Widener University is relocating the Widener University Delaware Law School campus to the heart of the business and legal district in downtown Wilmington.
The announcement came on April 14 from Widener President Stacey Robertson, Dean Todd Clark, and education and government leaders from around the state of Delaware.
Delaware Law School has taken ownership of the building at 1020 North French St., once known as Bracebridge II, in the heart of downtown.
According to officials, renovations to the building will create a beautiful, modern educational space designed to prepare Delaware Law students for the legal careers and courtrooms of the future.
The new building will include approximately 200 on-site parking spaces, with an additional 20 spaces available in an adjacent lot. Additional nearby parking is also being secured as Widener partners with local businesses to meet its parking needs.
There is also a bus stop at Rodney Square, about a block away from the new law school location.
The Joseph R. Biden Jr. Railroad Station in Wilmington provides Amtrak and SEPTA regional rail service via the Wilmington/Newark line to Philadelphia.
Downtown Wilmington has ample housing options, and a new apartment project is being developed next to the law school. Other housing options through the law school are also being explored.
The current Delaware Law campus was recently listed for sale to help facilitate renovation costs. Plans call for moving into the downtown space during the 2027-28 academic year.
Nonprofit community partners at the current Delaware Law campus will also relocate to the new facility.
The move puts Delaware Law students, faculty, and staff at the epicenter of the First State legal community, known internationally for the strength of its courts and as a hub for corporate law.
The new campus will be close to Lawyers Row and within walking distance of the Leonard L. Williams Justice Center, which houses state courts; the J. Caleb Boggs Federal Building, which houses federal court; and the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware. The school will be steps from the people and organizations that shape Delaware’s legal landscape
The move will also put Delaware Law’s legal clinics, which provide no-cost, critical legal services across the region, into the heart of Wilmington’s business district.
“This new location will enable our clinics to reach those who need our services most, while fostering meaningful mentoring and community-building partnerships with residents in disadvantaged neighborhoods,” Clark said. “Relocating to downtown Wilmington will also enable Delaware Law students to engage more deeply with the surrounding community.
“Through clinics, externships, pro bono work, and partnerships with courts, nonprofits, and civic organizations, our students will learn by serving—building relationships, addressing real-world legal needs, and contributing meaningfully to the life of the city.”
Through this move, the Delaware Law School is playing a key role in The Bridge Project, an innovative educational ecosystem serving families and students from birth through graduate school.
This project is anchored by The Community Education Building on North French Street, which has served the needs of K-12 students for more than a decade by empowering families, fostering student success, and supporting quality schools. Leaders there have partnered with the Longwood Foundation to extend this mission into higher education.
“The University of Delaware and Delaware State University have also taken on space in the Community Education Building, a block from our new law building,” Robertson said. “The presidents of those institutions joined us this morning in making the announcement. We are all excited by the opportunities for collaboration.”
