In a step that marks a significant moment in the history of legal education, St. John’s University School of Law has announced the appointment of its 10th dean, Jelani Jefferson Exum. She will be the first Black dean leading the institution, which was opened in 1925, and the second woman to hold the responsibility. The appointment was confirmed by Michael Simons, the outgoing dean and John V. Brennan professor of law and ethics at St. John’s Law, in a letter to the school’s alumni.
Exum, who currently serves as the dean of the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law and holds the position of the Philip J. McElroy professor of law, is set to commence her deanship at St. John’s Law on June 1. In her statement regarding the appointment, Exum expressed her honor in serving as the next dean and spoke of the school’s immense legacy in “strengthening the legal profession and serving the community by providing a mission-focused education.”
As Exum prepares to begin her deanship at St. John’s Law, she would be succeeding Professor Michael Simons, who served the institution for a long period. Simons’ contribution and leadership played a significant role in shaping the institution’s journey in legal education.