The Florida A&M University (FAMU) College of Law officially opened its doors to the community following a Public Opening program that featured Governor Jeb Bush as the keynote speaker on Thursday, October 10, 2002.
The program took place at the Orange County Regional History Center with presentations from Governor Bush, other elected officials, community leaders and administrators from the FAMU main campus in Tallahassee. Speakers then led students, faculty, staff and invited guests to the front of the College of Law, One North Orange Avenue, for a ribbon-cutting ceremony and tour of the building.
“Although classes began August 26, we wanted to hold a grand-opening program to announce to the downtown, Greater Orlando, Central Florida and statewide communities that we are here and ready to make a difference,” said Percy R. Luney, Jr., Dean of the College of Law.
Following the Public Opening program, the College of Law symbolically threw out the official welcome mat to the general public. As Central Florida’s only public law school, the FAMU College of Law offers students an inexpensive and convenient option of daytime and evening classes while providing lawyers and the broader community access to its extensive collections in the law library.
The tour of the College gave supporters their first glimpse of the downtown Orlando building that was renovated to make way for classrooms, offices and study areas. The College opened in the historic, 10-story building after a three decades-long effort to resurrect the institution that turned out dozens of the country’s African-American attorneys.
“The continued existence of a quality justice system demands that we make every effort to identify and produce those individuals who will nurture and improve our system of justice for the future generations to come,” said Dr. Fred Gainous, President of FAMU. “Florida A&M University is pleased once again to be in the forefront of the education of great lawyers.”
Governor Bush, who signed the legislation re-establishing the College of Law in 2000, provided the Inaugural Address to the 89 members of the 2002 Inaugural Class.
"I look forward to joining President Gainous, Dean Luney, members of the FAMU Board of Trustees and local officials at the grand opening ceremony of the FAMU College of Law next week," Governor Bush said. "Re-establishing FAMU's College of Law has restored to this university its tradition of having operated the first and only historically black law school in Florida. Once again, a new generation of lawyers throughout our state will be proud to call the law school at FAMU their alma mater."
Other program speakers included Orlando Mayor Glenda Hood, Orange County Chairman Rich Crotty, FAMU Board of Trustees Chairman Arthur Collins, Florida House Speaker-Designate Johnnie Byrd, Florida House Member and 1968 Law School Graduate Arthenia Joyner, Former Chief Judge Joseph Hatchett, the Rev. Dr. Randolph Bracy, and 2002 Class Members Ross Bieling and Renalia DuBose.
Sponsored by Akerman, Senterfitt, & Eidson P.A., the program was themed “Linking a Prestigious Past with a Fulfilling Future.” More than 300 people from around the country attended the event, including several graduates of the former law school that was ordered closed in 1966. Between 1954 and 1968, the FAMU law school graduated 57 students. State officials closed the FAMU law school just as the Florida State University law school was opened in Tallahassee.
The re-established College of Law will call the Orange Avenue location its home through the 2004-2005 school term, with plans to open its new campus in the Parramore neighborhood west of downtown in fall 2005
As members of the 2002 Inaugural Class are settling into routines of study, lecture and discussion, the College of Law is launching its 2002-2003 recruiting campaign. To learn more about applying to the FAMU College of Law, call 407-254-3268 or go to www.famu.edu/law.
