Marshall-Wythe School of Law
Encyclopedia
William & Mary Law School, located in Williamsburg
, Virginia, is the oldest law school
in the United States
. William & Mary Law School is a part of the College of William & Mary, the second oldest college in the United States.http://www.wm.edu/about/index.php The Law School maintains an enrollment of about six hundred students seeking the juris doctor
ate, the fundamental legal degree in the United States today. Admission to the Law School is highly selective and the faculty is well regarded, according to Brian Leiter's law school rankings.
William & Mary Law School is ranked 27th in the latest 2012 U.S. News rankings of the nation's law schools, placing it above nationally-regarded peers Washington and Lee University
, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, and Emory University Law School.
For the Class of 2013, the median undergraduate GPA was 3.70 and the median LSAT score was 165.
As a public university, William & Mary charges relatively low tuition compared to many other "Top 30" law schools. Among public law schools, it is the tenth-highest ranked public university law program in the survey conducted by U.S. News & World Report
(the undergraduate institution is the highest ranked small public university, according to a similar survey by the same periodical).
W. Taylor Reveley III
, formerly managing partner of the law firm of Hunton & Williams
, was dean of the Law School until Davison Douglas (J.D., Ph.D., M.Phil., M.A., M.A.R.), a nationally renowned legal historian, was appointed to the position in the spring of 2009. http://www.wm.edu/news/stories/2009/davison-m.-douglas-named-dean-of-william--mary-law-school%20001.php
The chancellor of William & Mary, Sandra Day O'Connor
, delivered commencement remarks to the graduating class of the Law School in 2006, 2008 and 2010. http://law.wm.edu/news/stories/2010/oconnor-commencement-speaker.php
, an alumnus of the College, during the reorganization of the originally royal institution, transforming the College of William & Mary into the first university in the nascent United States. At Jefferson's urging, the governing board of visitors of the College established a chair of law and appointed George Wythe
, a signer of the Declaration of Independence
, delegate to the Philadelphia Convention
, and Justice of the Supreme Court of Virginia
, its first holder. (In the English-speaking world, the only older law professorships are the chair at Oxford University, first held by William Blackstone
and the Chair at Edinburgh University's School of Law (1709).
Before filling the chair of law at William & Mary, Wythe tutored numerous students in the subject, Henry Clay, Thomas Jefferson
, and James Monroe
among them. John Marshall
, who became Chief Justice of the United States
in 1801, received his only formal legal education when he attended Wythe's lectures at the College in 1780. St. George Tucker
, who succeeded Wythe as Professor of Law and edited the seminal early American edition of Blackstone's Commentaries, also was one of Wythe's students.
The growth of the Law School was halted abruptly by the beginning of the American Civil War
. The start of military campaigns on the Virginia Peninsula compelled the College to close its doors. It would be another sixty years before the historical priority in law could be revived in a modern program that is now nearly ninety years old.
After William & Mary Law School was reopened early in the twentieth century, it was moved around the main campus of the College to several different buildings in succession. In 1980, the School was moved to its current location on the outskirts of Colonial Williamsburg
, a short distance from the main campus. The building has been renovated several times since 1980, with the addition of a new wing of classrooms and renovation of older classrooms in 2000, the overhaul of the Henry C. Wolf Law Library
, and the construction of a new admission suite.
Williamsburg, Virginia
Williamsburg is an independent city located on the Virginia Peninsula in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area of Virginia, USA. As of the 2010 Census, the city had an estimated population of 14,068. It is bordered by James City County and York County, and is an independent city...
, Virginia, is the oldest law school
Law school
A law school is an institution specializing in legal education.- Law degrees :- Canada :...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. William & Mary Law School is a part of the College of William & Mary, the second oldest college in the United States.http://www.wm.edu/about/index.php The Law School maintains an enrollment of about six hundred students seeking the juris doctor
Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...
ate, the fundamental legal degree in the United States today. Admission to the Law School is highly selective and the faculty is well regarded, according to Brian Leiter's law school rankings.
William & Mary Law School is ranked 27th in the latest 2012 U.S. News rankings of the nation's law schools, placing it above nationally-regarded peers Washington and Lee University
Washington and Lee University
Washington and Lee University is a private liberal arts college in Lexington, Virginia, United States.The classical school from which Washington and Lee descended was established in 1749 as Augusta Academy, about north of its present location. In 1776 it was renamed Liberty Hall in a burst of...
, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, and Emory University Law School.
For the Class of 2013, the median undergraduate GPA was 3.70 and the median LSAT score was 165.
