Dean, College of Law

Irvine, CA - USA

Yearly Salary: USD 375000 - 450000

Posted on: Yesterday

Vacancies: 1 Vacancy

Job Summary

Full-time

Description

Western State College of Law at Westcliff University invites applications and nominations for the position of Dean. Founded in 1966 Western State is the oldest law school in Orange County California and has a long tradition of expanding access to legal education while preparing students for practice. With more than 12000 alumni including over 100 members of the judiciary the law school plays a central role in the Southern California legal community.

An ABA-accredited institution Western State is distinguished by its student-centered pedagogy small class sizes and commitment to experiential learning. The curriculum integrates rigorous doctrinal instruction with a robust clinical and externship program to ensure graduates are February 2025 Western State reported an 88.2% first-time pass rate on the California Bar Examination the highest among reporting California law schools for that administration. The Class of 2024 achieved a 93.4% legal employment rate.

Since 2019 Western State has operated within the academic ecosystem of Westcliff University a WSCUC-accredited private university headquartered in Irvine California that serves more than 9000 students across undergraduate and graduate programs. As the only ABA-accredited for-profit law school in the United States Western State occupies a distinctive position in American legal education. The institution blends academic credibility with entrepreneurial agility and maintains a mission to serve working professionals and historically underserved populations.

Requirements

The next Dean will lead Western State at a moment of both promise and strategic growth. Reporting to the Chief Academic Officer and Vice President of Academic Affairs at Westcliff University the Dean will serve as the chief academic and administrative officer of the law school and will provide visionary leadership for its Juris Doctor program and related initiatives.

The Dean will advance bar passage and student success further strengthen experiential and practice-focused offerings and guide the continued development of innovative program delivery models including hybrid and part-time pathways. The Dean will also oversee the expansion and relaunch of non-JD programs such as the Masters in Legal Studies with a concentration in Healthcare Compliance.

As the primary liaison to the American Bar Association the Dean will ensure compliance with accreditation standards and will work collaboratively with faculty to support shared governance and academic planning. Externally the Dean will represent the law school to alumni employers the judiciary and the broader legal community enhancing Western States visibility and strategic partnerships. Within Westcliff University the Dean will contribute to interdisciplinary initiatives and enterprise-level strategy.

Leadership experience in legal education is strongly preferred along with demonstrated success in fostering student achievement academic program development faculty engagement and institutional advancement. The successful candidate will bring a deep commitment to access-oriented legal education and to strengthening outcomes in bar passage career placement and student success.

Western State seeks a Dean who is a thoughtful mission-driven leader capable of advancing the law schools academic excellence and strategic goals. The ideal Dean will demonstrate a record of building trust within academic communities and will be adept at navigating governance structures regulatory environments and evolving student needs. The successful candidate will also be an effective communicator and ambassador who can strengthen relationships with alumni employers legal professionals and external stakeholders.

The Dean will combine principled academic stewardship with strategic vision and operational effectiveness while fostering a culture of collaboration and continuous improvement. A deep appreciation for the law schools historic commitment to access opportunity and professional readiness is essential.

All applications nominations and inquiries are invited. Applications should include as separate documents a CV or resume and a letter of interest addressing the themes in the profile.

Western State College of Law has retained McDermott Bull () to assist with this search. All inquiries nominations and applications should be directed to:

Corey Paquette

Western State College of Law at Westcliff University is committed to fostering an inclusive academic community and does not discriminate on the basis of race color national origin religion sex gender identity or expression sexual orientation disability age or veteran status.

Salary Description

$375000 to $450000

Full-timeDescriptionWestern State College of Law at Westcliff University invites applications and nominations for the position of Dean. Founded in 1966 Western State is the oldest law school in Orange County California and has a long tradition of expanding access to legal education while preparing s...