Welcome, the Antonin Scalia Law School

In a fitting tribute to the late Supreme Court justice, the George Mason University law school will be renamed the Antonin Scalia Law School thanks to an anonymous donor and the Charles Koch Foundation donating $30 million to the school.  The law school, known for its libertarian and conservative orientation, has done well since its founding in 1979, consistently placing in the top tier of the 50 top law schools since 2001.  The fact that the grant will be dedicated entirely to new scholarships should help them stay there and even rise in the rankings as they will be able to attract more top students.

Justice Elena Kagan, an appointee of President Obama, spoke with high praise at the dedication ceremony October 6th.  Here is her characterization of Justice Scalia’s legacy according to the Weekly Standard:

He was one of the most important justices ever, said Kagan. Also one of the greatest. He articulated textualist and originalist principles that did “nothing less than transform our legal culture.” He changed the way judges and lawyers think and talk about the law, even if they disagree with him. “That’s a legacy worthy of a law school dedication,” she said.

Locally the University of Minnesota law school is ranked the 19th most liberal school in the country based on a study of alumni political giving.  The study also names the University of St. Thomas law school as the 18th most conservative school.