As a public university, William & Mary charges relatively low tuition compared to many other "Top 30" law schools. Among public law schools, it is the tenth-highest ranked public university law program in the survey conducted by U.S. News & World Report
U.S. News & World Report
U.S. News & World Report is an American news magazine published from Washington, D.C. Along with Time and Newsweek it was for many years a leading news weekly, focusing more than its counterparts on political, economic, health and education stories...
(the undergraduate institution is the highest ranked small public university, according to a similar survey by the same periodical).
W. Taylor Reveley III
W. Taylor Reveley III
Walter Taylor Reveley, III is the twenty-seventh president of The College of William & Mary. Formerly Dean of the William and Mary Law School, Reveley was appointed interim president of the College on February 12, 2008 following Gene Nichol's resignation earlier that day and was officially...
, formerly managing partner of the law firm of Hunton & Williams
Hunton & Williams
Founded in 1901, Hunton & Williams LLP is a US law firm that employs more than 800 lawyers. It has been called "one of the most well-connected legal and lobbying firms in DC." The firm was founded in Richmond, Virginia and has 18 other offices throughout the United States, Europe, and Asia. In...
, was dean of the Law School until Davison Douglas (J.D., Ph.D., M.Phil., M.A., M.A.R.), a nationally renowned legal historian, was appointed to the position in the spring of 2009. http://www.wm.edu/news/stories/2009/davison-m.-douglas-named-dean-of-william--mary-law-school%20001.php
The chancellor of William & Mary, Sandra Day O'Connor
Sandra Day O'Connor
Sandra Day O'Connor is an American jurist who was the first female member of the Supreme Court of the United States. She served as an Associate Justice from 1981 until her retirement from the Court in 2006. O'Connor was appointed by President Ronald Reagan in 1981...
, delivered commencement remarks to the graduating class of the Law School in 2006, 2008 and 2010. http://law.wm.edu/news/stories/2010/oconnor-commencement-speaker.php
History
William & Mary Law School was founded in 1779 at the impetus of the governor of Virginia Thomas JeffersonThomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson was the principal author of the United States Declaration of Independence and the Statute of Virginia for Religious Freedom , the third President of the United States and founder of the University of Virginia...
, an alumnus of the College, during the reorganization of the originally royal institution, transforming the College of William & Mary into the first university in the nascent United States. At Jefferson's urging, the governing board of visitors of the College established a chair of law and appointed George Wythe
George Wythe
George Wythe was an American lawyer, a judge, a prominent law professor and "Virginia's foremost classical scholar." He was a teacher and mentor of Thomas Jefferson. Wythe's signature is positioned at the head of the list of seven Virginia signatories on the United States Declaration of Independence...
, a signer of the Declaration of Independence
Declaration of independence
A declaration of independence is an assertion of the independence of an aspiring state or states. Such places are usually declared from part or all of the territory of another nation or failed nation, or are breakaway territories from within the larger state...
, delegate to the Philadelphia Convention
Philadelphia Convention
The Constitutional Convention took place from May 14 to September 17, 1787, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to address problems in governing the United States of America, which had been operating under the Articles of Confederation following independence from...
, and Justice of the Supreme Court of Virginia
Supreme Court of Virginia
The Supreme Court of Virginia is the highest court in the Commonwealth of Virginia. It primarily hears appeals from the trial-level city and county Circuit Courts, as well as the criminal law, family law and administrative law cases that go through the Court of Appeals of Virginia. It is one of...
, its first holder. (In the English-speaking world, the only older law professorships are the chair at Oxford University, first held by William Blackstone
William Blackstone
Sir William Blackstone KC SL was an English jurist, judge and Tory politician of the eighteenth century. He is most noted for writing the Commentaries on the Laws of England. Born into a middle class family in London, Blackstone was educated at Charterhouse School before matriculating at Pembroke...
and the Chair at Edinburgh University's School of Law (1709).
Before filling the chair of law at William & Mary, Wythe tutored numerous students in the subject, Henry Clay, Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson was the principal author of the United States Declaration of Independence and the Statute of Virginia for Religious Freedom , the third President of the United States and founder of the University of Virginia...
, and James Monroe
James Monroe
James Monroe was the fifth President of the United States . Monroe was the last president who was a Founding Father of the United States, and the last president from the Virginia dynasty and the Republican Generation...
among them. John Marshall
John Marshall
John Marshall was the Chief Justice of the United States whose court opinions helped lay the basis for American constitutional law and made the Supreme Court of the United States a coequal branch of government along with the legislative and executive branches...
