The Faculty Lounge

West Virginia Law Names Amelia Smith Rinehart as Dean

West Virginia University has announced that Amelia Smith Rinehart will be its new law dean.  Rinehart is currently associate dean of academic affairs , and a faculty member, at Utah Law.  She holds a JD from the University of Chicago.

West Virginia Law Names Dean Finalists

The final candidates for the deanship at West Virginia University College of Law are Amelia Rinehart (Utah) and David Mitchell (Missouri).  

Michigan State Names Law Dean Finalists

Michigan State College of Law has named three finalists in its dean search:

Linda Greene (Wisconsin)
Melanie Jacobs (Michigan State)
Seval Yildirim (Cal State San Bernadino)

Idaho Law Names Dean Finalists

The University of Idaho has named the following finalists in its law dean search:

Brian Kane (Assistant Chief Deputy Attorney General of Idaho)
Lumen Mulligan (University of Kansas Law)
Johanna Kalb (Loyola New Orleans Law)
Geoffrey Rapp (Toledo Law)

 

Michael Kaufman Named New Dean of Santa Clara Law

Santa Clara University has announced that Dean Michael Kaufman of Loyola- Chicago Law will be moving out west.  He will become the dean of Santa Clara Law on July 1.  Kaufman has been dean at Loyola since 2016.  He holds a JD from the University of Michigan.

Mary Davis Named Dean of Kentucky Law

The University of Kentucky has announced that Mary Davis will be the dean of its law school.  Davis has been serving as the school's interim dean.  Davis, who holds a JD from Wake Forest Law, will transition to the permanent position on January 1.

Susan Poser Named President of Hofstra

Hofstra University announced that its new president will be Susan Poser.  Poser is the provost of University of Illinois - Chicago, and previously served as the dean of the University of Nebraska College of Law.  She holds a JD and Ph.D from UC Berkeley.  

Colorado College Names Song Richardson as New President

Colorado College has announced that its new president will be L. Song Richardson.  Richardson is currently dean of the UC-Irvine law school.  She holds a JD from Yale University.  

Cornell Law Names Jen Ohlin as Interim Dean

Cornell Law School has announced that its Vice-Dean, Jens David Ohlin, will take over as interim dean from Eduardo Peñalver next month, in the run-up to Peñalver's move to become the President of Seattle University.  Ohlin joined the Cornell faculty in 2008.  He holds a JD and Ph.D from Columbia.  

Cornell Law Names Jen Ohlin as Interim Dean

Cornell Law School has announced that its Vice-Dean, Jens David Ohlin, will take over as interim dean from Eduardo Peñalver next month, in the run-up to Peñalver's move to become the President of Seattle University.  Ohlin joined the Cornell faculty in 2008.  He holds a JD and Ph.D from Columbia.  

Mary Davis Named Sole Dean Finalist at Kentucky Law

Interim dean Mary Davis has been named the only finalist candidate in the University of Kentucky's internal search for a new law school dean.  

Detroit Mercy Law Seeks Dean

This just in:

University of Detroit Mercy, Michigan's largest and most comprehensive Catholic University in the Jesuit and Mercy traditions, invites applications and nominations for the position of dean of the School of Law.

For more than a century, University of Detroit Mercy School of Law has educated lawyers who are committed to the pursuit of justice, service to others and the highest standards of the legal profession. Detroit Mercy Law fully embraces the Jesuit and Mercy heritages, welcoming students and faculty of all faith traditions, and emphasizing academic and intellectual excellence and ethical values. Detroit Mercy Law provides an intellectually rigorous education that combines theory, doctrine, ethics, transnational educational opportunities and real-world experience. From its location in the heart of downtown Detroit, Detroit Mercy Law students readily access opportunities to connect with local leaders, community partners, employers and an engaged alumni network more than 8,000 strong.

In addition to the JD program, Detroit Mercy Law offers students access to the JD/MBA program and the Canadian & American Dual JD Program, a collaboration between Detroit Mercy Law and University of Windsor Faculty of Law, which is the only three-year comparative program of its kind in North America.

