Building for the Future
How your donations can help make the School of Law's facilities a reflection of its status as a top-100 law school at a Carnegie R1 university.
By: John Martellaro
Architect's renderings of proposed updates to entryways and collaborative spaces in the UMKC School of Law building.
After nearly 50 years since its construction, it was apparent that the law school building needed renovation and modernization. “It feels like someone’s dad’s man cave,” was one student’s description of the school’s student lounge — not exactly a revelation to anyone.
While the lounge was near the top of the school's priorities, it was recognized that there was significant work to be done throughout the building.
The building’s aura, as well as its capabilities, are a time capsule of its roots in the late 1970s. Dark brick walls, rows of bookshelves, small windows and limited lighting set a somber tone, not evoking the camaraderie and collaboration that today’s faculty and students crave.
So, the law school started making changes. They began with the lounge and the top floor of the library, installing lighter, brighter wall coverings to create inviting spaces where people would be drawn to gather. Chairs and tables were replaced with lighter-toned pieces, including living-room-style furniture designed to encourage conversation and collaboration.
“The renovations to the lounge and library really made those areas more usable. Before, they really didn’t reflect the needs of the students,” said 3L student Doug Grace.
“I don't feel embarrassed anymore having guest speakers sit in our chairs in the student lounge,” said 3L student Rebekah Arwood. “The old chairs were broken and significantly stained.”
Launching the Next Phase
As UMKC School of Law Dean Lou Mulligan often says, it is the law school’s community that truly makes it special. “Students are building lifelong friendships and relationships while in law school,” said Mulligan. These relationships matter a lot in the legal community. “Building relationships while in law school pays dividends, then, not just in your education but throughout your career. You’re building trust — even when you and I are on opposite sides, I know I can trust you,” Mulligan said.
Building renovations play a key role in community development. “Having inviting physical spaces in our building provides the framework for our community to grow and thrive,” Mulligan said.
Much of this renovation work is addition by subtraction. Mulligan noted that twenty-first-century law schools leverage digital resources over book storage, which allows for more physical space to be devoted to collaborative learning. Indeed, students expect to have access to spaces, which were previously devoted to book storage, where they can study and learn together with mobile whiteboards and screens, such as the law school now supplies on the upper floor of the law library. Even simple improvements, such as more outlets for charging electronics, make a huge difference. These collaborative spaces help to develop a sense of community within the law school.
Building renovations support another vital community factor — recruiting talented faculty and students.
“We are in a market that requires us to be competitive,” Mulligan said.
Washburn School of Law opened a new building in 2024; the University of Kansas has a new law building slated for completion soon. UMKC needs to remain competitive by creating spaces that attract today’s students. In fact, the state of the building is a top factor students look to in choosing a law school.
“It’s also about pride and being excited to show off your school, as faculty or staff, as a student and as an alumnus,” Mulligan said. “I am really appreciative of our alumni donors who have made these renovations possible. It’s exciting to be able to reimagine our space and build a law school for 2050 and beyond.
"We are a top-100 law school leaning into tech and AI. Our building needs to tell our community who we are.”
The next round of upgrades includes renovation to the entry vestibule, two classrooms and corridors throughout the building, plus ADA-compliant lockers and new furniture to enhance the brighter, light-filled spaces. The two classrooms will be equipped with cameras, microphones and screens for virtual meetings and hybrid classes.
A third phase is planned for the near future, including renovation and redesign of the library’s middle level, a centralized legal clinic area and more individual study spaces.
The student lounge in the UMKC School of Law building before (left column) and after (right column) recent renovations.
Financial Support is Critical
David Stoup (J.D. ’77) is chairman/CEO of Healthy Lifestyle Brands, LLC, and a variety of health and beauty businesses. He and his family have provided generous support for the creation of, and ongoing improvements to, the Stoup Courtroom, dedicated in honor of David’s father, Arthur (J.D. ’50). Arthur Stoup was a lifelong attorney who led both the Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association and the Missouri Bar.
David said support for creating and then maintaining first-rate facilities in the Stoup Courtroom is key to his family’s mission and perfectly aligned with the mission of the UMKC School of Law.
“The leadership of the law school always took pride in saying ‘We create lawyers who are ready to practice,’” he said, unlike schools that emphasize theory. “We were attracted to UMKC’s philosophy that students must be battle tested and ready to practice law upon graduation.”
“My family and I intend to do whatever is necessary to make our small part of the law school experience as practical as possible,” Stoup said, which is why they recently contributed additional funds to upgrade the technological capabilities and versatility of the Stoup Courtroom.
“Things change, particularly in the world of technology,” he said. “Zoom was not available 15 years ago when we built the original facility. We take the view that it is inevitable that what is apropos today isn’t going to be in 20 years, and our commitment is structured accordingly.”
“In addition, flexibility to use the Stoup Courtroom for a variety of activities appealed to all of us and, most importantly to Dad, who as a small firm practitioner understood the practice of law required expertise in a number or fields, including, but not limited to, litigation.”
Taking inspiration from the Stoups and other supporters, the law school is calling on alumni to help it bring the building more fully into the modern era. “We need financial support from our alumni to make this building more appealing to students, faculty and the alumni themselves,” Mulligan said.
For those who wish to support UMKC Law, there are a variety of ways to do so.
“We chose one we thought would offer an immediate, practical opportunity to help students experiencing what I did almost 50 years ago,” Stoup said.
Marie Dispenza (J.D. ’05), executive director of the UMKC Law Foundation, said donors are often passionate about specific needs of the law school and restrict their gifts to support that need.
“Those donations are deeply valuable and make an impact,” she said. “However, we were fortunate to have a surplus of donations to support ‘areas of greatest need’ that allowed the UMKC Law Foundation Board of Trustees to provide funding for renovations to the student lounge. UMKC Law students deserve a professional and comfortable environment. Building renovations that create a sense of belonging help us sustain our community by ensuring students want to study and gather at the law school.”
3L student Rebekah Arwood urged alumni to support the next phases of renovation even though she will have graduated by the time they are completed. “Upgrading our facilities ensures that our students have access to the resources and environment they need to excel academically and professionally,” she said.
Alumni support for the renovations, “directly impacts the success of our students, which, in turn, reflects the ongoing strength and reputation of our alumni community. As our students thrive during their legal education, they are better equipped to make meaningful contributions throughout their careers and within their communities.
“An investment in the law school is an investment in the future of the legal profession and the broader community we serve.”
Mulligan quoted Chancellor Mauli Agrawal, who often says, “Don’t let anyone say that our students don’t deserve the very best.”
“We want to create a space that’s conducive to community,” Mulligan said, “one that is safe, comfortable and conducive to partnering with your colleagues.”