Daniel B. Rodriguez Headed to Northwestern
Northwestern Law School announced yesterday that Daniel B. Rodriguez, currently the Minerva House Drysdale Regents Chair in Law at the University of Texas School of Law, has been appointed dean of Northwestern University School of Law and Harold Washington Professor. He will begin his new position Jan. 1, 2012. He succeeds David Van Zandt, who served as dean of Northwestern’s law school for the past 15 years, followed shortly thereafter by a brief service of Law Professor Kim Yuracko in the interim.
Former Dean of University of San Diego
Prior to his position at the University of Texas, Rodriguez served as the Dean of University of San Diego School of Law for seven years. While at San Diego, he is credited with breaking the deadlock on faculty appointments, thus expanding the faculty’s size and statute. He also created interdisciplinary programs and new academic centers, all of which have continued to help USD rise in prestige.
Prior to serving as Dean at USD, Rodriguez was a tenured professor at the University of California, Berkeley’s Boalt Hall School of Law. He has also been a visiting professor of law at Columbia, University of Southern California, University of Illinois and the University of Virginia. He is a nationally prominent scholar in administrative law, local government law, statutory interpretation, and state constitutional law.
Extra-curricular Activities
According to the Provost of Northwestern, in addition to his academic positions and scholarship, Professor Rodriguez has consulted with federal, state and local agencies, has served as an expert witness, testified before Congressional committees and legislative working groups, and has served in various professional leadership roles, including as a member of the Executive Committee of the Association of American Law Schools and the Council for the ABA Section on Administrative Law and Regulatory Practice. Additionally, he is an elected member of the prestigious American Law Institute, and also the American Bar Foundation.
