Comments on: The Oldest Law School http://www.concurringopinions.com/archives/2006/08/the_oldest_law.html The Law, the Universe, and Everything Sun, 22 Nov 2009 04:22:46 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.3 hourly 1 By: raedine Schroeder http://www.concurringopinions.com/archives/2006/08/the_oldest_law.html/comment-page-1#comment-64170 raedine Schroeder Thu, 18 Jun 2009 20:26:18 +0000 http://www.solove.org/archives/2006/08/the-oldest-law-school.html#comment-64170 I'm looking for Harvard Law School tee shirts, preferably listing various family members bragging about HLS acceptance. ie: My grandson goes to Harvard Law or my nephew, etc. I’m looking for Harvard Law School tee shirts, preferably listing various family members bragging about HLS acceptance. ie: My grandson goes to Harvard Law or my nephew, etc.

]]> By: Cathy Fields http://www.concurringopinions.com/archives/2006/08/the_oldest_law.html/comment-page-1#comment-57419 Cathy Fields Thu, 01 Feb 2007 23:30:28 +0000 http://www.solove.org/archives/2006/08/the-oldest-law-school.html#comment-57419 I am the Director of the Litchfield Historical Society. We own and interpret the Tapping Reeve House and Litchfield Law School. I am also a graduate of William and Mary. I sometimes have conflicting loyalties but I do believe that Litchfield is first. Many of Reeve’s students played roles in legal education. More than twenty alumni of the school started or were early professors of new law schools. For example, Edward King, fourth son of notable politician and diplomat Rufus King, took his legal education and family connections west to found the Cincinnati Law School. Eduators were only part of the story. The over 1,000 graduates include two Vice-Presidents (Calhoun and Burr), three Supreme Court Justices, 14 Governors, 28 Senators,14 members of the federal cabinet over 100 congressmen and the list goes on. They were an impressive bunch - take a look at our web site www.litchfieldhistoricalsociety.org to learn more. I am the Director of the Litchfield Historical Society. We own and interpret the Tapping Reeve House and Litchfield Law School. I am also a graduate of William and Mary. I sometimes have conflicting loyalties but I do believe that Litchfield is first.

Many of Reeve’s students played roles in legal education. More than twenty alumni of the school started or were early professors of new law schools. For example, Edward King, fourth son of notable politician and diplomat Rufus King, took his legal education and family connections west to found the Cincinnati Law School.

Eduators were only part of the story. The over 1,000 graduates include two Vice-Presidents (Calhoun and Burr), three Supreme Court Justices, 14 Governors, 28 Senators,14 members of the federal cabinet over 100 congressmen and the list goes on. They were an impressive bunch – take a look at our web site http://www.litchfieldhistoricalsociety.org to learn more.

]]> By: Katie http://www.concurringopinions.com/archives/2006/08/the_oldest_law.html/comment-page-1#comment-57418 Katie Wed, 06 Sep 2006 23:05:07 +0000 http://www.solove.org/archives/2006/08/the-oldest-law-school.html#comment-57418 Transylvania University and Transylvania Law School (along with a Medical School, Bible College, and Ag school) were founded in 1780. I'm not sure if that puts it up there on the time line or not. However, fun fact I learned recently: a professor at Duke University Law School that teaches a course on the history of law in America, has a lecture dedicated to Transy law school. He theorizes that if it were not for many of the graduates of Transylvania Law School, the Civil War would probably have started years sooner than it did. Transylvania University and Transylvania Law School (along with a Medical School, Bible College, and Ag school) were founded in 1780. I’m not sure if that puts it up there on the time line or not. However, fun fact I learned recently: a professor at Duke University Law School that teaches a course on the history of law in America, has a lecture dedicated to Transy law school. He theorizes that if it were not for many of the graduates of Transylvania Law School, the Civil War would probably have started years sooner than it did.

]]> By: Brannon Denning http://www.concurringopinions.com/archives/2006/08/the_oldest_law.html/comment-page-1#comment-57417 Brannon Denning Thu, 17 Aug 2006 18:34:32 +0000 http://www.solove.org/archives/2006/08/the-oldest-law-school.html#comment-57417 When I visited Litchfield back in the late 90s, the gift shop sold "Litchfield Law School" t-shirts and sweatshirts. I always get a kick of wearing mine around town, because you get lots of smug "Gosh-if-I-went-to-a-law-school-no-one-heard-of-I'm-not-sure-I'd-advertise-it" looks from folks. Sometimes you see a flash of self-doubt, like "should I have heard of that school?" Not much, though. When I visited Litchfield back in the late 90s, the gift shop sold “Litchfield Law School” t-shirts and sweatshirts. I always get a kick of wearing mine around town, because you get lots of smug “Gosh-if-I-went-to-a-law-school-no-one-heard-of-I’m-not-sure-I’d-advertise-it” looks from folks. Sometimes you see a flash of self-doubt, like “should I have heard of that school?” Not much, though.

