Henry A. Fenn (Dean, 1948-1958)

In 1948, Henry A. Fenn, formerly a professor and assistant dean at Yale Law School, was named dean of the University of Florida College of Law. Under his administration, the national reputation of the law school grew due to the expansion of the faculty, strengthening of admissions requirements, the addition of an individualized program in research and writing and the creation of the nation’s first Legal Ethics program. The Order of the Coif, a national legal honor society, established its first UF chapter during his tenure. Fenn stepped down from the deanship in 1958 to devote more time to teaching and writing, and remained a vital member of the law faculty for decades, teaching and doing research even after his official retirement in 1978.