DePaul University College of Law

What DePaul University College of Law does

DePaul University College of Law is a private, non-profit ABA-accredited law school operating within DePaul University, a Roman Catholic institution founded in 1898. The college has held ABA accreditation since 1925 and AALS membership since 1924, and occupies a Chicago Loop campus at 25 E. Jackson Blvd. Its core product is a three-year full-time Juris Doctor (JD) program enrolling ~150 first-year students selected from approximately 2,700 annual applicants, supplemented by a part-time evening JD (now closed to new entrants as of Fall 2026), four specialized Master of Laws (LLM) tracks, and a Master of Legal Studies (MLS) offered both in-person and online.

The college delivers its curriculum through a mix of doctrinal coursework, nine certificate concentrations, 12+ joint-degree pathways with other DePaul colleges, and a network of 50+ externship and clinical placement sites including the American Medical Association Office of General Counsel, Cook County State's Attorney, and major Chicago AmLaw firms. Notable proprietary programs include the Preparing to Practice first-year professional development sequence, an Experiential Learning Network of legal clinics, and a Bar Passage Program with individualized counseling. Its Technology & Data Protection Initiative, run jointly with DePaul's College of Computing and Digital Media, lets law students earn JD credit for technical coursework in security, programming, and disaster recovery.

Revenue is generated primarily through tuition: full-time JD tuition of $56,436 per academic year (2026-2027), with LLM at $1,844 per credit hour and MLS at $1,322 per credit hour. The college also sells Illinois MCLE-accredited CLE courses to practicing attorneys and facilitates federal student aid via FAFSA. Distribution is centralized through an Office of Law Admissions handling prospective JD, LLM, and MLS inquiries, supplemented by employer recruiting relationships coordinated by the Office of Professional & Career Development that connect students with Chicago legal employers. As a non-profit subsidiary, the school's financials roll into DePaul University and are not separately disclosed.

Name

DePaul University College of Law

Legal name

DePaul University College of Law

Website

https://law.depaul.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1898

Operating status

Operating

Short description

DePaul University College of Law is a private, ABA-accredited law school in Chicago offering JD, LLM, and MLS programs, with 16,250+ alumni and 50+ clinical and externship placement sites serving the Illinois legal market.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Legal Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

ABA-Accredited JD-Granting Law Schools (EDAHAIAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

LLM & Post-JD Graduate Law Programs (EDAHAIAC), Specialty Law Schools (e.g., Tax, IP, International, Trial Advocacy) (EDAHAIAF), Online / Hybrid Law Schools & Programs (EDAHAIAE), Law School Continuing Legal Education (CLE) & Executive Programs (EDAHAIAH)

Keywords

• Legal education programs
• Juris doctor degrees
• LLM specialization programs
• Master of Legal Studies
• Experiential legal learning

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. JD Tuition and Fees: Tuition revenue from full-time JD program ($56,436 per year package rate for 2026-2027), part-time evening JD program ($35,964 package rate), plus mandatory fees including comprehensive fee ($150/semester), VENTRA U-Pass ($171/semester), and optional student health insurance ($1,245/semester).
2. LLM Tuition: Tuition revenue from four LLM programs (Health Law, IP Law & Information Technology, International Law, U.S. Legal Studies) at $1,844 per credit hour, totaling approximately $44,256 for the 24-credit program.
3. MLS Tuition: Tuition revenue from Master of Legal Studies program at $1,322 per credit hour, totaling approximately $39,660 for the 30-credit program, with both in-person and online delivery options.
4. Federal Student Loans: Financial aid office facilitates federal student loans through the FAFSA (DePaul University code 001671) and institutional financial aid for students, supporting tuition payment flow.
5. CLE Course Fees: Continuing Legal Education (CLE) courses offered to practicing attorneys for credit, with the college serving as an accredited Illinois MCLE provider offering general and professional responsibility CLE courses.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

DePaul University College of Law delivers ABA-accredited graduate legal education through its Juris Doctor (JD) program (three-year full-time day and four-year part-time evening), four specialized Master of Laws (LLM) tracks, and the Master of Legal Studies (MLS) program offered in-person and online. Instruction is paired with an Experiential Learning Network of eight legal clinics (Asylum/Immigration, Business Law, Civil Litigation, Criminal Appeals, Family Law, Health Law, International Human Rights, Technology/IP), 50+ externship placement sites, moot court, and trial advocacy, plus academic support through the Bar Passage Program, Academic Success Program, Rinn Law Library, and the Office of Professional & Career Development.

