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Guide to the Daniel D. Smith International School of Law collection, 1973-1978 C0086 Daniel D. Smith International School of Law

Guide to the Daniel D. Smith International School of Law collection, 1973-1978 C0086

Daniel D. Smith International School of Law


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George Mason University. Libraries. Special Collections Research Center

Fenwick Library, MS2FL
4400 University Dr.
Fairfax, Virginia 22030
Business Number: 703-993-2220
Fax Number: 703-993-8911
speccoll@gmu.edu
URL: https://scrc.gmu.edu

FINDING AID AUTHOR

Repository
George Mason University. Libraries. Special Collections Research Center
Identification
C0086
Title
Daniel D. Smith International School of Law collection 1973-1978
URL:
http://sca.gmu.edu/finding_aids/smithd.html
Quantity
0.75 Linear Feet, (2 boxes)
Creator
Smith, Daniel D.
Language
English .
Abstract
This collection contains materials related to Smith's role in creating the International School of Law, which later became the George Mason University School of Law, including correspondence, publications, faculty and board meeting minutes and foundational principles and policies for the then newly created law school.

Administrative Information

Use Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Access Restrictions

Collection is open to research.

Preferred Citation

Daniel D. Smith International School of Law collection, Collection #C0086, Special Collections and Archives, George Mason University Libraries.

Acquisition Information

Donated by Daniel Smith in 2008.

Processing Information

Processed by Tom Duncan in 2010. EAD markup completed by Tom Duncan in 2010.

Biographical Information

Daniel D. Smith is a lawyer and a co-founder of the International School of Law in 1972, now the George Mason University School of Law. After receiving a law degree at the University of Virginia School of Law in 1969, Smith was admitted to the Virginia Bar and to the District of Columbia Bar shortly thereafter. When the International School of Law opened in 1972, Smith held the position of Administrative Dean. He later served as Acting Dean and then Associate Professor until he moved from teaching to private practice in 1978. He served as a member of the American Bar Association and the Virginia Bar Association and helped found and chaired several organizations, including Young Life of Loudoun County, the Loudoun Vocational Education Fund, and Loudoun Healthcare Foundation.

Scope and Content

This collection contains materials related to Smith's role in creating the International School of Law, which later became the George Mason University School of Law, including correspondence, publications and faculty and board meeting minutes.

Series 1 of this collection provides information on the founding of the law school, the policies it held and the Judeo-Christian principles under which it was founded.

Series 2 contains the minutes from faculty and Board of Trustee meetings, arranged by date. These meetings discussed various topics from faculty appointments and dismissals on how to win American Bar Association accreditation.

Series 3 deals with the accreditation issue more directly. The International School of Law spent years attempting to gain the American Bar Association approval and suffered a number of setbacks and rejections. Series 3 contains the letters between the law school and the Association, suggestions for improvements and the actions taken by the school.

Series 4 contains a number of writings by Daniel Smith, including notes from the Contract Law course he taught for the law school while there.

Series 5 contains a number of publications by the International School of Law, in the form of newsletters, as well as correspondence with several States' Supreme Courts and the Virginia Board of Bar Examiners in attempts to allow their non-accredited graduates to sit for the bar exam. This series also contains material on the mergers and affiliations that the International School of Law tried to develop in order to gain accreditation. The merger with George Mason University is the last and most successful of these.

Series 6 contains information on the day-to-day administration of the International School of Law, complete with hirings and salaries as well as disciplinary action for Deans and professors who were dismissed and replaced during the law schools independency. This last series also contains the personal log book that Smith kept while employed by the law school.

Arrangement

Organized into six series.

Missing Title Series 1: Principles and Policies, 1972-1977 (Box 1) Series 2: Meetings, 1972-1978 (Box 1) Series 3: American Bar Association Accreditation, 1972-1978 (Box 1) Series 4: Daniel D. Smith, 1970s (Box 1) Series 5: International School of Law, 1970s (Box 1) Series 6: Administrative and Faculty Matters, 1973-1978 (Box 2)

Related Material

Special Collections holds other archives pertaining to the establishment of George Mason University and the development of academic departments.

