News

Law school celebrates dedication

Master of ceremonies Michael J. Bidart of the law firm Shernoff, Bidart and Darras addresses the audience at the dedication of the University of La Verne College of Law last Tuesday. Bidart, along with President Stephen Morgan, Dean Kenneth Held, retired State Supreme Court Justice Edward A. Panelli and Ontario Mayor Gary Ovitt offered visions and thoughts of the future of law at La Verne. / photo by Jason Cooper
Master of ceremonies Michael J. Bidart of the law firm Shernoff, Bidart and Darras addresses the audience at the dedication of the University of La Verne College of Law last Tuesday. Bidart, along with President Stephen Morgan, Dean Kenneth Held, retired State Supreme Court Justice Edward A. Panelli and Ontario Mayor Gary Ovitt offered visions and thoughts of the future of law at La Verne. / photo by Jason Cooper

by Christine Owen
Editor in Chief

The University of La Verne College of Law in Ontario, which officially opened for classes in January 2001, held its building dedication and celebration ceremony on Monday.

About 300 people attended the afternoon ceremony at the college’s new location at 320 East D Street in downtown Ontario.

“This facility, in the heart of the Inland Empire, will bring legal education within reach of the citizens and students of this growing area,” said retired California Supreme Court Justice Edward Panelli, the event’s keynote speaker.

The new facility is 63,000 square feet and future expansion is estimated at 120,000 square feet. The law school moved from the main campus in La Verne, a facility that totaled 15,000 square feet.

The larger size and state-of-the-art facilities were praised by Kenneth Held, dean of the college, as he spoke of the new facility.

“What you’ll see this afternoon as you go through the building is the realization of three decades of dreams,” Held said.

The law school, which was founded in 1970, outgrew its previous location at the ULV main campus in La Verne. The old building has since been occupied by other departments.

“I look at the University of La Verne and say it’s a model university for the new millennium,” said Ontario Mayor Gary Ovitt.

He added, “We are proud to be partners with this outstanding university and we look forward to much more.”

ULV President Stephen Morgan spoke to those gathered and thanked the donors, trustees and the city of Ontario for their financial support of the law school.

“Today we officially open our college of law building and this day of celebration has been a long time coming for all of us,” Morgan said.

Alexis Boles, assistant dean of admissions for the law school said that there is “aggressive promotion” of the campus that is taking place in order to attract “a lot more interested candidates for next fall.”

Christine Owen, Managing Editor
Christine Owen
Other Stories
Jason Cooper, Staff Photographer
Jason Cooper
Other Stories
Previous article
University of La Verne hosts debate tournament
Next article
Eating at Davenport is discouraged

Latest Stories

Related articles

LV Life

Leopards discover new adventure at Grad Fair

The community event took place on Wednesday at Citrus Lawn.
News

Lecture discusses living in the present

Michele Assael-Shafia, assistant professor of law at the University of La Verne, spoke April 17 in the Ludwick Center Sacred Space, closing out the University’s “What Matters to Me and Why” speaker series for semester with a powerful message.
News

Symposium challenges understanding of AI use

Three panelists joined the University of La Verne College of Law and Public Service to give their 11th Annual Symposium, titled “Artificial Intelligence (AI)”. Which focused on the impacts of AI and how it can be implemented into everyday life of schools and law firms. 
News

Lawyers weigh in on encountering ICE

President Donald Trump’s message to all undocumented immigrants in the nation is clear. He wants them all to go back to where they came from.