Grand Canyon University Taps James L. Williams to Lead New Law School

The university aims to launch its 12th college by fall 2027, pending necessary regulatory approvals from the Supreme Court of Arizona, the Higher Learning Commission, and the Arizona Board for Private Postsecondary Education. Following these milestones, the institution plans to pursue accreditation through the American Bar Association. If successful, GCU would become the state's third ABA-accredited law school, joining Arizona State University and the University of Arizona.

Williams brings 18 years of legal practice to the role, alongside extensive experience in mentorship. A graduate of Baylor University School of Law, he has spent years coaching students in mock trial programs and serving as an elder at New City Church in Phoenix. University leadership emphasizes that the new college intends to distinguish itself by integrating free-market principles and ethical service into the standard legal curriculum, aiming to produce graduates who view their professional influence as a vehicle for community impact.