In honor of the 30th anniversary of the dedication and opening of the Columbus School of Law's current building, the Law Library installed an exhibit in the lobby of the Library. The exhibit contained a number of items from the planning, construction, design and dedication phases of the project.
With the Law School rapidly outgrowing its existing space in Leahy Hall, plans for the construction of a new law school building began in earnest in the Fall of 1987 with the appointment of a Building Committee. The following Fall the lead architect for the project (Keyes Condon Florist) was chosen, and a capital campaign to raise sufficient funds was launched. Following over two years of planning meetings and fundraising, a ground breaking ceremony for the project was held in May of 1992. Construction then took place from October 1992 through to June of 1994.
Among the many issues to be addressed in the planning stages was the choice of interior designs, such as furniture and fabrics. Selecting Thos. Moser Cabinetmakers to supply the library tables, carrels and chairs and ordering other building furniture and equipment from an array of quality manufacturers allowed the law school to achieve one of the main objectives of the building’s program statement: upgrading the appearance of the school and creating a more professional atmosphere, something that could never have been achieved in Leahy Hall.
A major milestone in the construction phase of the project was reached on April 17, 1993, when the Cornerstone of the new Law School building was ceremonially laid in place. The Cornerstone also contained a time capsule which included items symbolizing the Law School at that time. Upon completion of the Law School building, a multi-day dedication ceremony was held from September 30th to October 2nd, 1994. Invited guests included Supreme Court Associate Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Clarence Thomas, as well as Attorney General of the United States Janet Reno.
Since the completion of the building in 1994, the Law School has received recognition from numerous sources for the creation of an aesthetically pleasing and yet functional facility. As recently as 2022, the Law School’s facilities were ranked #9 in the nation by PreLaw Magazine. Wrapped around a glass-roofed, four-story atrium, and featuring open and inviting spaces, high tech capabilities, a gorgeous library, and amenities such as state of the art courtrooms; the building has raised the bar for law schools for the past 30 years.