1740 |
Benjamin Franklin founds the University of Pennsylvania |
1790 |
James Wilson begins law lectures at the College of Philadelphia Academy
Building on Arch and 4th Streets |
1850 |
Penn establishes a law department in a building at Chestnut and 9th Streets |
George Sharswood (1810-1883) is named the first professor of law. |
1852 |
George Sharswood named first dean. |
University Trustees establish a Faculty of Law. |
LL.B. degree awarded to 30 students. |
American Law Register (as of 1908 the Law Review) is first published. |
It is the second oldest continuously published legal periodical in the nation. |
1868 |
Law professor Elihu Spencer Miller (1817-1879) is named Dean. |
1874 |
E. Copée Mitchell C'1885 (1836-1886) is named Dean. |
First daytime classes are scheduled. |
The faculty is expanded to five positions. |
1878 |
American Bar Association is founded. |
1881 |
Sharswood Law Club is formed to conduct Moot Courts as an exercise to learn
courtroom skills. Students argue cases before a faculty member and an audience
of student spectators. |
Carrie Burnham Kilgore L'1883 (1838-1909) is the first woman admitted to
Penn Law. |
1887 |
George Tucker Bispham C'1856, L'1861 (1838-1906) is named Dean. |
The George Biddle Memorial Library is established with an estate gift and
a bequest of 5,087 volumes from the brother of Professor Algernon Sidney
Biddle. |
The Biddle family makes continuous donations to the collection for years
to come. |
1888 |
C. S. Patterson C'1860 (1842-1924) is named Dean. |
Admissions standards are established. |
Degree program expands to three years. |
Professor Algernon S. Biddle introduces the case method at Penn Law. |
Aaron Albert Mossell is the first black man to graduate from Penn Law. |
1891 |
Law Alumni Society is established. |
1894 |
Biddle Professorship is the first endowed chair established at Penn Law
and the only one until 1930. |
1895 |
G. S. Harrison is named interim Dean of Law School. |
1896 |
William Draper Lewis (1867-1949) is named Dean. |
1897 |
Classes are held in Congress Hall in downtown Philadelphia. |
William Ephraim Mikell is hired as the first full-time professor. |
Development Campaign begins to raise $373,500 for the purchase of land in
West Philadelphia and the construction of the Law School Building. Major
benefactors include Thomas McKean, the Price family, and Mrs. George W.
Biddle. |
1898 |
Margaret Center Klingelsmith L'1898 (1859-1931) begins 34-year career as
head librarian of Biddle Library. |
LL.M. degree is first offered. |
Cope & Stewardson Architects begin construction of the Law School Building. |
1900 |
Law School Building is dedicated and feted in ceremonies over two days in
February. Attendees include U.S. Supreme Court Justice John Marshall Harlan,
representativesfrom Cambridge and Oxford, and China's Ambassador to the
United States. |
AALS is founded. |
1901 |
John Marshall Law Club for women is started. |
1902 |
Seven law clubs are active. |
1909 |
The Law Department is renamed and structured as the School of Law. |
1914 |
Law professor William Ephraim Mikell is named Dean. |
1916 |
U.S. enters World War. Of 309 students that join the military, 25 are killed
and 13 are wounded. |
1918 |
U.S. Naval personnel commandeer rooms of Law School Building for study,
training, and physical education of military. |
1919 |
Law School graduates only 13 students. |
1923 |
William Draper Lewis is force behind the establishment of the American Law
Institute. He is named its first director and it is located at Penn Law. |
1927 |
Sadie Turner Mossell (Alexander) is the first black woman to graduate from
Penn Law School. |
1929 |
Herbert Funk Goodrich (1889-1962) is named Dean. |
1941 |
Law professor Edwin R. Keedy (1880-1958) is named Dean. |
1945 |
Earl G. Harrison C'20, L'23 (1899-1955) is named Dean from Truman Administration. |
1948 |
Owen J. Roberts C'1895, L'1898 (1975-1955) retires from U.S. Supreme Court
and is named Dean. |
1952 |
Jefferson Barnes Fordham (1905-1997) is named Dean. |
1955 |
Law School undertakes $2.5 million fundraising campaign for facilities. |
1957 |
A. Leo Levin introduces the course Trial of an Issue of Fact and holds class
seminars at his home. |
1958 |
Roberts and Pepper dormitories and Stern dining hall open. |
1963 |
The new wings of Roberts and Pepper Halls are opened on site of former tennis
courts. Attendees at opening include U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice Earl
Warren and Associate Justices William J. Brennan, Jr. and John Marshall
Harlan. |
The Goat sculpture, Hsieh-Chai, is installed at point of intersection. |
1968 |
Twelve of 26 faculty members, along with 137 students sign an anti-war statement
circulated throughout American law schools. Student activists write "Proposal
for Change" advocating for reforms in faculty teaching methods and
curriculum. |
JD/M.C.P. degree is first offered. |
1969 |
The Law School opens up faculty meetings to include two student representatives. |
Martha Alschuler Field is the first woman to join faculty. |
Robert A. Gorman conducts research and survey that results in massive curriculum
reform proposal. |
Edward V. Sparer joins faculty and starts Health Law Project. |
1970 |
Law professor Bernard Wolfman (1924- ) is named Dean. |
The Law School Building is renovated and renamed Lewis Hall. |
Black Law Students Union (BLSU) is formed. |
JD/MBA degree is first offered. |
1972 |
Student representatives are given voting power at faculty meetings. |
1973 |
Mark Spiegel becomes first director of Clinical Program. |
1974 |
Hon. A. Leon Higginbotham, Jr., joins adjunct faculty and introduces his
course Race, Racism, and American Law. |
1975 |
Louis H. Pollak (1922- ) is named Dean. |
Nancy Bregstein L'76 is named first woman editor-in-chief of the Law Review. |
Ralph Smith is first black man to join faculty. |
1977 |
Regina Austin L'73 is first black woman to join faculty. |
1979 |
Law professor James O. Freedman (1935- ) is named Dean. |
1982 |
Law professor Robert H. Mundheim (1933- ) is named Dean. |
1985 |
Public Service requirement established for second- and third-year students. |
1989 |
Colin S. Diver (1943- ) is named Dean. |
70-hour mandatory public service requirement is established. |
Penn undertakes $1 billion capital campaign. |
Law School surpasses $45 million goal by forty percent. |
1992 |
Roberts and Pepper dormitories and Stern dining hall are demolished to make
room for Tanenbaum Hall. |
1993 |
Nicole E. Tanenbaum Hall is dedicated and opened. Funded with a gift from
Myles Tanenbaum W'52, L'57, the building houses the Biddle Library, student
journal offices, seminar and class rooms, and a cafeteria. |
1995 |
Howard Gittis W'55, L'58 funds the renovation of the first floor of Lewis
Hall to provide professional offices for the Clinical Program. |
1998 |
Institute for Law and Philosophy is established. |
Henry Silverman L'64 makes gift of $15 million, at the time the largest
outright gift ever to an American law school. The gift funds renovations
of Lewis Hall and provides for a professorship, legal research, and scholarships. |
2000 |
Law professor Michael A. Fitts (1953- ) is named Dean. |
Lewis Hall is re-dedicated as Silverman Hall after two-year renovation. |
Levy Conference Center funded by Paul (L'72) and Karen Levy is opened in
the former Sharswood Hall offering a multi-media conference and meeting
facility |