Legal Education at the University of Virginia

Tracing the material and intellectual development of one of the nation’s leading law schools

Over two centuries, UVA Law evolved from a regional, segregated law school into a nationally recognized leader in legal education. As this collection highlights, its changing curriculum—always in conversation with broader historical, cultural, and social forces—proved crucial to this profound transformation. Initially shaped by white Southern perspectives on race, gender, and states’ rights, UVA Law grew beyond its early identity through the inclusion of new voices in both its faculty and its student body. By examining the complex interplay between the school’s institutional mission, its educational program, and its social context, the contributors offer a comprehensive view of how UVA Law has adapted to meet the demands of legal education in a changing world.