In History

25 Years Ago

In the fall of 1980, The Advocate announced the honored titles of Best and Worst Dressed Professor at the National Law Center to Mary Cheh and John Bahnzaf, respectively. In response to his dubious victory, Bahnzaf stated, “I was delighted to learn that I had won by an overwhelming vote of the student body. I will treasure this moment and this honor always, second only to that of being thrown out of Judge Sirica’s courtroom for suggesting the appointment of a special prosecutor to investigate the Watergate Affair.”

50 Years Ago

A proposed date for the construction of the National Law Center by The George Washington University Alumni Association was announced on March 20, 1955, in The Washington Post. The reported $3 million building was planned to be located at the corner 20th and H Streets. In addition to the classrooms, lecture rooms, and trial courtrooms, the eight-story building plan included an auditorium, meeting rooms, research suites, and specialized libraries.

100 Years Ago

In 1905, the Board of Trustees, led by President Charles Needham, announced a new graduate program among legal subjects directed towards a degree of Doctor of Jurisprudence. The course was to take a total of three years to complete and required a bachelor’s degree in either the arts or sciences, in addition to a Bachelor of Law degree.