The school was originally was founded in the late 1970s as the University of Bridgeport Law School, and was a part of Bridgeport University. When the university suffered financially in the 1990s it accepted monetary assistance from the Professor's World Peace Academy (PWPA), which had connections with the controversial founder and leader of the Worldwide Unification Church, Sun Myung Moon. As a result, the law school opted to separate from the university and ultimately merged with the financially stable Quinnipiac University in 1992.
Quinnipiac University School of Law was ranked at 107 for 2011 by US News and World Report. The school currently has 474 students enrolled in its JD degree program but also offers a joint JD/MBA degree, an LL.M in health law, and a certificate in healthcare compliance option.
The law school's concentration programs include civil liberty and dispute resolution, criminal law and advocacy, family law, health law, intellectual property, and tax. In addition to its course offerings, students are encouraged to participate in the clinic and externship program opportunities when they have finished a minimum of two full-time semesters. The school offers six clinic programs and more than 300 possible externship opportunities within Connecticut and adjacent states.
There are also more than 25 clubs and student organizations including the Moot Court Society, the Student Bar Association, the Mock Trial Society, and many more. Additionally, students can earn academic credit through involvement with the law school's student edited law review and law journals. These consist of the Quinnipiac Law Review, the Health Law Journal, and the Probate Law Journal.
The two-level law library covers 50,000 square feet and provides access to more than 425,000 volumes, as well as wireless access. The library is recognized as one of the six most architecturally distinguished libraries in the nation by the American Institute of Architects and the Library Administration and Management Association.
The Career Services Office is also available to students and alumni who need assistance in obtaining career guidance and employment assistance. Services include mock interviews, conferences and panels, and job fairs. The staff at the Career Services Office can also provide information on clinics, externships, and internships.