Dean, UNC School of Law

Overview

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, North Carolina

The mission of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is to serve as a center for research, scholarship, and creativity and to teach a diverse community of undergraduate, graduate, and professional students to become the next generation of leaders.

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (the “University” or “UNC”), an academic powerhouse among public research universities in the United States and an intellectual force of global significance, seeks a collaborative and visionary leader to serve as the next dean of the University of North Carolina School of Law (“UNC Law” or the “School”). The next dean of UNC Law will join an aspiring and collegial community of top-ranked faculty, diligent staff, and talented students who support each other and contribute mutually in achieving excellence in legal education.

Building upon the School’s strong foundation and enviable reputation, the next dean will lead this high achieving community of scholars in shaping the future of UNC Law and influencing legal education in the United States and beyond.

As one of the oldest law schools in the nation, UNC Law is featured prominently in the University’s overall success and reputation for excellence. UNC Law consistently ranks among the nation’s leading law schools—clinching a historic No. 18 in the 2025 U.S. News & World Report rankings, with top‑10 standings in bar passage, employment success, and legal writing. Today, UNC Law is home to a sizeable and diverse faculty of scholars and experiential educators, many of whom are preeminent in their fields.

They produce groundbreaking scholarship; prepare students for successful careers in litigation and business transactions; and enrich local communities by training the next generation of competent and ethical lawyer-leaders. The dean will direct and lead 65 full-time faculty members and administer an annual operating budget of approximately $32.5 million. UNC Law currently enrolls around 600 students, and its more than 11,000 alumni pursue careers in all fields and all corners of the globe.

The dean will collaborate with faculty to respond to emerging challenges and changes in the practice of law and thereby define the next era of UNC Law. The next dean will address several key priorities, including:

• maintaining and strengthening the School’s commitment to excellence in teaching, scholarship, and service as well as its strong culture of collegiality and community;
• representing and advocating for the Law School locally, nationally, and globally;
• ensuring the Law School has the resources to fully achieve its aspirations;
• recruiting, retaining, and supporting world class faculty and staff;
• meeting the challenges and changes facing legal education and the profession.

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has retained Isaacson, Miller, a national executive search firm, to assist in this recruitment. Screening of applications (CV and cover letter) will begin immediately and continue until February 25, 2026. Inquiries, nominations, and referrals should be sent via the Isaacson, Miller website:

Ernest Brooks III, Partner

Tim McFeeley, Partner

Miguel Santiago, Senior Associate

Henry Nickerson, Managing Search Coordinator

Isaacson, Miller

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, color, disability, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, race, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or status as a protected veteran.

This document has been prepared based on the information provided by University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The material presented in this leadership profile should be relied on for informational purposes only. While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of this information, the original source documents and information provided by University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill would supersede any conflicting information in this document.

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