About OU Law

Since our inception in 1909, OU Law has become the state's premier legal institution, with Dean Julien C. Monnet leading its growth. Dedicated students secured funding for Monnet Hall in 1914, marking the initial permanent home known as the "Law Barn." This historic 47,000-square-foot space witnessed pivotal events, including Ada Lois Sipuel Fisher's groundbreaking admission in 1948 as the first black woman in the College of Law. Today, the Law Center honors Fisher with the endowed Ada Lois Sipuel Fisher Chair in Civil Rights, Race, and Justice in Law at OU Law.

The Law Center relocated to its current home on Timberdell Road in 1976. With added offerings from the school and rising interest in legal education, the College needed to continue growing. In October 1999, a groundbreaking $19 million project unfolded. The project added 80,000 square feet to the facility. The key additions included the 58,000-square-foot Donald E. Pray Law Library and the 250-seat Dick Bell Courtroom.

The Donald E. Pray Law Library, accessible to the public, houses the state's most extensive law collection. While equipped with cutting-edge technology, it pays homage to roots; the Chapman Reading Room mirrors Monnet Hall.  The Dick Bell Courtroom, one of the region's largest high-tech courtrooms, hosts trials from various Oklahoma courts. Included in its history are appellate cases from both the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit. It has also hosted civil trials from the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma.