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About

Founded in 1909, the University of Oklahoma College of Law is one of the great public law schools in the nation with small sections and class sizes that encourage a strong sense of community, accomplished faculty who boast international expertise, and a state-of-the-art facility featuring study rooms, court rooms and classrooms equipped with the latest technology.

About OU Law

As Oklahoma's only public law school, OU Law is the academic home of more than 800 students enrolled in the Juris DoctorMaster of LawsMaster of Legal Studies and various dual degree programs.

The University of Oklahoma Law Center is the parent entity of the College of Law. The Law Center also includes the Donald E. Pray Law LibraryOU Legal Clinic, Department of Paralegal StudiesOklahoma Law Review, American Indian Law Review, and Oil and Gas, Natural Resources, and Energy Journal (ONE J).

Mission

The University of Oklahoma College of Law, as part of the Oklahoma Law Center, seeks to provide a dynamic intellectual community dedicated to teaching and learning, research and service in the pursuit of law and justice as its students incorporate their legal training in preparation for the practice of law, judicial service, and other leadership positions in Oklahoma, the nation, and the world.

History

Founded in 1909, the OU College of Law has transformed from its humble beginnings of Dean Julien C. Monnet, two faculty members, and 47 students to become the pre-eminent legal institution in the state. Six years after its founding, thanks to the persistent lobbying of state legislators by law students to fund its construction, in 1914 the college moved into its first permanent home, Monnet Hall – named in honor of its founding dean.

The 47,000-square-foot “Law Barn,” as it was affectionately known, was home to the College of Law for 62 years. Here, it was witness to many events in Oklahoma (and American) history, including the admission of then-future OU Regent Ada Lois Sipuel Fisher, the first black woman admitted to the College of Law, in 1948. Other notable graduates include former U.S. Senator and current OU President David L. Boren, former Oklahoma Governors Frank Keating and Brad Henry, and former Oklahoma County District Attorney and current Dean Emeritus Andrew M. Coats.

Despite the addition of square footage to Monnet Hall, the Law Center, which the College of Law and its associated entities came to be called in 1971, outgrew the building, leading to the Law Center’s relocation in 1976 to its current home on Timberdell Road. Over the years, the need for more space continued. Adding the American Indian Law Review to complement the established Oklahoma Law Review, expanding clinical legal education, and generally striving to meet the increasing demands of legal education in the late 20th century caused OU Law to once again outgrow its facilities.

Donald E. Pray Law Library
Donald E. Pray Law Library

In October 1999, ground was broken on a $19 million construction and renovation project which ultimately added 80,000 square feet to the facility, featuring the 58,000-square-foot Donald E. Pray Law Library and the 250-seat Dick Bell Courtroom. The new library features the Chapman Reading Room, modeled after the reading room in Monnet Hall, with a parquet floor reminiscent of the floors in the Louvre. The Donald E. Pray Law Library, which is open to the public, boasts the largest law collection, public or private, in the state. The Dick Bell Courtroom is one of the largest high-tech courtrooms in the region, if not the nation. It has hosted live trials from the various courts in central Oklahoma, including appellate cases from both the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals (including a death penalty appeal) and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit, as well as civil trials from the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma.

Dick Bell Courtroom
Dick Bell Courtroom

 

Fast Facts

26

Average Student Age

32

Percentage Minorities, 2021-2022

47

Percentage Men, 2021-2022

52

Percentage Women, 2021-2022

More Information

OU Law staff members provide individual tours for prospective students, allowing them to see the facilities, talk to faculty and current students and even sit in on a class. To schedule a tour, email us at tour@law.ou.edu or call (405) 325-4728. You may also email the admissions department at admissions@law.ou.edu.

Prospective Students

Thank you for your interest in applying to OU Law

Please select your program of interest to learn more about the application process.

J.D. ProgramM.L.S. ProgramLL.M. ProgramLegal Assistant Education Not sure? Learn more about admissions at OU Law