The spirit of the law is in the human heart -
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| The Honorable Thomas E. Brennan Founder, President, Dean Emeritus |
In corde hominum est anima legis
Judge Brennan wrote a series of articles about the founding of Cooley Law School (PDF)
"THE FIRST CLASS WAS FIRST CLASS"
One day I visited the classroom and showed the students several drawings of logos which we had under consideration for the school. Curiously, the students picked a representation of an Ionic column. I say curiously, because it was some time before anyone thought of acquiring the old Masonic Temple with its stately front pillars, as our school building.
... I devised a Latin motto to be displayed beneath the logo. In corde hominem est anima legis. The spirit of the law is in the hearts of men.
It wasn’t long before a delegation of our female students visited my office. They made it clear to me that the spirit of the law also resides in the hearts of women. Summoning my high school Latin background, I explained that vires was the Latin word for the male of the species, and that hominem was more properly translated as mankind or humanity.
From that day forward, the official translation of the Cooley motto became “The spirit of the law is in the human heart.”
Excerpted from Judge Thomas Brennan's article #11, "THE FIRST CLASS WAS FIRST CLASS"
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