The Faculty Lounge

Zachary D. Clopton Named Interim Dean of Northwestern Pritzker Law

Via Northwestern Law:

Professor Zachary D. Clopton has been appointed interim dean of Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law for two years beginning July 22, 2025. The announcement was made by Northwestern Provost Kathleen Hagerty, who praised Clopton as “a thoughtful and distinguished legal scholar” with deep institutional knowledge and national recognition in civil litigation. 

 

Michael T. Colatrella Jr. Named Dean of McGeorge School of Law

McGeorge Law has announced that Michael Colatrella will be its next dean.  He joined the faculty in 2009 and served as interim dean in 2019.  Colatrella, who holds a JD from Seton Hall and an LL.M from NYU, will take over on July 1.

Jason Kreag Named Interim Dean of University of Arizona Law

Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Professor of Law Jason Kreag has been named interim dean of University of Arizona College of Law.  Kreag joined the faculty as a visiting professor in 2015 and holds a JD from Harvard.

Beto Juárez, Jr. Stepping Down as Dean of Nova Southeastern University College of Law

Nova Southeastern University College of Law has announced that Beto Juárez, Jr. has stepped down as dean.  Provost Ron Chenail will serve as interim dean. 

Jerry Dickinson Named New Dean at Pitt Law

Current Vice Dean of Pitt Law Jerry Dickinson has been named the new permanent dean of the law school. Congratulations to Jerry and to Pitt Law!

Chris Roederer Named Interim Dean of University of Dayton School of Law

Chris Roederer has been named interim dean of University of Dayton School of Law effective January 1.  Roederer joined the law school in 2018 and holds a JD from NYU.

Reynaldo Anaya Valencia to Lead South Texas College of Law Houston

South Texas College of Law Houston has announced that Rey Valencia will be its next dean and president.  He is currently dean at Capital Law School. Valencia, who holds a JD from Harvard, will take over on July 1.

Sudha Setty Named President and CEO of LSAC

The Law School Admission Council has named Sudha Setty its next President and CEO.  Setty is currently dean at CUNY School of Law and has previously served as dean of Western New England University School of Law.  Setty will assume the new role effective July 1.

William Treanor Stepping Down as Georgetown Law Dean

Georgetown Law has announced that Bill Treanor will step down as dean of the law school on June 30, 2025.  Treanor became dean in 2010.  He will rejoin the faculty.

Matt Parlow Named President of Chapman University

Chapman University has announced that its new president will be Matt Parlow.  Parlow served as dean of Chapman Law before becoming the university's executive vice president and chief advancement officer.  He will assume the Presidency on September 2, 2025.

Harvard Announces Law School Dean Search Advisory Committee

Harvard University has announced a 13-member faculty advisory committee to provide input on the dean search.  The commitee includes law professors Sabrineh Ardalan, Christopher T. Bavitz, Jared A. Ellias, Richard H. Fallon Jr., Jeannie Suk Gersen, Annette Gordon-Reed, Elizabeth Papp Kamali, Stephen E. Sachs, Laura M. Weinrib, and Crystal S. Yang.  There are three non-law school professors on the committee, including Harvard Business School Dean Srikant M. Datar,  Graduate School of Design Dean Sarah M. Whiting and  Kennedy School professor Meghan L. O’Sullivan. 

Todd Pettys Named Interim Dean of Iowa Law

Professor Todd Pettys has been named interim dean of Iowa College of Law effective January 1.  Pettys joined the law school in 1999 and holds a JD from The University of North Carolina School of Law.

Col. James H. Kennedy III Named Dean of New England Law/Boston

New England Law/Boston has announced that Colonel James H. Kennedy III will be its next dean.  He is currently Commandant of The Judge Advocate General’s School at Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama.  Kennedy, who holds a JD from Syracuse University College of Law, will take over at the start of spring semester, 2025.

 

New England Law/Boston has announced that Colonel James H. Kennedy III will be its next dean.  He is currently Commandant of The Judge Advocate General’s School at Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama.  Kennedy, who holds a JD from Syracuse University College of Law, will take over at the start of spring semester, 2025.

New England Law/Boston has announced that Colonel James H. Kennedy III will be its next dean.  He is currently Commandant of The Judge Advocate General’s School at Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama.  Kennedy, who holds a JD from Syracuse University College of Law, will take over at the start of spring semester, 2025.

Hannah Brenner Johnson Named Dean of Southern Illinois Law

Southern Illinois University Law has announced that Hannah Brenner Johnson will be its next dean.  She is currently professor of law and vice dean at California Western School of Law.  Johnson, who holds a JD from Iowa, will take over on July 1.

