A Note from the Dean

Dear Alumni and Friends:

If you follow news articles about the legal profession and legal education, you will not be surprised to hear that this is a challenging time for law schools. I agreed to serve as interim dean, beginning in mid-March, because I believe the challenges facing legal education provide an opportunity to improve legal education in general and this law school in particular. The urgency of the situation makes us more efficient and more creative. Our plans for change began about one year ago when we decided to review the curriculum and bring it more in line with the current needs of both our students and the profession. The faculty has worked diligently on this project and we will begin to implement the revised curriculum in August 2013.

One of our most significant changes is a greater emphasis on skills and learning through experience, beginning in the first year. This requires smaller classes, more regular assessment, more practice-related opportunities, and more teaching resources. You can assist us by providing opportunities for our students, by serving as mentors for them, by assisting in classes and, of course, by your financial contributions.

Through this e-newsletter, we hope to keep you informed about the law school and about each other. Please provide us with news about yourself that you would like to have included in the newsletter. Also, please keep your contact information current so you will continue to receive communications from the law school.

Sincerely,
Ivan Bodensteiner
Dean and Professor, Valparaiso University Law

A Note from the Chair of the Dean Search Committee

As you know, we have begun a search for a dean to succeed Jay Conison as leader of the Valparaiso University Law School. On behalf of the search committee, I invite you to participate in this critically important search by bringing to our attention outstanding leaders in the legal community who either are or might become interested in leading our law school. The search committee has retained the national executive search firm Witt/Kieffer (www.wittkieffer.com) to support our efforts.

A description of the position, highlighting the qualifications we seek in a dean, can be found on Witt/Kieffer’s website. Search consultants Dennis Barden and Elizabeth Bohan may be contacted directly at ValpoDeanLaw@wittkieffer.com.

The search committee and indeed the entire Valparaiso Law community join me in thanking you for your consideration and for any assistance you may offer during this important and exciting effort.

Sincerely,
Rosalie Levinson
Phyllis and Richard Duesenberg Professor of Law, Valparaiso University Law

We welcome your feedback! If you have suggestions of what you would like to see, what services you would like provided from your Office of Alumni Relations, please send a note to Law.Alumni@valpo.edu. In the meantime, be sure to keep your eyes open for this e-newsletter, join/like the Valparaiso Law Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter pages and please join us at an alumni event in the coming year.

CLASS NOTES

ALUMNI NEWS

The Valparaiso University Law School Office of Career Planning Center, Phi Alpha Delta and the Sports Entertainment Law Association sponsored a panel discussion dedicated to “Legal Rebels.” The panel consisted of Beth Kreppein, FBI ... read more

During this year’s Spring Break, four Valparaiso Law Students, Judene Hylton, Olivia Robinson, Aquila Robertson and Diesha Williams, ventured to Atlanta, Ga., to attend the Black Law Student Association’s (BLSA) Annual Convention. On March 7, two of our ... read more

We want to highlight our alumni who are excelling! Tell us about your recent achievements!

CLICK HERE TO: SUBMIT A CLASS NOTE | UPDATE MY INFORMATION