Marquette University Law School

The formal education of Milwaukee's legal profession began on October 12, 1892, when eleven students met to study law under the guidance of local lawyers. The group, called the Milwaukee Law Class, secured the volunteer services of Franklin Spies and William H. Churchill, Sr. to avoid the cost of tuition. He was a regular lecturer on Torts, and other related subjects. Spy was a teacher of Contracts. The institution was renamed Milwaukee Law School in 1896 with the addition of other faculty members. All classestheyre held in downtown Milwaukee at night. Marquette University, a neighboring university, was seeking to expand its academic offerings in 1908. It had recently added the Schools of Medicine and Dentistry as an undergraduate college. Theretheyre two law schools in the area at the time: Milwaukee Law School, which was more established than the Milwaukee University Law School. The Milwaukee University Law School was barely two years old and financially poor. Marquette took sole ownership of both schools on September 19, 1908, and named its newly acquired unit Marquette University College of Law. Full-time studentstheyre given a day division. Classestheyre initially held in Johnston Hall. Two years later, the College of Law moved to the adjacent Mackie Mansion, a remodeled residence at the corner of North 11th Street and Grand Avenue, the early-twentieth-century name for Wisconsin Avenue. Hon. James G. Jenkins was the first dean. He is a retired judge of the United States Court of Appeals, Seventh Circuit.