Tamara Lawson Appointed Dean of St. Thomas Law
Tamara F. Lawson has been appointed Dean of St. Thomas University School of Law, University President David A. Armstrong, J.D. announced Tuesday. Lawson will assume the role immediately, succeeding Dean Alfredo Garcia who is now serving as Interim Provost of St. Thomas University. She previously served as the law school’s Associate Dean for Faculty Development from 2013-2017, and Associate Dean for Academic Affairs from 2017-2018. She became the school’s Interim Dean in June 2018.
President Armstrong, in making the announcement, described Dean Lawson as exhibiting a personal and professional commitment to advancement in legal education. “When I started at STU, it was clear that all the most important indicators were trending in the right direction,” stated President Armstrong. “She possesses an innate understanding of the needs of our diverse law student body that is unmatched by many of her contemporaries. We’re beyond fortunate to have her at St. Thomas University, and I trust that she will lead our School of Law with distinction in her new role.”
Outgoing Dean Alfredo Garcia also described Dean Lawson as being uniquely equipped to foster the mission and values of St. Thomas University School of Law. “She is an accomplished scholar, teacher and administrator,” said Garcia. “Furthermore, Dean Lawson is a leader in the legal academy and the national bar. Her talents will propel the law school to new heights.”
Lawson, who joined the St. Thomas Law faculty in 2004, will be the first woman of color to serve as Dean. She now leads a law school nationally-ranked for the diversity of its student body and that has, for over three decades, consistently adhered to its mission of providing opportunities for those groups who have historically been underrepresented in the legal profession.
“My acceptance of the appointment is inspired by our students,” stated Lawson. “As a first-generation college and law school graduate, I am particularly connected to our mission. It is my privilege and honor to lead St. Thomas Law into our next chapter.”
As a member of the law school faculty, Dean Lawson taught Criminal Law, Criminal Procedure, Evidence, and a seminar on Race and the Law. She was also twice named the Professor of the Year. She has co-authored two casebooks, and has had her articles published in prestigious law journals such as the American Journal of Criminal Law, the Iowa Law Review, and the Columbia Journal of Gender and Law. She is also a highly sought-after speaker on issues of race, policing, and the law, and was tasked by the American Bar Association to be the Reporter for its National Task Force on Stand Your Ground Laws.
Under her leadership, and with the unanimous endorsement of the faculty, St. Thomas Law reformed its first-year curriculum as well as launched a comprehensive, three-year Academic Success Program designed to ensure that all students develop the skills necessary to excel in law school, the bar exam, and in the practice of law. Since the implementation of the program, St. Thomas Law has seen its bar passage rate steadily increase, most recently performing among the top five law schools in the state on the July 2018 bar exam.
An innovator in faculty development, her influence goes beyond St. Thomas Law. She created the Deans of Color Retreat; an annual event for law school Deans and Program Directors designed to promote diversity and foster the professional development of minority law school administrators. Dean Lawson’s other contributions to the advancement of legal education and the legal profession include serving extensively in various sections of the Association of American Law Schools (AALS). She currently holds the positions of Chair of the Evidence Section, Secretary of the Section on Women in Legal Education, and is a member of the Executive Committee for the Section on Law and the Humanities. Dean Lawson is also active with various bar associations, and serves as the Chair of the Law Professors Division for the National Bar Association.
Before entering academia, Dean Lawson served as a Deputy District Attorney at the Clark County District Attorney’s Office in Las Vegas, Nevada. As a criminal prosecutor, she was assigned to the Special Victims Unit for Domestic Violence. She successfully argued multiple cases before the Nevada Supreme Court, including death penalty appeals.
Born in Los Angeles, California, Lawson earned her B.A. at Claremont McKenna College in California, her J.D. from the University of San Francisco School of Law, and her LL.M. (with distinction) at the Georgetown University Law Center.
We are excited to officially welcome Dean Lawson into this new role.
