 The College of Law was founded in 1883 , and is the oldest law school in the Pacific Northwest . In April 1884 , the Board of Trustees officially approved the new legal department ; tuition for the two @-@ year course was $ 50 per year . William Marion Ramsey served as the school 's first dean . He was dean from 1883 until 1888 , and led a faculty of three . The three professors were George H. Burnett , who taught contracts , commercial law , and torts ; J. T. Gregg , who taught evidence and common law ; and William H. Holmes , who was the instructor for admiralty and criminal law . 
