An Exit Interview With A Top Law School’s Dean: Risa Goluboff

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit davidlat.substack.comWelcome to Original Jurisdiction, the latest legal publication by me, David Lat. You can learn more about Original Jurisdiction by reading its About page, and you can email me at davidlat@substack.com. This is a reader-supported publication; you can subscribe by clicking here. Thanks!Would you want to be a law school dean in the year 2024? The once-coveted post seems less fun, given the tension and polarization on university campuses these days, as well as more challenging than ever. One misstep or missed goal—a free-speech controversy gone viral, a fundraising target unmet, a double-digit drop in your school’s U.S. News ranking—and you could be out of a job.Surviving to the end of one’s term as dean is already an accomplishment. Concluding a deanship with multiple achievements unlocked is even more impressive.It’s difficult, but not impossible—as reflected in the record of Dean Risa Goluboff (pronounced REE-suh GOL-u-buff, in case you’re wondering). When her eight-year term as dean of the University of Virginia School of Law ends on June 30, she can take pride in around three dozen new faculty hires, completion of a $400 million capital campaign (more than a year ahead of schedule), and a #4 ranking in U.S. News—the highest in the history of the school.What are some of the secrets of Dean Goluboff’s success? What does she view as the two biggest challenges facing American law schools today? And what is her excellent advice… about how to respond to advice?Learn all this and more by listening to our podcast conversation. Thanks to Dean Goluboff for joining me, and congratulations to her on such a successful deanship.Show Notes:* Risa Goluboff bio, UVA Law School* Dean Risa Goluboff To Step Down in 2024, Concluding History-Making Tenure, by Mary Wood for UVA Law School* Common Law (hosted by Dean Risa Goluboff), Apple PodcastsPrefer reading to listening? For paid subscribers, a transcript of the entire episode appears below.Sponsored by:NexFirm helps Biglaw attorneys become founding partners. To learn more about how NexFirm can help you launch your firm, call 212-292-1000 or email careerdevelopment@nexfirm.com.