Welcome to UB Law, Dean Reed

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LaVonda N. Reed will become the new dean of the University of Baltimore School of Law beginning July 1. We would like to take this opportunity to welcome UB law’s first woman dean to Baltimore, and we wish her all the best in her new endeavor.

Reed is currently the dean of the Georgia State University College of Law in Atlanta, where she has served since 2021. Before assuming that position, she was associate provost for faculty affairs at Syracuse University beginning in 2015. She had been a tenured associate professor at Syracuse from 2008 and professor of law there from 2011.

Reed began her academic career at the Brandeis School of Law at the University of Louisville in 2001. She holds a B.A. from the University of Virginia and a J.D. from the University of Southern California. And her scholarly interest is in telecommunications law.

When Reed visited the campus as part of the recruitment process, she told the UB law faculty that the school had much in common with Georgia State. Both are urban schools that are closely integrated with their cities, both enroll many first-generation college and law school students, and both have many students who hope to practice public interest law.

She called herself collaborative, friendly, innovative, supportive and a believer in sound fiscal management. Her guiding principles – the 5 A’s – are accessibility, affordability, achievement, academic excellence, and active engagement. Her talk was certainly engaging, and she displayed an easy sense of humor as well.

While the UB law school is as strong today as it has ever been, Reed will still face many challenges in the coming years, including overseeing the complete overhaul of the first-year curriculum, preparing students for a new skills-focused bar examination and accommodating the rapidly changing technological environment for the study and practice of law.

We have every reason to believe that she will be up to the challenges that lie ahead. Congratulations to Dean LaVonda N. Reed and to the University of Baltimore.

EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD MEMBERS

James B. Astrachan, Chair

James K. Archibald

Gary E. Bair

Andre M. Davis

Eric Easton

Arthur F. Fergenson

Nancy Forster

Susan Francis

Leigh Goodmark

Julie C. Janofsky

Ericka N. King

Angela W. Russell

Debra G. Schubert

H. Mark Stichel

The Daily Record Editorial Advisory Board is composed of members of the legal profession who serve voluntarily and are independent of The Daily Record. Through their ongoing exchange of views, members of the board attempt to develop consensus on issues of importance to the bench, bar and public. When their minds meet, unsigned opinions will result. When they differ, or if a conflict exists, majority views and the names of members who do not participate will appear. Members of the community are invited to contribute letters to the editor and/or columns about opinions expressed by the Editorial Advisory Board.