A Remarkable Year, A Bold Future: UC Law’s Next Chapter of Growth

Dear UC Law Community

As we close out the summer, and as I begin my third academic year as Dean of this remarkable institution, I thought it was an excellent time to reflect on the past year, and highlight some of our ambitions for the coming year. In doing so, I continue to be inspired by the extraordinary work of our faculty, staff, students, and alumni, and by the momentum we are building together. Over my first year, we began with a period of careful assessment and the identification of five strategic priorities—student success, experiential education, bolstering our centers of excellence, deepening our commitment to global programming and opportunities, and expanding our profile beyond the JD, in particular in the online space. We have evolved from there into a period of real growth and forward movement for the College of Law, as we took steps forward to advance our priorities and our mission over the past year.

This past year, we welcomed an exceptionally promising incoming class. Applications were up nationwide, but our growth exceeded the national average by more than double, and the students we yielded are nothing short of outstanding by any conceivable metric. Their excitement as they join our community reflects the growing recognition of the distinctive education that the University of Cincinnati College of Law provides. This is a rigorous curriculum grounded in theory, practical training, and a deep commitment to service and professionalism, offered in a welcoming and nurturing environment and within a culture that creates true community.

Our focus on experiential education continues to set us apart. This past spring alone, our moot court teams won two competitions and reached the semifinals in three others, a testament to the skill, preparation, and dedication of our students and faculty. In our centers of excellence, the work has been particularly inspiring. Our Urban Morgan Fellows returned from impactful human rights fellowships around the globe, our Ohio Innocence Project Fellows continued their tireless efforts to exonerate the wrongfully convicted, and our Center for Professional Development helped students build the skills and connections they need to thrive in practice. Last year we also celebrated a vibrant Global Engagement Week, highlighted by a keynote address from Claire Iery, Chief Human Rights Officer for Procter & Gamble, and a series of events that underscored our commitment to bringing the world to UC Law, and UC Law to the world.

At the same time, our online non-JD programs continue to grow and thrive.  When I joined the College, I attended the graduation of our first class of 7 students in our then nascent Master of Legal Studies (MLS) program. Currently, there are 80 students enrolled, and we have more than 70 MLS alumni, explosive growth that reflects both the quality of our programming and the expanding reach of our educational mission, well beyond training lawyers alone. These programs are helping us meet community needs while generating the resources that allow us to invest in all of our students and their success."