Louis S. Rulli
Practice Professor of Law, Director of Civil Practice Clinic & Legislative Clinic

Louis Rulli possesses expertise in public interest law, legislation, litigation, and clinical legal education, and has written and lectured extensively on access to justice for the poor. He is the recipient of the University-wide Provost’s Award for Distinguished Teaching (2006), Penn Law’s Beacon Award for exemplary faculty commitment to pro bono service (2012), Community Legal Services’ Champion of Justice Award (2012), Villanova University’s Praxis Award in Professional Ethics (2015), and the AALS Father Robert Drinan Award (2019).
Prior to joining the Penn Law faculty, Rulli was the executive director of Community Legal Services in Philadelphia.
Articles and Book Chapters
Testimony, Pennsylvania Senate Judiciary Committee, Civil Forfeiture Reform (2015)
Civil Forfeiture of Real Property Under the Pennsylvania Controlled Substances Forfeitures Act, Training Manual, July 1, 2013 (Newly Revised)
Filling Gideon’s Empty Chair, 73 PHILA. LAW. MAG., Winter 2011, at 37 (with Michael Carroll).
Sidebar: Status Report on LRAPs for Public Service Lawyers, PA. LAW., May/June 2010 at 22.
Student Loan Debt and Public Service: Is Relief Finally on the Horizon?, 71 PHILA. LAW. MAG., Winter 2009, at 14 (with Eric Foley).
New Rule Represents Progress (Side Bar Commentary on Pa. Professional Responsibility Rule 6.5), 70 PHILA. LAW. MAG., Spring 2007, at 17.
Representation of Low-Income Clients, 5 ABA FAM. L. LITIG. 9 (2006).
Co-authored amicus brief in the Pennsylvania Supreme Court on behalf of the Women's Law Project in the case of P.R. v. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, et al., 801 A.2d 478 (2002).
The Long Term Impact of CAFRA: Expanding Access to Counsel and Encouraging Greater Use of Criminal Forfeiture, 14 FED. SENTENCING REP. 87 (2001).
Pennsylvania Legal Services At Risk, 68 TEMPLE L. REV. 541 (1995).
The New Civil Rights Act of 1991: A Role for Legal Services? PA. LEGAL SERV. REV. (Lead Article, Summer 1992).
More publications can be found here.
Research Areas
- Access to Justice for the Poor
- Civil Forfeiture
- Ethics
- Civil Legal Services
- Pro Bono
Positions
Penn Law - Director of Clinical Programs (2008- ); Practice Professor of Law (2001- ); Practice Associate Professor of Law (1995-2001)
Community Legal Services, Inc., Philadelphia - Executive Director (1986-95)
Facilitator, Consultant, and Mediator to non-profit legal organizations (1995- )
Rutgers University School of Law (Camden) - Adjunct Professor of Law (1991-95)
Community Legal Services, Inc., Philadelphia - Managing Attorney, Law Center South (1978-86); Supervising Attorney, Housing Unit (1977-78); Staff Attorney, Law Center West (1974-77)
Member, House of Delegates, Pennsylvania Bar Association (1991- ) Pro Bono Chair, Philadelphia Bar Association (2010- )
Professional Activities
House of Delegates, Pennsylvania Bar Association Delegate (1991-).
Pennsylvania Bar Association’s Task Force on Loan Forgiveness and Repayment Assistance, Co-Chair (2003 -).
Board of Trustees, Philadelphia Legal Assistance - Chairperson (2001-05), member (1998 -).
Pennsylvania Bar Associations Task Force on Legal Services to the Needy (1998-2003), Chairperson, Legislative Subcommittee.
Chancellors Commission on Pro Bono Legal Services, Philadelphia Bar Association - Consultant (2001-).
Chancellor’s Committee on Merit Selection of Judges (2005).
Pro Bono and Delivery of Legal Services Advisor to the Cabinet, Philadelphia Bar Association, (Jan. 2010 – Present); Board of Governors, Member of the Cabinet (January 2010 - present)
Board of Trustees, Philadelphia Legal Assistance, Chairperson (2001-05), member (1998-present)
Board of Trustees, Community Legal Services, Member (2008-present)
Board of Trustees, Friends of Farmworkers, Member, (2011-present)
Courses
- Civil Practice Clinic
- Advanced Civil Practice Clinic
- Legislative Clinic
- Public Policy Clinic
- Strategic Lawyering for Social Justice
- Access to Justice in the Civil Courts: Lawyering in the Public Interest
- Poverty Law