University at Buffalo Law School records

Collection — Box: 1-21

Identifier: 21/1/1176

Staff Only

Collection contains administrative files maintained by the Law School Deans and Associate Deans mostly from 1967 to 1975 along with some financial records beginning in 1922. Notable materials are the Erie County Jail Counseling Service, a program run through the Law School clinical program, and planning and faculty committee materials.

Dates

1922-1991
Majority of material found within (1967-1975 )

Creator

State University of New York at Buffalo. School of Law (1989- ) (Organization)

Language of Materials

Collection material in English.

Terms of Access

The University at Buffalo Law School Records are open for research except for files containing personnel or student information.

Copyright

Copyright of papers in the collection may be held by their authors, or the authors' heirs or assigns. Researchers must obtain the written permission of the holder(s) of copyright and the University Archives before publishing quotations from materials in the collection. Most papers may be copied in accordance with the library's usual procedures unless otherwise specified.

Extent

8.13 Linear Feet (19 manuscript boxes, 1 half manuscript box, 1 oversize folder)

Additional Description

Overview

Administrative files kept by the Law School's Deans and Associate Deans mostly between 1967-1975 along with some older financial files beginning in 1922. Some incomplete faculty meeting minutes from 1977 to 1991 are included.

Historical Note

Established in May 1887, the Buffalo Law School originated as the Law Department of Niagara University. In May 1891 it became part of the University of Buffalo and held its third commencement. ABA accredited in 1937 in its 50th anniversary year. In 1962 when UB joined SUNY, it became the only publicly funded law school in New York State until CUNY Law School was added in 1981(?). An LL.B. degree was awarded until 1967; the J.D. degree has been awarded since 1968.

Two histories have been published and are located in Box 28: Buffalo Law School 75 Years (1962) and University at Buffalo Law School 100 Years 1887-1987 (1992). The UB Law Forum published irregularly since 1985 chronicles events beyond these published histories and is located in the Law Library Special Collections 03.

The official name of the institution has changed over the years: University of Buffalo. School of Law (1887-1961); State University of New York at Buffalo. School of Law (1962-1967); State University of New York at Buffalo. Faculty of Law and Jurisprudence (1968-1988); State University of New York at Buffalo. School of Law (1989-1997 ); University at Buffalo Law School, The State University of New York (1998-)

Locations:

1887-1888: Niagara Medical School, Ellicott Street
1888-1893: The Buffalo Library, Clinton Street
1893-1896: Stafford Building, upper floor, 158 Pearl Street
1896-1913: Ellicott Square Building, 9th floor
1913-1917: Third National Bank Building, 275 Main Street at Swan
1923- 1949?: Townsend Hall, sw corner of Delaware Ave. and Niagara Square (present site of Buffalo City Court), served as temporary lecture space
1917-1948: 77 West Eagle Street, original building (Hoyt Mansion housed law firm of Hoyt & Spratt)
1949: Temporary classes held in the County Building, 40 Delaware (present site of Erie County Holding Center)
1949-1973: 77 West Eagle Street, new building
1966-1969: Prudential Building
1973-: O’Brian Hall, UB North Campus, Amherst

Deans:

1887-1897: Hon. Charles Daniels
1897-1902: Adelbert Moot
1902-1903: Christopher G. Tiedeman
1903-1904: Adelbert Moot (Acting)
1904-1936: Carlos C. Alden
1936-1941: Francis M. Shea (On Leave 1939-41)
1939-1945: Mark DeWolfe Howe (Acting 1939-41, On Leave 1943-45)
1943-1947: Philip Halpern (Acting 1943-46)
1948-1950: Louis L. Jaffe
1951-1952: George N. Stevens
1952-1953: Philip Halpern (Acting)
1953-1964: Jacob D. Hyman
1964-1971: William D. Hawkland
1971-1976: Richard D. Schwartz
1976-1985: Thomas E. Headrick
1985-1986: John Henry Schlegel (Acting)
1986-1987: Wade J. Newhouse
1988-1992: David B. Filvaroff
1992-1998: Barry B. Boyer
1998-2007: R. Nils Olsen
2008-: Makau W. Matua

Arrangement

This collection is arranged in five series:

Budget and Financial Records
Committees
Erie County Jail Counseling Project
Planning
Associate Deans' Files

Acquisition Information

Materials received from the Law School on December 5, 1978 and January 3, 1979 (78-064) and December 4, 1980 (80-025). Faculty meeting minutes from 1977 to 1991 were added from the Marjorie Girth Papers, (03-689).