Florida State University (FSU) invites nominations, expressions of interest, and applications for the position of Dean in the College of Law. The University seeks a leader that will partner with the Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs and the College’s faculty to lead the institution in its continued advancement of academic excellence. The skills sought are visionary and collaborative leadership coupled with strong administrative and interpersonal skills necessary to support the academic and educational mission of the College of Law.
The Dean will serve as the chief academic officer and chief administrative leader of the College responsible for advancing a bold and compelling vision for the future of legal education in a rapidly changing global and professional environment, strengthening FSU Law’s national reputation for excellence in scholarship, teaching, and service to the legal profession and society. As the College’s principal strategist and advocate, the Dean will provide collaborative leadership that reinforces FSU Law’s commitment to rigorous scholarship, student‑centered education, meaningful engagement with the legal system, and measurable academic and professional outcomes.
For more details, a full position profile will be posted here soon.
The University has retained WittKieffer to assist with this national search.
Nominations and inquiries can be directed to Werner Boel at wernerb@wittkieffer.com.
Listening Sessions
Members of the Search Committee and Search Consultants from WittKieffer, a national executive search firm, will conduct in-person listening sessions for the Dean of the College of Law search. The listening sessions are an opportunity for constituents to share thoughts and comments regarding the qualities and characteristics sought in the new Dean. The information gathered from these sessions will be used to develop the criteria for evaluating candidates. We invite you to attend and provide feedback for our in-person sessions.
Virtual attendance options will be available. Please continue to check the Dean Search website for details.
Friday, March 13th
11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. — Campus and Community Stakeholder Listening Session
Room 103, Turnbull Conference Center, 555 W Pensacola St
2:00 p.m. – 2:50 p.m. — College of Law Student Listening Session
Room 101, Main Classroom Building at the College of Law, 425 W Jefferson St
3:00 p.m. – 3:50 p.m. — College of Law Faculty Listening Session
Room 101, Main Classroom Building at the College of Law, 425 W Jefferson St
4:00 p.m. – 4:50 p.m. — College of Law Staff Listening Session
Room 101, Main Classroom Building at the College of Law, 425 W Jefferson St
If you are unable to attend, you may send a representative in your place and share any comments through the electronic survey, which will remain open until 5:00 p.m. ET on Wednesday, March 25, 2026.
Search Committee Chair:
Dr. Jeanette Taylor — Vice President for Faculty Development and Advancement, Florida State University
Search Committee Members:
Rosalyn 'Sia' Baker-Barnes — President, The Florida Bar; Shareholder at Searcy Denney Law
Shawn Bayern — Associate Dean for Technology and Larry & Joyce Beltz Professor of Torts, College of Law
Nancy Benavides — Associate Dean for Academic Programs and Student Advancement, College of Law
Tom Blomberg — Dean, College of Criminology and Criminal Justice, Florida State University
Joshua Coco — Executive Director, Stoops Center, College of Law
Jeanne Curtin — Former Chair, FSU Alumni Association National Board of Directors and Former Member of the Florida House of Representatives
Carolyn Egan — Vice President for Legal Affairs and General Counsel, Florida State University
Kaitlyn Gazzara— Student; President of Law Students Practicing Wellness
Yuliya Guseva — Kevin Wood and Mary Jo Peed Professor, College of Law
Debra Henley — Associate Dean for Career Services and Professional Development, College of Law
David Landau — Tobias Simon Eminent Scholar and Associate Dean for International Programs, College of Law
Ben Odom — Vice President, Business and Legal Affairs, NASCAR
Sean Pittman — Senior Partner and Chief Executive Officer of Pittman Law Group, PL
Judge Heather Rodriguez — Ninth Judicial Circuit
Peggy Rolando — Partner, Shutts & Bowen
Jeffrey Stoops — President and Chief Executive Officer of SBA Communications Corporation
Henry Zhuhao Wang — Mason Ladd Professor of Law, College of Law
For questions about the search or to request an accommodation, contact Amy Espinosa, HR Administrator, at amy.espinosa@fsu.edu.