The Talk of the Town
Category: Features
Legal luminaries, elected officials, law alumni and other guests toured the new John and Frances Angelos Law Center on April 30 during the evening’s grand-opening celebration, which featured keynote speakers Elena Kagan, U.S. Supreme Court associate justice, and Robert M. Bell, LL.D. ’97, former chief judge of the Maryland Court of Appeals. photography: Howard Korn
You might say the University of Baltimore’s new John and Frances Angelos Law Center makes a statement all on its own. Even before the April 16 preview event and the April 30 open house and formal grand opening, the building was turning heads locally, nationally and around the globe. Designed by world-renowned architect Stefan Behnisch of Behnisch Architekten in partnership with Baltimore’s Ayers/Saint/Gross, the law center is anticipated to become a national model for sustainable architecture and for modern methods of legal education.
We could go on (and on), but luckily we don’t have to, thanks to legions of notable guests and speakers who joined in April’s celebratory events, including U.S. Vice President Joe Biden and U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice Elena Kagan. They waxed poetic without our prompting, and we’d rather let their statements speak for themselves.
“Congratulations on this magnificent new edifice that’s going to train a whole hell of a lot of young women and men to deliver and to be agents of justice.”
—Biden
“And wow, this building! … I’m actually a big believer in buildings. … It turns out that law schools need great buildings to do great work and to become great communities.”
—Kagan
“It looks snazzy.”
—Barbara Mikulski, U.S. senator
“I will always think of this building as the house that Bob [Bogomolny, UB president] built.”
—William E. “Brit” Kirwan, University System of Maryland chancellor
“[This building] is a modern testament to that hunger and thirst for justice that Marylanders through the generations have always had.”
—Martin O’Malley, Maryland governor
Joe Biden, U.S. vice president
Joe Biden, U.S. vice president; photography by Chris Hartlove, Howard Korn and Kevin Weber
l. to r.: Neil and Sayra Wells Meyerhoff, J.D. ’78, M.S. ’04
l. to r.: Neil and Sayra Wells Meyerhoff, J.D. ’78, M.S. ’04, with Paul Sarbanes, LL.D. ’75, former U.S. senator (Maryland)
Adrienne A. Jones, Maryland state delegate
Adrienne A. Jones, Maryland state delegate
the Level 2 seating area overlooking the forum
the Level 2 seating area overlooking the forum
Martin O’Malley, Maryland governor
Martin O’Malley, Maryland governor
Elijah E. Cummings, U.S. representative (Maryland)
Elijah E. Cummings, U.S. representative (Maryland)
l. to r.: Ted A. Berkowitz and Heidi L. Levine, J.D. ’95
l. to r.: Ted A. Berkowitz and Heidi L. Levine, J.D. ’95
taking pictures of the view from the Level 12 terrace
taking pictures of the view from the Level 12 terrace
Nick Mosby, Baltimore City Council member
Nick Mosby, Baltimore City Council member
l. to r.: Mortimer Sellers, University System of Maryland Regents Professor of Law at UB, and his wife, Frances
l. to r.: Mortimer Sellers, University System of Maryland Regents Professor of Law at UB, and his wife, Frances
the Level 12 terrace
the Level 12 terrace and the top floor of the Law Library
the April 16 preview event
the April 16 preview event
Louis F. Angelos, attorney at the Law Offices of Peter Angelos
Louis F. Angelos, attorney at the Law Offices of Peter Angelos
Carolyn H. Thaler, J.D. ’74
Carolyn H. Thaler, J.D. ’74
l. to r.: Stefan Behnisch, founding partner of Behnisch Architekten, and Robert L. Bogomolny, UB president
l. to r.: Stefan Behnisch, founding partner of Behnisch Architekten, and Robert L. Bogomolny, UB president
l. to r.: Clifton L. Brown Jr., J.D. ’78, and his wife, Carol Ann
l. to r.: Clifton L. Brown Jr., J.D. ’78, and his wife, Carol Ann
H. Wayne Norman Jr., B.A. ’76, J.D. ’80, Maryland state delegate
H. Wayne Norman Jr., B.A. ’76, J.D. ’80, Maryland state delegate
Keith E. Haynes, J.D. ’91, Maryland state delegate
Keith E. Haynes, J.D. ’91, Maryland state delegate
Gregg Bernstein, Baltimore City state’s attorney
Gregg Bernstein, Baltimore City state’s attorney
Sayra Wells Meyerhoff, J.D. ’78, M.S. ’04
Sayra Wells Meyerhoff, J.D. ’78, M.S. ’04
Willard Hackerman, president and CEO of the Whiting-Turner Contracting Co.
Willard Hackerman, president and CEO of the Whiting-Turner Contracting Co.