, who became Chief Justice of the United States
Chief Justice of the United States
The Chief Justice of the United States is the head of the United States federal court system and the chief judge of the Supreme Court of the United States. The Chief Justice is one of nine Supreme Court justices; the other eight are the Associate Justices of the Supreme Court of the United States...
in 1801, received his only formal legal education when he attended Wythe's lectures at the College in 1780. St. George Tucker
St. George Tucker
St. George Tucker was a lawyer, professor of law at the College of William and Mary, and judge of Virginia's highest court. In 1813, upon the nomination of President James Madison, he became the United States district judge for Virginia.-Early life:Born in St. George, Bermuda, near Port Royal...
, who succeeded Wythe as Professor of Law and edited the seminal early American edition of Blackstone's Commentaries, also was one of Wythe's students.
The growth of the Law School was halted abruptly by the beginning of the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. The start of military campaigns on the Virginia Peninsula compelled the College to close its doors. It would be another sixty years before the historical priority in law could be revived in a modern program that is now nearly ninety years old.
After William & Mary Law School was reopened early in the twentieth century, it was moved around the main campus of the College to several different buildings in succession. In 1980, the School was moved to its current location on the outskirts of Colonial Williamsburg
Colonial Williamsburg
Colonial Williamsburg is the private foundation representing the historic district of the city of Williamsburg, Virginia, USA. The district includes buildings dating from 1699 to 1780 which made colonial Virginia's capital. The capital straddled the boundary of the original shires of Virginia —...
, a short distance from the main campus. The building has been renovated several times since 1980, with the addition of a new wing of classrooms and renovation of older classrooms in 2000, the overhaul of the Henry C. Wolf Law Library
Henry C. Wolf Law Library
The Henry C. Wolf Law Library is located at the College of William & Mary's School of Law in Williamsburg, Virginia, United States. It contains a 380,000 volume collection and is a member of the Consortium of Southeastern Law Libraries....
, and the construction of a new admission suite.
Programs
- William & Mary Law School offers the nationally renowned Institute of Bill of Rights LawInstitute of Bill of Rights LawThe Institute of Bill of Rights Law , founded in 1982, is a renowned center for the study of constitutional law. It is located at the William & Mary School of Law in Williamsburg, Virginia, United States...
, the widely-emulated Election Law Program, and an American Bar AssociationAmerican Bar AssociationThe American Bar Association , founded August 21, 1878, is a voluntary bar association of lawyers and law students, which is not specific to any jurisdiction in the United States. The ABA's most important stated activities are the setting of academic standards for law schools, and the formulation...
-award winning Legal Skills curriculum for first- and second-year students, amongst other programs.
- The annual Supreme Court Preview of the Institute of Bill of Rights Law brings courtwatching journalists and academics together for a lively analysis of key cases on the Court's docket for the new term. The Preview provides in-depth education for journalists on the underlying constitutional issues involved in the cases.
- Lewis Burwell Puller, Jr. Veteran's Benefit Clinic provides students (under the supervision of staff attorneys) with the opportunity to ensure that veterans of America's wars receive the benefits which they are entitled to as a matter of law and service.
- The William & Mary Law Review consistently ranks among the best twenty in circulation and citation of law reviews. The Bill of Rights Journal, Environmental Law and Policy Review, and Journal of Women and the Law also consistently rank among the best ten within their respective fields constitutional law, environmental law, and gender, sexuality and family law.
- The McGlothlin Courtroom at the School is home to the prize-winning Center for Legal and Court Technology, a joint program of the School and the National Center for State Courts. The mission of the Project is to use technology to improve the administration of justice and the legal systems of the world.
- Created in 2005 as a joint venture of the National Center for State Courts and the Law School, the Election Law Program was intended to provide practical assistance to state court judges in the United States who are called upon to resolve difficult election law disputes. It has since been expanded to include a vibrant student Election Law Program. The Program annually hosts an election law conference featuring the top attorneys in the field, including White House Counsel Bob Bauer and Republican strategist Ben Ginsburg, and each semester it enables outstanding election-law professionals, such as former FEC Chairman Michael Toner, to teach courses in the School.
- The George Wythe Society of Citizen Lawyers is a civic leadership program, formed in the fall of 2005, to recognize and encourage community service and civic participation by members of the student body.
- The Human Rights and National Security Law Program focuses on the interplay between national defense and the protection of civil rights. The Program's Distinguished Lecture Series and co-sponsored symposia bring leading experts to campus each semester to foster discussion and debate about on-going and emerging issues.
