The Law School has two principal sections, Withers-Brown Hall and Slaughter Hall. Withers-Brown has been the home of the Law School since 1974 when it moved to North Grounds from its former home, Clark Hall, on Central Grounds. Slaughter is the former home of the Darden School of Business, which moved to its new complex just west of the Law School in 1996. In 1997 the Law School completed a $35-million renovation, financed completely with private funds, that linked the two buildings with Clay Hall uniting the front and Hunton & Williams Hall bridging the rear. In 2002 the Law School completed the Student-Faculty Center, which connects to Hunton & Williams Hall as well. You will need Acrobat Reader 4 to view a complete map of the Grounds.
Clay Hall
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| Clay Hall entrance |
This is the building you enter when you go through the main (south) entrance of the Law School. Its distinctive cupola roofline has made it the basis of the Law School's logo. Engraved over the front doors is an inscription often remembered by alumni: "That those alone may be servants of the law who labor with learning, courage, and devotion to preserve liberty and promote justice." This phrase was from a law professor, Leslie Buckler, who wrote it in 1932 to be emblazoned above the doors of Clark Hall. When Clay Hall was built, his words were carved again.
The reception desk is directly in front of you. Visitor parking permits may be obtained from the receptionist. Directly behind the reception desk is Caplin Pavilion, the law school's main ceremonial room, which is used for speeches, receptions, dinners and other special events. The large landscape painting of the Blue Ridge on the rear wall is a scene in northwestern Albemarle County. A baby grand piano is available for use by anyone in the Law School community whenever the Pavilion is open and unoccupied.
Withers-Brown Hall
This building to the right of the main entrance houses the Arthur J. Morris Law Library on the first through third floors.
Lower Level: If you take a right in front of the Library entrance and then the next left, you can go down a corridor that leads to Caplin Auditorium on the lower level. This is where large Law School gatherings are held, including guest lectures and the dean's orientation address to first-year students. Because it seats about 350 people, other University organizations occasionally use it. The annual Libel Show, a student tradition that lampoons Law School life, is performed here for three nights in March.
First Floor: The main public entrance to the Library is on the first floor, just at the end of Clay Hall. This floor also houses classrooms, faculty offices, student lounges, lockers, and vending machines.
Second Floor: The Library takes up the entire second floor of Withers-Brown. There is no public access on the second floor.
Third Floor: If you take a right at the Library entrance and take the elevator or stairs to your right to the third floor, you will find faculty offices to your left off the elevator; and to the right, the Dean's Office, the Business Office, Law Information Technology (computer and web services), the mail room with staff and faculty mailboxes, the faculty lounge, and a few faculty offices.
An important office for students is Building Services with David Holsapple in Room 320. Here you can reserve Law School rooms for special events and pick up or drop off your locker keys. You can also reserve rooms online through LawWeb, the Law School intranet for students, staff, and faculty.
Slaughter Hall
The building to the left of the Clay Hall main entrance houses mostly classrooms, administrative offices, and offices for student organizations.
First Floor: As you walk down the corridor from Clay Hall, you will find Student Affairs, Student Records, the Purcell Reading Room (also called The Fishbowl), the student computer lab, Courts and Commerce bookstore, and the Copy Center. Bulletin boards for student organizations line the corridor. If you turn left down the broad corridor (which to the right opens onto Spies Garden, the Law School's outdoor room) after the Purcell Reading Room and take the narrow corridor to your right (just before the exit) you will find offices of student journals and organizations. To the left of the exit are the Virginia Law Review offices.
Second Floor: Admissions, Career Services, Financial Aid, and the Mortimer Caplin Public Service Center are here, as well as diverse sizes of classrooms. You will also find all the facilities for career-launching—the interview rooms and the student changing rooms. This floor also houses the moot courtrooms where students hone their trial techniques.
Third Floor: This floor primarily houses the Alumni Association and the Law School Foundation, the fund-raising organization that brought in nearly $8 million in private funds for the Law School in 2001-02. Private support accounted for 35 percent of the Law School's operating budget that year. If you go right three times off the elevator to the rear corridor, you will find the National Security Law Center and the Oceans Law & Policy Center, nationally known Law School centers. Some retired faculty members also have offices here.
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| Scott Commons |
Hunton & Williams Hall forms the back of the Law School quad and connects to the Student-Faculty Center. The Hall maintains activity tables for student organizations. There are also bulletin boards with Law School and community announcements here, as well as lockers. August 2002 saw the opening of the Student-Faculty Center, also referred to as Scott Commons, which, more precisely, is the name of its glass-roofed central lounge. The SFC also houses a lunch cafeteria, a Greenberry's coffee bar, staff/faculty dining rooms, student mailboxes, and more study and lounge space.
