University
of Pennsylvania Law School Deciding where to attend is a very tough decision, but there are various reasons why coming to Penn Law is an exceptional opportunity for LGBT students. Both academically and socially, Lambda Law is active in the Penn and Philadelphia communities. The University of Pennsylvania also tied for the top ranking on The Advocate’s list of best colleges for gay students.
On Campus
Lambda Law is active throughout the year, giving support to 1Ls, and hosting events—academic, professional, and social—throughout the year. Here is just a sampling of the many programs and initiatives we have:
- Four 1L students are being fully funded to attend the National Sexual Orientation Moot Court Competition in February at UCLA to argue a brief that they wrote.
- Each 1L is paired with a 2L or 3L mentor before arriving on campus to ease the transition to law school and Philadelphia.
- Annual weekend ski trip.
- Lambda sent two 1L students to the annual Rebellious Lawyering Conference in New Haven, Connecticut. Gary Clinton, Dean of Students, and his partner Don Mellinger (a Penn Law Alum), host an annual winter chili dinner at his house for LGBT students, staff, and faculty. They also host summer BBQs at their house on fire island.
- Lambda programs events throughout the year, hosting speakers (such as Jeff Trachtman, one of the lawyers who argued for the plaintiffs in New York State’s marriage cases) as well as many job and exam preparation sessions for 1Ls.
- Lambda sponsors several social events, including Happy Hours and the annual “Straight Appreciation Night.” We also co-host mixers with the other graduate programs at Penn.
- In 2007, when the JAG Corps came to campus, both Dean of Students Gary Clinton and Penn Law Dean Fitts spoke out against JAG's discriminatory policies, and a large number of non-Lambda students wore pink in solidarity. This is merely one of the many examples displaying how open the entire student body, faculty and administration is.
- A number of Penn Faculty as well as Penn Students and Lambda Law filed a law suit in connection with the Solomon Amendment litigation (Burbank v. Rumsfeld).
Philadelphia
Philadelphia is an exciting place to be for LGBT students. Besides all of the obvious historical and cultural offerings that Philadelphia has to offer, Philadelphia similarly has a vibrant LGBT community. The city’s population draws from a diverse demographic, and because of the large number of universities in the city, there are many LGBT students that reside in the Philadelphia area. Centered around what locals refer to as “the gayborhood” in Center City, Philadelphia has a number of gay-owned businesses and restaurants. Penn Law students will frequently be seen out together at night at one of Phildelphia’s numerous gay owned bars and night clubs. Every weekend (and often during the week too), groups of us will get together for a night out on the town. Woody’s, Tavern on Camac, and Bump are among our favorite haunts.
Philadelphia also sponsors its own International Gay & Lesbian Film Festival, as well as an Outfest and Freedom Weekend. A current Penn Law Lambda member also sits on the board of the Gay and Lesbian Lawyers of Philadelphia organization. It is also the home to Equality Advocates, a prominent LGBT rights organization. As you can see, Philadelphia offers many opportunities and social outlets, and creates what many think is the ideal locale for studying law as an LGBT student.
We hope you join us!