Purpose of Position

The University of North Dakota is seeking candidates for the position of Dean of the School of Law. Reporting directly to the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, the Dean is the leader of the state’s only law school. The Dean will provide leadership and facilitate an environment for accomplishing strategic goals, as well as aligning the functioning of the School of Law with UND’s broader academic integrity and strategic planning: UND LEADS. The dean is responsible, in cooperation with the Provost, for the academic and administrative planning; budgeting; administration and implementation of school and university policies; and fundraising and external relations. The Dean, in partnership with the faculty, is responsible for academic program development and review; faculty and staff recruitment; development and evaluation of faculty; and student relations. UND seeks an exceptional, focused, and creative leader who will build upon the School of Law’s strengths to continue its growth and expansion, provide world-class educational experiences, recruit and develop outstanding faculty, and promote faculty-driven scholarly and creative endeavors within the school. The next Dean will be a committed team player who is devoted to excellence and shared governance. The selected individual will be a consultative decisionmaker and will work collaboratively with faculty, staff, students, administrators, and community and industry partners. The Dean will have unquestioned integrity and exemplary interpersonal and communication skills.

The anticipated stating date of the new Dean will be Jan. 1, 2026, or as soon as reasonable thereafter.

Duties & Responsibilities

The following is an abbreviated list of the responsibilities associated with this position:

• Promoting high-quality academic programs and supporting high-quality teaching.
• Fostering collaborative academic planning and innovative curricular development.
• Promoting student success and retention.
• Advancing research, scholarship, and creative activities.
• Creating an inclusive campus climate that demonstrates a commitment to inclusiveness and encourages service to underserved populations.
• Attracting support for the University and the School through active engagement of alumni, community, industry, and other external constituents, and effectively participating in fundraising activities/alumni relations.
• Maintaining accreditation standards.
• Managing the budget in accordance with the University’s Model for Incentive Resource Allocation, including the preparation, submission, disbursement of, and working within the budget of the School.
• In collaboration with others, creating and supporting a plan that results in the recruitment and retention of highly qualified staff and faculty.
• Leading the coordination of School governance.
• Maintaining and strengthening partnerships within and outside of the University.
• Building relationships that engender trust through open communication across the campus and within the staff.

Required Competencies

•  Have excellent written and oral communication skills with the ability to communicate complex or technical information clearly to a range of audiences.
• Be an effective and engaging public speaker.
• Be able to work effectively with small groups and to communicate one-on-one with a variety of constituencies.
• Be an active listener with responsive and timely follow-up and follow-through skills.
• Be a visible, servant leader who leads by example.
• Demonstrate humility, flexibility, and skillful delegation.
• Be able to make well-informed decisions.
• Be an effective agent of positive change with the ability to motivate and inspire others to support and engage in proactive and visionary change.
• Have an appreciation for and proactively involve others in the shared governance process that exists between the law school’s administration and its faculty, staff, and students.
• Have a commitment to fostering community, belonging, and consensus building in faculty, staff, and student populations.
• Have interpersonal skills that lead to respectful and effective interactions both inside and outside the University.
• Have a deep commitment to student learning and a positive student experience.
• Be a strategic, critical thinker who leads with candor, sound judgment, empathy, and transparency.
• Demonstrates high integrity and emotional intelligence, as well as a commitment to high professional standards and ethics

Minimum Requirements

• A Juris Doctor (J.D.) or other terminal degree in law.
• At least ten years of accomplishments in progressive and increasingly complex leadership roles in higher education, the practice of law, or a related field.
• Licensed to practice law in any jurisdiction in the United States.
• Successful completion of a Criminal History Background Check

In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the US and to complete the required employment eligibility verification form upon hire. This position does not support visa sponsorship for continued employment.

Preferred Qualifications

• A record of excellence and achievement in teaching, service, and scholarship in the legal academy or an outstanding record of accomplishment in the practice of law or the judiciary that demonstrates a level of intellectual leadership and accomplishment that would qualify the candidate for holding a tenured faculty position within the School of Law.
• Experience creating innovative approaches that provide faculty and staff with the resources to support, maintain, and enhance excellence in teaching, scholarship, and student support.
• Experience working closely and collaboratively with executive leadership teams and establishing strong working relationships with key internal and external stakeholders, such as alumni, the judiciary, and local state bar associations and legislative governing bodies.
• Proficiency with data and data analytics to assist in strategic decision making.
• Experience overseeing recruitment, hiring, retention, supervision, and mentorship of high-quality faculty and staff or equivalent experience recruiting, retaining, and supervising employees.
• Experience with fundraising and identification of creative and atypical revenue streams, securing external support, and building donor relationships.
• A record of sound budgetary management with good financial acumen.
• Dedication to working with, understanding, and addressing the needs of nontraditional and underrepresented students and other historically underserved populations.
• Experience with, or knowledge of, the accreditation processes.
• Proven record of providing direction and advocacy for research and creative endeavors.
• Demonstrated leadership in fostering community, belonging, and consensus among diverse groups.
• Experience with academic administration of the promotion and tenure process, faculty hiring and appointments.

To Apply

Applications should include a letter of interest (not more than three pages) specifically addressing the applicant’s background in relationship to the qualifications described, a current curriculum vitae, and a list of five professional references with full contact information and a note indicating the nature of the working relationships with each. No references will be contacted without the explicit permission of the candidate. Applications, nominations, and expressions of interest can be submitted electronically, and in confidence, to: UNDDeanLaw@academicsearch.org

Applications received by Monday, Aug. 4, 2025, are assured consideration.

The UND Dean of the School of Law Search Committee is being assisted by Academic Search. Confidential discussions about this opportunity may be arranged by contacting consultants Ann Hasselmo at Ann.Hasselmo@academicsearch.org and Chris Butler at Chris.Butler@academicsearch.org.