J. Reuben Clark Law School
Built in 1975
J. Rueben Clark Law School: Where We Began (1973)
The idea of establishing a law school at Brigham Young University dates back to 1897, with early proposals supported by local professionals offering free instruction. Serious efforts to create the school gained traction in 1949 when Clyde Sandgren and Ernest L. Wilkinson began advocating for it. After a formal recommendation in 1970 by Marion G. Romney and a thorough study, the J. Reuben Clark Law School was officially announced on March 9, 1971, by President Harold B. Lee. Named after J. Reuben Clark, Jr. a Columbia Law graduate, U.S. diplomat, and Church leader, the school reflected Clark’s belief in divine law as the foundation for justice.
To ensure academic excellence, a distinguished committee, including Church and legal leaders like Dallin H. Oaks and Boyd K. Packer, led the search for a founding dean. Rex E. Lee, a University of Chicago Law School graduate and former clerk to U.S. Supreme Court Justice Byron R. White, was appointed dean in November 1971. With the help of law librarian David Lloyd and consultant Roy M. Mersky, the school quickly established a first-rate law library. By 1974, it housed 150,000 volumes, making it the largest law library between California and Minnesota, and placing it in the top 20% of law school libraries nationwide.
Construction of the law school building began in May 1973 and was completed by May 1975. The school opened in 1973, a landmark year in U.S. legal education when every law school class nationwide reached full capacity. BYU’s inaugural class included 157 students, 12 of whom were women, with over half being BYU graduates. Their strong academic background was reflected in high average scores on the LSAT, setting a solid foundation for the school’s mission of legal education rooted in both professional rigor and spiritual principles.
Before the J. Reuben Clark Law School building was completed in 1975, students held classes in various campus buildings. The first official class of the law school took place on August 27, 1973, in the Pardoe Drama Theatre.
J. Rueben Clark Law School: Where We Are Now
On July 31, 1971, his final day in office, BYU President Ernest L. Wilkinson signed the contract for the construction of the J. Reuben Clark Law School building with the architectural firm Fetzer & Fetzer, the same architects behind the Ogden and Provo Utah temples. This moment marked the physical beginning of what would become one of the nation’s most distinguished law schools. Officially announced in March of that year, the law school was named in honor of J. Reuben Clark, Jr., a Columbia Law graduate, U.S. diplomat, and counselor in the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Since its founding, BYU Law has achieved remarkable success. It was ranked #22 in the nation by U.S. News (2024), making it the youngest law school to reach such a ranking. It is also ranked #1 for “Best Value” by National Jurist and boasts the #1 law library in the country. The school maintains a 100% employment rate for graduates and a 100% ultimate bar passage rate. In terms of student yield, the percentage of admitted students who choose to enroll, BYU Law ranks just behind Yale Law School, indicating that students overwhelmingly choose BYU Law over other top-tier options when offered admission.
This excellence is driven by a faculty of both rigorous scholars and devoted mentors. Six faculty members, including Professors John Fee, Lisa Grow, Tom Lee, Aaron Nielson, Dean David Moore, and former BYU President Kevin Worthen, have clerked for U.S. Supreme Court Justices. As a result, BYU Law stands as a leading institution in legal education, grounded in faith, excellence, and a global vision for justice.
The Law School houses the International Center for Law and Religious Studies whose mission is “To help secure the blessings of freedom of religion and belief for all people by supporting and promoting the principles of religious liberty worldwide.”