Hartford College of Law

George W. Lillard and his wife, Caroline Eirmann Lillard founded the Hartford College of Law in 1921 as an independent evening law school. Classes were held five nights a week for the training of those in the insurance business and others who wished to obtain a legal education. The Hartford College of Law was one of many schools created across the country around the same time to serve returning veterans (from World War I), recent immigrants and others who would not have thought to apply to most of the long-established law schools and might not have been accepted if they had. Originally a night school occupying rented quarters at 94 Allyn Street for classrooms, it was soon recognized as a not-for profit, added a day division, and was accredited by the American Bar Association in 1931.

Originally a night school occupying rented quarters at 94 Allyn Street for classrooms, it was soon recognized as a not-for profit, added a day division, and, in 1931, was accredited by the American Bar Association. in 1943, due to low enrollment because of the War, the college determined that future growth and sustainability would work best in a partnership with the growing State University oin Storrs, the Unviersity of Connecticut. The University agreed to lease the law college for a five-year term. In 1948, the college conveyed full title to the university, becoming the University of Connecticut School of Law. (See Series I. Board of Trustees, Box 2, folder 3; RG 04.02 Alumni, Alumni News Bulletin, Janury 1944, Box 13, folder 1.)

In 1940, the college was able to raise funds to acquire its own building (39 Woodland Street, Hartford, Connecticut) and by the beginning of World War II, the school's graduates had begun to be recognized as leaders of the bar and in their communities. WWII conscription hurt enrollment and the trustees asked the University of Connecticut to carry the school until the end of the war which the school did and then the University acquired the College, renaming it the University of Connecticut School of Law.

In 1946, Bert Hoskins was appointed Dean, a position he held for 20 years. That same year the school became a member of the Association of American Law School.

Deans of the Law School, 1933-2023:

1933-1935 Tom Larremore 1936-1942 Edward G. Baird 1942-1946 Laurence, J. Ackerman (acting) 1946-1966 Bert Hopkins 1966-1967  Cornelius J. Scanlon (acting) 1967-1972 Howard Sacks 1972-1974 Francis C. Cady (acting) 1974-1984 Phillip Blumberg 1985-1990 George Schatzki 1990-2000 Hugh Magill 2000-2006 Nell Newton 2006-2007 Kurt Strasser (interim) 2007-2012 Jeremy Paul 2012-2013 Willajean McLlean (interim) 2013-2020 Tim Fisher 2020- Eboni Nelson

For a history of the Law School from the early years, refer to Hard Times and Best of Times: The University of Connecticut School of Law at 39 Woodland Street by Ken Newmyer and John Khalil https://law.uconn.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/3082/2021/08/hardtimes_0.pdf

see also: https://law.uconn.edu/about/history/ and https://centennial.law.uconn.edu/timeline/