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Robert E. Sullivan Papers, 1885-2006 (bulk 1930s-2000s)

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Sullivan, Robert E. (Robert Edwin), 1917-2009
Title
Robert E. Sullivan Papers
Dates
1885-2006 (bulk 1930s-2000s) (inclusive)
Quantity
60.2 linear feet
Collection Number
Mss 962
Summary
The Robert E. Sullivan Papers contain materials spanning Sullivan’s legal career and the professional and personal causes for which he advocated, from his undergraduate and law school days at the University of Notre Dame (1930s-1940s) through his 24-year tenure as dean of the University of Montana Law School (1955-1979) to his post-academic life and retirement activities (1979-2006).
Repository
University of Montana, Mansfield Library, Archives and Special Collections
Archives and Special Collections
Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library
University of Montana
32 Campus Dr. #9936
59812-9936
Missoula, MT
Telephone: 406-243-2053
library.archives@umontana.edu
Access Restrictions

Researchers must use collection in accordance with the policies of Archives and Special Collections, the Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library, and The University of Montana-Missoula.

Languages
English
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Biographical Note

Robert Edwin Sullivan was born on August 1, 1917 in Helena, Montana. He was one of seven children born to Catholic parents, Stephen and Elma Sullivan. Though his father had only an eighth-grade education, the elder Sullivan expected each of his sons to attend college. While Robert enrolled in Carroll College (then called Mount St. Charles College) after high school, he also enlisted in the Montana National Guard. When the earthquakes of 1935 required a mobilization of the guard, Sullivan withdrew from college and later worked in a gold mine in Marysville. An inheritance from his paternal grandmother and the acquaintance of football coach with a law degree from the University of Notre Dame ultimately set Sullivan on the path of law.

After completing his undergraduate degree at Notre Dame in 1940, Sullivan accepted an assistant football coaching position with the Fighting Irish. This afforded him the opportunity to continue his legal studies at the university at no cost. When World War II broke out, Sullivan paused his study of law and entered Officer Candidate School, where he was eventually assigned to the Army Air Force Troop Carrier Command. He married Eleanor “Ellie” M. Laux in July of 1943. Shortly before his departure to the European Theater of Operations (ETO) with the air echelon, Sullivan was promoted to commander of the ground echelon, which altered his embarkation mode from air to sea during deployment to England in February 1944. The plane on which he was supposed to travel was lost during the journey with no survivors, deepening Sullivan’s faith. Throughout his service in the ETO, Sullivan attended daily mass and communion with the Catholic priest who served as the group’s chaplain.

After the war ended, Sullivan returned to Notre Dame to finish his law degree. He entered private practice briefly in Ohio before being invited back to Notre Dame as an associate professor of law in 1947. During his seven-year tenure with the Notre Dame law faculty, Sullivan developed a specialty in oil and gas law. In 1954, he accepted a position as professor and assistant dean of the University of Montana Law School in Missoula. In 1955, he assumed the deanship, serving for 24 years until 1978 when he resigned to become vice president and general counsel of Montana Power Company.

During his leadership, Sullivan oversaw and spearheaded significant measures to grow the University of Montana Law School. Milestones include a recognition of the law school as autonomous within the Montana University System by the Board of Regents; the renewal of full accreditation by the American Bar Association; the construction of the law building in 1961 and an additional wing in 1979; increases of more than triple the volumes in the law library and double the number of law faculty; and consequential work towards the revision and reform of Montana state laws. Upon his retirement, the Board of Regents designated Sullivan as Dean and Professor of Law Emeritus.

In addition to his service as dean, Sullivan was engaged with numerous legal, civic, and religious organizations throughout his career. In 1955, Prentice Hall published his Handbook of Oil and Gas Law. From 1953-1974, he served as a member of the Legal Committee of the Interstate Oil Compact Commission (IOCC). In 1957, he was appointed by the governor of Montana as a commissioner of the National Conference on Uniform State Laws (NCUSL), an appointment which was renewed by successive governors from both parties every four years until he was named a lifetime member in 1977. He was also a charter trustee and director of the Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Foundation; an editor of the Oil and Gas Reporter and Mineral and Natural Resources Section newsletter; the chairman of multiple state committees including the Advisory Committee for Montana to President Eisenhower’s Commission on Civil Rights, the Montana State Bar Committee on World Peace Through Law, and the Governor’s Committees on Domestic Relations and Revising Montana Corporate Law; a board of directors/board of trustees member of Carroll College, Continuing Legal Education Montana (CLEM), and Montana Eye Bank; president of the St. Patrick’s Hospital Advisory Board and the Catholic High School Board of Education; and director of the American Judicature Society and the First Trust Company, among many other volunteer positions.

Sullivan and his wife were parents to eight children: David, Sheila, Ellen, Maureen, Kathleen, Bridget, Shannon, and Kerry. Their only son, David, was killed in action in Vietnam in 1968. Robert E. Sullivan died on July 25, 2009 in Missoula.

