From haunted law reviews and faculty costume contests to trick-or-treating, fresh apple cider, and atrocious puns, law schools across the United States celebrated Halloween in 2026. (These are past events; sponsors and organizers are omitted.)
The takeaway: the library is a hot spot for trick-or-treating! Especially given candy prices these days. A roundup of events with my personal top five, below the fold.
If your law school did something special for the holiday but isn’t on the list, please message me on LinkedIn with the appropriate information, and I’ll add your law school to the list.
Top Five Law School Halloween Events:
Boston University: Journals trick-or-treat in a “Tower (of Terror)”
Georgia State: Virtual pet costume contest for law students, apparently conducted virtually rather than with virtual pets
LSU: Faculty Halloween costume contest over Instagram, plus a pumpkin-painting movie night with the Louisiana Law Review
Touro: Tricks, treats, and trademarks IP charm-making event
UVA: 1L carnival with a pie-eating contest, apple bobbing, pumpkin painting, crafts, caramel apples, cider and catered food, plus Halloween crafts with the library
Honorable Mentions:
American: “Reverse trick-or-treat” where the Dean brought candy to students throughout the school
Arizona: Noon screening of a film more often screened at midnight, and a costume contest separate from the film
Baltimore: Trick-or-treat for the benefit of students from Mt. Royal Elementary and Middle School
Buffalo: Scarrister’s Halloween party, with costume contest
Chicago: Halloween origami, then a pumpkin decorating and henna social
Columbia: Cider social with a festive spread of seasonal sweets, plus in-building trick-or-treating
DePaul: Spooky parts of law, including law-school myths, pumpkin painting, and a costume contest
FIU: Trick-or-treat in the library, with student organization tabling and a costume contest
Harvard: Family-oriented indoor trick-or-treating, followed by a party
Loyola New Orleans: Loynoween, off-campus with a costume contest and a category for Best Legally Related Costume
Marquette: Halloween bingo, with significant non-candy prizes
Michigan: Halloween party at Necto Nightclub
Minnesota: Spooky open house at the Riesenfeld Rare Books Research Center
Notre Dame: Law school trick-or-treating for faculty, staff, and students’ children, beginning at the library circulation desk
Nova Southeastern: Dine in with the Dean with a surprise: the Dean and Vice Dean in Star Wars costumes, plus Grogu
NYU: Pumpkin and candle painting
Texas: Celebrate pro booo-no with cupcakes
UC Berkeley: Send a BOO bag to someone in the law school, also Halloween cookie decorating
UC Irvine: SBA Halloween trick-or-treat; encouragement to dress as your favorite legal case or doctrine
Wake Forest: The Haunting of Worrell: Trick-or-Treat Event
Washburn: Trunk or treat for the Topeka community
Related TaxProf Blog coverage:
- How Law Schools Welcome the Incoming Class (Aug. 8, 2026)
- What Halloween Can Teach Your Kids About Taxes (Oct. 31, 2010)
- Deductibility of Halloween Costumes (Oct. 31, 2009)
