Jen Bretschneider, the Assistant Dean for Students and Strategic Initiatives at Temple Law, leads the school’s student affairs team and oversees strategic law school initiatives. Dean Bretschneider manages student affairs, which includes the delivery of academic support programming, strategic bar support initiatives, and wellness initiatives. She is a passionate advocate for students and a driving force in fostering a vibrant, inclusive law school community. With respect to strategic intiatives, she coordinates key processes and drives innovation in strategic planning. Dean Bretschneider serves on the Curriculum Committee, the Faculty Administrative Committee, and the Learning Outcomes Committee.
From 2008-2018, Dean Bretschneider was a Visiting Assistant Professor, Assistant Professor, and Associate Professor at Temple Law. She has taught extensively in the areas of legal ethics, trial advocacy, and introductory transactional skills. Before joining academia, Dean Bretschneider practiced both civil and criminal litigation. She has extensive appellate and trial experience and served as an Assistant District Attorney in Philadelphia, where she worked in the Family Violence and Sexual Assault Unit, the Homicide Unit, and the Appeals Unit. She continues to maintain an active pro bono practice and has worked to obtain just outcomes and the release of multiple individuals who were wrongly convicted of homicide and related crimes in Philadelphia.
Dean Bretschneider holds both a B.A. and a J.D. from the University of Pittsburgh.