Spring 2025 – Week Two

All May 2025 Graduates – The Graduation Application is Now Open!

The Graduation Application is now open for the May 2025 graduating class.

Students who plan to graduate in May 2025 must apply to graduate through the University TUPortal/Self Service Banner system. This application must be completed by Friday, March 7, 2025 for all law May 2025 graduates. Students enrolled in dual degree programs will have to submit a separate graduation application for each degree. The graduation application is an easy and fast application to complete, but failing to complete it by the deadline can cause a delay in receiving your diploma.

Please follow the instructions below to apply for graduation.

• Sign in to TUPortal.
• Click on the Student Tools tab at the top of the page.
• Go to the Records section which is located on the right side of the page.
• Select Apply to Graduate.
• Confirm that the program listed is correct (should be: Current Program – Juris Doctor)
• Select a Graduation term  – Spring 2025 should be the only option.
• Review and submit.

You should receive a confirmation email within 24 hours of submitting your application. The email will include information on how your name will appear on the diploma. If you would like to make changes to your legal name, you can follow the instructions outlined in the email or submit the Personal Information Update Form directly to the Law School Office of Academic Records.

If you have questions, please do not hesitate to contact Laura Frisby-Selby at lfrisby@temple.edu or Senior Director Walden at walden@temple.edu

Women’s Law Caucus Now Accepting Members for Outline Bank – Sign up by April 1st

The Women’s Law Caucus is once again accepting members to the outline bank for the semester. To secure your lifetime membership to the Women’s Law Caucus, please complete this form and VENMO your payment of $30.00 to @osowon with your Temple Email in the subject. The cutoff to buy into the outline bank is 12:00pm April 1st, 2025.

If you have any questions about WLC membership, how to make cash payment, or anything else related to WLC, please email LawWLC@temple.edu.

*Please note that by becoming a WLC member, you are agreeing to NOT share outlines with nonmembers*

Volunteer Law Students and Attorneys Needed for Life Planning Clinic on Friday, January 24th

Looking for a low-commitment and rewarding way to give back to the community? Volunteer once again with the Probate and Trust Law Section’s Diversity Committee as we join SeniorLAW Center to co-host an in-person pro bono Life Planning Clinic! The clinic will be held on Friday, January 24th from 9 am to 1 pm at Ballard Spahr, 1735 Market Street, 51^st Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19103. Members of the Probate and Trust Law Section are encouraged to donate their specialized skills to help low-income Philadelphians avoid guardianships and tangled title, preserve generational wealth, and ensure their wishes are respected.

At the Clinic, volunteer attorneys will draft simple life planning documents for elderly low-income Philadelphia clients, including simple wills, health care powers of attorney, financial powers of attorney and living wills. Document templates will be provided, and virtual training will be provided prior to the day of the event. Volunteer attorneys will meet with clients to draft their documents.  Local law students are also invited to join the attorneys as volunteers to coordinate the drafting of documents in real time at the meeting!  There is no additional commitment beyond spending the morning drafting the documents with SeniorLAW Center’s clients.

If you are interested in volunteering for this Clinic, please email Chloe Mullen-Wilson at CMullen-Wilson@TimoneyKnox.com by Tuesday, January 21st.  We hope you will consider joining us for this opportunity to assist the community. There is high demand for these clinics – your efforts will be greatly appreciated by clients who would otherwise not have access to this important service.

Mock Jurors Needed for Temple Trial Ad – 1L Student Invited!

Several times over the course of the year, the master’s program at Temple Law School hosts “performance weekends” where the students’ advocacy is critiqued by veteran litigators and judges. The next of these performance weekends will take place on Friday and Sunday, February 14 & 16, 2025. The master’s students will focus on trying cases before jury panels. We are now in need of jurors, and we cordially invite you to participate in this jury trial exercise. Jury focus groups will take place on Friday, February 14, and full jury trials on Sunday, February 16.

Why Attend as a 1L?

If you’re interested in trial advocacy or litigation, this is an excellent opportunity to see practicing lawyers in action as they hone their advocacy skills. It’s also a great chance to network with experienced attorneys and judges.

