GW Law Dean Named President of Brandeis University

Frederick M. Lawrence will begin new position Jan. 1.

July 8, 2010

GW Law School Dean Frederick M. Lawrence will be the next president of Brandeis University, the school announced today.

“Since his arrival at our university in 2005, Fred Lawrence has been a truly transformational dean and an exemplary university citizen,” said GW President Steven Knapp in a message to the university community. “Brandeis will be well served by Fred’s exceptional qualities as a leader, administrator and educator.

“George Washington has also enjoyed the great privilege of having Kathy Lawrence as a member of our faculty,” said Dr. Knapp. “On behalf of the entire university, I offer my sincere gratitude to Fred and Kathy and wish them every success in this next phase of their lives.”

Under Dean Lawrence’s leadership, the Law School recruited its most academically qualified classes to date, experienced five of its most effective years for fundraising and recruited new faculty members with expertise ranging from environmental law to international courts and tribunals.

He also founded the Law School’s India Project, established new exchange programs in Italy and the Netherlands and added new LL.M. programs in national security and U.S. foreign relations law and in business and finance law.

Dean Lawrence created the position of Lerner Family Associate Dean for Public Interest and Public Service Law. He also served as Robert Kramer Research Professor of Law and taught a number of courses, underscoring his commitment to the classroom. His leadership resulted in a partnership with the university to eliminate capital debts, which opened the doors to faculty endowments, facilities expansion, increased financial aid and new programmatic possibilities nationally and internationally.

“While Kathy and I are saddened to say goodbye to the Law School community, we leave with wonderful memories, a wealth of knowledge and experience and enduring friendships,” said Dean Lawrence, who is one of the nation’s leading civil rights experts.

“We are forever grateful for our time at GW and to each person who makes this time so extraordinary. We also look forward to the new opportunities and challenges that lie ahead, trusting that the Law School will continue to reach even greater heights of excellence.”

Dean Lawrence is the second consecutive dean of the school to become a university president. Former dean Michael K. Young is the president of the University of Utah.

Gregory E. Maggs will serve as interim dean as the university establishes a search committee to identify Dean Lawrence’s successor. The committee will include faculty members and Law School and university leadership and will solicit input from the student and alumni communities.

Professor Maggs joined the GW faculty in 1993, teaching and writing in the areas of commercial law, constitutional law, contracts and counterterrorism law. For the past two years, he has served as the senior associate dean for academic affairs and as co-director of the Law School’s national security and U.S. foreign relations law LL.M. program.