The William & Mary Law School could soon receive a makeover, after a proposal to expand was approved from the Board of Visitors on Friday.
The board approved a $14 million proposal to expand and renovate the school. The project is currently in the design phase, and will be funded through gifts from alumni, private donors and student fee revenues.
The project would include an addition to the South Henry Street building to add classrooms and offices for the Legal Practice Program and legal clinics. It would also incorporate space for student dining and assembly. The school, formerly located in Tucker Hall, moved to Henry Street in 1980.
Right now, the law school offers limited food service for students, with capacity for 40 students at a time. The school has more than 600 students.
“Our students often are here from early in the morning for classes until late in the evening for study,” said Law School Dean Davison Douglas, adding there are few economical dining options within walking distance.
Douglas said the idea for the renovation and expansion came from the law school’s recent commitment to emphasizing practical skills training for its students. The practical skills training includes an expanded legal writing and legal practice program, as well as more legal clinics.
