Legal Commentary

Which U.S. school established the first regular professorship of law for students other than undergraduates?

Answer below the fold ...

The University of Transylvania in Lexington, Kentucky, in 1798.

Today, Transylvania University is a liberal-arts college, with no law-school program. However, in 1865, Transylvania developed a publicly funded land-grant school which was eventually spun off as a separate institution. That spin off is the University of Kentucky, which does, of course, have a law school.

UK's College of Law was founded in 1908, its heritage tracing back to Transylvania's 18th century professorship.

Source: Ralph Michael Stein, The Path of Legal Education from Edward I to Langdell: A History of Insular Reaction, 57 Chi.-Kent L. Rev. 429, 441 (1981). A Chronology of UK About UK Law