Grand Canyon University Appoints Founding Dean for New Christian Law School

Grand Canyon University (GCU) has announced the appointment of Phoenix attorney James L. Williams as the founding dean of its planned College of Law. The university, a private Christian institution based in Arizona, intends to integrate legal education with Christian worldview principles and free-market economic perspectives. Williams, who currently serves as president of the Phoenix chapter of the Christian Legal Society, stated that the new program aims to prepare students to view their legal practice as a responsibility to serve their communities.

If the project receives necessary approvals, the school could welcome its first cohort of students by the fall of 2027. GCU is currently seeking authorization from the Supreme Court of Arizona and the Arizona Board for Private Postsecondary Education, alongside accreditation from the Higher Learning Commission. Following these steps, the university plans to pursue accreditation from the American Bar Association. If successful, the institution would become the third accredited law school in Arizona, joining Arizona State University and the University of Arizona.