- The Institute of Bill of Rights Law engages in study of the Bill of Rights and sponsors a variety of lectures, conferences, and publications to examine important Constitutional issues.
- The William & Mary Property Rights Project encourages scholarly study of the role that property rights play in society. The Project's annual Brigham-Kanner Property Rights ConferenceBrigham-Kanner Property Rights ConferenceThe Brigham-Kanner Property Rights Conference began in 2004 at the Marshall-Wythe School of Law at the College of William & Mary. Annually the Brigham-Kanner Property Rights Conference awards the Brigham-Kanner Property Rights Prize to an individual whose work has advanced the cause of property...
explores recent developments in areas such as takings litigation and takings law.
- Devoted to the study of law as a therapeutic agent, the Therapeutic Jurisprudence Program focusses on so improving the administration of justice that it has a positive effect on individuals, their families, and the community.
Notable alumni
- William H. CabellWilliam H. CabellWilliam H. Cabell was a Virginia politician and Democratic-Republican. He served as Member of the Assembly, as Governor of Virginia, and as judge...
(law class of 1793), received first baccalaureate in law granted in America, governor of Virginia (1805–1808), justice of the Supreme Court of Virginia (1811–1851) - Henry St. George Tucker (William & Mary class of 1798, law class of 1801), professor of law at William & Mary (1801–1804), justice of the Supreme Court of Virginia (1824–1831), remembered for editing the seminal American edition of Blackstone's Commentaries and for composing the University of Virginia's honor pledge (the model for numerous universities) in 1842 http://richmondthenandnow.com/Newspaper-Articles/Honor-System.html
- James Murray Mason (law class of 1820), member of the U.S. House of Representatives ((1837–1839); United States Senator from Virginia (1847–1861)
- Henry C. Wolf (William & Mary class of 1964, law class of 1966), chief financial officer and vice chairman of Norfolk Southern Corporation, benefactor of the Henry C. Wolf Law LibraryHenry C. Wolf Law LibraryThe Henry C. Wolf Law Library is located at the College of William & Mary's School of Law in Williamsburg, Virginia, United States. It contains a 380,000 volume collection and is a member of the Consortium of Southeastern Law Libraries....
at the Law School - Robert E. ScottRobert E. ScottRobert E. Scott is Law Professor at Columbia Law School. Scott graduated from Oberlin College and received his law degree in 1968 from William and Mary Law School where he was editor-in-chief of the William and Mary Law Review, with the highest academic average in his class...
(law class of 1968), law professor and notable contract law scholar at Columbia Law SchoolColumbia Law SchoolColumbia Law School, founded in 1858, is one of the oldest and most prestigious law schools in the United States. A member of the Ivy League, Columbia Law School is one of the professional graduate schools of Columbia University in New York City. It offers the J.D., LL.M., and J.S.D. degrees in...
, dean of University of VirginiaUniversity of VirginiaThe University of Virginia is a public research university located in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States, founded by Thomas Jefferson...
Law School (1991–2001), Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and SciencesAmerican Academy of Arts and SciencesThe American Academy of Arts and Sciences is an independent policy research center that conducts multidisciplinary studies of complex and emerging problems. The Academy’s elected members are leaders in the academic disciplines, the arts, business, and public affairs.James Bowdoin, John Adams, and...
(1999) - Dennis L. Beck (William & Mary class of 1969, law class of 1972), magistrate judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of California (1990–present)
- Haldane Robert MayerHaldane Robert MayerHaldane Robert Mayer is a judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.Judge Mayer was appointed to the United States Military Academy by Representative William E. Miller, and received a B.S. in 1963. Judge Mayer served in the U.S. Army from 1963 to 1975...
(law class of 1971), judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (1987–present; chief judge of the Federal Circuit, 1997–2004) - Tommy Miller (law class of 1973), magistrate judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia
- Lewis Burwell Puller, Jr.Lewis Burwell Puller, Jr.Lewis Burwell Puller, Jr. was an attorney, Pulitzer prize winning author and officer in the United States Marine Corps. He was severely wounded in the Vietnam War.-Life and career:...
(William & Mary class of 1967, law class of 1974), Vietnam veteran (Lt., USMC (Silver StarSilver StarThe Silver Star is the third-highest combat military decoration that can be awarded to a member of any branch of the United States armed forces for valor in the face of the enemy....
