Dean of the Antonin Scalia Law School

George Mason University

Dean of the Antonin Scalia Law School

George Mason University, the largest public research university in the Commonwealth of Virginia, seeks an inspiring and entrepreneurial leader to serve as the Dean of the Antonin Scalia Law School. Ranked as one of the most innovative national universities by U.S. News and World Report, Mason is located in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area with direct geographical access to the federal government, international organizations, and major corporations across industries. Scalia Law has developed a distinctive academic mission and effective approach to legal education and scholarship. Scalia Law is already respected as an outstanding law school, thanks to its enviable location, its talented and diverse student body, and its faculty’s productivity and academic excellence. And the law school is on an upward trajectory thanks to increasing financial resources and expanding relations with federal and state judges, including several Justices of the U.S. Supreme Court.

Scalia Law presents compelling opportunities for its next Dean. The Dean will continue to strengthen the School’s mission as a community of scholars who are committed to rigorous interdisciplinary research and dedicated to academic freedom, with respect for all points of view. The School’s next leader will also maintain and enhance Scalia Law’s commitment to the first-rate education and professional development of its students, and further advance its appeal to diverse constituents. The School’s Dean will have a rare opportunity to establish multiple academic chairs envisioned by the Rouse Endowment—a new endowment set to receive more than $50 million—and to appoint outstanding scholars to fill those chairs. The Dean will be supported by strong relationships with the University administration and Mason’s Board of Visitors, and will have the opportunity to help the University develop and implement a new Institute for Digital InnovAtion. The Dean will also continue to marshal the financial and human capital necessary to advance the School’s mission and strengthen relationships between the School and its alumni.

The University is looking for a Dean who can inspire the faculty, staff, alumni, donors, and students to participate in the School’s ongoing rise in rank and quality. The successful candidate will demonstrate serious intellectual leadership and will encourage the faculty to continue producing influential legal research. In addition, the School seeks a Dean with the relational skills and emotional intelligence needed to motivate students and staff, as well as faculty; to connect Scalia Law closely with the University and the public which it serves; and to attract alumni, individual and institutional donors, civic leaders, and the members of the bench and bar to be integral contributors to this exciting academic enterprise. The successful candidate will also understand Scalia Law’s distinctive academic tradition, which has been central to the law school’s rapid rise to prominence. Such a candidate will position the School to successfully compete for students and faculty against law schools with greater financial resources and more established reputations. The next Dean will also work to fully realize the potential of Scalia Law’s reputation and location to collaborate with U.S. and Virginia Supreme Court Justices, other state and federal judges, Members of Congress, and agency officials. Finally, Mason is seeking an entrepreneurial spirit in the next Dean, who will project optimism and appreciate that risk-taking is part of progress.

The search firm, Isaacson, Miller, will assist in this recruitment. Review of applicants will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled. Nominations, inquiries, and applications, including a letter of interest describing the individual’s qualifications for the position and curriculum vitae, should be sent in confidence to: www.imsearch.com/7143.

George Mason University is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer, committed to promoting inclusion and equity in its community. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, or protected veteran status.