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What began 150 years ago with just two part-time law professors and 15 students has grown into a renowned institution of legal education that has conferred more than 21,000 law degrees.

In 1868, the University of Wisconsin Law School operated out of a room the governor supplied in the state capitol. The Law School moved several times before landing at its current site on historic Bascom Hill, once reportedly holding classes above a downtown bar.

But location is only part of UW Law’s story, says Dean Margaret Raymond. “In preparing to celebrate our first 150 years, we’ve been thinking about all the things that make our law school unique — our influential scholars, our law-in-action teaching tradition, our pioneering experiential learning programs, and our alumni who are making a difference all over the world,” she says.

UW Law will commemorate its 150th anniversary throughout the 2018-19 academic year, with a special homecoming celebration and all-class reunion planned for Oct. 19 and 20. According to Raymond, the weekend will have something for everyone: “There will be opportunities to learn from alumni doing great work, tailgate and cheer on the Badgers, support our third-year students as they make their traditional cane toss at Camp Randall, dance to a live band, and try out our signature anniversary ice cream.”

That ice cream flavor, the product of a competition that drew over 400 entries, will be unveiled at a festive Friday lunch. The ice cream will be made specially for the occasion by Babcock Hall Dairy Plant.

Other events scheduled for reunion weekend include:

“Our alumni are great examples of what UW Law has accomplished in the past and great supporters of what we’ll achieve in our future,” Raymond says. “I’m excited to welcome them back to campus to celebrate this milestone with faculty and students, to reflect on our legacy, and look forward to the next 150 years.”

For the latest 150th anniversary news and events, including registration details, visit 150.law.wisc.edu.


Submitted by Law School News on September 12, 2018

This article appears in the categories: Features

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