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University of Utah Breaks Ground on the New S. J. Quinney College of Law Building

File: S.J. Quinney College of Law

Officials and alumni from the University of Utah’s S.J. Quinney College of Law celebrated the groundbreaking of the new building on the southwest corner of the campus Tuesday morning. Dignitaries who spoke on the occasion included University President David Pershing and Hiram Chodosh, the Dean of the Law College. Chodosh says when they started this centennial project 7 years ago many close friends questioned whether he was being realistic about its completion at such an economically challenging time. 

“And this is not just any law building," says Chodosh. "This is a law center that captures the highest wave of innovation in legal education at a time when the tide seems to have reached its lowest ebb.”

President Pershing announced a major donation to the college by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the name of the late James E. Faust. The law library will be named after the late general authority who graduated from the school in 1948. Jonathan Ruga is a graduate and college board of trustee member. He says the LDS Church’s commitment is notable.

“Well I think that exemplifies how important a law school is to the community and the church of course recognizes that and we’re grateful for their contributions,” Ruga says.

Credit Bob Nelson
Interim Dean of the S.J. Quinney College of Law Robert Adler speaks to the crowd during the groundbreaking ceremony.

He says this day would not have come without a highly collaborative effort led by Dean Hiram Chodosh. The new building is designed to be LEED platinum certified for the highest energy efficiency and use only water that is available on the grounds. Construction of the 155-thousand square foot building begins June 17 and is expected to be finished for the 2015 school year. 

Bob Nelson is a graduate of the University of Utah with a BA in mass communications. He began his radio career at KUER in 1978 when it was still in Kingsbury Hall. That’s also where he met his wife, Maria Shilaos, in 1981. Bob left KUER for commercial radio where he worked for 25 years, and he is thrilled to be back at KUER. Bob and his family are part of an explorer group, fondly known as The Hordes and Masses, which has been seeking out ghost towns and little-known places in Utah for more than twenty years.
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