MU opens new law school

By: dmc-admin//August 31, 2010//

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Wisconsin Law Journal reporter Jack Zemlicka and photographer Corey Hengen accompanied Marquette Law School Dean Joseph D. Kearney and University Architect Tom Ganey on a tour of the new 200,000 square-foot law school, Ray and Kay Eckstein Hall.

Law school architect Tom Ganey (left) and Dean Joseph D. Kearney pose in the lobby of the new $85 million Marquette University Law School on Aug. 23, two days before more than 200 first-year students began the fall term. At the groundbreaking event in 2008, Kearney pledged to construct the best law school in the country and he said everyone involved in the project has made that promise a reality. A formal dedication ceremony will be held at the law school on Sept. 8. For more photos of the new law school, see pages 10 and 11. (Photos by Corey Hengen)

There are only two entrances to the law school, both on the northwest corner of the building to control entry points. The brick facade features a more traditional look, while still making use of elevated windows to filter natural light into the lobby. The law school also applied for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification with the United States Green Building Council.

Eckstein Hall is named after law school alums Raymond A. and Katherine A. Eckstein who donated $51 million toward construction of the facility. The northern face of the building is situated on what would be Michigan St., and Dean Joseph D. Kearney requested and received the address of 1215 W. Michigan St. for the law school, to coincide with the date of the Magna Carta.

Dean Joseph D. Kearney's favorite spot within the new law school, the third-floor reading room offers students a quiet and spacious area to catch up on some legal reading. Like much of the building, the reading room features an abundance of natural light and soft wood tones. Above the entrance, there is a small landing with seating just off the portion of the library located on the fourth floor. — Dean Joseph D. Kearney

The appellate courtroom, located just off the forum on the ground floor of the law school, is decorated with portraits of Marquette Law School alumni or faculty who have served as members of the judiciary. With seating for 200 and a judicial bench behind the front wall, the room will host lectures, mock trials, debates and potentially, oral argument by the Wisconsin Supreme Court in the future.

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