Dean of the Georgetown University Law Center

Leadership Profile

The Leadership Profile is intended to provide information about Georgetown University and the position of Dean of the Georgetown University Law Center. It is designed to assist qualified individuals in assessing their interest in the opening.

The Opportunity

Georgetown is a Catholic and Jesuit, student-centered research university. Established in 1789 in the spirit of the new republic, the University was founded on the principle that serious and sustained discourse among people of different faiths, cultures, and beliefs promotes intellectual, ethical, and spiritual understanding. We embody this principle in the diversity of our students, faculty and staff, our commitment to justice and the common good, our intellectual openness and our international character. An academic community dedicated to creating and communicating knowledge, Georgetown provides excellent undergraduate, graduate and professional education in the Jesuit tradition for the glory of God and the well-being of humankind. Georgetown educates women and men to be reflective lifelong learners, to be responsible and active participants in civic life and to live generously in service to others.

Georgetown University’s eleven schools offer a wide variety of intellectually rigorous programs designed to prepare students for many varied careers and guide them toward their intellectual and professional goals. Ranked 12th in the country in the new Wall Street Journal poll, the University offers undergraduate and graduate degrees, law and medical degrees, medical residencies (through MedStar Health), post-doctoral positions, and a growing number of specialized certificates and continuing education programs. Georgetown enrolls approximately 21,000 students (7,900 undergraduate students and 13,000 graduate students) from all 50 states and more than 130 countries.

Since its founding in 1870, Georgetown Law has lived by its guiding principle: “Law is but the means; justice is the end.” The nation’s largest law school, Georgetown Law nurtures the rigorous exploration of legal analysis, deep engagement with legal theory, and the development of policy solutions to society’s greatest challenges. It is ranked 14th nationally among law schools and 1st for its part-time law program, according to U.S. News and World Report (2025). Georgetown Law also enjoys a prestigious global reputation, receiving a ranking of 26th on the QS World University Rankings for Law and Legal Studies, 15th on the World University Rankings, and 9th on Shanghai Ranking out of 300+ institutions worldwide.

Georgetown Law is home to approximately 580 staff members, 140 full-time faculty members, and 2,700 students. Georgetown Law offers full-time and part-time Juris Doctor degrees (J.D.), 12 Master of Laws degrees (LL.M.), 12 dual degree programs, a Doctor of Juridical Science (S.J.D.) program, a Master of Law and Technology (M.L.T.) and an online Master of Studies in Law (M.S.L.) in Taxation. Georgetown Law students come from all 50 states and all over the world. In Fall 2024, Georgetown Law enrolled 2,110 J.D. students, 619 LL.M. and other Master students, and 13 S.J.D. students. The LL.M. program offers specialized degrees in some of the academic fields for which Georgetown is best known, including international and trade law, tax law, environmental and energy law, health law, national security law, and technology law and policy. Although the majority of students study full time, the Law Center began as an evening school and continues to offer the nation’s premier part-time program.

Georgetown Law was one of the first to make a strong commitment to clinical education and is currently ranked as the best clinical program in the country by U.S. News and World Report. Each year more than 300 clinic students learn the practical art of lawyering while providing quality legal representation to under-represented individuals and organizations through 17 in-house legal clinics. Georgetown Law also encourages students to shape public policy through the more than 20 centers and institutes. Of particular note is the Supreme Court Institute (SCI), which draws the country’s top Supreme Court practitioners to Georgetown Law each year.

The Dean provides leadership and administrative oversight for all aspects of Georgetown Law, including strategic planning, budget formulation, fiscal management, personnel development, academic programs, research and scholarly enterprises, enrollment, alumni relations, student success, and career development. The Dean also has primary responsibility for external initiatives that include community engagement and development. The Dean collaborates with the faculty, student body, staff, and alumni to lead Georgetown Law in fulfilling its mission.

The Dean of the Law School has reported to the University President.  Also, as an Executive Vice President, the Dean has shared responsibility with the Provost and the Executive Vice President for Health Sciences for advising the President regarding the academic vision and governance of the entire University, serving as part of the University’s senior leadership group. Georgetown is currently engaged in the search for a new President – the first in 25 years. As the new President joins Georgetown in 2026, he or she will organize the University’s leadership structure in the way most aligned with their priorities and strategic direction.

The ideal Dean candidate will promote and uphold the mission and values of Georgetown Law and the University, including Jesuit values of social justice, service, and cura personalis (care for the whole person). The Dean will prioritize recruiting, supporting, and retaining renowned faculty who are scholars, teachers, clinicians, and leaders in the legal field and will lead a strategic planning effort in cooperation with Georgetown Law faculty, staff, and students and inspire participation and collaboration across the community to achieve established goals. In addition to effectuating a supportive and respectful work environment, the Dean will serve as an advocate for a dynamic, diverse, and skilled student body and will address the distinct issues faced by students.

Nominations and Inquiries

Georgetown University has retained the national executive search firm Russell Reynolds to
assist in this search. For more information, or to submit a nomination, application or inquiry please email Georgetown.Law@russellreynolds.com.

Search Committee for Dean, Georgetown University Law Center

Eloise Pasachoff, A.B., M.P.A., J.D., M.A. (Chair)
Agnes Williams Sesquicentennial Professor of Law; Anne Fleming Research Professor

Dorothy Brown, B.S., J.D., LL.M.
Martin D. Ginsburg Chair in Taxation; Professor of Law

Josh Chafetz, B.A., D.Phil., J.D.
Agnes Williams Sesquicentennial Professor of Law and Politics

Frances DeLaurentis, B.A., J.D.
Professor of Law, Legal Practice; Director of the Writing Center

Eyram Gbeddy, B.A. (L’27)
Student Bar Association Representative

Erica J. Hashimoto, B.A., J.D.
Scott K. Ginsburg Professor of Law and Appellate Advocacy

Joel Hellman, Ph.D.
Dean, Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service

Kristin Henning, B.A., J.D., LL.M.
Blume Professor of Law

Naomi Mezey, B.A., M.A., J.D.
Agnes Williams Sesquicentennial Professor of Law and Culture

John Mikhail, B.A., M.A., Ph.D., J.D.
Carroll Professor of Jurisprudence

Paul Ohm, B.S., B.A., J.D.
Professor of Law and Chief Data Officer

Jonah Perlin, A.B., A.M.R.S., J.D.
Associate Professor of Law, Legal Practice

Alicia Plerhoples, A.B., J.D.
Paul and Patricia Saunders Professor in Business Law; Anne Fleming Research Professor; Associate Dean for Clinics and Experiential Learning

Alison Spada, B.A., J.D.
Associate Vice President and Chief of Staff

Search Support:

Jett Pihakis
Russell Reynolds

Joi Hayes-Scott
Russell Reynolds

Marie Mattson
Secretary, Georgetown University