Premium

Ask the Memphian: How did the U of M law school end up in the old Custom House?

By , Daily Memphian Updated: May 26, 2026 9:40 AM CT | Published: May 26, 2026 4:00 AM CT

These days, it’s hard to imagine the University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law being anywhere but its riverfront home on North Front Street.

The grand, historic space — which was once a U.S. Custom House, federal courthouse and U.S. Post Office — is considered one of the city’s most successful adaptive reuse projects. PreLaw Magazine named it the second-best law school building in the country in 2026, after awarding it the top spot five years in a row.

This is an excerpt of this story. To read more, please click here and subscribe. 

Topics

Memphis University of Memphis University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law National Register of Historic Places Subscriber Only

Thank you for reading The Daily Memphian. Your support is critical.

Did you know we are a 501(c)3 nonprofit news organization? We rely on a mix of revenue from subscriptions (50%), advertising, events and other earned income (25%) and fundraising (25%).

Please consider making a fully tax-deductible donation or other contribution to The Daily Memphian today. 

👉🏽 Your subscription pays for you to read all our journalism.

👉🏽 Your donation powers the work we do to reach everyone else with the news.

We believe an informed Memphis is a better Memphis. If you agree, join our growing list of donors now.

John Klyce

John Klyce

John Klyce is an enterprise reporter with The Daily Memphian who writes a wide range of in-depth features, as well as profiles about local leaders, scientists, musicians, artists, entrepreneurs, and anyone else doing exciting and important work in this city. He previously spent four years with the Memphis Business Journal, where he covered public companies, startups, and innovation, and a fifth year with The Commercial Appeal, where he covered education, and chronicled how gun violence and poverty were affecting Memphis youth and their families. He has also been a fellow with the Institute for Citizens and Scholars. John has a B.A. in journalism from the University of Memphis and an M.F.A. in creative writing from Boston University.


Comments

Want to comment on our stories? If you’re a subscriber, scroll down to the comments. If you’re not a subscriber, only paid subscribers can add their thoughts, so subscribe now. Our commenting policy can be viewed here