UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa (WTAJ) – In 2006, the Dickinson School of Law University Park campus opened, and the two campuses operated as a single, united, two-campus law school until their separation. Separated they became the Penn State Dickinson Law and Penn State Law.

However, these two schools may once again reunite.

President Neeli Bendapudi has recommended that the two law schools reunite to become a single school under the name Penn State Dickinson Law. The primary location would be in Carlise and it would be led by Danielle M. Conway, who is currently the dean of Penn State Dickinson Law.

With the recommendation of reuniting the two schools, Penn State has canceled the dean search for Penn State Law.

According to their website, they believe that reuniting the two schools allows the University to advance legal education at Penn State and offer law students a more robust law school experience.

They also noted that the two schools are centrally funded and reuniting would allow for significant savings.

To launch the recommended process to reunite, Bendapudi will convene and charge a panel to study and then recommend options consistent with the objectives of the unification. The panel also will seek input from the University Faculty Senate and the recommendation regarding the structure of the united law school will go before the Board of Trustees. 

According to their press release, faculty, alumni and students of both schools will have representation in this panel.

“Both Penn State Dickinson Law and Penn State Law have been successful in delivering their outstanding programs of legal education since their separate accreditation; however, it’s clear that bringing Penn State’s two law schools back together as one is the best way to serve law students and, I believe, the right path forward for legal education, including teaching, scholarship, service and community, at Penn State,” Bendapudi said. “I want our law students to know that we are fully committed to you. As we evolve, you will continue to receive an outstanding, fully accredited legal education, as well as professional development opportunities, at your current campus, through graduation. For our faculty and staff, we recognize your tremendous talent and dedication to this University, and we will work closely with you throughout this process.”   

No changes in the current faculty and staff at Penn State Dickinson Law or Penn State Law would be made by the University administration until the panel makes its final recommendations at the end of the spring semester and after all final approvals have been attained.  

The Dickinson School of Law is one of Pennsylvania’s oldest law schools and was founded in 1834. In 1997, the school merged with Penn State. In 2006, the Dickinson School of Law University Park campus opened, and for some time the school acted as a single, two-campus law school.

The schools separated in 2014 and began to accept their first distinctly separate J.D. classes in the fall of 2015.