I recently informed President Engh that this academic year—which is the fifth year of my second five year appointment as Dean—is my final year as Dean of the School of Law.  It has been a great honor to serve as dean of Santa Clara Law, and I look forward to working together with the law school community to continue to move the law school forward in coming years.  I intend to step down this coming summer and take a year-long sabbatical leave before returning to the law school to teach.

   
This year also will conclude my 20th year as a law school dean.   As much as I have enjoyed serving as your dean, I look forward to having new opportunities to focus on my long-standing interests including leadership education, international teaching, and the topic of the regulation of legal education.  After a long overdue leave, I will look forward to returning to work with many of you and with future Santa Clara Law students and law school graduates. 

My greatest joy in these past ten years has been the opportunity to assist the almost 3000 men and women who have graduated from Santa Clara Law during that time as they enter the legal profession, or other callings, as competent, ethical professionals.  I have helped to attract many of the outstanding faculty members and supportive staff members who have educated and assisted our students in making that transition to professional life.  Between now and the end of the school year, I will continue to work closely with students to continue our goal of educating “lawyers who lead”.  My door is truly open and I look forward to interacting with many of you in the months ahead.

There will be additional information on the university’s plans to search for the next dean of the School of Law and I believe that the tremendous gains we have achieved at the law school will make it an attractive position for a highly qualified person.  

Sincerely,

Don

Donald J. Polden, Dean