Edward L. Barrett, Jr., Scholarship

The Edward L. Barrett, Jr. Scholarship honors the life and legacy of the founding dean of UC Davis School of Law. A renowned constitutional law and criminal procedure scholar, Dean Barrett established high standards of academic excellence and was instrumental in creating the strong sense of community and commitment to social justice that have defined UC Davis School of Law since its inception.

Barrett's connection to UC Davis began in 1960, when he was appointed to a faculty committee studying the need for a new public law school in the University of California system. He was instrumental in guiding the decision to establish the new school at UC Davis and in designing it to operate on a smaller, more intimate scale than the other UC law schools. In 1964, much to his surprise, Barrett was recommended for the deanship at the new school. He accepted, and moved to Davis to begin the work of recruiting faculty, founding a law library, shepherding construction of the law school building, and attracting students. During his tenure as dean, he oversaw the design of the law school building, its dedication as Martin Luther King, Jr. Hall, the full accreditation of the school by the American Bar Association, and the growth of student enrollment. Dean Barrett retired from teaching in 1986, but remained an active legal scholar and King Hall community member for many years. He died on August 4, 2016 at the age of 98.

The Edward L. Barrett, Jr. Scholarship assists an incoming student with the payment of tuition and/or fees during their three years at UC Davis School of Law. The scholarship is based on merit and disbursed in equal payments for both the fall and spring semesters over three academic years. A new scholar is awarded each academic year.