The Faculty Lounge

Gillian Lester Stepping Down as Dean of Columbia Law

Columbia Law has announced that Gillian Lester will step down as dean at the end of the academic year and return to teaching full-time.  Lester joined the law school from UC Berkeley Law in 2015.  

ABA Names Jennifer Rosato Perea Managing Director of Accreditation and Legal Education

The ABA has announced that Jennifer Rosato Perea will serve as the Managing Director of Accreditation and Legal Education. Rosato Perea currently serves as the dean of DePaul College of Law.  She will assume her new position on June 1. 

That's the newsy part.  But this is especially exciting for me - and folks at the Drexel Kline School of Law.  Jenn and I were among the first faculty hired in 2005 to start what was then the Drexel College of Law.   She was named interim dean shortly before the law school opened and was a superb leader through the birth of the law school and our process of initial ABA accreditation.  I can't imagine a person better situated to understand the diversity of issues that face law schools than Jenn.  And putting aside the practical part, Jenn is the best of human beings.   What good news for all of us in the law school world!

Goffin/King Medley

Before launching her legendary solo career in the 1970s, Carole King worked in the Brill Building, writing a series of hits with her then-husband Gerry Goffin. In total, King wrote or co-wrote an astounding 118 songs that charted on the Hot 100, beginning when she was a teenager, although I don't know how many were with Goffin (she wrote the music, he wrote the lyrics).

Here is Carole King in 1988, performing the great Goffin/King songs with occasional guests.

Hiring Announcement: University of Mississippi School of Law

From a recent email message:

The University of Mississippi School of Law invites applicants and nominations for the position of Director of the Law Library and tenure-track or tenured Professor, Associate, or Assistant Professor.  The Law School is located in Oxford, Mississippi, on the campus of the University of Mississippi, an R-1, flagship state research university. Oxford is a vibrant town nestled in the hills of north Mississippi, with access to diverse natural, cultural, and recreational attractions.  The Law School has 39 full time faculty and 546 students.  The Law Library has a wealth of traditional resources, but also is technologically sophisticated.  The Law Library serves the needs of law faculty, students, as well as the members of the Bench and Bar of the State of Mississippi.

Responsibilities:  delivering law school and library information resources to the academic and legal community; administering library operations, planning, and budget; supervising library personnel; developing library collections; overseeing library web and computer resources; supporting faculty and student legal scholarship; collaborating closely with school leadership, other University of Mississippi libraries, and university administration to ensure alignment with institutional goals and priorities; directing first-year Legal Research Program; and teaching foundational and advanced legal research classes.

For additional information, please click here.

Hiring Announcement: University of South Dakota Knudson School of Law (Director of Legal Writing)

From a recent email message:

The University of South Dakota Knudson School of Law seeks to hire a Director of Legal Writing.  This position can be tenure or non-tenure track.  The position has an anticipated start date of July 2024. 

The successful candidate will oversee the Knudson School of Law’s legal writing program which begins in the 1L year and extends throughout 2L and 3L years.  The successful candidate will have an opportunity to teach other courses in addition to assigned legal writing courses.

The Faculty Appointments Committee will begin review of applications on December 22, 2023.  Interested candidates should submit their application materials to Professor Robert Miller ([email protected]). 

Salary is negotiable depending upon the candidate’s experience and qualifications. 

The University of South Dakota is an equal opportunity employer.  USD is committed to fostering dynamic and welcoming working and learning environments for all.  USD provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants without regard to ideological, political, or sectarian opinions or perspective; or race, color, creed, religion, sex, ancestry, disability, national origin, or any other factor protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.  USD is committed to the principles of free expression and encourages the timely and rational discussion of topics in an environment that is intellectually and ideologically diverse.