UH law school names three of four dean candidates

Advertiser Staff

The names of three candidates in the final running for dean of the University of Hawai'i William S. Richardson School of Law have been announced, and include one former UH law school graduate.

The three are:

• John Yukio Gotanda, professor and director of the JD/MBA Program at Villanova University in Pennsylvania. He graduated from the UH law school and also received a bachelor's degree in business administration from UH-Manoa.
• Sylvia A. Law, the Elizabeth K. Dollard Professor of Law, Medicine and Psychiatry at New York University and co-director of the Arthur Garfield Hays Civil Liberties program. She graduated from New York University School of Law, and received an undergraduate degree in philosophy from Antioch College.
• Aviam Soifer, professor and former dean at Boston College Law School. He graduated from Yale Law School and also received a master's in urban studies and a bachelor's degree in American studies, cum laude, from Yale College.

A fourth candidate has also been recommended but prefers that his or her name not be released for professional reasons. But the name will be released just before a visit to the UH campus in early February.

The first three will visit the UH campus this week to offer presentations and answer questions from students and faculty. Their appearances are scheduled for Classroom 3 at the law school at 2515 Dole St.:

• Law, 4-5:15 p.m. Tuesday.
• Soifer, 4-5:15 p.m. Thursday.
• Gotanda, 4-5:15 p.m. Friday.

The search committee was headed by Beadie Kanahele Dawson, chief executive officer of Dawson Group Inc. and chair of the Friends of the Law School board.

The search began early last year after Dean Lawrence Foster announced he would return to teaching after 15 years in administrative positions at the law school.