Since its founding in 1951, Seton Hall Law has carried forward the legacy of Seton
Hall University, educating generations of lawyers in Newark and beyond.
1856 Seton Hall University is founded by Bishop James Roosevelt Bayley and named for Sister
Elizabeth Ann Seton, the first American-born saint.
1937–1950 Plans for a law school are delayed by World War II and its aftermath.
1950 New Jersey Supreme Court rules require bar candidates to graduate from ABA-accredited
law schools. John Marshall Law School in Jersey City closes and transfers its library
and assets to Seton Hall.
1951 Under Founding Dean Miriam T. Rooney, Seton Hall University School of Law opens Feb.
5 in Jersey City with 72 students. Later that year, the school relocates to 1010 Raymond
Blvd. in Newark.
1954–1955 The law school graduates its first class and earns full American Bar Association accreditation.
1959 Seton Hall Law becomes a member of the Association of American Law Schools.
1961–1971 Dean John P. Loftus oversees major enrollment growth and the creation of the Student
Bar Association, Law Review and Res Ipsa Loquitur.
1971–1978 Dean John F.X. Irving expands faculty and facilities, moving the school to 1010 Raymond
Blvd.
1978–1983 The Rev. Daniel A. Degnan strengthens alumni engagement through the creation of the
Alumni Office and Alumni Council.
1983–1987 Dean Elizabeth F. Defeis advances the school’s national scholarly reputation.
1988–1999 Dean Ronald J. Riccio leads construction of the law school’s permanent home in downtown
Newark and expands nationally recognized programs, including Health Law & Policy.
2000 The Institute for Law, Science & Technology is established to address emerging legal
and technological challenges.
Present Under Dean Ronald Weich’s visionary leadership, Seton Hall Law marks 75 years of academic
excellence, public service and experiential learning. Through the Center for Social
Justice, students put justice into action, serving communities in Newark and beyond.
