I think the Tribone Center reinforces the idea that Duquesne Kline not only gives you the conceptual foundation for your profession, but also the practical side. That was a big driver in getting the clinic.

Tom Tribone, L'85CEO of Franklin Park Infrastructure, Inc.

22,304hours of legal service through clinical education programs

My educational experience at Duquesne Kline Law has instilled in me the value in aiming for excellence in my advocacy, both written and oral. This has benefited me through my training and continued development.

Brazitte Poole, L’19Labor and Employment Attorney at UPMC in Pittsburgh

15years of program excellence in Trial Advocacy

By giving students from all backgrounds the crucial support and resources they need to succeed in law school, and by striving to instill within them the values of service, leadership, and civic engagement, we will not only diversify and strengthen our profession, but we also will make strides toward a more just, inclusive, and prosperous city and society.

Professor Megan E.K. MontcalmDirector of Academic Excellence and Assistant Professor of Legal Skills

I came to Pittsburgh for my American dream. I couldn’t be happier with my experience at Duquesne Kline. Not being from the area, it was really important to be connected to someone in the Pittsburgh legal community, to know what is going on, and good paths to take.

David McPeak, L'23Associate Attorney, Flaherty & O'Hara

8,500+graduates who practice in every field of law

Outcomes Matter

93.8% of 2022 Duquesne Kline graduates are employed or pursuing a graduate degree*

*Class of 2022 Statistics as reported to the ABA 10 months after graduation. This includes three graduates whose start date was deferred beyond March 15, 2023, and one graduate who is enrolled in full-time studies.

2023 Princeton Review Rates Duquesne Kline Among Best Law Schools

Duquesne Kline ranked #27 for Career Rating, #26 for Quality of Professors Teaching, and #63 Overall out of 168 law schools, according to an analysis of the Princeton Review’s 2023 Law School ratings.

Long tradition of evening division

Duquesne Kline Law has long history of making a legal education accessible, and our part-time program is among the best in the nation. We offer several ways for individuals to pursue a valuable law degree.

Judge D. Brooks Smith to speak at Duquesne Kline School of Law Spring Commencement Ceremony

The Honorable Judge D. Brooks Smith will serve as commencement speaker at the Thomas R. Kline School of Law of Duquesne University’s 2024 Commencement Ceremony on Saturday, May 18, 2024. He is a Senior Judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. He has served there since 2002 and previously served as Chief Judge of that court from October 2016 to December 2021.

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Law Alumni Invited to Judge 20241-L Appellate Oral Arguments

The Legal Research and Writing Program invites law alumni to serve as judges for the first-year students’ appellate oral arguments on Thursday evening, April 4; Friday evening, April 5; Saturday morning and afternoon, April 6; and Thursday evening, April 11.

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Rising to the Challenge

When Sam Baycer, rising 3L, was presented with information about the Data for Difference Making Challenge, hosted by Duquesne University Palumbo School of Business, he was immediately interested. The competition was open to graduate students and Baycer, who is a JD and MBA candidate, thought it would be a practical application of his studies for both of his degrees.

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FedEx Forum

The Career Services Office is pleased to co-sponsor this event with the Women's Law Association...

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  • Thomas R. Kline School of Law of Duquesne University
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Table Talk Tuesdays - Computershare

Computershare is a global leader in transfer agency, employee equity plans, mortgage servicing,...

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  • Thomas R. Kline School of Law of Duquesne University
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Careers in Energy Law Panel

The Career Services Office is pleased to co-sponsor this program with the Energy &...

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  • Thomas R. Kline School of Law of Duquesne University
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Law Student Testimonials

Jamilah Wesley, 3L, headshot

"I wanted to go to school somewhere that felt genuinely supportive and student focused. Duquesne Kline has many great opportunities and programs but still feels close knit and very personal."

Jamilah Wesley, 3L
Duquesne Kline Mission
Megan Penn, 2L, headshot

"I chose Duquesne Kline because of the amazing scholarship opportunities. Additionally, the high bar passage rate was important to my decision because I want to be successful inside and outside of law school."

Megan Penn, 2L
Bar Studies
Kayla Ford-Weisser, L'23, headshot

"Duquesne Kline offered me the opportunity to work full time and step into the legal field while pursuing my dreams of becoming a lawyer. I know that no matter what lies ahead, the evening program has prepared me for bar prep and my future career."

Kayla Ford-Weisser, L'23
Program Options
Fallon Howard, L'23

"It was really important for me to go to a law school where I felt like I belonged and am supported, and I feel that here at Duquesne Kline."

Fallon Howard, L'23
Community Well Being
Flora Dellishad

“Duquesne Kline School of Law’s Clinical Legal Education program merged my academic training with real-world legal experiences. Pro bono programs, externships, and community service prepared me for a smooth transition from law school to law practice."

Flora Dellishad, L'23
Tribone Center for Clinical Legal Education
Corey Stanford, L'21

"I chose Duquesne Kline School of Law because I was attracted to Duquesne’s strong alumni network and its commitment to making practice-ready lawyers in Pittsburgh."

Corey Stanford, L'21
Alumni network

Consumer Information

As part of the accreditation process for all law schools in the United States, the American Bar Association requires that schools publicly disclose certain consumer information on their websites. This report appears in the ABA-LSAC Official Guide to ABA-Approved Law Schools. Duquesne Kline School of Law is accredited by the American Bar Association (ABA) and is a member of the Association of American Law Schools (AALS).

The American Bar Association law school data for the Thomas R. Kline School of Law of Duquesne University is available for download.

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