, two Purple Hearts, the Navy Commendation Medal and the Vietnam Cross of Gallantry) and Pulitzer PrizePulitzer PrizeThe Pulitzer Prize is a U.S. award for achievements in newspaper and online journalism, literature and musical composition. It was established by American publisher Joseph Pulitzer and is administered by Columbia University in New York City...
winning author. The William & Mary School of Law's Veteran's Benefit Clinic is named after Lewis Puller. - Jerry W. KilgoreJerry W. KilgoreJerry Walter Kilgore, , a Republican, is a former Attorney General of Virginia. In the 2005 race for Governor of Virginia, Jerry Kilgore was defeated by then Lieutenant Governor Tim Kaine, a Democrat...
(law class of 1986), attorney general of Virginia (2001–2005) - Eric CantorEric CantorEric Ivan Cantor is the U.S. Representative for Virginia's 7th congressional district, serving since 2001. A member of the Republican Party, he became House Majority Leader when the 112th Congress convened on January 3, 2011...
(law class of 1988), U.S. House of Representatives, Virginia (2001–present); House Majority Leader of 112th Congress, 2011 - Michele BachmannMichele BachmannMichele Marie Bachmann is a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives, representing , a post she has held since 2007. The district includes several of the northern suburbs of the Twin Cities, such as Woodbury, and Blaine as well as Stillwater and St. Cloud.She is currently a...
(LL.M., 1988), U.S. House of Representatives, Minnesota (2007–present) - John L. BrownleeJohn L. BrownleeJohn L. Brownlee is a former United States Attorney for the Western District of Virginia and a former Republican candidate for the office of Attorney General of Virginia.-Personal:...
(law class of 1994), former U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Virginia - Doug Miller (law class of 1995), magistrate judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia
Prominent faculty members
- William Van AlstyneWilliam Van AlstyneWilliam Warner Van Alstyne is an American lawyer, law professor, and constitutional law scholar. He currently holds the named position of Lee Professor of Law at William and Mary Law School....
- Jayne Barnard
- Neal E. Devins
- Davison M. Douglas
- James Dwyer
- Eric Kades
- Fred Lederer
- Linda A. Malone
- Paul MarcusPaul MarcusPaul Coryn Valentine Marcus was a British television director and producer. His most notable success was as producer of the television series Prime Suspect, but he also worked in cinema, theatre and many other TV series.-Early life:Marcus was born in London in 1954, the son of playwright Frank...
- Alan J. Meese
- Mitchell ReissMitchell ReissMitchell B. Reiss is a senior American diplomat who became the 27th president of Washington College in Chestertown, Maryland on July 1, 2010. He served as Director of Policy Planning at the United States Department of State under Colin Powell...
- W. Taylor Reveley, III
- Ronald H. Rosenberg
- Michael Stein
- Lan CaoLan CaoLan Cao is the author of the 1997 novel Monkey Bridge and is a professor of law at the College of William and Mary.Cao was born in Vietnam and experienced the Vietnam War as a civilian. She moved to the United States when she was 13. Cao received her B.A. in political science from Mount Holyoke...
- Alemante Selassie
- George WytheGeorge WytheGeorge Wythe was an American lawyer, a judge, a prominent law professor and "Virginia's foremost classical scholar." He was a teacher and mentor of Thomas Jefferson. Wythe's signature is positioned at the head of the list of seven Virginia signatories on the United States Declaration of Independence...
- William B. Spong, Jr.William B. Spong, Jr.William Belser Spong, Jr. was a Democratic Party politician and a United States Senator who represented the state of Virginia from 1966 to 1973....
Law journals
- William & Mary Law ReviewLaw reviewA law review is a scholarly journal focusing on legal issues, normally published by an organization of students at a law school or through a bar association...
, nineteenth-ranked general law journal in the United States, based on citations. - William & Mary Bill of Rights Journal, third-ranked Constitutional law journal in the United States, based on citations.
- William & Mary Environmental Law and Policy Review, first-ranked law journal in the United States in energy law, eleventh-ranked journal in the United States in environmental law, based on citations.
- William & Mary Journal of Women and the Law, fifth-ranked law journal in the United States among family, gender, women, and sexuality law journals.
- William & Mary Business Law Review
External links
- William and Mary Law School
- William and Mary Environmental Law and Policy Review
- Institute of Bill of Rights Law
- Journal of Women and the Law
- Election Law Program
- Human Rights and National Security Law Program
- Center for Legal and Court Technology (formerly the Courtroom 21 Project)
See also
- I Am the College of William and Mary (1945 poem)I Am the College of William and MaryI Am the College of William and Mary was written in 1945 by Dr. Dudley W. Woodbridge, esteemed professor and inaugural dean of the revived Law School at the College of William & Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia...