By Florida Catholic staff - Florida Catholic
MIAMI GARDENS | The College of Law at St. Thomas University has been renamed the Benjamin L. Crump College of Law, making it the first law school in the country named after a practicing Black attorney. The university made the announcement Feb. 8, 2023.
The only other law school in the country named for a Black person is named after Crump's personal hero, Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall.
Photographer: COURTESY
Attorney Benjamin L. Crump, for whom the St. Thomas University School of Law was renamed Feb. 8, 2023.
“The naming of the Benjamin L. Crump College of Law at St. Thomas University is the latest step in an effort to encourage bridge-building among the legal profession, law enforcement, and our communities," said David A. Armstrong, STU’s president. “Ben and I couldn't be more different politically, but we share a passion for justice, and the hope that by working together, we can continue to drive meaningful change. Our faith in God, and our belief in the tenets laid out by our founding fathers in the U.S. Constitution, enable us to go beyond race and politics, and focus on the work necessary to truly make the United States the home of the free, and the brave."
Crump said he chose to partner with STU and its College of Law, in part, because it is situated in a global city that is replete with ethnic and racial diversity. Also, STU is one of the country's most diverse law schools. It was ranked #1 "Greatest Resources for Minority Students" in the 2022 and 2023 Princeton Review Best Law Schools' rankings, and preLaw Magazine rated it among the top-10 Best Schools for Racial Justice (2022) in the United States.
"It is a privilege to be a part of the St. Thomas University legacy through the Benjamin L. Crump College of Law. We have come such a long way in the journey to equality, but we are not there yet," said Crump. “The future changemakers and civil justice leaders that will matriculate from St. Thomas will soon be passed the torch from today's civil rights icons and I have every confidence that they will meet the moment."
Eighty-three percent of the school's graduates are employed or pursue an advanced degree within 10 months following their graduation. The College of Law also maintains a deep commitment to serving "the poor and most vulnerable," exhibited by its pro bono Immigration and Tax Clinics, as well as its globally renowned John J. Brunetti Human Trafficking Institute.
St. Thomas University already housed the Crump Center for Social Justice.
