Search Committee for New Law Dean Announced

Laurence R. Helfer, the Harry R. Chadwick Sr. Professor of Law, will chair a seven-person committee that will conduct a search for the new dean of the School of Law, President Vincent E. Price and Provost Sally Kornbluth announced this week.

It is the first search for a dean at the school in 11 years.  The new dean will succeed David F. Levi, who has held the post since 2007. Levi will step down in June 2018.

The president and provost charged the committee to conduct an international search looking both internally and externally to identify a diverse pool of candidates. The committee should seek an intellectual leader who will build upon the school’s status as one of the very best law schools in the world.

Other qualities include:

• an energetic, and conscientious administrator broadly familiar with issues in higher education and legal education,
• a strong advocate for the Law School and its core teaching, research, and engagement mission in the context of the university’s strategic commitment to internationalization, interdisciplinarity, and knowledge in the service of society,
• a strong proponent for a diverse faculty and student body,
• an effective fund-raiser,
• a collaborator with fellow deans, the president and provost in promoting university priorities,
• a preeminent university citizen.

In addition to Helfer, the other committee members are:

Joseph Blocher, Law School; Thavolia Glymph, Arts & Sciences; Lisa Kern Griffin, Law School; Peter J. Kahn, Williams & Connolly LLP, Duke University Board of Trustees; Margaret H. Lemos, Law School; and Paula McClain, Graduate School, Arts & Sciences

The committee, which will be assisted by national executive search firm Isaacson, Miller, is soliciting opinions, nominations and applications from members of the Duke community. Information about applications, nominations, and other inquiries about the position can be found at www.imsearch.com/6360.  Interested applicants should submit an updated curriculum vitae and statement of interest no later than Friday Oct. 27, at 5 p.m. Eastern time.

More information about the search can be found on the law school website.