The St. Thomas university announced that the university's College of Law had been renamed the Benjamin L. Crump College of Law on Wednesday, Feb. 8.
As a result, Benjamin L. Crump College of Law is the first law school in the country to be named after a working Black attorney.
Benjamin L. Crump College of Law
According to the Florida Catholic, the only other law school in the United States to be named after a Black individual is the Thurgood Marshall School of Law, named after Crump's hero on the Supreme Court.
Crump stated that one of the reasons he decided to collaborate with STU and its College of Law was due to the location of the institution within a global city rich in racial and ethnic diversity.
In addition, STU is widely recognized as having one of the country's most inclusive student bodies of any law school.
It reportedly received the number one spot for "Greatest Resources for Minority Students" in the 2022 and 2023 Princeton Review Best Law Schools rankings, while preLaw Magazine listed it in the top-10 Best Schools for Racial Justice in the United States in 2022.
Moreover, according to David A. Armstrong, the president of STU, the designation of the Benjamin L. Crump College of Law at the university is the latest step in an attempt to encourage bridge-building among the communities, legal profession, and law enforcement.
As mentioned, within ten months of graduation, 83% of the school's graduates are employed or pursuing a higher degree.
As seen by its pro bono Immigration and Tax Clinics and its internationally known John J. Brunetti Human Trafficking Institute, the College of Law maintains a solid commitment to aiding "the impoverished and most vulnerable."
Benjamin L. Crump
Attorney Ben Crump is referred to as the Attorney General of Black America. He is a prominent civil rights and personal injury attorney who has established himself as one of the nation's leading lawyers and champions for social justice through his unwavering commitment to justice and service.
His legal expertise has ensured that the nation's contract with its constituents protects marginalized members of American society. He founded and is the primary owner of Ben Crump Law.
The dogged activism of Crump has resulted in the passage of laws prohibiting excessive force and establishing unconscious bias training and regulations. He has represented families in several notable civil rights lawsuits.
He has assisted in securing landmark settlements and verdicts for families who have suffered from injustice.
Crump was recognized as one of the 2021 Most Influential People by TIME100, Ebony Magazine's Power 100 Most Influential African Americans, The National Trial Lawyers Top 100 Lawyers, and the 2014 NNPA Newsmaker of the Year.
He now holds the position of President of the National Civil Rights Trial Lawyers Association and has held the position of President of the National Bar Association in the past.
In addition to being the founder and head of the Benjamin Crump Social Justice Institute, he is the first African-American to serve as chair of the Board of Directors at the Florida State University College of Law.
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