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About the Robert H. McKinney School of Law

With an enrollment of more than 900 students, Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law is the largest law school in the state of Indiana. Occupying a spacious, new, technologically advanced building in the city of Indianapolis, Indiana, the school is located on the campus of Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis, which has an enrollment of more than 29,000 students. The school has enjoyed great success for more than 100 years in preparing students for legal careers. The success of the school is evidenced by the prominent positions graduates have obtained in the judiciary and other branches of government, business, positions of civic leadership, and law practice. The school’s nearly 10,000 alumni are located in every state in the nation and several foreign countries.

History

Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law traces its origins to the late nineteenth century when the first of its private predecessor schools, the Indiana Law School, began operating in 1894. A full-time day school, the Indiana Law School was part of a newly formed University of Indianapolis that also included Butler University, the Medical College of Indiana and the Indiana Dental School. All three professional schools later became part of Indiana University. Among the first trustees of the school were former United States President, Benjamin Harrison, and Indiana industrialist, Eli Lilly.

In 1898 a second predecessor school, the Indianapolis College of Law, was founded, offering a two-year evening program. This school, located in the Pythian Building in downtown Indianapolis, was advertised in 1906 as “known everywhere for its successful graduates,” and boasted a tuition of $10 per term. A few years later, another evening school, the American Central Law School, was established. In 1914, these two evening schools merged to become Benjamin Harrison Law School, and in 1936 this school and the Indiana Law School merged, taking the name of the latter, and offering both day and evening programs.

In 1944, the Indiana Law School became affiliated with Indiana University, becoming the Indianapolis Division of the IU School of Law. Beginning the following year, the school was housed in the Maennerchor Building, an architectural landmark in Indianapolis. The school gained autonomy in 1968, becoming the Indiana University School of Law-Indianapolis, the largest law school in Indiana and the only law school in the state to offer both full- and part-time programs. It moved into a new building at 735 West New York Street in 1970. The school was housed in that facility until its move to Lawrence W. Inlow Hall, located at 530 West New York Street, in May 2001.

Inlow Hall

Lawrence W. Inlow Hall, the home of Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law, is designed to create a rare learning environment – one that combines the professional atmosphere of a modern law firm with the academic gravitas of a legal institution distinguished by more than 100 years of history. The award-winning architecture combines with state-of-the-art technology, to enhance the school’s classrooms, library and study areas. The 200-seat Wynne Courtroom is the ideal setting for simulated trials and appellate proceedings, as well as for public lectures and continuing legal education programs. Inlow Hall is truly an excellent home for aspiring lawyers and legal scholars alike.

Through the generosity of Anita C. Inlow, widow of Lawrence W. Inlow, the law school building carries the name of the former executive vice president and general counsel of Conseco, Inc. A graduate of Harvard Law School, and former partner at the Indianapolis law firm, Henderson Daily Withrow & Devoe, Mr. Inlow was active in several community organizations including the Boy Scouts of America, the Carmel Dad’s Club and the Church Federation of Greater Indianapolis. He was regarded by colleagues as a brilliant attorney and an outstanding community leader. The law school is proud to have its building named in his memory.

World-class Faculty and Students

Located at the “Crossroads of America,” the Robert H. McKinney School of Law attracts eminent scholars from both the public and private sectors. Faculty members collectively hold J.D., LL.M. and Ph.D. degrees from more than fifty different schools, offering students extensive and diverse views of the law. Our professors include nationally-recognized experts in the fields of bioethics, law and economics, international human rights law, copyright law, European Union law, health law, housing and poverty law and numerous other areas. Faculty Directory - Professorships - Faculty News

Diversity at the Robert H. McKinney School of Law means not only a balance of race and gender in the student population (including 50% women and 22% people of color), but also of age, backgrounds and life goals. The law school’s competitive part-time program makes up approximately one-third of the student body and brings both experience and maturity to the school’s atmosphere. The opportunity to study with people from around the world who come for our J.D.,LL.M. and S.J.D. programs completes our multi-faceted academic community.