Subjects and Indexing Terms

  • Correspondence
  • Education, Higher -- Virginia
  • George Mason University
  • George Mason University--Faculty
  • International School of Law
  • Law
  • Law schools -- United States
  • Newsletters

Significant Persons Associated With the Collection

  • Smith, Daniel D.
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Container List

Series 1: Principles and Policies
1972-1977
(4 folders)
Scope and Contents note

This series contains information on the founding of the International School of Law, the principles behind the school and its administrative policies.

  • Mixed Materials box: 1 folder: 1
    Founding and Principles
    1972-1975
    Scope and Contents note

    Declaration of Trust, Christian Basis, Statements of Purpose, Institution's Philosophy

  • Mixed Materials box: 1 folder: 2
    Policies
    1972-1977 and Undated
    Scope and Contents note

    General Policies, Academic Regulations, Academic Programs

  • Mixed Materials box: 1 folder: 3
    By-Laws and Faculty Manual
    1975-1977
    Scope and Contents note
  • Mixed Materials box: 1 folder: 4
    Feasibility Study and Self-Studies
    1977 and Undated
    Scope and Contents note
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Series 2: Meetings
1972-1978
(2 folders)
Scope and Contents note

This series contains the minutes from meetings of the faculty and Board of Trustees for the International School of Law.

  • Mixed Materials box: 1 folder: 5
    Faculty Meetings
    November 7, 1972 - May 3, 1978
    Scope and Contents note
  • Mixed Materials box: 1 folder: 6
    Board of Trustees Meetings
    1973-1976
    Scope and Contents note

    Minutes from the Board of Trustees meetings, Deans Annual Reports

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Series 3: American Bar Association Accreditation
1972-1978
(2 folders)
Scope and Contents note

This series contains correspondence between the International School of Law and the American Bar Association, attempts to become accredited, and notes and suggestions how to win Bar approval.

  • Mixed Materials box: 1 folder: 7
    American Bar Association Accreditation
    August, 1972 - December, 1974
    Scope and Contents note

    James P. White, Tightening Accreditation Standards, Recommendations

  • Mixed Materials box: 1 folder: 8
    American Bar Association Accreditation
    January, 1975 - June, 1978
    Scope and Contents note

    International School of Law Relocation and Remodeling, Letters of Recommendation and Rejection, The International School of Law's Critique of the American Bar Association

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Series 4: Daniel D. Smith
1970s
(2 folders)
Scope and Contents note

This series contains correspondence and writing by Daniel D. Smith while at the International School of Law.

  • Mixed Materials box: 1 folder: 9
    Correspondence
    1973-1976
    Scope and Contents note
  • Mixed Materials box: 1 folder: 10
    Daniel Smith Writings
    1970s
    Scope and Contents note

    Notes for Smith's Contract Law class, "Evolution and Jurisprudence", Thoughts on moral law

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Series 5: International School of Law
1970s
(3 folders)
Scope and Contents note

This series includes publications by the International School of Law, correspondence with states' Supreme Courts and the Virginia Board of Bar Examiners, and information on International School of Law mergers and affiliations.

  • Mixed Materials box: 1 folder: 11
    International School of Law Publications
    1974-1976
    Scope and Contents note

    International School of Law Newsletter, International School of Law "Evidence"

  • Mixed Materials box: 1 folder: 12
    States' Supreme Court and Virginia Board of Bar Examiners Correspondence
    1975
    Scope and Contents note

    Requests for International School of Law graduates to be permitted to sit for bar examinations.

  • Mixed Materials box: 1 folder: 13
    Mergers - Attempted and Successful
    1970s
    Scope and Contents note

    The Latin American Institute, Southeastern University, George Mason University

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Series 6: Administrative and Faculty Matters
1973-1978
(1 box)
Scope and Contents note

This series contains faculty directories, salary information, correspondence between faculty and staff, and incidents among the faculty.

  • Mixed Materials box: 2 folder: 1
    Administrative and Faculty Matters
    March, 1973 - December, 1974
    Scope and Contents note

    John Brabner-Smith, Budget Concerns, John Montgomery, Tony Nania

  • Mixed Materials box: 2 folder: 2
    Administrative and Faculty Matters
    January, 1975 - June, 1978
    Scope and Contents note

    Ralph Norvell, Faculty Member Publications, Review of John Brabner-Smith and Dismissal, Daniel D. Smith's Request for Leave of Absence

  • Mixed Materials box: 2 folder: 3
    Daniel D. Smith's Log Book
    Undated
    Scope and Contents note

    Personal log book with notes taken while at the International School of Law

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