Faulkner University Thomas Goode Jones School of Law
As part of the Faulkner University community, the Thomas Goode Jones School of Law shares Faulkner University’s mission to glorify God by embracing academic excellence and emphasizing a strong commitment to integrity within a caring Christian environment.
In its efforts to fulfill this mission, the School of Law endeavors to:
- Provide an excellent legal education in which the faculty engages students in a challenging learning experience designed to promote the students’ competent and ethical participation in the legal profession;
- Promote a Christian environment that encourages all members of the law school community to use their abilities to advance the legal profession and benefit society;
- Attract, develop, and retain a highly competent and diverse faculty devoted to teaching, community service, and scholarly research and writing;
- Attract a qualified and diverse student body;
- Provide students with meaningful resources and experiences such as individual academic advising and support, career counseling, clinical, externship and advocacy opportunities, designed to prepare them for their roles as competent and ethical members of the legal profession;
- Contribute to discussion of the relationship of faith, learning, and the law; and,
- Regularly reassess the program of legal education through on-going strategic planning to assure continual quality and improvement of the program.
Montgomery County Circuit Judge Walter B. Jones founded the Law School in 1928 at the request of several young men and women who wanted to pursue a legal education but could not afford to give up their employment to attend a traditional law school. Judge Jones named the school in honor of his father, Thomas Goode Jones (1844-1914).
Thomas Goode Jones was a farmer, soldier and lawyer. Jones served as reporter for the Supreme Court of Alabama, Speaker of the House of the Alabama Legislature and two terms as Governor of Alabama. In 1901, President Theodore Roosevelt appointed Jones to serve as the United States District Judge for the Northern and Middle Districts of Alabama. Jones authored the Alabama Code of Ethics, a document that served as a model for the American Bar Association’s 1908 Canons of Professional Ethics.
From 1928 until his death in 1963, Judge Jones owned and operated the School of Law as a proprietary educational institution. He served as president, dean, and faculty member. Classes were held in his chambers in the Montgomery County courthouse and in his home in downtown Montgomery. Judge Jones selected outstanding local attorneys to serve as faculty members.
The University of Alabama acquired the School of Law from Judge Jones’ heir in 1972 and transferred the School of Law’s assets to Jones Law Institute, a non-profit corporation. In August of 1983, Alabama Christian College (now Faulkner) purchased the School of Law from the University of Alabama and moved the School of Law to the Faulkner campus.
For more than 75 years, the School of Law has produced over 2,000 alumni who have become practicing attorneys, judges and other contributors to the legal profession. Many have found their way to prominence in Alabama’s legislative services and have become leaders in the civic, educational and business life of their communities.
Contact:
5345 Atlanta Highway
Montgomery
AL 36109
334.272.5820 or 800.879.9816
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