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Greetings,

Over the years, I have shared many milestones with the Arizona Law Community through Letter of the Law. This week I have some personal news to share with you. 

Last week I announced that I will step down from my role as dean of University of Arizona Law in early January 2025, after 12 years of service to our college.  

I feel an overwhelming sense of pride and gratitude for all we have achieved together since I became dean in November 2012. It has been an enormous privilege to work alongside such brilliant and passionate faculty, staff, students, university partners, alumni and supporters.

While our collective efforts throughout my tenure have spanned a variety of initiatives, the thread that has bound them together has been the goal of expanding access to legal education. 

Among these initiatives is the nation’s first undergraduate BA in Law program, launched in partnership with the School of Government and Public Policy and the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences. This program now serves more than 1,900 students worldwide, both in person and online, including at microcampuses in countries such as China (pictured here where I recently visited to celebrate the 10th anniversary of our partnership with Ocean University of China) and Cambodia.

I love the impact our BA in Law degree has had. And how many people can say they had a hand in creating a unique, ground-up degree—and then watch their son choose that college major, as my own son did as a Wildcat BA in Law major?

Access to a legal education has been a theme of our 109-year-old JD program as well. We broke new ground with the creation of the JD-Next exam and the first-in-the-nation acceptance of the GRE for JD admissions, setting the stage for increased access to legal education.

The JD program also has achieved record highs in academic achievement, diversity and employment outcomes. In 2023, 90.35% of graduates secured full-time, long-term legal positions—the highest rate in college history—while the college maintained a longstanding tradition of placing graduates in competitive clerkships.

I have been privileged to welcome over 45 faculty members who have contributed to a vibrant intellectual community known for its high-impact scholarship. In 2024, Arizona Law faculty were ranked 17th among public law schools and 38th overall in scholarly impact, according to the Sisk et al. study.

I’m proud that our efforts have not only broadened access to legal education but also positioned Arizona Law at the forefront of addressing pressing societal issues. Our work with the Arizona Supreme Court, for example, resulted in the development of the Legal Paraprofessional certification, which is expanding critical legal services in underserved areas, and for which we provide essential training.

Over the past 12 years, we have seen the growth of our endowment by $26 million, funding new endowed scholarships and professorships. This year, the college celebrated the completion of the state-of-the-art courtrooms and advocacy spaces that are part of the “A New Day in Court” project.

The last 12 years have gone swiftly by, though I step down as the 9th longest serving current law dean in the country. I am excited at the prospect of more time to be with my family—my wife Chris who shares my passion for and also teaches at the U of A in the College of Public Health, and our children, Wyatt, a junior in high school; Evie, a college freshman in Chicago; and Owen, a junior Wildcat, and with my father, Howard, a lawyer and former law professor. Even our dogs seem excited about the prospect of longer hikes!

As I look ahead, I am eager to return to the classroom after a research leave, and to have more time for scholarship. I hope to strengthen our many initiatives, with a special focus on our global and online efforts, and serve the college as it continues to develop and thrive. While I am stepping down as dean, my commitment to our students and to our community’s success remains as strong as ever.

If you would like to read more, please see here for the story from the University of Arizona Law news page. I already have heard from so many in this wonderful LawCat community. Thank you for your kind words and well wishes. 

And my deepest thanks for your never-ending passion for Arizona Law. You give real meaning to the phrase Wildcats for Life.

Warmly,