University of New Hampshire-Franklin Pierce School of Law

What is the history of University of New Hampshire-Franklin Pierce School of Law?

UNH Franklin Pierce School of Law is a graduate and professional law school in Concord, New Hampshire. It began in 1973 as the independent Franklin Pierce Law Center, with an early emphasis on intellectual property law. Its later affiliation with the University of New Hampshire changed its institutional identity while preserving that area of specialization.

The school became the University of New Hampshire School of Law in 2010 and adopted the name UNH Franklin Pierce School of Law in 2019. The current name reflects both its place within UNH and its history as Franklin Pierce Law Center. Applicants comparing older publications should recognize that these names refer to successive stages of the same law school, not three separate institutions.

What are the faculties and departments at University of New Hampshire-Franklin Pierce School of Law?

UNH Franklin Pierce School of Law is itself a professional school within the University of New Hampshire, rather than a collection of undergraduate faculties. Its central credential is the Juris Doctor, or JD, the degree typically pursued by people seeking to qualify for a U.S. bar examination. The school also offers graduate legal study, including programs focused on intellectual property and related areas.

Its academic work spans subjects such as intellectual property, technology, business, criminal law and legal practice. Students can encounter those fields through courses, clinics, externships and other experiential work, subject to program rules and availability. The school also has a distinctive Daniel Webster Scholar Honors Program: eligible participants complete an intensive practice-based pathway that can lead to New Hampshire bar admission without taking the traditional bar examination, provided they satisfy all applicable requirements. That pathway should not be assumed to replace licensing requirements in other states.

Applicants should compare the current academic catalog for the precise credential and course format they want. Requirements for an in-person JD, a hybrid JD and a specialized graduate law degree are not necessarily interchangeable.

What is the location of University of New Hampshire-Franklin Pierce School of Law?

The law school is at 2 White Street in Concord, New Hampshire, the state capital. It is a distinct location from UNH's main campus in Durham, so prospective students should not assume that a Durham-based class, facility or activity is immediately accessible from the law school.

Concord places students near state government, courts and legal employers - potentially useful surroundings for legal study and professional networking. The setting also makes commuting and off-campus housing practical considerations. Students weighing a Concord program against one based in Durham should check where required classes and activities actually meet, particularly if they plan to rely on public transportation rather than a car.

What is the mission and vision of University of New Hampshire-Franklin Pierce School of Law?

UNH Franklin Pierce School of Law presents its educational purpose around rigorous legal study, practical preparation and engagement with a changing legal profession. Its intellectual property focus is an identifiable part of that mission, but the school also teaches the broader subjects required for legal education and practice.

As a public university law school, it has no religious affiliation. A mission statement describes institutional priorities; it does not, by itself, establish how any individual student's courses, employment prospects or professional experience will turn out. Applicants can test the practical emphasis against the current catalog, clinic eligibility rules and published outcomes.