VOL. 127 | NO. 216 | Monday, November 05, 2012

Heres a look at whats going on at the moment in the citys legal community and some things that are on the horizon.

The University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law, which turns 50 this year, in 2010 moved into the historic U.S. Custom House/Courthouse/Post Office on Front Street in Downtown.

(Daily News File Photo: Brandon Dill)

The University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law is celebrating its golden anniversary this year. On Oct. 27, the school held its 50th anniversary celebration for the Downtown facility, which opened in 2010 and marked a new chapter for a building that once was the Front Street post office for nearly 40 years and a federal courthouse before that.

The celebration was expected to draw more than 1,500 alumni and community members from across the city, state and country. And it honored both the schools history and the people whove been part of that history, including former deans, professors and alumni.

Speaking of the law school, its been making some changes. One such tweak is a new pro bono requirement, which now makes students complete a certain amount of pro bono legal work in order to graduate.

All students must give 40 hours of their time to pro bono legal activities, said the law schools interim dean William Kratzke. I think thats going to be good for everybody. I think its going to be good for the community, and I think itll be good for the students and good for the school.

In many ways, the school has come a long way. Were very different than we were 50 years ago. For one thing, were in a new building. And were celebrating all of that together this year.

The school moved Downtown thanks to the U.S. Postal Service in 2006 agreeing to move out. A $5.3 million deal was worked out to turn the property over to the University of Memphis.

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