University_of_Georgia_School_of_Law

University of Georgia School of Law

The University of Georgia School of Law is an American Bar Association-accredited law school located in Athens, Georgia on the campus of the University of Georgia (UGA). Formerly known as the Lumpkin School of Law and founded in 1859, it is the second oldest of the University's schools and colleges. The University of Georgia School of Law is currently ranked 32nd by U.S. News and World Report rankings of public and private law schools. Its founders were Joseph Henry Lumpkin, William Hope Hull, and Thomas R. R. Cobb.

History

The law school was created in December 1859 and was originally housed in the law office of Lumpkin and Cobb, which was located on the corner of Prince Avenue and Pulaski Street. In 1861, the school closed due to the Civil War and was reopened in 1867. Two co-founders, Lumpkin and Cobb, passed away during this period. When the school reopened, it was located in the Ivy Building (in the south wing of what is now the Hunter-Holmes Academic Building) on the University of Georgia campus.

After continuing to grow, the law school moved in 1919 into the former Athenaeum Club building on the northeast corner of Broad Street and Lumpkin Street. The school remained in this building until the Harold Hirsch Building was erected in 1932. Harold Hirsch Hall was greatly expanded in 1967 with a large addition that provided an expanded library and added several classrooms, common areas and offices. In 2002, the School of Law was renovated to provide Internet access, multimedia teaching equipment and additional classroom space.

Notable alumni

Graduates of the law school number more than 8,400 and include 11 governors, in excess of 35 U.S. and state senators and representatives and scores of federal and state judges, prominent attorneys and corporate leaders. On two occasions, University of Georgia School of Law alumni have simultaneously headed all branches of state government: the last occasion was in 2002, when Roy Barnes was Governor, Norman S. Fletcher was Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Georgia, Tom Murphy was Speaker of the Georgia House of Representatives and Mark Taylor was President of the Georgia Senate. Robert John Soper (JD 1997) President and CEO of Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs, Plains Pennsylvania

Counting the October 2007 term, Georgia Law graduates have served the U.S. Supreme Court as judicial clerks for three consecutive years, placing Georgia Law among the top five public law schools in the nation for supplying clerks to the U.S. Supreme Court since 2000.