[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 83 (Monday, May 16, 2022)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2517-S2518]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                            MORNING BUSINESS

                                 ______
                                 

                         ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS

                                 ______
                                 

    100TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CONNECTICUT SCHOOL OF LAW

 Mr. BLUMENTHAL. Mr. President, today I rise to recognize the 
University of Connecticut School of Law as it celebrates 100 years of 
extraordinary legal education.
  In 1921, George William Lillard and Caroline Eiermann Lillard founded 
the Hartford College of Law to provide Hartford insurance company 
employees with a legal education. Among the members of the first 
graduating class was Miss J. Agnes Burns, who was the first female 
attorney to present to the Connecticut Supreme Court.
  The college continued to grow during the 1930s, even amid unstable 
economic times. It reached a student body of 100 part-time night 
students with three full-time instructors. In September 1933, the 
American Bar Association--ABA--approved the college, and the examining 
committee of the Connecticut

[[Page S2518]]

Bar Association accredited the institution. The Hartford College of Law 
also appointed their first full-time dean, Thomas A. Larremore. Within 
the decade, the school amended the charter to organize the college as a 
nonprofit educational corporation and added the day division program to 
allow for full-time study.
  During World War II, when enrollment dropped dramatically, the 
University of Connecticut, based in Storrs, CT, agreed to take 
responsibility for the Hartford College of Law to prevent it from 
closing. The initial lease was for 5 years, and the full title was 
conveyed to the university on September 1, 1948, renaming the college 
as the University of Connecticut School of Law. The first class at the 
newly established school of law was also the first class to have all of 
its members pass the State bar.
  In 1964, a new home for the law school was opened, with a modern look 
designed by the architect of the Storrs campus' renowned Jorgensen 
Auditorium, Frederic C. Teich. The West Hartford News called the law 
school's new campus reveal a ``most significant event in our state's 
history.'' The opening received an entire section in the local 
newspaper, including a two-page photo layout and an article praising 
the building's lighting and the library's book collection and 
technological elements.
  With the new building came a 40-percent increase in admissions. Soon, 
the new building was overflowing, and by the late 1970s, the ABA 
expressed concerns about the facilities meeting accreditation 
standards. In June 1978, Governor Ella Grasso signed legislation that 
allowed for the purchase and renovation of the then empty Hartford 
Seminary campus to accommodate the increased demand for legal 
education. The law school remains at that location, housed in a 
beautiful campus, with ornate structures befitting a century old, 
august institution.
  Since its founding, the University of Connecticut School of Law has 
grown exponentially in both size and stature. It opened its first 
clinic, the Criminal Clinic, in 1969. Further degree programs were also 
established: in 1994, its first LLM program, in U.S. legal studies; and 
in 2013, the doctor of the science of laws program.
  Many illustrious alumni have entered public service, working on 
behalf of the State and the Nation. Others have contributed to the 
ongoing evolution of the law, especially in areas such as property, 
tax, and insurance law. The law school, through its clinics, has 
assisted many Connecticut residents who otherwise could not afford 
lawyers.
  As the former Connecticut Attorney General, I can attest to the fact 
that many of the assistant attorneys general, who graduated from the 
law school, provided the State with dedicated and insightful legal 
representation.
  On October 25, 2021, hundreds of students, alumni, faculty, and staff 
celebrated Founders' Day, in honor of the Lillards. The event began a 
yearlong celebration, which culminates on June 11, 2022, with the 
centennial gala.
  The University of Connecticut School of Law has had an immeasurable 
impact on our State and countless residents. As the school celebrates 
its centennial, I applaud its exemplary record of success and 
achievement. I hope my colleagues will join me in congratulating the 
University of Connecticut School of Law on 100 years of 
excellence.

                          ____________________