The Law Center has a new home! It is with great gratitude and enthusiasm that I can say our University of Houston Law Center students, faculty and staff started this fall semester in the new John M. O’Quinn Law Building.

Our new facility, located at 4170 Martin Luther King Boulevard, reflects the Law Center’s outstanding caliber and standing. Throughout our 75 years, those affiliated with the Law Center have worked diligently to build an excellent program. Today, the Law Center is among the top-tier law schools in the nation with three specialty law programs (intellectual property, health law and part-time) ranked Top 10 nationally by the U.S. News & World Report.

At approximately 180,000 square feet, the five-story cantilevered John M. O’Quinn Law Building is a striking icon reflecting the Law Center’s prominence and modernity. The More than Bricks campaign raised almost $93 million to make this world-class building possible. Our new Law Building is the newest law school building in the state and one of the newest in the country.

Modern technology throughout the building will expand our teaching capabilities. The building’s distinctive L-shape on the top floors and double-height spaces with large windows accentuate the architectural design, allowing for abundant natural light and openness throughout the building.

The building features a multi-purpose event room and flexible classroom spaces that allow for greater outreach to the Houston community for clinical services, educational workshops, conferences, and judicial proceedings.

Key amenities of the law building are an all-above-ground, two-story library with individual and group study areas, an inviting meditation room for quiet reflection, a dividable courtroom that can be used as two classrooms, commuter showers with changing rooms, a roof terrace with dramatic views of the campus and the downtown Houston skyline, student lounges, an advocacy skills lab, and a convenience store and much, much more.

I want to extend my deepest thanks to Robert Wilson III, president of the John M. O’Quinn Foundation and to the foundation trustees for their partnership with us to name the new building in honor of alumnus John M. O’Quinn (J.D. ’67).

We owe great gratitude to UH President Renu Khator, the UH Law Foundation, the UH Law Alumni Board and our Cornerstone Club members. Many thanks also go to UH Law alumnus and Kelley Drye Partner Bill Jackson for his leadership in our fundraising efforts as President of the UH Law Foundation and Chair of the Building Committee.

Through our collective outreach, we were able to connect with, and strengthen, the UH Law Center’s proud network of more than 17,000 alumni worldwide. Our donors represent the geographical, racial/ethnic, and gender diversity of our alumni and student body. Many thanks for the alumni generosity, which made the John M. O’Quinn Law Building possible.

The new building is a model for others to follow by ensuring that each part of the law school community is represented in its very foundation. Our students will be able to project into the future and say to themselves that no matter what their backgrounds, they can be just as successful as our alumni who were able to give back financially to their alma mater.

Many, many thanks to all who strived to achieve this monumental milestone!

Please join us at the new John M. O’Quinn Law Building for the Celebration and Dedication Conference on Friday, Sept. 23.

Sincerely,

Leonard M. Baynes
Dean & Professor of Law
University of Houston Law Center

Share Your Thoughts with the Dean
Learn more about Dean Baynes
Follow on Twitter at @UHLawDean.

Click here for past Dean's Notes

The University of Houston Law Center
4104 Martin Luther King Blvd
Houston, TX 77204-6060
713.743.2201