After more than seven years as dean of Seton Hall University School of Law, Kathleen Boozang plans to step down, effective Jan. 1, to return to the faculty, according to a letter from the Office of the Provost of Seton Hall University.
For the remainder of the semester, Boozang will work to ensure a smooth transition with Seton Hall Law Professor John Kip Cornwell, who will serve as interim dean. During which time the University will conduct a nationwide search for the law school’s next full-time dean.
Cornwell, a long-time and highly regarded member of the Seton Hall Law community, was selected for the role in consultation with the Office of the Provost and members of the law school faculty.
As interim dean, Cornwell will continue to elevate the school’s mission to foster top-notch attorneys who work for justice and bring Seton Hall’s ideals to the legal profession and society.
Boozang, who has been at the school since 1990 and has served as its dean since 2015, told ROI-NJ when it decided to do an ROI Influencers: Law list for the first time, that it wasn’t a surprise the University has selections who earned the honor. She said that it matched the vision and mission of the school, where young attorneys are taught to give back, not only to society, but to the next generation of lawyers.
Law school lineup
A look at the law schools that produced the most members of the ROI Influencers: Law 2022 list:
25
Seton Hall University
19
Rutgers University – Newark
7
Rutgers – Camden
6
George Washington University, Villanova University
5
Fordham University, Georgetown University
4
New York University
3
Columbia University, Harvard University, University of Notre Dame, Syracuse University, Temple University, University of Virginia
“We’re really intentional about our ethos,” she said. “Obviously, when you’re launching lawyers, having outstanding teachers, a strong skills curriculum and ensuring that your graduates pass the bar the first time are all necessary, but it is not everything.
“We talk about leadership and engagement — and understanding that your professional life is more than billing hours: It’s about engaging in the world around you and giving back to your community, through pro bono work, public service, bar activities. It’s about, how are you going to make a difference in the world around you?
“Our hope and expectation is that it will continue throughout their careers. And it includes, of course, giving back to the law school and the next generation.”