The Ruth Lilly Law Library

Internet and wireless connections for laptop computers can be found throughout the building—not only in classrooms, but in private study rooms and individual study carrels as well. The Ruth Lilly Law Library is one of the largest legal research libraries in the United States, housing a collection of over 600,000 volumes in a 55,000 square foot facility that includes a soaring two-story, glass-enclosed reading room overlooking downtown Indianapolis. The Ruth Lilly Law Library is one of the early United States government publications depositories. It is also a full depository of the United Nations, has a 20,000 volume Commonwealth collection, and is a depository for documents of organizations ranging from the American Bar Association to the European Commission of Human Rights.

Centers

William S. and Christine S. Hall Center for Law and Health

The William S. and Christine S. Hall Center for Law and Health was established in 1987 to conduct legal and empirical research on health law issues in Indiana and the nation. The Center houses the Indiana Health Law Review, a publication established to focus specifically on health care law and policy.

Located in downtown Indianapolis, the Center is near several major pharmaceutical firms, many of the state's leading medical centers, health insurers, and health law firms, and the health agencies of state and local government. The Center's proximity to these institutions has enabled it to become a major contributor to state and national health law and policy development. The Center is also located on the same campus as the Indiana University Medical Center and the Indiana University Center for Bioethics, allowing for significant interdisciplinary research on health law and policy issues.

Center for International and Comparative Law

The Center for International and Comparative Law is the nucleus for all of the law school's international law programs, including two law reviews focusing on international law issues, and an active LL.M. program. The Indiana International & Comparative Law Review was launched in 1991, devoted to the study and analysis of current international legal issues and problems. The European Journal of Law Reform was launched in 1998 to provide a forum for interdisciplinary debate on proposals for law reform and the development of private and public international law in Europe. That journal is jointly edited by faculty of the IU School of Law - Indianapolis, the Institute of Advanced Legal Studies (London University), and the University of Basel School of Law in Switzerland, with the assistance of a team of student editors in Indianapolis.

Law Reviews

Indiana Law Review

The Indiana Law Review is the school's oldest law review edited and managed by students. Each year, the Law Review publishes one volume, which consists of four issues. Generally, the first three issues contain two to four lead articles and three to five student Notes. The fourth issue is the final and longest issue of each year. The Survey of Recent Developments in Indiana Law contains fifteen to twenty articles written by professors and Indiana practitioners summarizing the significant changes and developments in Indiana law during the prior year (October to October).

Indiana Health Law Review

The Indiana Health Law Review addresses issues related to bioethics, malpractice liability, managed care, anti-trust, health care organizations, medical-legal research, legal medicine, food and drug, and other current health-related topics. The Law Review was first published in the 2004-2005 academic year.

Indiana International & Comparative Law Review

The Indiana International & Comparative Law Review (II&CLR) is published semi-annually and has been published continuously since 1991. The II&CLR is devoted to the study and analysis of current international legal issues and problems.

European Journal of Law Reform

The European Journal of Law Reform was launched in 1998 to provide a forum for interdisciplinary debate on proposals for law reform and the development of private and public international law in Europe. The Journal is jointly edited by faculty of the IU School of Law - Indianapolis, the Institute of Advanced Legal Studies (London University), and the University of Basel School of Law in Switzerland, with the assistance of a team of student editors in Indianapolis.

Alumni

The law school has nearly 10,000 alumni located in every state in the nation and several foreign countries. Prominent alumni include a former Vice President of the United States, Dan Quayle and his wife, Marilyn; a United States Senator from Indiana, Dan Coats; Indiana Governor Edgar Whitcomb; and numerous Congressional representatives. In addition to many partners and principals in law firms, the law school is also proud of alumni such as John Pistole, Deputy Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); Pamela L. Carter, the first African-American female Attorney General, currently Vice President, Cummins Inc. and President, Cummins Filtration; Hon. Brent E. Dickson, Associate Justice of the Indiana Supreme Court; and countless other alumni who have used their law degrees to achieve their dreams. For more alumni stories, see the Class Notes section of our web site.

Indiana University School of Law - Indianapolis
Office of Admissions
530 West New York Street
Indianapolis, IN 46202-3225
(317) 274-2459
e-mail: lawadmit@iupui.edu