With an ever-growing list of milestones under its belt, Texas A&M University School of Law is commemorating the 10th anniversary of joining the Aggie family. Since the university’s 2013 acquisition of the law school, Texas A&M Law has produced hundreds of Aggie legal professionals, brought together a world-class faculty, and taken its place as one of the nation’s leading law schools.
Affectionately known as the law school’s “Aggieversary,” celebrations will take place throughout the 2023-24 school year. The ongoing construction of Texas A&M-Fort Worth, the new innovation campus that will shape the future of the law school, the city, and beyond, serves as a telling backdrop for the celebrations.
"The last ten years are a testament to the vision and capacity of Texas A&M, our faculty, and our students - a community that continually strives for excellence. Texas A&M Law demonstrates all that can be achieved when talented, ambitious minds come together to serve,” said Dean Robert B. Ahdieh, Vice President for Professional Schools & Programs and Dean of Texas A&M School of Law. “It has been the honor of my career to lead this law school during such a significant moment in its history - one that will lay the groundwork for decades of impact to come.”
The law school’s history is rooted in tradition and humble beginnings. The Dallas/Fort Worth School of Law opened its doors in rented space in August 1989, serving as an evening law school in Irving, Texas. The school was acquired by Texas Wesleyan University in 1992 and moved to its current location in 1997. From its inception, the school prioritized serving the legal communities of Fort Worth and North Texas.
In 2011, Texas A&M appointed John Sharp as its new Chancellor. Both he and the university worked quickly to acquire the then-unranked law school. In Chancellor Sharp’s vision, Texas A&M needed a high-quality law school that matched the university’s tier-one educational status. On August 13, 2013, Texas A&M finalized the acquisition.
Since then, the law school has climbed more than 120 places in the U.S. News & World Report rankings — higher and faster than any other law school in the rankings’ history. Today, Texas A&M Law ranks #29 nationally and #2 in Texas.
Brief History of Texas A&M Law
1989: The Dallas/Fort Worth School of Law begins in August as an evening law school in Irving, Texas. The school’s first class has 93 students.
1991: The law school opens its day program.
1992: Texas Wesleyan University acquires the Dallas/Fort Worth School of Law.
1997: The law school moves to its current location in Downtown Fort Worth, at 1515 Commerce St.
1999: The ABA grants full accreditation to Texas Wesleyan School of Law.
2012: The law school becomes a member of the Association of American Law Schools.
2013: Texas A&M University acquires Texas Wesleyan University School of Law, which becomes Texas A&M University School of Law.
2018: U.S. News & World Report ranks Texas A&M Law among its top 100 law schools.
2019: Texas A&M Law is admitted to the Order of the Coif as its 87th Member.
2023: Texas A&M Law breaks into the top 30 ranked law schools in the nation, coming in at #29.