Detroit Mercy Law has long been a recognized leader in preparing students for the actual practice of law. Detroit Mercy Law has one of the oldest clinical programs in the United States, which dates back to the early 1960’s, well before the ABA mandated experiential credits. Detroit Mercy Law innovated its curriculum and requires every student to complete one clinic and participate in its simulated law firm courses called the Law Firm Program. Detroit Mercy Law has an extensive externship program with close proximity to the courts and multiple Fortune 500 companies.

Frank Wu is President of Queens College

Normally these posting are in the future tense, but I have to plead guilty to missing this one completely!  Frank Wu, former chancellor and dean of Hastings Law, took up a new job this summer leading CUNY's Queens College.  That makes two CUNY presidents emerging from the ranks of law school deans.  Michelle Anderson, president of Brooklyn College, formerly helmed CUNY Law.  

In Memoriam: George Johnson Jr.

The former dean of Elon Law, George Johnson Jr., passed away on Sunday.  He served as interim dean, and then permanent dean, of Elon from 2008 to 2014.   He joined the law school faculty as it welcomed its first class in 2006.   Johnson was 69.

Tom McHenry Stepping Down as Dean and President of Vermont Law

The Vermont Law School announced that its President and Dean, Thomas McHenry, will step down at the end of  the 2020-21 academic year.  McHenry joined the law school, and assumed these leadership positions,  in 2017.  

Robert Schapiro Named Dean of San Diego Law

Emory's Asa Griggs Candler Professor of Law, Robert Schapiro, the law school's former dean, will be moving California this January to become dean of the University of San Diego School of Law.  He leaves Emory after 25 years on the faculty.  He holds a JD from Yale.

Georgia State Law Searches for Dean

Georgia State University College of Law is searching for a dean:

Georgia State University (GSU), an R-1 research university located in the heart of downtown Atlanta, seeks a bold and dynamic leader to serve as dean of the College of Law. GSU invites inquiries, nominations and applications for this exciting opportunity to be part of a forward thinking and thriving institution. Georgia State is one of the most diverse universities in the nation, and the College of Law encourages applications from minorities, women and other diverse candidates.

Throughout its history, Georgia State Law has been a leader in innovative legal education. The College of Law offers outstanding programs and hands-on learning opportunities. Surrounded by business, government, nonprofit and cultural organizations, Georgia State Law provides a vibrant environment for gaining practical experience and engaging in interdisciplinary research. Located in a new, seven-story state-of-the-art facility on the GSU campus, the College of Law is committed to providing an excellent and affordable legal education to a diverse student body and promoting legal scholarship and service that advances the legal profession and the communities it serves.

The faculty and students work on the cutting edge of law practice, theory and technology, which drives the College's dynamic curriculum. The curriculum emphasizes an intensive, practice-based approach with creative opportunities for hands-on learning. Georgia State Law is committed to providing broad access and tuition affordability for more than 700 students enrolled in both full-time and flexible part-time programs. The College of Law has over 70 full-time faculty members who deliver a rigorous program of study that prepares students to enter the worlds of law, business and government at the highest level. More information is available at www.law.gsu.edu.

National Jurist has consistently placed the College among the top 5 “Best Value” law schools, and GSU law school graduates have among the lowest debt. U.S. News & World Report ranks the parttime program as No. 10 in the nation and the College’s Center for Law, Health, and Society as No. 2 in the nation. The faculty’s impressive scholarly quality and productivity led to an invitation to form an Order of the Coif Chapter in 2016, making it one of just nine schools to receive a Coif invitation since 2000.

University of Colorado: Law School Dean

From an email message that I received earlier today:

The University of Colorado has posted its law school dean search announcement.  You'll find the link here.

Northwestern Law Names Dean Search Committee

Northwestern University has announced the members of the law school dean search committee.  It will be chaired by Professor Erin Delaney.

Eduardo Peñalver Named President of Seattle University

Seattle University announced today that its new president will be Cornell University law dean Eduardo M. Peñalver. Peñalver has served  as Cornell's dean since 2014.  He will be Seattle University's first Latino president and the first layperson to lead the Jesuit school. Peñalver will take over on July 1, 2021.