The Saint Louis University School of Law has announced that the Honorable Michael Wolff has been chosen as the school’s new dean after a national search, according to a press release. Wolff assumes the position effective immediately. He is a current member of the school’s law faculty. He has served on the Missouri Supreme Court for 13 years and served as the Chief Justice from 2005-2007.
“As a longtime member of the Saint Louis University community, Dean Wolff is dedicated to the mission of our School of Law and to ensuring that its mission remains at the heart of the outstanding legal education we provide to our students,” said Saint Louis University President Lawrence Biondi, S.J. “With his distinguished career and his outstanding reputation in the legal community and beyond, he will be an excellent ambassador for the law school as it moves forward into a new era of excellence.”
After he served on the Missouri Supreme Court since 1998, Wolff returned to the law faculty at SLU in 2011. He also spent time as the chair of the Missouri Sentencing Commission. Wolff spent 23 years as an assistant, associate and full professor at SLU Law School prior to being appointed to the court. Wolff earned his bachelor’s degree at Dartmouth College and his J.D. from the University of Minnesota Law School.
“The landscape of legal education is changing, and SLU LAW is at the forefront. We have such a vibrant student body, talented faculty, dedicated staff and supportive alumni community,” said Wolff. “I look forward to moving the school downtown and integrating the educational experience of the students with the legal community, which will serve a vital role in our education and justice mission.”
Wolff is currently the chair of the law school’s Building Committee. The committee was formed to develop a state-of-the-art facility that would provide space for teaching, learning, and practicing law.