]]> By: Dan Jacobs http://www.concurringopinions.com/archives/2006/08/the_oldest_law.html/comment-page-1#comment-57416 Dan Jacobs Thu, 17 Aug 2006 17:15:31 +0000 http://www.solove.org/archives/2006/08/the-oldest-law-school.html#comment-57416 Justice Robert Jackson in fact attended law school. He was a graduate of Albany Law School after he had apprenticed in a law office in Jamestown, NY. I can't remember off the top of of the type of my head what year Justice Jackson graduated however. The notable aspect of Justice Jackson's Albany Law School career was that he took Albany Law's then two year course of study and breezed through it in one year (probably due to his apprenticeship experience). As a current third-year student at Albany Law, I can tell you that Albany Law is quite proud of the fact that Justice Jackson graduated from our school alongside our only other graduate that ascended to the Supreme Court: Justice David Brewer. Also, as a sidenote, I can also say that Albany Law School is the oldest, continously running, independent law school in the country (founded in 1851). Most of the schools that Professor Oman mentioned, notably not the Litchfield School, were schools associated with other American colleges. Justice Robert Jackson in fact attended law school. He was a graduate of Albany Law School after he had apprenticed in a law office in Jamestown, NY. I can’t remember off the top of of the type of my head what year Justice Jackson graduated however. The notable aspect of Justice Jackson’s Albany Law School career was that he took Albany Law’s then two year course of study and breezed through it in one year (probably due to his apprenticeship experience). As a current third-year student at Albany Law, I can tell you that Albany Law is quite proud of the fact that Justice Jackson graduated from our school alongside our only other graduate that ascended to the Supreme Court: Justice David Brewer.

Also, as a sidenote, I can also say that Albany Law School is the oldest, continously running, independent law school in the country (founded in 1851). Most of the schools that Professor Oman mentioned, notably not the Litchfield School, were schools associated with other American colleges.

]]> By: anon http://www.concurringopinions.com/archives/2006/08/the_oldest_law.html/comment-page-1#comment-57415 anon Wed, 16 Aug 2006 18:48:33 +0000 http://www.solove.org/archives/2006/08/the-oldest-law-school.html#comment-57415 The one history that is undisputed is that there is a proud history of law schools (and universities more generally) reaching back for the earliest date they can to mark the start of the study of law at their school. Penn traces it to the beginning of lectures in law in 1790, although it acknowledges that a law school program did not commence until 1850. http://www.law.upenn.edu/about/history/ The one history that is undisputed is that there is a proud history of law schools (and universities more generally) reaching back for the earliest date they can to mark the start of the study of law at their school. Penn traces it to the beginning of lectures in law in 1790, although it acknowledges that a law school program did not commence until 1850.

http://www.law.upenn.edu/about/history/

]]> By: kentucky-dreaming http://www.concurringopinions.com/archives/2006/08/the_oldest_law.html/comment-page-1#comment-57414 kentucky-dreaming Wed, 16 Aug 2006 03:19:57 +0000 http://www.solove.org/archives/2006/08/the-oldest-law-school.html#comment-57414 When was the Transylvania law school founded? I thought it pre-dated Harvard. When was the Transylvania law school founded? I thought it pre-dated Harvard.

]]> By: Matt http://www.concurringopinions.com/archives/2006/08/the_oldest_law.html/comment-page-1#comment-57413 Matt Wed, 16 Aug 2006 00:26:47 +0000 http://www.solove.org/archives/2006/08/the-oldest-law-school.html#comment-57413 There's a vanity history of Yale Law School that I think makes that claim. Worth a read if you're really, really interested in the history of U.S. legal education. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0300095643/sr=8-1/qid=1155677093/ref=sr_1_1/104-3858420-1825559?ie=UTF8 There’s a vanity history of Yale Law School that I think makes that claim. Worth a read if you’re really, really interested in the history of U.S. legal education.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0300095643/sr=8-1/qid=1155677093/ref=sr_1_1/104-3858420-1825559?ie=UTF8

]]> By: Dave http://www.concurringopinions.com/archives/2006/08/the_oldest_law.html/comment-page-1#comment-57412 Dave Tue, 15 Aug 2006 21:56:17 +0000 http://www.solove.org/archives/2006/08/the-oldest-law-school.html#comment-57412 By the way, Yale Law School claims to be descended from Litchfield, somehow. Not sure if it's true or just wishful thinking. By the way, Yale Law School claims to be descended from Litchfield, somehow. Not sure if it’s true or just wishful thinking.

]]> By: Greg http://www.concurringopinions.com/archives/2006/08/the_oldest_law.html/comment-page-1#comment-57411 Greg Tue, 15 Aug 2006 20:15:38 +0000 http://www.solove.org/archives/2006/08/the-oldest-law-school.html#comment-57411 So, you've established that Harvard is actually the third law school in the United States :) (Disclaimer: I went to W&M.) So, you’ve established that Harvard is actually the third law school in the United States :)

(Disclaimer: I went to W&M.)

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