LAW DEAN LEADERSHIP PROFILE

LAW DEAN LEADERSHIP PROFILE

THE OPPORTUNITY Suffolk University seeks an entrepreneurial Law School dean who is able to capitalize on the University s urban location and build on its strengths in ways that prepare the institution and its students for success in the future. The next dean will provide leadership and expertise in all aspects of the operation and development of the Law School. This includes academic affairs, administration and planning, financial management, fundraising, institutional advancement, student recruitment, enrollment management, and career development. The dean is charged with (i) shaping the Law School s future, (ii) improving upon its reputation and standing in the legal community, and (iii) continuing to grow the current areas of strength such as its nationally ranked clinics and programs. The Law School also is focusing on ways to further integrate its programs and offerings with those of the College of Arts & Sciences and the Sawyer Business School. 1

Suffolk University is centrally located in downtown Boston situated alongside the State House, the Boston Common, and the historic Freedom Trail and within walking distance of City Hall, federal and state courthouses, and several of the nation s leading law firms, hospitals, and corporations. The Boston Common and Public Garden serve as a virtual University quad for a campus centered in one of the most vibrant cities in America. The Law School s academic program integrates legal theory and practical skills to develop highly skilled, practiceready, and service-oriented lawyers. It offers both day and evening programs. The core curriculum provides students with a strong legal foundation and offers many upper-level elective courses in a variety of cutting-edge areas such as technology licensing and life science patents. The Law School offers jointdegree programs that combine law with business, crime-and-justice studies, finance, international economics, or public administration. LLM degree programs provide a post-law school experience for practicing lawyers. These programs include a General LLM, Global Law and Technology LLM, International LLM, and LLM in Taxation. It also offers an SJD program designed for law graduates seeking to pursue careers as teachers and scholars, providing them with the opportunity to conduct research and complete a scholarly dissertation. The Law School also offers exceptional legal writing and clinical programs. U.S. News & World Report s 2015 Best Law School rankings rate the Law School s programs among the nation s best, with Legal Writing at No. 7, Dispute Resolution at No. 13, Clinical Programs at No. 14, and Intellectual Property at No. 19. In 2013, the ABA Law Practice Management Section s E-Lawyering Task Force identified Suffolk as having one of the top 13 legal technology programs in the United States, and a 2014 article in the ABA Law Practice magazine listed Suffolk among the top 10 legal technology programs in the country. Suffolk Law students are committed to community service. Each year they provide more than 16,000 hours of pro bono legal service for clients in Greater Boston. The Law School s accomplished and exceptionally loyal alumni 23,000 strong may be found in every state and throughout the world. Alumni have achieved distinction in practice, government service, and business. Law School graduates work in the highest levels of the profession and in public service, holding positions that range from major law firm partners and general counsels of large public corporations to federal and state judges and elected officials. The dean will be a key leader on campus and will work closely with the provost, the president, and the Trustee Law School Committee members. The dean will be highly visible among alumni leaders, administrators, faculty, staff, and students, with the goal of increasing the engagement of internal and external communities for the purpose of supporting student success and increasing the standing of the Law School nationally and internationally. The dean reports to Suffolk Provost Marisa Kelly. All inquiries, nominations, and applications for this position should be directed as indicated in the section entitled Procedure for Candidacy at the end of this position specification and will be handled in the strictest confidence. 2

EXPECTATIONS FOR LEADERSHIP Create a Vision for the Future Supported by a Sustainable Financial Model One of the dean s key priorities will be to engage in collaborative planning with the other schools that will shape the Law School for the future. In the context of the Law School s mission, planning must address the evolving academic and financial environment of legal education with a keen eye to the Law School s place in the Greater Boston market and beyond. This process will seek to refine the size of the Law School and to strengthen curricular and programmatic offerings that build the school s profile and crystallize its identity and brand for long-term sustainability. Support Academic Excellence and Student Success The dean will lead and guide the further development of academic programs while working with, encouraging, and supporting faculty scholarship. The dean will facilitate teaching excellence, cultivate collegial and constructive relations with and among faculty, diversify faculty and student ranks, and encourage faculty service. In turn, this will promote the Law School s reputation locally, nationally, and internationally. Build Alumni Affiliation and Support There is tremendous potential to strengthen the network of the school s 23,000 alumni to build support for the Law School, foster pride and closer affiliations, and create opportunities for recent graduates and current students. The dean must be active and visible in connecting alumni to the Law School, as well as to the University, by communicating with alumni on a regular basis, bringing them together, and supporting the activities of the alumni associations. The dean also should have a vision for unique ways to engage successful alumni with the Law School s curriculum and programs through guest lectures, mentorships, and other activities. Fundraise The dean, in collaboration with the president and other senior leaders, will be responsible for cultivating major donors and realizing appropriate fundraising outcomes. The dean will be an active partner in all of the University s advancement efforts, including annual fund giving, major gift drives, planned giving, and capital/endowment campaigns. Collaborate Within the University to Build Synergies It will be important for the dean to develop an excellent working relationship with the provost, to whom she or he directly reports, with the president, fellow deans, and the board of trustees. Manage Effectively One of the dean s primary leadership objectives will be to manage the people, operations, and resources of the Law School effectively and to assure compliance with current laws and regulations. The dean must ensure that the financial resources that support the Law School are prudently managed through the development of a sustainable financial model, an effective annual operating budget, and long-term financial planning. 3

PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATIONS AND PERSONAL QUALITIES The Law School is open to candidates with a variety of appropriate backgrounds: Law school administration, senior management experience, service in the judiciary, legislative or other government service, service in the legal profession, and/or other related experience will be given serious consideration. Such consideration will depend on the nature of the experience and its relevance to the role of dean at a private law school. Preferred candidates will possess the following qualities and qualifications: the ability to promote successful change in response to evolving fiscal environments and emerging challenges in legal education; a commitment to collaboration across school lines in support of joint degree programs such as the JD/MBA, JD/MPA, as well as innovative engagement in appropriate undergraduate degree programs such as pre-law; the ability to manage successfully a complex academic enterprise; experience creating a strong sense of community among faculty, staff, students, and alumni; experience developing and soliciting financial support and fostering external relations through effective communication and personal interaction with the philanthropic community, alumni, members of the board of trustees, friends of the Law School, foundations, law firms, and corporations; a commitment to diversity and inclusion, as demonstrated by a record of promoting both within a student body, faculty, and administrative team or within a corporation or law firm environment, so as to reinforce Suffolk s historic position as a school of opportunity; an appreciation of the historic mission of Suffolk Law School to offer accessible legal education and to educate lawyers for practice and public service; a commitment to shared governance; the ability to attract and retain outstanding faculty, administrators, and staff and to promote scholarly productivity and excellence; a currency in and openness to technology along with an understanding of how advances in technology can improve pedagogy and the overall success of the Law School; excellent communication skills; a high level of energy that motivates others, inspires enthusiasm, and reflects the forward momentum; a JD or equivalent degree. 4

SUFFOLK UNIVERSITY: AN OVERVIEW The private university offers undergraduate and graduate degrees in more than 90 areas of study through its Law School, College of Arts & Sciences, and Sawyer Business School. It has a combined enrollment of more than 8,300 full-time and part-time students in its three schools, two-thirds of them undergraduates. There are more than 70,000 alumni worldwide. The University s mission is to serve as a talent catalyst that recognizes and develops student potential. Through its dedication and excellence in education and scholarship, the University empowers graduates to be successful locally, regionally, and globally. Suffolk University s academic programs have been approved by 15 accrediting associations and agencies including NEASC and AACSB. Suffolk successfully completed its ten-year on site NEASC reaccreditation in 2014. Suffolk University Law School is accredited by the American Bar Association and the New England Association of Schools and Colleges and is a member of the Association of American Law Schools. Founded in 1906 as Suffolk Law School, the University has a proud tradition led by the success of the Law School over the generations. It has built a strong faculty in each of its three schools, based on solid academic credentials and a dedication to excellence in teaching, scholarship, and service. The general emphasis on small classes and personal attention speaks to the institutional commitment to assist all students in maximizing their educational experience. The University s annual budget is approximately $320 million, and it has a modest endowment of $194.5 million. Undergraduate tuition and fees for fulltime students total about $32,500, with graduate tuition set just over $38,000 and Law School tuition at $46,000. Approximately $60 million in aid is granted annually. 5

BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS Boston is home to some of the most highly acclaimed medical and research institutions in the world and a rapidly growing biotechnology industry. The birthplace of the mutual fund industry, Boston companies manage more than $57 trillion in assets. The Boston area also is the home of more than 50 colleges and universities and is a growing region with a population of 4.59 million residents. Suffolk University s location in the heart of Boston proper positions it at the crossroads of city and state government and ties it to the city s business, legal, and cultural communities. The University is on the historic Freedom Trail and steps away from the Massachusetts State House, state and federal courthouses, and Boston s financial, innovation, and theater districts. Teaching hospitals and museums are easily accessible by public transportation. Boston is the University s community, classroom, workspace and playground. The University actively promotes relationships with its community to exchange knowledge and provide pathways for internships, career development, and job placement. 6

PROCEDURE FOR CANDIDACY Inquiries, nominations, and applications are invited. Review of applications will begin in January 2015 and will continue until the position is filled. For fullest consideration, applicant materials should be received by April 1, 2015. Candidates should provide a curriculum vitae, a letter of application that addresses the responsibilities and requirements described in the Leadership Statement, and the names and contact information of five references. References will not be contacted without prior knowledge and approval of candidates. These materials should be sent electronically via e-mail to Suffolk University s consultants, Katherine Haley, Ph.D., and Werner Boel, at SuffolkLawDean@wittkieffer.com. Documents that must be mailed may be sent to Witt/Kieffer, Attn: Katherine Haley, Ph.D., and Werner Boel, 2015 Spring Road, Oak Brook, IL 60523. The consultants may be reached by telephone at 630-575-6936. Suffolk 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. The material presented in this Leadership Profile should be relied on for informational purposes only. This material has been copied, compiled, or quoted in part from Suffolk University documents and personal interviews and is believed to be reliable. While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of this information, the original source documents and factual situations govern. 7