Washburn University invites applications and nominations for the position of Dean of the Washburn University School of Law. The Law School is recognized for its outstanding teaching and faculty scholarship and its commitment to public service. It has a highly favorable student/faculty ratio, with an excellent student body drawn from a national pool.
One of only two law schools in the state of Kansas, Washburn University School of Law is located in Topeka, the state capital. It was established in 1903 and has built a long tradition and legacy of providing an outstanding legal education. Washburn Law offers a broad-based curriculum in national and international law to students enrolled in the J.D., LL.M., and M.S.L. programs. It features six centers for excellence, nine certificate programs, and four dual degree programs. The thirty-two full-time faculty members, along with a strong cohort of adjunct professors, teach and conduct scholarship across a wide array of legal specializations. The Law School enjoys a dedicated staff and strong support from the community.
For more than a century, Washburn Law has demonstrated its commitment to academic excellence, innovation, and diversity. Students choose from nearly 150 courses, including a variety of seminars and clinical offerings. From the first year through graduation, the comprehensive curriculum and innovative programs prepare students for success in the legal profession. For over forty years, Washburn’s Law Clinic has functioned as an in-house general practice law firm, providing students the opportunity to represent actual clients in eight practice areas.
Washburn University School of Law has excelled in the categories most important to our students and alumni: a high-quality curriculum; an exceptional faculty; outstanding library resources; favorable graduation statistics, bar passage rates, and employment outcomes; and affordability. Among other accolades, Washburn University School of Law is ranked #2 in the nation for Government Law and is one of twenty law schools recognized by National Jurist as "Top Law Schools for Government Jobs." Washburn Law is also among the top seventeen law schools in the country for Business and Corporate Law programs. Washburn Law’s Trial Advocacy program is ranked in the top sixteen programs this year.
Washburn Law’s six signature programs – the Center for Law and Government, the Center for Excellence in Advocacy, the Business and Transactional Law Center, the Children and Family Law Center, the Oil and Gas Law Center, and the International and Comparative Law Center – establish an extensive learning network for law students and experienced professionals. Our Legal Analysis, Research, and Writing program is consistently recognized as a top program by U.S. News & World Report, ranked 15th in the nation in the current edition. We are one of only a few law schools in the country with full-time, tenured and tenure-track legal writing professors who are involved in service and scholarship in the national legal writing community. WashLaw, initiated in 1991 by the Washburn Law Library, is a legal research portal that provides users with links to significant sites of law-related materials on the Internet. It is one of the premier legal internet research services available to a worldwide audience of practicing and academic legal experts. WashLaw also hosts a large number of law-related discussion groups. Washburn University seeks an exceptional candidate who has the vision, strategic acumen, entrepreneurial spirit, character, and presence to enhance the school’s existing strengths while moving the School of Law forward to a higher level of distinction. The Dean serves as the academic, fiscal, and administrative leader for the School of Law. The School of Law is seeking a Dean who will work with the School of Law community to articulate a strategic vision to enhance its reputation, strengthen its fiscal position, and lead its efforts to meet the challenges of the changing landscape for legal education. The successful applicant must have a J.D. degree and demonstrate critical thinking and an ability to adapt to the changing market while moving the School of Law forward successfully. The successful candidate will have a record of experience commensurate with appointment as a Professor of Law; a passion for academic excellence and intellectual inquiry; a recognized dedication to teaching excellence; a demonstrated commitment to institutional and community service; a thorough and current understanding of the legal environment; effective interpersonal and communication skills; and the ability to develop strong relationships with all of the law school’s constituencies thereby growing private financial support for the School of Law. Candidates must possess a collaborative work style, well-developed organizational skills, a commitment to diversity and inclusion, and the highest degree of integrity and professionalism. A record of progressively responsible leadership experience in administration is required.
To be considered, submit electronically in pdf format a cover letter, resume, and at least three references to Joan Bayens at joan.bayens@washburn.edu. A search committee will begin to review candidate materials by October 27, 2017, and will continue until interviews are scheduled. Employment at Washburn University will be conditioned upon satisfactory completion of a background check. The successful candidate will submit official transcripts prior to hire. Washburn University is an Equal Opportunity Employer. To enrich education through diversity, candidates from underrepresented groups are encouraged to apply.
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