CLEVELAND-MARSHALL LAW SCHOOL was a private evening law school in downtown Cleveland. The result of a merger between the John Marshall and Cleveland Law Schools, C-M was the predecessor of CLEVELAND STATE UNIV.'s Cleveland-Marshall College of Law,
Cleveland Law School was Ohio's first evening law school and the first to admit women. The school dates from 1897, when several Cleveland judges organized the Baldwin Univ. Law School, and Francis Wing founded the Cleveland Law School. The 2 schools merged in 1899 as Cleveland Law School to form the law department of Baldwin Univ. (BALDWIN-WALLACE COLLEGE), an association that lasted through 1926. The school began instruction in the Williamson Bldg. in downtown Cleveland and later moved to the Engineers' Bldg. John Marshall School of Law was established by Cleveland attorneys David Meck, ALFRED BENESCH and Frank Cullitan. Classes began in 1916 in the New Guardian Bldg. on Euclid Ave. Following an affiliation with Ohio Northern Univ. (1917-1923), Marshall received authorization to confer degrees under its own name. Marshall moved to the old courthouse on PUBLIC SQUARE in 1921 and to 242-248 Superior Ave., again in 1921. In 1938 the school moved to the Hippodrome Bldg., 720 Euclid Ave.
The two downtown evening law schools consolidated in 1946 as the Cleveland-Marshall Law School, located in the Ontario Bldg., 1240 Ontario. From 1963-67 C-M maintained a nominal relationship with Baldwin-Wallace College. After regaining independent status, C-M initiated its first full-time legal education program. C-M received state institutional status as part of CSU in 1969, becoming the Cleveland-Marshall College of Law, the largest law college in Ohio.
Earnest, G. Brooks. The History of Fenn College (1974).
Cleveland State Univ. Archives.