CHAPMAN UNIVERSITY FOWLER SCHOOL OF LAW seeks a Dean of the School of Law.
Chapman University, a private university recognized for its culture of innovation as well as excellence in research and cutting-edge teaching, is extending its search for candidates for the position of Dean of the Dale E. Fowler School of Law.
Founded in 1995, the Dale E. Fowler School of Law (Fowler Law) based in Orange County, California is one of the premier private law schools in Southern California and consistently recognized as one of the top law schools in the nation for practical training. The School’s next Dean will inherit an outstanding market position, a thriving enrollment, and a community united in the shared goal of providing an outstanding legal education. The School aims to build on the momentum generated in recent years by record fundraising – including an extraordinarily generous $55 million naming gift; continuous improvement in U.S. News and World Report rankings; and increases in the academic profile and diversity of the incoming class. With these tailwinds, Fowler Law seeks to extend its reputation throughout California, regionally, and nationally through strategic management of its opportunities, resources, and excellent alumni partners.
Fowler Law offers a collaborative, personalized, and rigorous education that makes students more practice-ready than their counterparts at other schools. Ranked 16th in the country for practical training, students have access to a wide array of experiential learning opportunities, including clinics, externships, practice-ready labs, and practice-oriented writing classes. With one of the best faculty-to-student ratios among ABA-approved law schools, Fowler Law offers smaller class sizes and greater access to a distinguished faculty both in and out of the classroom.
The changes to the student body also reflect the upward momentum the school has been experiencing. Recent first-year classes have seen dramatic increases in incoming credentials and diversity. The median LSAT score of incoming classes has increased 5 points in recent years, with the median undergraduate GPA increasing over a third of point. Additionally, today, 52% of the incoming class are from underrepresented backgrounds; 28% are first-generation college students. Also notable are Fowler Law's outcomes. The bar preparation program, offered at no extra cost, has resulted in consistently strong bar pass results on the most challenging bar exam in the country. Fowler Law has set record employment for their graduates in each of the last three years. Graduates are prepared to make a lasting difference in their communities as national and regional leaders, lawyers, and innovative entrepreneurs launching new businesses and legal ventures.
Fowler Law seeks an extraordinary candidate for the deanship who is capable of capitalizing on Fowler Law's already strong assets to further its mission to deliver an outstanding legal education while also honoring its commitment to legal ethics, service, and diversity. All applicants must have a J.D. or equivalent and must have the necessary qualifications for tenure as a Professor of Law at the Fowler School of Law. More information can be found at www.wittkieffer.com.
WittKieffer is assisting Chapman University in this search. Application materials can be submitted through WittKieffer’s candidate portal or by email. Review of candidate materials will continue until the position is filled, with priority given to applications received by November 28, 2022. Confidential nominations and inquiries can be directed to Werner Boel, LL.M. Shelley Arakawa, J.D., and Ashlee Winters at chapmanlawdean@wittkieffer.com.
Chapman University values diversity and is committed to equal opportunity for all persons regardless of age, color, disability, ethnicity, marital status, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, veteran status or any other status protected by law.