Judybeth Tropp

Judybeth Tropp began teaching at Thomas Jefferson School of Law in 2003.  She developed a highly successful and nationally recognized Clinical Externship program with the educational focus of building empathy and client centered representation skills to her students.  The program is dedicated to enhancing the skills that students acquire in the field and to encourage students to build their own sense of how they will work with clients and build cases.  Since 2003 she has been the Director of Externships and Pro Bono Programs.

Prior to joining Thomas Jefferson School of Law she was the chief strategic planner for Beech Acres, the largest child welfare organization in Southern Ohio, Northern Kentucky and South Eastern Indiana.  In this capacity Professor Tropp developed programing for parenting classes and conferences and played a role in the expansion of the organization’s highly successful Mediation Program.

Upon graduation from Fordham University School of Law, where she co-founded the Public Interest Resource Center, she became an Assistant District Attorney for Kings County (Brooklyn), New York.  She was a member of the Appeals Bureau and she argued over twenty cases in the Appellate Courts in New York State, including arguments at the New York Court of Appeal, the highest court in New York State.  She also tried cases with the Special Trials Bureau.  Following a move to Los Angeles, Professor Tropp became a Deputy Public Defender where she tried over 80 cases throughout LA County.  Professor Tropp graduated with honors from Smith College and with honors from Fordham University School of Law.