The Faculty Lounge

James Houck Named Interim Dean of Penn State Law

Penn State Law has announced that Professor James Houck, a faculty member in the law school and the School of International Affairs, and the director of Penn State’s Center for Security Research and Education, will take over as interim dean of Penn State Law and the School of International Affairs beginning August 1.  The current dean, Hari Osofsky, will leave to become the dean of Northwestern Law.   Houck joined Penn State in 2012.  He holds a JD from the University of Michigan and an LLM from Georgetown Law.

Jens Ohlin Named Permanent Dean of Cornell Law

As seems ever the case, I'm a few weeks behind.  Last month, Cornell University named interim dean Jens David Ohlin to the position permanently. He holds a JD and Ph.D from Columbia. 

Doug Sylvester Stepping Down as ASU Law Dean

Dean Doug Sylvester has stepped down after a very successful decade leading the law school at Arizona State University.  He is replaced by interim co-deans  Zachary Kramer and Adam Chodorow.  The school will conduct a dean search this coming year.

Michelle Drumbl Takes Over as Interim Dean of W&L Law

This is one I missed this past fall .  Washington and Lee Law Dean Brant Hellwig stepped down on July 1.  Michelle Drumbl has been named to a one year term as interim dean, while the school conducts a search this coming academic year.  Drumbl joined the W&L faculty in 2007.  She holds a JD from George Washington Law and and LLM in Tax from NYU.

Katheleen Guzman Named Dean of Oklahoma Law

Katheleen Guzman, interim dean of Oklahoma University College of Law, has now been named permanent dean.  Guzman, who holds a JD from the University of Arkansas and an LLM from Yale, has been interim dean for two years.  She joined the OU Law faculty in 1993.

Michael McGinnis Stepping Down as Dean of North Dakota Law

Dean Michael McGinnis has announced that he will step down as the dean of the University of North Dakota School of Law at the end of the 2021-22 school year.  McGinnis has been dean since 2019.  

David Lopez Steps Down as Rutgers Co-Dean; Rose Cuison-Villazor Named Interim

Rutgers Law School announced that Rutgers-Newark based co-dean of the two campus school, David Lopez, is stepping down on June 30. Vice Dean Rose Cuison-Villazor will take over as interim co-dean as the school conducts a search for Lopez's replacement.  Rutgers Law's other co-dean is Kim Mutcherson who is based on the Camden campus.

Hari Osofsky Named Dean of Northwestern Law

Northwestern University has announced that Penn State Law Dean Hari Osofsky will be the new dean of Northwestern's law school.  Osofsky, who holds a JD from Yale and Ph.D from the University of Oregon, will take over on August 1.  

John Czarnetzky Named Dean of Ave Maria Law

Ave Maria School of Law announced that its new dean and CEO will be John Czarnetzky.  Czarnetzky is a professor at the University of Mississippi School of Law.  He holds a JD from the University of Virginia.  He will take over on June 1.  

Zelda Harris to be Interim Dean of Loyola Chicago Law

With Dean Michael Kaufman heading to Santa Clara Law, Associate Dean Zelda Harris will be stepping up to become interim dean of Loyola Chicago Law, starting July 1.  Harris holds her JD from Washington University in St. Louis.  

Jelani Jefferson Exum Named Dean of Detroit Mercy Law

The University of Detroit Mercy  has announced that its new law dean will be Professor Jelani Jefferson Exum.  She joined the Detroit Mercy law faculty in 2019, most recently coming from the University of Toledo faculty.  Exum, who holds a JD from Harvard, will take over from outgoing Dean Phyllis Crocker on July 1.

Dan Hamilton Stepping Down as Dean of UNLV Law

UNLV announced Friday that Dean Dan Hamilton, who has been leading the university's law school since 2013,  is stepping down.  He will leave the post at the end of June.

LeVonda Reed Named Dean of Georgia State Law

Georgia State University has announced that its new dean will be LaVonda Reed, a faculty member at Syracuse Law and the university's associate provost for faculty affairs.  Reed, who holds a JD from the University of Southern California, takes over in July.

Lolita Buckner Inniss Named Dean at Colorado Law School

Lolita Buckner Inniss (currently Senior Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, University Distinguished Professor, Robert G. Storey Distinguished Faculty Fellow, and Professor of Law at SMU) has been named dean of the University of Colorado Law School, effective July 1, 2021. She will become Colorado Law’s first African-American dean and second woman to lead the school.

The university's announcement is here. Congratulations, Dean Inniss!

Keith Faulkner Named Dean of Appalachian Law

The Appalachian School of Law has selected B. Keith Faulkner as its next dean.  Faulkner, who will take over this summer,  has been serving as dean of Liberty University Law since 2015.  He holds a JD from Campbell Law School and an LLM from Baylor.

Wendy Hensel Named Iowa President Finalist

The University of Iowa presidential search continues to focus on law profs.  This week Iowa hosted its third finalist - Provost Wendy Hensel of Georgia State, the former dean of Georgia State Law.  As I previously noted, Penn State Dean Hari Osofsky was the first candidate to visit Iowa City. 

Hari Osofsky Named Finalist in Iowa President Search

The University of Iowa has named Dean Hari Osofsky, of Penn State Law - University Park, as one of four finalists in its search for a new president.   A report on her presentation is here.  Iowa President Bruce Herreld announced his retirement last fall.  Osofsky joined Penn State as dean in 2017.

Darby Dickerson Named New Dean of Southwestern Law

Southwestern Law School has announced that its new dean will be Dean Darby Dickerson of UIC - John Marshall Law School.  Dickerson, who holds a JD from Vanderbilt, is the Immediate Past President of the AALS.  Dickerson takes over from Dean Susan Prager on July 1.  

Lars Smith Named Interim Dean of Louisville Law

The University of Louisville has announced that Professor Lars Smith, the law school's associate dean for faculty affairs, will take over as interim dean on June 1.  The current dean, Colin Crawford, will leave to become the dean of Golden Gate University Law this summer.  Smith holds a JD from New England School of Law; he joined the Louisville faculty in 2000.

Bryant Garth Named Interim Dean of UCI Law

The University of California - Irvine has announced that Bryant Garth, an emeritus faculty member of UCI Law (and former dean of Southwestern and Indiana - Bloomington), will return to serve as the law school's interim dean.  He will take over when Dean Song Richardson becomes President of Colorado College this summer.