Dean

University of Michigan Law School

Search for the Dean

Ann Arbor, Michigan

The mission of the University of Michigan is to serve the people of Michigan and the world through preeminence in creating, communicating, preserving, and applying knowledge, art, and academic values, and in developing leaders and citizens who will challenge the present and enrich the future.

The University of Michigan, an academic powerhouse among public research universities in the United States and an intellectual force of global significance, seeks a collaborative and visionary leader to serve as the next dean of the University of Michigan Law School (Michigan Law). The next dean of Michigan Law will join a collegial community of faculty and staff who work at the top of their fields and a talented student body whose cooperative spirit brings out the best in faculty, staff, and students alike. Building upon the school’s strong foundation, the next dean will shape the future of Michigan Law and influence legal education in the United States and beyond.

Since its founding in 1817, the University of Michigan (U-M) has flourished. It combines a scale that exceeds all but a handful of American universities, with a level of scholarly excellence that is equally rare. As one of the oldest law schools in the nation, Michigan Law features prominently in the university’s overall success and reputation for excellence. Today, Michigan Law is home to a sizeable and diverse faculty of scholars and experiential educators, many of whom are preeminent in their fields. They produce groundbreaking scholarship, achieve precedent-setting victories in courts across the country and in business transactions and local communities, and train the next generation of leaders in the law. The dean will direct and lead about 100 full-time faculty members and a staff of 150 and administer an annual operating budget of approximately $100 million. Michigan Law currently enrolls about 1,000 students and its more than 22,000 alumni pursue careers in all fields and all corners of the globe.

Leading Michigan Law is an outstanding opportunity for a highly collegial, deeply intellectual, and forward-thinking leader to inspire a diverse community of faculty, staff, students, and alumni. The dean will work to define the next era of Michigan Law and address several key priorities, including:

• Collaborate with stakeholders to craft and implement a vision for a preeminent 21st century law school that builds on Michigan Law’s strong foundation;

• Maintain and strengthen the school’s commitment to excellence in both teaching and scholarship and to its unique culture, which combines a strong sense of collegiality with intellectual rigor;

• Celebrate and support Michigan Law’s vigorous culture of open inquiry which cherishes academic freedom, welcomes diversity of thought, and prizes the unfettered exchange of ideas;

• Ensure the law school has the resources to fully achieve its aspirations;

• Effectively manage a large and complex organization;

• Recruit, retain, and support world class faculty and staff;

• Enhance Michigan Law’s long-standing and demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion; and

• Represent and advocate for the law school locally, nationally, and globally.

The University of Michigan has retained Isaacson, Miller, a national executive search firm, to assist in this recruitment. Screening of complete applications will begin immediately and continue until the completion of the search process. For best consideration, please apply by Monday, September 16, 2024. Inquiries, nominations, referrals, and CVs with cover letters should be sent via the Isaacson, Miller website for the search: https://apptrkr.com/5388014. Electronic submission of materials is strongly encouraged.

Ernest Brooks, Cati Mitchell-Crossley, Jaime Morgen, and Thea Kosmack

Isaacson, Miller

The University of Michigan, as an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer, complies with all applicable federal and state laws regarding nondiscrimination and affirmative action. The University of Michigan is committed to a policy of equal opportunity for all persons and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, disability, religion, height, weight, or veteran status in employment, educational programs and activities, and admissions. Inquiries or complaints may be addressed to the Equity, Civil Rights and Title IX Office (ECRT) at 734-763-0235 and [email protected], and as follows:

Sex/Gender Identity/Gender Expression/Sexual Orientation, including sexual misconduct: ECRT Sexual and Gender-Based Misconduct Director and Title IX Coordinator

Disability: ECRT Disability Director and ADA Coordinator

Race/Color/National Origin/Age/Marital Status/Religion/Height/Weight/Veteran Status: ECRT Civil Rights Director