Stetson University College of Law humbly began on Oct. 2, 1900, with five students from Florida. Since then, the state's oldest law school has trained thousands to become legal experts and societal leaders.
In 1954, Stetson Law moved from DeLand to a beautiful new 21-acre campus in Gulfport. An enrollment boom after World War II spurred the relocation to the 17 buildings which had been part of the Hotel Rolyat built in 1925. Today, the student body exceeds 1,000 and Stetson Law has grown to become home of the nation's top-ranked advocacy program and LL.M. degree programs in elder law and international law.
Stetson Law is also a leader in the field of higher education law and policy. The Tampa Law Center opened in 2004 as a major hub for legal activity -- housing evening law classes, the Tampa branch of the Florida Second District Court of Appeal, and legal conferences. Stetson Law continues to be consistently ranked at the top of the U.S. News & World Report for Trial Advocacy (#1) and Legal Writing (#3). Since the rankings began in 1995, Stetson Law has been consistently ranked #1 for Trial Advocacy, including as recent as 2023. It also boasts a nationally recognized Elder Law certificate program via the Center for Excellence in Elder Law, along with the Veterans Law Institute.
LeRoy’s grandson, Jason L. Turner, is a 2004 graduate of Stetson University College of Law, where he competed on the nationally ranked Trial Team and Client Skills Board. He currently serves on the Board of Overseers at Stetson Law serving on the Executive Committee, Secretary of the Board, and Chair of the Finance Committee. He previously served on the Stetson Lawyers Association Board and as an Adjunct Professor of Entertainment Law.