Dean

CUNY School of Law's unique dual mission is to educate lawyers in the service of human needs and to transform the teaching, learning and practice of law to include those who are historically excluded, marginalized or oppressed. Reporting to the Chancellor, the Dean will have an extraordinary opportunity to lead a school that is a national and international leader in experiential legal education. It is acclaimed for its Lawyering program by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, its capstone clinics, and its innovative approaches to doctrinal pedagogy. As the only publicly-funded law school in New York City, CUNY Law is dedicated to expanding access to excellent legal training. This mission is further advanced by its four-year part-time evening program, launched in 2015.

CUNY Law is built on a tradition of social justice lawyering: movements for social change are built through leadership and collaboration with the people and communities who have experienced injustice. The law school's No. 1 ranking in the diversity of its faculty and student body is an example of how its mission is realized through intentional recruitment. Its status as a top-three clinical education program is a reflection of CUNY Law's commitment to partnering with local and community-based organizations to advance justice in practice. The position of CUNY Law Dean is also an exciting opportunity to join the nation's leading urban public university and become part of the University's closely collaborative executive team of highly skilled and experienced leaders across CUNY's 26 institutions.

CUNY seeks a Dean who will lead boldly with integrity and clarity, articulating a compelling, mission-driven vision that aligns the Law School's academic, operational and community-facing work within a complex economic, political and regulatory environment and who is familiar with how the operation of local, state, and federal government, non-profit organizations, and community-based institutions impacts legal education and the landscape of law practice. The University seeks a courageous leader who demonstrates resolve and sound judgment in navigating complex challenges and advancing the Law School's mission with integrity and conviction. CUNY expects the Dean to foster trust and shared purpose across faculty, staff and students while setting clear expectations for collaboration, mutual respect, transparency, and academic excellence. As the public face of the Law School, the Dean will represent CUNY Law with confidence and strength, reinforcing its standing as the nation's premier public interest law school and a cornerstone of excellence within the CUNY system and New York City.

All applications, nominations, and inquiries are invited. Applications should include, as separate documents, a CV/resume and a letter of interest addressing the themes in the leadership profile. For fullest consideration, all materials should be received by October 16, 2026.

The salary range for this position is $365,000-$425,000, commensurate with experience.

CUNY's Policy on Equal Opportunity and Nondiscrimination applicable to all colleges and units is—to recruit, employ, retain, promote, and provide benefits to employees and to admit and provide services for students without discriminating on the basis of actual or perceived race, color, creed, national origin, ethnicity, ancestry, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, marital status, partnership status, disability, genetic information, alienage, citizenship, military or veteran status, pregnancy, status as a victim of domestic violence/stalking/sex offenses, unemployment status, caregiver or familial status, prior record of arrest or conviction, or any other legally prohibited basis in accordance with federal, state and city laws.