From Basement to Bench: The Birth of Mason Law
Starting and Early History
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International School of Law (ISL): This law school started in 1972 in Washington, D.C. It began with only 26 students who took classes in a church basement.
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Joining George Mason: In 1979, George Mason University took over ISL and started its own law school.
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First Graduation: The first group of students graduated in 1980. A total of 265 students got their degrees.
Campus Growth
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Arlington Campus: The law school was the first big part of GMU’s Arlington Campus. Over time, the campus grew and added more programs.
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Hazel Hall: This building opened in 1999. It’s a large, modern space where law students and teachers now study and work. It has up-to-date tools and resources for learning.
Learning and Ideas
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Law and Economics Center: A dean named Henry Manne started this center to teach how law and money work together. Other schools copied this idea.
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Teachers from Different Fields: The law school has teachers who know about money, government, and philosophy. This gives students more ways to learn.
Big Changes and Gifts
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New Name: In 2016, the law school was named after a Supreme Court judge, Antonin Scalia. This happened after a $30 million gift.
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Biggest Gift: In 2019, the school got $50 million. It used the money to hire more teachers and improve classes.
Successful Graduates
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Strong Women Graduates: During Women’s History Month, the school talked about women who went there and are now doing great things in law.