Dean's MessageDear Friends of Santa Clara Law:It is a pleasure to introduce this issue of Santa Clara Law, the law school’s magazine for its alumni and friends. I hope you share my views that there are many exciting things happening at Santa Clara University School of Law as it begins the 96th year of its service to the University, to the Bench and Bar, and to its students and graduates. First, this issue introduces five new members of the law school’s faculty. These outstanding teachers and scholars— three of whom are experienced teachers and nationally visible scholars—bring great excitement and tremendous potential for the growth of national prominence of our faculty and our law school. Second, this issue provides us an opportunity to thank our generous donors who have made such a difference in enhancing the financial strength and academic promise of the law school. Many of these benefactors supported the law school’s highly successful and recently concluded capital cam paign which raised more than $17 million. The generosity of our friends listed in the Honor Roll of Donors provided the law school with more than $4.5 million in support for our students and faculty and our academic and professional programs. I simply add my genuine thanks from all of us at the law school to those men and women listed as donors and benefactors to the law school!
Third, the issue also continues our efforts to highlight men and women for the leadership roles that they have taken at the law school, in the legal community, in the judiciary, and in other professional and community engagements. As the national visibility of our commitment to educate law students for leadership roles grows, I often have been asked about why the law school is developing this initiative. The simple answer is that law schools have an obligation to pre pare their students for the leadership roles and responsibilities that their graduates will take in their communities and in the legal profession. Certainly, business schools, which are increasing requiring leadership skill classes for all of their stu dents, do not anticipate that every one of their graduates will become the CEO of a Fortune 500 com pany. Rather, they assume, cor rectly, that many business school graduates will assume leadership roles and responsibilities in a family business, in a division or department of a large company, in their communities, or in non profit and other organizations. What then is different about educating lawyers for their future community and professionals and activities? By drawing attention to the contributions that our faculty and graduates make as "leading lawyers" in envi ronmental law matters and in their communities, we hope to inform and inspire our students. I hope you enjoy the Santa Clara "lawyers as leaders" articles and that you will share with me your thoughts about the law school’s leadership. Finally, we will miss John Baldwin who served as Assistant Dean for Law Alumni and Development for eight years. I have initiated a national search for the law school’s new dean. In the interim, Stacey Rishel, the Director of Alumni Affairs will lead the department. I appreciate your interest in and your support of Santa Clara University School of Law, and I hope you enjoy this issue. Best wishes, DONALD J. POLDEN
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