The Faculty of Law of Universitas Pattimura (FH UNPATTI) was founded on October 3, 1956, which began with the existence of the Maluku and West Irian Higher Education Foundation, on the initiative of national figure Dr. JB Sitanala (Alm) and his friends. Apart from the objectives as outlined by the founders, namely the desire to accommodate and channel the desires of high school graduates in Maluku to continue their studies at university level outside the region, but due to financial difficulties, these desires could not be fulfilled, so that the important note is that the presence of a legal higher education institution (as the first educational institution in Maluku) actually brings:

(1) equal distribution of academic education and

(2) reorientation in the socio-economic and socio-cultural fields.

In its development, since 1963 until now, FH UNPATTI has been led by several Deans, namely

1. DJ Staa (1971 – 1975)
2. Mr Chr. Soplanit (1975 – 1979)
3. MAH Stageary, SH (1979 – 1983)
4. Mrs. JM de Fretes/T, SH (1983 – 1987)
5. CM Pattiruhu, SH (1987 – 1995)
6. J. Leiwakabessy, SH (1995 – 1999)
7. Dr. Ronald Z. Titahelu, SH, MS (1999 – 2000)
8. George Leasa, SH, MH (2000 – 2009)
9. Prof. Dr. Marthinus Johannes Saptenno, SH, M. Hum. (2009 – 2013)
10. Dr. Jantje Tjiptabudy, SH, M.Hum. (2013 – 2017)
11. Dr. Rory Jeff Akyuwen, SH, M. Hum. (2017 – 2024)
12. Dr. Hendrik Salmon, SH, MH (2024 – 2028)

When the Faculty of Law was founded, in addition to involving local teaching staff, several external teaching staff were also involved, especially from Hasanudin University Makassar, such as Prof. Resink, Mr. Paul Moedigdo, Prof. Riekerk and Prof. Tobing, where at that time the Faculty of Law only had 3 departments, namely:

1. Civil Law Department
2. Department of Criminal Law
3. Department of Constitutional Law

To meet the need for teaching staff in higher education, the Faculty of Law then prepared its graduates to become teaching staff. Until 1962 the Maluku and West Irian Higher Education Foundation then established several Faculties including the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, the Faculty of Teacher Training and Education, the Faculty of Agriculture/Forestry and the Faculty of Animal Husbandry. With the establishment of the Maluku and West Irian Foundation with several faculties, then with the Decree of the President of the Republic of Indonesia. Number: 66 of 1963 dated April 23, 1963, the Faculty of Law changed to the Faculty of Law of Universitas Pattimura. Its struggle to become a state university in this region, cannot be separated from the role and struggle of several of its graduates, such as PP Tabalessy, SH, AK Elly, SH and FPB Litaay, SH as well as several people who were still students at that time.

Subsequent developments, where the Faculty of Law of Universitas Pattimura then began to organize itself, and to meet the development demands according to the geographical conditions of the Maluku region, the former Chancellor of Universitas Pattimura, Ir. J. Nanlohy, approved the opening of the International Law Department.

Currently, the Faculty of Law, Universitas Pattimura has 1 (one) Study Program, namely the Legal Studies Study Program, and has 4 Sections, namely:

1. Civil Law;
2. Criminal law;
3. Constitutional Law/State Administrative Law;
4. International Law

Thus, the study program's management is carried out entirely by the Study Program. The Head of the Law Study Program and the Heads of Sections are appointed by the Chancellor upon the recommendation of the Dean after receiving approval from the Faculty Senate.

In 2016, the Bachelor of Law Study Program received “A” Accreditation based on the Decree of the National Accreditation Board for Higher Education (BAN-PT) Number: 3290/SK/BAN-PT/Akred/S/XII/2016 dated December 27, 2016.

In 2020, the Bachelor of Law Study Program received ISO 9001:2015 Certificate about Quality Management System.

In 2022, the Bachelor of Law Study Program received “UNGGUL” Accreditation based on the Decree of the National Accreditation Board for Higher Education (BAN-PT) Number: 3924/SK/BAN-PT/Akred-PMT/S/VI/2022 dated June 27, 2022.

Higher Education Database regarding the Undergraduate Study Program in Law at Universitas Pattimura can be seen on the page PDDikti