The Law School has two principal sections, Walter L. Brown Hall and Slaughter Hall. Brown has been the home of the Law School since 1974, when it moved to North Grounds from its former home, Clark Hall, on Central Grounds. Slaughter is the former home of the Darden School of Business, which moved to its new complex just west of the Law School in 1996. In 1997 the Law School completed a $35 million renovation, financed completely with private funds, that linked the two buildings, with Clay Hall uniting the front and Hunton Andrews Kurth Hall bridging the rear. In 2002 the Law School completed the HMZ | Class of 1975 Student-Faculty Center, which connects to Hunton Andrews Kurth Hall as well. Map
Clay Hall
This is the building you enter when you go through the main (south) entrance of the Law School. Engraved over the front doors is an inscription often remembered by alumni: "That those alone may be servants of the law who labor with learning, courage, and devotion to preserve liberty and promote justice." This phrase was from a law professor, Leslie Buckler, who wrote it in 1932 to be emblazoned above the doors of Clark Hall. When Clay Hall was built, his words were carved again.
Directly in front of the main entrance to Clay Hall is Caplin Pavilion, the law school's main ceremonial room, which is used for speeches, receptions, dinners and other special events. The large landscape painting of the Blue Ridge on the rear wall is a scene in northwestern Albemarle County. A baby grand piano is available for use by anyone in the Law School community whenever the Pavilion is open and unoccupied.
Visitor parking permits may be obtained from the Admissions Office, to the left of the entrance (in the Karsh Student Services Center).
Law Alumnae Lobby
Walter Brown Hall
This building to the right of the main entrance houses the Arthur J. Morris Law Library on the first through third floors.
Lower Level: If you take a right in front of the Library entrance and then the next left, you can go down a corridor that leads to Caplin Auditorium on the lower level. This is where large Law School gatherings are held, including guest lectures and the dean's orientation address to first-year students. The annual Libel Show, a student tradition that lampoons Law School life, is performed here.
First Floor: The main public entrance to the library is on the first floor, just at the end of Clay Hall. This floor also houses classrooms, faculty offices, student lounges, lockers, and vending machines.
Second Floor: The library, the Virginia Law Review and the Virginia Journal of International Law are housed on the second floor of the library. There is no public access on the second floor.
Third Floor: If you take a right at the Library entrance and take the elevator or stairs to your right to the third floor, you will find faculty offices to your left off the elevator; and to the right, the Dean's Office, the Business Office, the Communications Office, Information Technology, the mail room (for staff and faculty mailboxes), the faculty lounge, and a few faculty offices.
Slaughter Hall
The building to the left of the Clay Hall main entrance houses mostly classrooms, administrative offices and offices for student organizations.
First Floor: As you walk down the corridor from Clay Hall, you will find the Karsh Student Services Center directly ahead. On the first floor of Karsh, you'll find Admissions, Financial Aid and Graduate Studies. Down the hall to the right of the Karsh Center is Student Affairs, Student Records, the Purcell Reading Room (also called The Fishbowl), Courts and Commerce bookstore and the Copy Center. Bulletin boards for student organizations line the corridor. If you turn left down the broad corridor (which to the right opens onto Spies Garden, the Law School's outdoor room) after the Purcell Reading Room and take the narrow corridor to your right (just before the exit) you will find offices of student journals and organizations.
Second Floor: Career Services, the Mortimer Caplin Public Service Center, Judicial Clerkships and Clinics are here, as well as a diverse set of classrooms. You will also find all the facilities for career-launching — the interview rooms and the student changing rooms. This floor also houses the moot courtrooms where students hone their trial techniques.
Third Floor: This floor primarily houses the Alumni Association and the Law School Foundation, which is responsible for development and donor relations. If you go right three times off the elevator to the rear corridor, you will find the National Security Law Center and the Oceans Law and Policy Center.
Hunton Andrews Kurth Hall forms the back of the Law School quad and connects to the HMZ | Class of 1975 Student-Faculty Center. The Hall maintains activity tables for student organizations. There are also bulletin boards with Law School and community announcements here, as well as lockers. The main atrium of the Student-Faculty Center is Scott Commons, a glass-roofed central lounge. The SFC also houses a lunch cafeteria, a Greenberry's coffee bar, dining rooms, student mailboxes, and more study and lounge space.