Southern Illinois University Law has announced that Hannah Brenner Johnson will be its next dean.  She is currently professor of law and vice dean at California Western School of Law.  Johnson, who holds a JD from Iowa, will take over on July 1.

Oregon Law Seeks Dean

This just in:

The University of Oregon School of Law is undertaking a search for its next dean. A brief description of the University and Law School are provided below. A link to the comprehensive position description, and instructions on how to apply, can be found here: https://www.parkersearch.com/opportunities/dean-school-of-law.

More information about the search, including an online nomination form, can be found here: https://provost.uoregon.edu/law-school-dean-search

Inquiries about the search can be directed to our search firm, Parker Executive Search, whose contact information can be found in both links. My excellent colleague, Stuart Chinn, is serving as co-chair of our search committee and is happy to answer any inquiries as well. You may contact him at [email protected].

The University of Kentucky College of Law Seeks Dean

This just in:

The University of Kentucky (UK) seeks a strategic and collaborative leader with a distinguished scholarly profile to serve as the next Dean of the J. David Rosenberg College of Law (Rosenberg College of Law).

UK is a leading land-grant and public Research 1 university located in the beautiful Bluegrass region of Central Kentucky. Counted among the highest level of Carnegie Research institutions, the University is continuing its rise as one of the nation’s premier public research universities with expectations of growing significantly in stature across all dimensions of the institution’s mission - teaching, research, service, and care.

The Rosenberg College of Law was founded in 1908. Its mission is to be an outstanding public law school by preparing students to be lawyers and leaders to serve the country and the Commonwealth, produce widely recognized legal scholarship, and contribute to the advancement of justice. The Rosenberg College of Law takes this responsibility seriously and fulfills its mission by engaging communities across Kentucky to serve our community and the profession by enhancing public understanding of law, engaging in law reform, delivering continuing legal education, and providing legal services to the indigent.

 

Marc Miller Stepping Down as Dean of The University of Arizona Law

The University of Arizona College of Law has announced that Marc Miller will step down as dean on January 6.   Miller became dean in 2012.  He will return to the faculty.

Usha Rodrigues Named Dean of University of Georgia Law

The University of Georgia School of Law has announced that Usha Rodrigues will be its next dean.  She is currently associate dean for faculty development at Georgia.  Rodrigues, who holds a JD from the University of Virgina, will take over on January 1.

Jon Marcantel Named Interim Dean of Charleston Law

Professor Jon Marcantel has been named interim dean of Charleston Law effective November 1.  Marcantel joined the law school in 2011 and holds a JD from the University of South Carolina School of Law.

Chicago-Kent Law Seeks Dean

This just in:

Illinois Institute of Technology (Illinois Tech) is seeking a visionary, dynamic, entrepreneurial, and collaborative leader to serve as dean of the Chicago-Kent College of Law starting in the summer of 2025. The dean of Chicago-Kent will leverage the distinctive assets of this student-centered, forward-leaning law school, including its productive and engaged faculty and its position within one of the country’s most innovative technical universities, to achieve its potential as an outstanding law school of the future. This leadership position at Chicago-Kent demands an energetic and creative leader who is committed to providing a legal education that prepares students for the practice of law in an increasingly complex and interconnected society. The opportunity to lead Chicago-Kent is unique and exciting.

Chicago-Kent is located in the heart of one of the world’s most diverse and vibrant cities, with an innovative and expanding legal community that provides an unparalleled job market for its graduates. The law school is part of an internationally renowned teaching and research university, offering its students academic programs in science and letters, business, engineering, architecture, computing, and design, as well as law, and extraordinary career opportunities that contribute to solving important challenges facing society, including legal challenges that accompany these scientific and technological advances. Chicago-Kent’s 53-member full-time faculty, which includes widely respected legal scholars, supplemented by nearly 100 highly skilled adjunct faculty, provides a future-focused, practice-ready curriculum for the school’s approximately 700 JD students. In keeping with Chicago-Kent’s history and Illinois Tech’s commitment to being an engine of opportunity, many of those students are first generation and from underserved communities, for whom the access to a legal education is transformative for not just themselves but also their families and communities.

 

Michael Sant'Ambrogio (Essentially) Named Dean of MSU Law

MSU College of Law has announced that Interim Dean Michael Sant'Ambrogio has been recommended to become the law school's permanent dean effective October 25.  Sant'Ambrogio, who holds a JD from NYU, joined the school in 2011 and was appointed interim dean in January.  Presumably it becomes official upon sign off of the MSU Board.