Law School
School of Law offices, circa 1920
Credit: Loyola University Chicago Archives & Special Collections
When five Chicago lawyers, William Dillon, Michael V. Kanally, Marcus A. Kavanagh, Patrick O'Donnell and Howard O. Sprogle, asked the president, Father Dumbach, to consider establishing a law department at Loyola, little did they realize that this request would be the beginning of the development of outstanding professional schools at Loyola.
William Dillon became the first dean and Arnold O. McMahon the first secretary of the law school, which opened in 1908 and was the first professional school established at Loyola. Thirty students entered the school, which was located in the Ashland Block Building at Clark and Randolph Streets.
The school, which offered both a three-year course in the day division and four-year course in the evening division, has produced distinguished alumni for both the bench and bar. Scores of her graduates have also distinguished themelves in public life in the Executive and Legislative branches of State and Federal governments.