one of new england's oldest law schools, suffolk was founded in 1906 by lawyer gleason leonard archer as the "suffolk school of law." the school was named after its location in suffolk county, massachusetts. archer's goal was to provide immigrants and the working class with the opportunity to study law. in 1907, archer moved the school from roxbury, massachusetts to downtown boston. suffolk law school's first student passed the bar in 1908. by 1930, archer developed suffolk into one of the largest law schools in the country, and the law school received full accreditation from the american bar association (aba). originally an all-male school, with the new england school of law serving as a sister school, suffolk became co-educational in 1937. in 1999, suffolk law school opened its new building at 120 tremont street, near the boston common.