The Law Academy Project

HeinOnline recently introduced a new database that explores the history of legal education in Pennsylvania, specifically as it pertains to The Law Academy of Philadelphia. Edited by Dr. Joel Fishman, the Law Academy Project grew out of a paper Dr. Fishman wrote for the Duquesne History Forum. Among other acknowledgements, Dr. Fishman graciously credits Jenkins - and our former Director, Regina Smith - for loaning parts of our collection to Hein for digitization and inclusion in the database.

In the introduction, Dr. Fishman explains that the Law Academy of Philadelphia was one of the earliest law-related educational institutions in the United States. It was created to “teach law students and recently graduating students the art of moot courts.” 

The new database delves into the Academy’s “relatively obscure and incomplete” history, from its establishment  in 1821 through the 1960s. It features the various constitutions and by-laws of the organization, annual addresses given by notable figures of both the PA and national bench and bar, and Argument Lists used by the Academy as well.

When browsing through the list of All Titles in the The Law Academy Project database, users can sort by title, author, date, or subject. Users may also view subsets of the collection by selecting Pamphlets or Other Related Works.  Editor’s Picks are denoted by star icons to the left of each highlighted title.