Jennifer L. Mnookin, a longtime member of the UCLA Law faculty, has been named the law school’s ninth dean following a national search, the university announced Thursday.
Mnookin, a former visiting professor at Harvard Law School and member of the University of Virginia School of Law faculty, will assume the position Aug. 1.
“Chancellor (Gene) Block and I are confident that UCLA Law will reach new heights under Jennifer’s leadership,” Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost Scott Waugh said.
Mnookin has served in a variety of administrative roles in her decade on the UCLA faculty, including vice dean for external appointments and intellectual life and vice dean for faculty and research.
She is the founding faculty director of the law school’s Program on Understanding Law, Science and Evidence and chair of UCLA’s Academic Senate Committee on Development. In 2014, she received the law school’s Rutter Award for Excellence in Teaching.
In the classroom, Mnookin focuses on evidence law and torts, as well as more specialized courses in expert and scientific evidence, wrongful convictions and law and popular culture, Waugh said.
“It is a tremendous honor to be selected as the next dean of UCLA School of Law,” Mnookin said. “Having served on the UCLA Law faculty for the past decade, I know firsthand what an exceptional institution it is.”
“We have tremendously capable students, an extraordinarily talented and dedicated faculty and staff, and passionate and involved alumni and friends,” she said. “I’m extremely excited about this opportunity to work together with the law school community, my campus colleagues, and the broader profession, to build on the many strengths of this great law school, and to advance our core values of access, excellence, collaboration and innovation.”
— City News Service