Levin College of Law

Thomas Hughes (Dean 1912-1915)

By the time he was invited to succeed Albert J. Farrah as dean of the University of Florida College of Law, Canadian-born, University of Michigan-educated Thomas Hughes was well known as a legal scholar. During his twelve years as a faculty member at the University of Illinois School of Law, he wrote Hughes on Evidence, a text widely used in law schools at the time. During his tenure at UF, Hughes oversaw the construction of Bryan Hall, the law school’s first permanent home; tightened the academic standards for admission; and saw the law library expand to almost twice its original size. Hughes left UF in 1915 to accept a position as acting dean at Washburn University School of Law, where he remained on the faculty, writing influential texts on criminal and commercial law until his retirement at age 70 in 1928.

Published: July 3rd, 2014

Category: History

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