W. P. Carey Foundation Endows JD/MBA Program at UPenn

In recognition of a $10 million endowment from the W. P. Carey Foundation, the JD/MBA program at the University of Pennsylvania Law School and the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania will be renamed the Francis J. & Wm. Polk Carey JD/MBA Program.

Law and business are more interconnected than ever, and business lawyers need to understand corporate finance, management, marketing, and real estate to best serve their clients. In addition, businesses are turning to lawyers to serve in business roles such as CEO.

“Doing business requires an increasingly diverse set of skills,” says Geoffrey Garrett, Dean, Reliance Professor of Management and Private Enterprise, and Professor of Management at the Wharton School. “Through their experience at Wharton and Penn Law, our JD/MBA students develop the critical thinking, reasoning, and leadership abilities necessary to navigate our global economy and excel in their careers.”

Established in 2009, the three-year JD/MBA program was the first elite three-year program in the country. Through an integrated, accelerated course of study, students earn both JD and MBA degrees in three years, rather than the five years it would typically take to earn each degree separately.

Students spend their first year in the Law School and the following summer in Law and Wharton courses designed specifically for the JD/MBA. The second and third years combine Law and Wharton courses, along with a JD/MBA capstone course.

“Both institutions were critical to the career success of Frank and Bill Carey and they believed so strongly in the interconnected nature of business and legal education,” Jay Carey said on behalf of the W.P. Carey Foundation. “My father and uncle also believed in supporting excellence, and we are grateful to support Penn Law and Wharton given their historic preeminence and continued success.”