As a 1L, you can also get a firsthand look at what advocacy education looks like at Temple Law, which is ranked #1 in the country for trial advocacy. If you’re considering registering for Temple’s Integrated Trial Advocacy Program (ITAP) in your second year, this is the perfect way to learn more about it.

When and Where…

Friday, February 14, 2025, 3:00-6:00 PM
Temple Law School, 1719 N. Broad Street (directly across from the Liacouras Center)

Sunday, February 16, 2025, 8:30 AM-5:30 PM
The Stout Center for Criminal Justice, 1301 Filbert Street, Center City Philadelphia

Will there be food?

YES! Pizza will be provided on Friday. Gift cards for you to buy your own lunch will be provided on Sunday.

The Numbers…

• Friday, February 14: We need approximately 30-35 students from 3:00-6:00 PM.
• Sunday, February 16: We need up to 100 student jurors for a full-day commitment (8:30 AM-5:00 PM, though trials may finish earlier).

What do you need to do to prepare?

• Friday: Nothing!
• Sunday: You’ll receive a juror questionnaire to fill out beforehand.

Questions? Email Professor Marian Braccia at tud23980@temple.edu.

To sign up, please complete the form found here: https://forms.office.com/r/8FtLPTYztL

Judges Needed – UPenn Undergrade Mock Trial Team

The University of Pennsylvania Undergraduate Mock Trial Team is hosting our annual high school Mock Trial Tournament on the weekend of January 18th–19th on the campus of the University of Pennsylvania. The tournament is attended by hundreds of high schoolers from across the state of Pennsylvania, and we’re looking for judges to help educate the next generation of young lawyers.

There will be four rounds in total.  We expect each round will be about a three to four-hour time commitment, including the judge’s meeting and full trial. If you are available to judge for any of our four rounds, please fill out the following form at your earliest convenience. 

The round times are as follows:

Round 1: Saturday, January 18th from 10:00am to 2:00pm
Round 2: Saturday, January 18th from 3:00pm to 7:00pm
Round 3: Sunday, January 19th from 10:00am to 2:00pm
Round 4: Sunday, January 19th from 3:00pm to 7:00pm

If you have any questions, please reach out to Nishanth Bhargava at pennmocktrial.judging@gmail.com or over text at 732-742-8078.

WRITING COMPETITIONS, CONTESTS, SCHOLARSHIPS AND TOURNAMENTS

Scholarship Opportunities: New opportunity; next deadline March 1st

Information on available scholarships, writing competitions, contests, and tournaments is posted here: Student Post Scholarship Page. The scholarship opportunities currently available include:

• NRA Civil Rights Defense Fund Law School Writing Contest – Deadline March 1st
• 2025 Sovereignty Symposium Law Student Writing Competition – Deadline March 24th
• Public Investors Advocate Bar Association James E. Beckley Writing Competition – Deadline March 28th
• Pennsylvania for Modern Courts 2025 Law Student Writing Competition – Deadline March 31st– NEW
• Meltzer Fellowships through the Sheller Center for Social Justice

AccessLex Scholarship Databank

Students seeking additional financial support during law school can also access the AccessLex Scholarship Databank.

Temple University’s Department of Public Safety has a one-stop personal safety app that is available on your mobile device. Please visit the university’s Public Safety website for the new application.

Bike Temple: Register your Bicycle; Free U-locks

Students can register bicycles online using Campus Safety’s Bike Registration Form. Just complete and submit the online form, and then visit one of the Campus Safety locations.

Temple Campus Walking Escort Program

To request an escort, call: 8-WALK (8-9255) from a campus phone, or call: 215-777-9255 from a cell phone. Escort service is available daily from 4 p.m. – 6:00 a.m. 

Temple Flight Program

Flight is Temple University’s nighttime fixed-route shuttle loop service. Flight-branded shuttles circulate throughout the areas within and surrounding the main campus patrol zone, and pick up and drop off students at each of its over 40 stops. Flight shuttles can be tracked in real time.

BAR EXAM & MPRE