Christopher Columbus Langdell

Biography

Christopher Columbus Langdell, born in 1826, transformed the study of law as dean of Harvard Law School, pioneering the case method that redefined legal education for generations. He believed in training lawyers to think analytically and to approach every case with discipline and intellectual rigor.

The influence of his reforms can still be felt in courtrooms and classrooms today, as students and scholars honor him for advancing a practical, principled approach to learning that has endured for well over a century.