John B. Bartkowiak Jr., J.D. ’73
John B. Bartkowiak Jr., J.D. ’73
Catherine E. Pugh, Maryland state senator
Catherine E. Pugh, Maryland state senator
l. to r.: Robert L. Bogomolny, UB president, and Eloise Foster, secretary of the Maryland Department of Budget and Management
l. to r.: Robert L. Bogomolny, UB president, and Eloise Foster, secretary of the Maryland Department of Budget and Management
J. Joseph Curran Jr., LL.B. ’59, LL.D. ’91, former Maryland attorney general
J. Joseph Curran Jr., LL.B. ’59, LL.D. ’91, former Maryland attorney general
the atrium during the April 16 preview event
the atrium during the April 16 preview event, at which U.S. Vice President Joe Biden spoke
Katherine Holmes, B.A. ’84, J.D. ’88
Katherine Holmes, B.A. ’84, J.D. ’88
the April 30 ribbon-cutting and open house
l. to r.: Speakers Ronald Weich, UB School of Law dean; Robert L. Bogomolny, UB president; Maryland state Del. Talmadge Branch; Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, Baltimore mayor; Barbara Mikulski, U.S. senator (Maryland); and William E. “Brit” Kirwan, University System of Maryland chancellor (at the podium), joined the UB community for a ribbon-cutting to mark the building’s official opening at an April 30 midday open house.
overlooking the forum during the ribbon-cutting
overlooking the forum during the ribbon-cutting
the Level 2 seating area
the Level 2 seating area
l. to r.: Kate Anderson, J.D. ’13, and Jill Green, J.D. ’94, assistant dean for law career development
l. to r.: Katie Dorian, J.D. ’13; Kara Dorr, J.D. ’13; Kate Anderson, J.D. ’13; and Jill Green, J.D. ’94, assistant dean for law career development at UB
Martin O’Malley, Maryland governor
Martin O’Malley, Maryland governor
city lights from the Level 12 terrace
city lights from the Level 12 terrace
Joe Biden, U.S. vice president
Joe Biden, U.S. vice president
Joe Biden, U.S. vice president
Joe Biden, U.S. vice president
Guests make their way down the staircase on Level 11.
Guests make their way down the staircase on Level 11 to explore the law center after the conclusion of Biden’s April 16 remarks.
Ronald Weich, UB School of Law dean
Ronald Weich, UB School of Law dean
Barbara Mikulski, U.S. senator (Maryland)
Barbara Mikulski, U.S. senator (Maryland)
Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, Baltimore mayor
Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, Baltimore mayor
Thomas V. Mike Miller Jr., Maryland Senate president
Thomas V. Mike Miller Jr., Maryland Senate president
the main lobby on Level 1
the main lobby on Level 1
the main lobby on Level 1
the main lobby on Level 1
Audrey J.S. Carrion, J.D. ’84, Baltimore City Circuit Court associate judge
Audrey J.S. Carrion, J.D. ’84, Baltimore City Circuit Court associate judge
William E. “Brit” Kirwan, University System of Maryland chancellor
William E. “Brit” Kirwan, University System of Maryland chancellor
Robert M. Bell, LL.D. ’97, former chief judge of the Maryland Court of Appeals
Robert M. Bell, LL.D. ’97, former chief judge of the Maryland Court of Appeals
H. Mebane Turner, UB president emeritus
H. Mebane Turner, UB president emeritus
the Level 2 landing and the forum below
a view of the Level 2 landing and the forum two floors below
Guests headed for the law center moot courtroom.
Guests headed for the law center moot courtroom on April 30 to hear Kagan and Bell speak as part of the evening festivities.
l. to r.: Elena Kagan, U.S. Supreme Court associate justice, and Robert L. Bogomolny, UB president
l. to r.: Ronald Weich, UB School of Law dean; Robert M. Bell, LL.D. ’97, former chief judge of the Maryland Court of Appeals; Elena Kagan, U.S. Supreme Court associate justice; and Robert L. Bogomolny, UB president
l. to r.: Sheila Sachs and Catherine Curran O’Malley, J.D. ’91, District Court of Maryland associate judge
l. to r.: Sheila Sachs; Catherine Curran O’Malley, J.D. ’91, District Court of Maryland associate judge; and Stephen H. Sachs, LL.D. ’83
one of several seating areas within the building
one of several seating areas within the building
the view from Level 12 looking north
the view from Level 12 looking north
l. to r.: Gregory Dolin, associate professor of law; William Hubbard, assistant professor of law, and his wife, Julie
l. to r.: Gregory Dolin, associate professor of law; William Hubbard, assistant professor of law, and his wife, Julie
Elena Kagan, U.S. Supreme Court associate justice
l. to r.: Elena Kagan, U.S. Supreme Court associate justice, and Robert L. Bogomolny, UB president
Modern lighting hangs throughout the building.
Modern lighting hangs throughout the building.
l. to r.: Marianne Schmitt Hellauer, J.D. ’80, and Robert E. Hellauer, J.D. ’80
l. to r.: Marianne Schmitt Hellauer, J.D. ’80, and Robert E. Hellauer, J.D. ’80
Elena Kagan, U.S. Supreme Court associate justice
Elena Kagan, U.S. Supreme Court associate justice
the building’s signature checkerboard window pattern
The checkerboard window pattern on the building’s exterior identifies the five floors of the Law Library.
an exterior view
an exterior view
the top of the spiral staircase
Level 6, at the top of the spiral staircase
the spiral staircase
the spiral staircase
the spiral staircase
the spiral staircase
one of several classroom spaces
one of several classroom spaces
the main, 300-seat moot courtroom
the main, 300-seat moot courtroom
students in front of the outdoor water feature
students in front of the outdoor water feature
a midfloor walkway near the glass elevator
a midfloor walkway near the glass elevator
