Santa Clara University School of Law Dean Lisa Kloppenberg Speaks at the Howard S. And Alida S. Charney Hall of Law, Groundbreaking Ceremony

SANTA CLARA, Calif., July 18, 2017.  Santa Clara University is pleased to announce that Lisa A. Kloppenberg’s term as Dean of the Santa Clara University School of Law has been extended for an additional five years. In July 2013, Kloppenberg was appointed to an initial five-year term; with the latest contract extension, Lisa will now serve through August 2023.

Under Kloppenberg’s leadership, the School of Law has achieved a number of significant accomplishments, including:

  • Advanced a bold vision that builds on Silicon Valley linkages to be a premier and distinctive Jesuit law school that produces excellent, ethical leaders who will impact the globe at the complex intersection of law, technology, business, justice, and ethics
  • Developed innovative programming giving students more practical skills and exposure to cutting edge legal issues
  • Enhanced recognition as a leading program in intellectual property law (ranked 4th nationally) and in part-time J.D. (ranked 32nd nationally)
  • Enrolled annually a diverse pool of talented students (ranked 12th nationally for diversity)
  • Completed the design and commenced construction of the Howard S. and Alida S. Charney Hall of Law, a 96,000-square-foot facility that will soon provide a spectacular home for Santa Clara Law
  • Raised more than $32 million in gifts and pledges from alumni and friends for Charney Hall, a new endowed professorship, and scholarships that will reward achievement and provide increased access and affordability for qualified law students
  • Worked to right-size the School of Law in response to the changing national landscape for legal education

“Since arriving at Santa Clara, Dean Kloppenberg has elevated the reputation of Santa Clara Law by strengthening its programs and building important relationships with Silicon Valley leaders and institutions.” said Michael Engh, S.J., president of Santa Clara University. “She has keenly articulated our distinctiveness as a Jesuit law school and harnessed our capacity for greatness. We are fortunate to have Dean Kloppenberg at the helm of the Law School for another five years.”

In addition to her exceptional service as dean, Kloppenberg is a well-known expert in constitutional law and alternative dispute resolution, a field in which she has authored or co-authored two books and dozens of articles. She has also served on numerous national committees­– many focused on legal curricular or professional-standards reform– of the American Bar Association, the Association of American Law Schools, and the Law School Admissions Council.

Kloppenberg received her J.D. from the University of Southern California Law Center (now USC Gould School of Law) and her bachelor’s degree in English and Journalism from USC, with an undergraduate honors diploma from the University of Kent (Canterbury, England). Prior to serving as dean of Santa Clara University School of Law, Kloppenberg served as dean and professor of the University of Dayton School of Law from 2001-2013 and professor of law at the University of Oregon from 1992-2001.


About Santa Clara University School of Law

Santa Clara University School of Law, one of the nation’s most diverse law schools, is dedicated to educating lawyers who lead with a commitment to excellence, ethics, and social justice. Santa Clara Law offers students an academically rigorous program including certificates in high tech law, international law, public interest and social justice law, and privacy law, as well as numerous graduate and joint degree options. Located in the heart of Silicon Valley, Santa Clara Law is nationally distinguished for its faculty engagement, preparation for practice, and top-ranked programs in intellectual property. For more information, see law.scu.edu.

About Santa Clara University

Santa Clara University, a comprehensive Jesuit, Catholic university located 40 miles south of San Francisco in California’s Silicon Valley, offers its more than 8,800 students rigorous undergraduate curricula in arts and sciences, business, theology, and engineering, plus master’s and law degrees and engineering Ph.D.s. Distinguished nationally by one of the highest graduation rates among all U.S. master’s universities, California’s oldest operating higher education institution demonstrates faith-inspired values of ethics and social justice. For more information, see www.scu.edu.