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Content Description

The Robert E. Sullivan Papers contain materials spanning Sullivan’s legal career and the professional and personal causes for which he advocated, from his undergraduate and law school days at the University of Notre Dame (1930s-1940s) through his 24-year tenure as dean of the University of Montana Law School (1955-1979) to his post-academic life and retirement activities (1979-2006). Most of the collection consists of correspondence, memos, research materials, drafts, and institutional documents. Court case files, published material, particularly relating to oil and gas law, and a few audio recordings and photographs are also included.

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Use of the Collection

Restrictions on Use

Researchers are responsible for using in accordance with 17 U.S.C. and any other applicable statutes. Non-exclusive intellectual property rights have been shared with the University of Montana.

Preferred Citation

Robert E. Sullivan Papers, Archives and Special Collections, Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library, The University of Montana-Missoula.

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Administrative Information

Arrangement

This collection is divided into seven series.

Series I: University of Montana Law School - Deanship, 1905-1979, 28.0 linear feet

Subseries 1: Law School Dean Files, circa 1954-1979, 20.0 linear feet

Subseries 2: Tax School Records, circa 1953-1972, 3.0 linear feet

Subseries 3: Charles W. Leaphart Files, circa 1905-1960, 5.0 linear feet

Series II: University of Montana - School Records, Boards, and Committees, 1885-1979, 5.4 linear feet

Subseries 1: University Board and Committee Files, circa 1954-1979, 4.0 linear feet

Subseries 2: School of Journalism Records, circa 1885-1960, 1.0 linear foot

Subseries 3: Editorial Board/Press Committee Records, circa 1947-1964, 0.4 linear feet

Series III: Professional Legal Associations, 1954-1986, 3.0 linear feet

Series IV: Appointments, Conventions, and Conferences, 1949-1973, 2.0 linear feet

Series V: Legislation and Lobbying, 1959-1994, 4.2 linear feet

Series VI: Oil and Gas Specialty, 1938-1986, 9.6 linear feet

Series VII: Miscellaneous, 1930s-2006, 8.0 linear feet

Custodial History

Robert Sullivan held the items in this collection and donated them to the University of Montana at different stages beginning in 1970 and continuing until 2009. Some of the material was donated directly to the Mansfield Library, Archives and Special Collections. Other material was donated first to either the Jameson Law Library or the University of Montana Foundation, and subsequently transferred to Archives and Special Collections with Sullivan’s consent.

Acquisition Information

Robert Sullivan signed deeds of gift for this collection in 1998, 2004, and 2009.

Processing Note

The Mansfield Library Archives and Special Collections assigned a Law School record group number (RG 049) to some of the material in the Robert E. Sullivan Papers before the collection was processed in 2021 and 2022. Since the time of processing, the collection is now known as Mss 962.

Items within each series were arranged predominately by topic in reverse-chronological order. Sullivan’s original folders and titles were maintained when possible. Re-foldering took place during processing when the original folder was no longer protecting the materials or was too unwieldly to safely extract from the box. Duplicated materials were discarded. Processing information specific to each series can be found at the series level.

Separated Materials

University of Montana publications such as the Law School News, The Barrister, student handbooks, and legal directories were moved to the University of Montana Publications collection (UPUBs).

Faculty Senate records, including records pertaining to the Executive Committee and the Academic Standards and Curriculum Review Committee, were transferred to the University of Montana Faculty Senate Records collection (RG 021).

Files relating to University of Montana Interscholastic Meets were transferred to the University of Montana Interscholastic Meet Records collection (RG 082).

Papers relating to the Montana State Bar Association and Continuing Legal Education were sent to the Montana State Bar in Helena, Montana.

Records of the Montana Commission on Post-Secondary Education and the Montana Commission on Executive Reorganization were transferred to the Montana Historical Society in Helena, Montana.

Papers on Uniform Law efforts not specific to Montana were transferred to the Uniform Law Commission Archives at the Tarlton Law Library of the University of Texas (Austin).

Materials from Sullivan’s service as a Carroll College Board of Trustees member were sent to Carroll College in Helena, Montana.

Related Materials

The University of Montana's Archives and Special Collections also holds records from the university's School of Law.

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Detailed Description of the Collection

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Law schools--Montana--Missoula
  • Law--Study and teaching--Montana--Missoula
  • Natural gas--Law and legislation--United States
  • Petroleum law and legislation--United States

Personal Names

  • Sullivan, Robert E. (Robert Edwin), 1917-2009--Archives

Corporate Names

  • Montana State University (Missoula, Mont.). School of Law
  • University of Montana (Missoula, Mont. : 1965-1994). School of Law
  • University of Montana--Missoula. School of Law
  • University of Notre Dame--Faculty

Form or Genre Terms

  • Photographs
  • Sound recordings

Occupations

  • Deans (Education)--Montana--Missoula

Other Creators

  • Corporate Names

    • Montana State University (Missoula, Mont.) (creator)
    • State University of Montana (Missoula, Mont.) (creator)
    • University of Montana (Missoula, Mont. : 1965-1994) (creator)

Finding aid prepared by Kristin Gates
2022

CC Attribution
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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