The University of Baltimore School of Law recently announced that LaVonda N. Reed will become its first woman dean in nearly 100 years. Reed is currently serving as dean and professor at the Georgia State University College of Law. She is due to commence her new post on July 1.
Reed, an alumnus of the University of Southern California Gould School of Law, served as a clerk at the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and in 2001, joined the world of legal academia following her work at Paul Hastings. She subsequently spent five years teaching in Louisville and another 15 years in Syracuse before assuming her role as dean at Georgia State in 2021. As per the record of Baltimore Law, her educational focus spans wills and trusts, property, and communications regulatory law and policy.
In a public statement, Reed divulged enthusiasm about her future role as Baltimore Law’s dean. She emphasized her anticipation about the university’s centennial celebration and expressed her admiration for the school’s commitment to excellence in teaching, impactful research, and custodial service to the legal academy and the profession.
Reed expressed her hopes for building on the work of providing access to affordable education and more actively engaging the broader law school community. She aims to provide support to faculty, staff, students, and alumni in achieving their academic and professional goals while advancing the school’s mission. As she returns to the State of Maryland, she expressed gratitude and excitement about her new role that aligns with her values.
The announcement, coming during Women’s History Month, reinforces the commitment to promoting diversity and inclusion in the field of law. This is a victory not just for the University of Baltimore School of Law, but for the broader legal sector which has been tirelessly advocating for gender equality in the leadership roles in the profession.
This information is based on a report by Above the Law.