Third year Harvard Law School student ARMEN P. MEYER enjoys reading the paper outside of Harvard Law School’s Langdell Hall on a sunny day.

Harvard Law School (HLS) is quietly stepping up preparations for a fundraising campaign of unprecedented proportions, school officials said last week.

According to Associate Dean for Development Scott G. Nichols, the University’s highest governing body—the Harvard Corporation—expressed its continued approval of HLS’ academic and fundraising plans after meetings with Law School officials Feb. 25.

Nichols said the Corporation has allowed HLS to continue with the “quiet phase” of its proposed $300-400 million capital campaign, securing commitments from donors, testing the “fundraising marketplace” and setting feasible financial goals for the campaign.

If the Corporation approves a campaign of the size that the school is seeking it would be the largest campaign undertaken by any law school, exceeding the then record-setting $183 million HLS raised in the early 1990s.

But according to Nichols, the Corporation has yet to formally approve the campaign and has told officials to proceed carefully in raising funds for physical improvements to the Law School campus.

“The Corporation very rightly asked us to come back, when we can judge whether the support [the Law School receives] is enough to warrant such an incredible size,” Nichols said. According to Nichols, Law School officials will seek formal approval next fall.

In the meantime, the Law School will be able to pitch its case to potential donors.

But Nichols said the Corporation cautioned HLS officials that donors wishing to give money for new buildings must be told that those facilities could end up located across the river in Allston.

“We know Allston is a very live option for the Law School,” Nichols said. “We’re talking with folks about the option of across the river.”

Nichols’ attitude represents a marked turnaround from this time last year when the Law School was operating under the assumption that a move to Allston had been ruled out—the HLS faculty had voted down consideration of a move.

Since that time University President Lawrence H. Summers has forced the Law School to reconsider, and told them that planning—and in this case, fundraising—should occur in a manner that would keep the Allston option open.

“We’re asking supporters for funds for new classrooms wherever they may be,” Nichols said.

The Corporation, Nichols said, has consistently voiced its approval of the school’s academic plans—which are embodied in its 10-point Strategic Plan—and of a large Capital Campaign to support it.

“The signs we’re getting [from the Corporation] is that our number is worth testing,” Nichols said of the goal of $300-400 million. “There is an acknowledgement that it’s ambitious, but not so crazy to keep us from trying it out.”

The school has estimated that various academic initiatives—including the formation of new law colleges and the hiring of 15 new professors—will require physical additions and improvements to the campus to the tune of $100 million.