A Tradition of Excellence in Transition

The University of Memphis School of Law has built a program of legal education that enables its graduates to succeed from the very beginning of their careers. Our students pass the bar and find employment in percentages that are historically among the best in Tennessee and that compare favorably to the finest law schools anywhere in the country. These bar passage and employment rates confirm the value of our long-standing focus on teaching and individual attention.

Building on this excellent tradition in legal education, we are a law school in transition. We continue to adapt our program to meet our students’ educational needs in preparation for the practice of law in a rapidly changing, transnational environment. Our rigorous practical education equips students with both an understanding of ethical responsibilities in the practice of law and the tools necessary for professional excellence and success.

Our physical space also is in transition. We currently are engaged in preparations to move our program to a superb new law school facility that is fully commensurate with the quality of our program. We are in the process of renovating the United States Customs House, Court House and Post Office, the most attractive historic building in the downtown Memphis central business district.  The project is on schedule, and we anticipate that classes will be offered in the new building beginning on January 11, 2010.  On the bluffs overlooking the Mississippi River, our new home is situated near the state and federal courts and in the midst of our region’s most important concentration of law firms, government offices, and cultural attractions. The University of Memphis School of Law will become a significant part of the on-going and extraordinary renaissance occurring in the Memphis center city.

Our new home will have nearly double our current space and will enable us to take advantage of the most important and valuable available improvements in educational architecture and technology. In addition to the grandeur of the restored original federal district courtroom, the facility will feature well-designed classrooms, a spacious and inviting library, ample study and student activity space, a well-appointed Legal Clinic office, and numerous lounge and reception areas.  (Please click on the “Building Upon Traditions” icon on the homepage of this website to find out more about our new home.)

I am pleased that you are considering the University of Memphis School of Law as you plan for a career in the legal profession. This is an exciting time for us, during which we will sustain our tradition of educational excellence and begin the transition to our new building. It will be an exciting time for you if you join our diverse student body, which regularly brings many talents and broad experiences to the educational environment, as well as an appetite for a challenging and fulfilling law school experience. I invite you to schedule a visit and experience for yourself all we have to offer.

With regards,

Kevin H. Smith
Dean and Thomas B. Preston Professor of Law