University of Missouri School of Law

University of Missouri School of Law
Name	University of Missouri School of Law
Established	1872
Type	Public
Parent	University of Missouri
Dean	Lyrissa Lidsky
City	Columbia, Missouri
Country	United States

University of Missouri School of Law. Founded in 1872, it is the oldest public law school west of the Mississippi River and a founding member of the Association of American Law Schools. The school is located on the flagship campus of the University of Missouri in Columbia, Missouri, and is known for its strong programs in dispute resolution, intellectual property, and agricultural law. It emphasizes a practical, hands-on legal education through its renowned clinical education programs and its historic commitment to public service.

History

The institution was established by an act of the Missouri General Assembly and held its first classes in the historic Academic Hall on the University of Missouri campus. Its early deans, including John B. Gillett and William S. Gordon, helped shape its practical curriculum. A significant early graduate was James T. Blair Jr., who later served as Governor of Missouri. The school weathered challenges such as the Great Depression and expanded its influence, with faculty like Rolla Wells contributing to state legal reform. In 2014, the law school moved into its current, state-of-the-art facility, Hulston Hall, named for alumnus and benefactor John K. Hulston.

Academics

The school offers the Juris Doctor degree, as well as several dual-degree programs such as the JD/MBA with the Trulaske College of Business and a JD/MPA with the Harry S Truman School of Government and Public Affairs. Its curriculum is noted for a required first-year course in legal research and writing, and upper-level strengths in areas like tax law, environmental law, and family law. The school maintains a low student-to-faculty ratio and operates on a semester system. It is consistently ranked among the top public law schools by publishers like U.S. News & World Report.

Campus and facilities

The law school is housed in Hulston Hall, a modern building adjacent to the university's Francis Quadrangle. The facility features the Judge Warren D. Welliver Moot Courtroom, the Elwood Thomas Law Library, and the Center for the Study of Dispute Resolution. The library maintains a special collection on the Missouri Supreme Court and the papers of noted jurist Charles Evans Whittaker. The building also contains numerous study spaces, seminar rooms, and the Office of Career Development, which serves students and alumni.

Centers and programs

The school hosts several nationally recognized centers, including the Center for the Study of Dispute Resolution, one of the first of its kind in the United States. The Center for Intellectual Property & Entrepreneurship supports innovation and technology law. The Missouri Law Review is a student-edited journal that publishes scholarly articles. Other key programs include the Veterans Clinic, which provides legal assistance to military veterans, and the Entrepreneurship Legal Clinic, which advises start-up businesses. The school also runs summer programs in locations like Dublin and Cape Town.

Notable alumni and faculty

Prominent alumni include former United States Attorney General John Ashcroft, former United States Senator Christopher S. Bond, and former Chief Justice of the Missouri Supreme Court William Ray Price Jr.. Notable faculty have included constitutional law scholar Richard G. Wilkins, former dean and American Bar Association leader R. Dale Vliet, and current dean Lyrissa Lidsky, an expert in First Amendment law. Distinguished visiting jurists have included Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg of the Supreme Court of the United States.

Publications and organizations

The primary student-edited journal is the Missouri Law Review, founded in 1936. Students also publish the Journal of Dispute Resolution and the Missouri Environmental Law and Policy Review. The student body is active in organizations like the Board of Advocates, which oversees moot court competitions, and chapters of the Federalist Society and the American Constitution Society. The school also hosts the annual Randolph D. Moss Moot Court Competition and sends teams to national events like the National Moot Court Competition.

Category:University of Missouri Category:Law schools in Missouri Category:Educational institutions established in 1872