Charleston School of Law, city finalize settlement of yearslong lawsuit

The city of Charleston and the Charleston School of Law have finalized an agreement to settle a lawsuit filed in December 2021 on the sale of property at the corner of Meeting and Woolfe streets.

“This is an important step forward for both Charleston School of Law and the city,” said J. Edward Bell III, president emeritus and chairman of the board at Charleston School of Law. “We want to thank the city and members of city council for working closely with us to reach this resolution.

“This settlement opens the door for us to explore a long-term home on the peninsula and we welcome the city’s continued involvement as we shape that vision.”

Charleston City Council approved the agreement during its Oct. 14 meeting, with Mayor William Cogswell signing off on the agreement. The move finalized the litigation between the parties.

With the agreement in place, the Charleston School of Law reportedly will begin developing plans for a permanent campus location on the peninsula, according to a statement. Details of the settlement agreement were not available.

“The finalized agreement reflects a strong and enduring partnership between the School of Law and the city — a relationship rooted in mutual respect, collaboration and a shared commitment to Charleston’s growth and future,” said Bill Craver, the school’s attorney.

The Charleston School of Law, which opened in 2004, earns top national rankings from the Princeton Review in categories such as faculty accessibility and quality of teaching. Students have contributed more than 313,000 hours of pro bono services across the Palmetto State since the school’s founding. In 2024, the law school transformed from a for-profit institution into a 501(c)(3) organization, which is a nonprofit entity recognized by the IRS as exempt from federal income tax because it is organized and exclusively operated for specific charitable purposes.

Tract at Meeting and Woolfe streets

The lawsuit originally stemmed from a $13-million land sale between the school and a hotel developer that wanted to buy property that the school had purchased from the city of Charleston for a below-market rate. The lawsuit claimed the city held up the deal after saying the land was intended to keep the law school on the peninsula.

According to media reports, the original agreement said the city would get the property back if the school opted not to use the site for “law school purposes” within six years. The deal was later extended another six years. When that time expired, the city struck a new agreement to allow the property to be sold, with the school getting 75% of the profits — the rest would go to the city.

The school’s lawsuit alleged the city had gone back on its promise, despite being paid the money it was owed from the property sale.