University of Utah

Hiram E. Chodosh Named New Dean of S.J. Quinney College of Law

Posted: 28 Feb 2006 by Barry Scholl
Updated on: 8 Jun 2007

Hiram E. Chodosh has been appointed the new dean of the S.J. Quinney College of Law at the University of Utah. Chodosh comes to the U from the School of Law at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio, where he is the Joseph C. Hostetler - Baker & Hostetler Professor of Law and serves as associate dean for academic affairs. "We are extraordinarily fortunate in hiring Hiram Chodosh. He is an internationally recognized legal scholar and administrator who brings an exceptional breadth and depth of experience to the S.J. Quinney College of Law. His guidance and leadership will be foundational in moving our College of Law into the elite of public universities in America," said University of Utah President Michael K Young.

Professor Chodosh, who will assume the deanship on July 1, 2006, is "excited and impressed by the U's outstanding and collaborative leadership team; the enthusiasm, talent, and ambition of the faculty, students, and staff; the commitment, entrepreneurship, and generosity of the community; and a most spectacular setting for the construction of a new law school building." Chodosh will focus on expanding the U's global programs, developing professional opportunities for students, integrating the innovative use of technology, and promoting interdisciplinary research and training.

A graduate of Wesleyan University (with high honors in history) and Yale Law School, Chodosh practiced with the international firm of Cleary, Gottlieb in New York City before joining the faculty at Case in 1993. Winner of the distinguished teacher award in 2000, he has taught a series of innovative international courses, including a first-year course in global perspectives and a lab in comparative judicial reform. Upon learning that Professor Chodosh would be leaving Case, Dean Gerald Korngold wished his colleague well. "We at Case Western Reserve will truly miss Hiram and wish him the very best. Hiram is one of the great innovators in American legal education, and he is able to bring people together around exciting ideas. I know he will be a great success as dean at Utah," said Korngold.

In his service capacity at Case, Professor Chodosh has helped to develop seven curricular concentrations, new leadership opportunities for students, advanced research programs, interdisciplinary courses, and new skills training and public service learning formats. Chodosh also developed a broad array of global justice programs and conferences as director of the Frederick K. Cox International Law Center from 1998 to 2003, and has served on several key strategic university committees at Case.

An internationally recognized expert in comparative and global justice reform, Chodosh has hands-on experience in over 20 countries. He has served as a senior reporter on several State Department reform studies (since 1993), a consultant on judicial reform for the International Monetary Fund (since 1999), and an advisor to the World Bank's Justice Reform Group (since 2005). A Fulbright Senior Scholar (India, 2003), Chodosh has delivered over 100 public presentations at home and abroad, including a workshop on constitutional design and implementation for over 40 Iraqi legal academics in July 2004. Chodosh is a renowned author of over 30 articles, essays, book chapters, and 30 special reports. His latest book, Global Justice Reform: A Comparative Methodology, was published last year by NYU Press.

Colleagues who have worked with Professor Chodosh over the years say he has demonstrated the ability needed to succeed as dean at the S.J. Quinney College of Law. "Hiram Chodosh is a natural leader in any group of legal professionals and scholars. A man of uncommon talent, energy, and decency, he is a zephyr of fresh air blowing in from the east. He will bring out the very best in his colleagues, students, and community," said Peter H. Schuck, Simeon E. Baldwin Professor of Law, Yale Law School. Guido Calabresi, 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals judge and former dean of Yale Law School, says the University's search committee made a wise choice. "Hiram Chodosh has all the qualities needed to be a superb dean. He is smart, generous, and has the vision it takes to lead a great law school. He should be just wonderful, and I am delighted that the University of Utah has successfully recruited him," said Judge Calabresi.

The University of Utah conducted a nationwide search for a new dean; Professor Chodosh was selected from an exceptionally strong group of candidates from major law schools across the country. Sr. Vice President for Academic Affairs David W. Pershing says Chodosh received wide support during the interview process. "He was the unanimous choice of the search committee, the University leadership, and all of the constituent groups including the faculty, staff and students of the S.J. Quinney Law School, as well as the legal community," said Pershing.

Professor Chodosh succeeds Scott M. Matheson, Jr. who is stepping down at the end of this academic year to pursue other interests and go back to teaching law full time. "This law school has been an important part of my life for a very long time, so I am very pleased that someone of Hiram Chodosh's many accomplishments and talents will succeed me and continue to take the law school forward," said Matheson.

Matheson has been dean for the past eight years. During his successful tenure as dean, he helped to accomplish several objectives, including recruiting 12 tenured faculty members, securing $26 million from the S.J. and Jessie E. Quinney Foundation, and initiating the pro bono program. President Young says Dean Matheson will continue to provide his expertise to the law school. "The University is fortunate to have benefited from the wise leadership and stellar scholarship of Scott Matheson. Under his leadership the quality of both the faculty and the students has grown, as has the financial base for the College of Law. We are pleased that he will continue to be a significant contributor to the University as we move forward," said President Young.