CHARLES WIDGER
SCHOOL OF LAW
WHY VILLANOVA LAW?
At Villanova Law, our broad-based legal education is grounded in academic rigor; practical, hands-on training; and a foundation in business that primes graduates for diverse and rewarding legal careers. Wherever your interests may lie—international law, corporate law, intellectual property law or public interest law—you will find programs that will prepare you for the future.
Guided by our Where Law Meets Business philosophy, our programming infuses vital business principles, professional skills, ethical training and practical experiences into each student’s education. Through innovative coursework, numerous clinics and hundreds of externship placements, Villanova students learn by doing—and graduate with the knowledge and skills needed for success in today’s competitive job market.
PROGRAMS
JURIS DOCTOR (JD)
JOINT DEGREES
GRADUATE TAX
CLINICS & EXTERNSHIPS
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
PUBLIC INTEREST
THE VILLANOVA LAW DIFFERENCE
NEWS & EVENTS
Alumni Gift Establishes New Endowed Chair in Leadership
Mark C. Alexander, The Arthur J. Kania Dean of the Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law, recently announced the establishment of the Michael Heller and Vincent McGuinness Endowed Chair in Leadership. The new chair is made possible by a gift from alumni Michael Heller ’89, Vince McGuinness ’81 and their law firm, Cozen O'Connor.
Villanova Law Clinic Helps Secure Compassionate Release
Caritas Clemency Clinic students Katie Kovalsky ’24 and Brooke Tyler ’24 recently represented a client in federal court who suffered sexual violence at the hands of prison personnel while incarcerated. After dedicating hours of pro bono work towards the case, they successfully helped their client secure a compassionate release motion and be released from prison.
Tax Industry Expert Reflects Upon Her Villanova Education
After nearly 30 years in the tax industry, Lisa Shearman ’94 LLM still finds herself relying on skills from her Master of Laws in Taxation (LLM) at Villanova. The tax industry expert reflects on the importance of her Villanova education and how it's applied to her career success.
Summer Externships Provide Hands-On Legal Training
Every summer, Villanova Law students participate in law-based externship positions. Externships offer law students the crucial opportunity to further their legal education with hands-on experiences in professional settings throughout the United States and even abroad. Four Villanova Law students discussed their summer externship experiences.
AT A GLANCE
12
MILES OUTSIDE
PHILADELPHIA
330+
EXTERNSHIPS IN NONPROFIT,
CORPORATE & GOVERNMENT
7
in-house
legal clinics
181
STUDENTS ENTERING
THE CLASS OF 2025
40+
SBA-SUPPORTED
STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS
12,000
ALUMNI
WORLDWIDE
