The Faculty of Law of Chiang Mai University was established by the University Council’s Resolution on 25th March 2549 B.E. (2006), and formed the twentieth faculty of the University. The establishment of the Faculty of Law was later published in the Government Gazette on 4th July 2551 B.E. (2008) when the Act of Chiang Mai University 2551 B.E. (2008) took effect.

However, the history of the Faculty of Law dated back to 2508 B.E. (1965) when the law subjects were taught for the first time at Chiang Mai University. At that time, the Faculty of Law was a mere Division in the Political Science Department of the Faculty of Social Sciences, the law subjects were the major subjects for students in Political Science Department. In other words, the political science students were required to enroll in all of the law subjects. For those who were not political science students, the law subjects were available as minor or selective subjects, i.e., the students of the disciplines other than political science were free to choose law subjects as minor subjects of their chosen academic field.

In 2535 B.E. (1992), while the Law Division was a part of the Faculty of Social Sciences, a Bachelor Degree in Law (LL.B) was established. This made Chiang Mai University the first government university in the Northern region that provided an LL.B programme. Also, in 2542 B.E. (1999) the curriculum of the Bachelor Degree in Law was approved by the Thai Bar Association (TBA), and therefore law graduates are qualified to register as members of the TBA and consequently are able to sit for the Bar examination.

The law curriculum of the LL.B. was subject to vigorous revision in 2546 B.E. (2003) in response to the changing world, the need for additional legal personal in general and opens to those who wish to study law as a second degree. Furthermore, the master’s degree in law (LL.M.) was established in 2547 B.E. (2004) to provide a specific additional education in response to the political, economic and social dynamic of Thailand.