Groundbreaking for the William N. Brimmer Legal Education Center addition to the University of Wyoming College of Law will be held Saturday, May 17, at 12:30 p.m. on the law school's south lawn.
The ceremony will feature remarks by the Honorable Robert H. Henry, chief judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit.
The $4.5 million William N. Brimmer Legal Education Center was made possible by a $1 million gift from Marian Rochelle and April Brimmer Kunz along with contributions of many Wyoming and Colorado firms and individuals.
"These gifts to create the new facility will ensure continued excellence at Wyoming's only law school," says College of Law Dean Jerry Parkinson. He says a portion of funds previously donated by Rochelle and her late husband, Curt, for campus beautification will be used to enhance the entrance to the College of Law building.
The new center will add 3,767 square feet to the College of Law building. It will feature a multi-dimensional space that can be configured as a high-tech courtroom, a classroom, or a lecture hall seating more than 160. Additional features are a seminar room, jury deliberation room, judge's chambers, a holding area for defendants and a sound booth.
"The UW College of Law serves as Wyoming's primary resource for initial and continuing legal education," says Parkinson. "Many of Wyoming's most distinguished attorneys and jurists graduated from UW, including several governors, attorneys general, and members of the state and federal judiciary.
Today's students will be tomorrow's legal advocates, judges and political leaders. They deserve a modern law school facility in which to hone their skills."
The new courtroom will provide students a venue in which to simulate the trial experience, while also providing a functional courtroom for the Wyoming Second Judicial District, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit, and the Wyoming Supreme Court, Parkinson says.
"That, in itself, is a remarkable learning experience for our students.
Additional lecture hall and classroom spaces are also much-needed improvements at the college," he says. "We are deeply grateful to all of our donors for their generosity and commitment to the University of Wyoming."
Parkinson adds, "It has been wonderful to see the legal community rally around this campaign. This new facility would not be possible without the incredible support of our alumni and friends."