Product overview

DePaul University College of Law offers a comprehensive legal education portfolio centered on three degree programs: the Juris Doctor (JD) for aspiring attorneys (full-time day and part-time evening options), the Master of Laws (LLM) for advanced specialization in Health Law, IP Law, International Law, or U.S. Legal Studies, and the Master of Legal Studies (MLS) for non-lawyers. These core programs are supplemented by nine JD certificate programs, multiple joint degree options (JD/LLM, JD/MBA, JD/MS, JD/MPA, JD/MPP, etc.), and experiential learning through legal clinics, externships, and moot court. Academic support services include the Bar Passage Program, Academic Success Program, Rinn Law Library, and Career & Professional Development. The institution emphasizes experiential learning, social justice, and connections to Chicago's legal community, with specialized institutes and centers in Health Law, IP Law, Public Interest Law, Family Law, and International Human Rights.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Juris Doctor (JD) Program Comprehensive three-year full-time or four-year part-time legal education program preparing students for bar examination and the practice of law, with seven areas of concentration: Business Law, Criminal Law, Family Law, Health Law, Intellectual Property & Technology Law, International Law, and Public Interest Law & Public Service.
• Master of Laws (LLM) Programs Advanced legal specialization programs at $1,844 per credit hour (24 credits, ~$44,256 total) for foreign-trained lawyers and domestic lawyers seeking specialized study in Health Law, Intellectual Property Law & Information Technology, International Law, or U.S. Legal Studies (the last providing bar eligibility in select U.S. jurisdictions).
• Master of Legal Studies (MLS) Program Legal education program at $1,322 per credit hour (30 credits, ~$39,660 total) for non-lawyers seeking legal fluency without attorney licensure. In-person concentrations include Criminal Law, Health Care Compliance, Health Law, International & Comparative Law, and Public Interest Law; online concentrations include Business Law, Data Privacy & Cybersecurity Law, and General Legal Studies.
• JD Certificate Programs Nine specialized certificate programs complementing the JD: Business Law, Criminal Law, Family Law, Health Law, Health Care Compliance (CCB-accredited), Information Technology Cybersecurity & Data Privacy, Intellectual Property Law, International & Comparative Law, and Public Interest Law.
• Joint Degree Programs Combined degree programs allowing students to earn a JD alongside an MBA, LLM, MA in International Studies, MS in Computer Science, MS in Cybersecurity, MS in Information Systems, MS in International Public Service, MS in Public Service Management, MNM in Nonprofit Management, MPA in Public Administration, MPP in Public Policy, or a Master in International & European Business Law.
• Experiential Learning Network Hands-on learning opportunities comprising legal clinics (Asylum & Immigration, Business Law, Civil Litigation, Criminal Appeals, Family Law, Health Law, International Human Rights, Technology/Intellectual Property), the Externship Program, Moot Court, Trial Advocacy, and Professional Skills Courses that can be enrolled as part of the JD experience.
• Study Abroad Programs International study opportunities in Madrid, Heredia (Costa Rica), Buenos Aires, and Havana, exploring human rights, international transactions, and comparative law.
• Continuing Legal Education (CLE) Courses Illinois MCLE-accredited CLE courses for practicing attorneys offering general and professional responsibility continuing education credit.

Quantifiable outcome

• 643 alumni named 2026 Illinois Super Lawyers with 16 in Top 100 (tied for second-highest among Illinois law schools)
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• American Medical AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLongstanding externship partnership with the AMA's Office of General Counsel at their downtown Chicago headquarters. DePaul externs work alongside health and corporate law attorneys on legal memoranda, litigation support materials, and advocacy projects. This partnership provides students rare exposure to one of the most influential medical associations in the country while building writing, analysis, and professional skills.
• Jarvis College of Computing and Digital Media (CDM)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership between DePaul Law's Center for Intellectual Property Law & Information Technology (CIPLIT) and the College of Computing and Digital Media enabling law students (even those without technical backgrounds) to take select CDM courses for JD credit. Courses include Disaster Recovery Theory Strategies, Information Security Management, Introduction to Programming, and Legal Responsibilities in IT, preparing students to navigate technology law challenges.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• University of Chicago Law School: Top-5 nationally ranked Chicago ABA law school. Direct local competitor for top-tier applicants and BigLaw employer recruiting, with overlapping JD/LLM curriculum.
• Northwestern Pritzker School of Law: Top-10 nationally ranked Chicago ABA law school with overlapping JD/LLM offerings. Competes for the same applicant pool and AmLaw firm employer relationships in the Chicago market.

Direct peers

• Loyola University Chicago School of Law: Chicago-based ABA-accredited law school with overlapping applicant pool, JD/LLM programs, and Chicago Loop-area employer recruiting relationships. Comparable urban Midwest Catholic-affiliated law school.
• Marquette University Law School: Jesuit-affiliated Midwestern ABA law school in Milwaukee, comparable to DePaul in mission, religious affiliation, and size, competing for similar regional applicants.
• Washington University in St. Louis School of Law: Midwest-based ABA law school with comparable specialty program emphasis and JD/LLM portfolio, competing for similar applicants in the broader Midwest market.
• Fordham Law School: Urban ABA law school with comparable size, strong employer-recruiting network, and JD/LLM/MLS program mix anchored to a major U.S. metropolitan legal market (NYC).
• Indiana University Maurer School of Law: Major Big Ten-affiliated ABA law school in nearby Indiana, comparable in size, public-affiliation positioning, and JD/LLM program structure, competing for Midwest applicants.
• University of Illinois College of Law: Illinois's flagship public law school and the state's largest, offering JD/LLM programs with broad specialty coverage. Direct competitor for in-state applicants and Illinois employer recruiting.
• Chicago-Kent College of Law (IIT): ABA-acrated Chicago law school competing directly for similar applicants and Chicago legal market employer recruiting, with comparable size and program mix.
• George Washington University Law School: Urban professional school with JD/LLM portfolio similar in scope and specialty-program breadth, including nationally ranked IP, Health Law, and International Law programs.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/DePaulLaw
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/lawdepaul
• Facebookfacebook.com/lawdepaul
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/depaul-university
• Instagraminstagram.com/depaullaw

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about DePaul University College of Law