The Association of American Law Schools (AALS) is pleased to announce the acquisition of Rosenblatt’s Deans Database (RDD), a comprehensive resource on law school leadership developed by Dean Emeritus Jim Rosenblatt of the Mississippi College School of Law (MC Law) and hosted at lawdeans.com. The acquisition will enhance the ability of AALS to provide up-to-date and detailed information related to the law school deanship. The resource will now be known as the AALS Rosenblatt’s Deans Database.
The RDD was initially created by Dean Rosenblatt in 2008 to track the tenure of law school deans. Over the years, it has expanded to include a wide array of information on deans such as gender, ethnicity, educational background, biographical details, and transition details for incoming and outgoing deans including positions before and after the deanship.
“Rosenblatt’s Deans Database is a valuable resource and this acquisition will significantly enhance our ability to provide comprehensive and current information about law school deans to benefit the legal community,” said Kellye Y. Testy, AALS Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer. “This acquisition fits our goal to be an indispensable resource for deans and our member schools, and to make timely and useful information on legal education available to the public. The legal education community is grateful to Dean Rosenblatt for creating this dynamic project and partnering with AALS to ensure the database will continue.”
“I am delighted that AALS will be the new home for the RDD,” said Dean Rosenblatt. “This partnership will ensure the database’s continued growth and accessibility, serving as a valuable tool for understanding and supporting the law dean community and those interested in law school leadership.”
AALS will serve as the exclusive host of the RDD and oversee ongoing maintenance. Starting this fall, Dean Rosenblatt will serve as a AALS Special Consultant providing ongoing advice and support to AALS staff regarding the database and will serve as an ex officio member on a steering committee of current law school deans that addresses issues of national importance related to law school leadership. In addition, to honor Professor Rosenblatt’s service in building this resource, AALS will establish the Rosenblatt Trophy which will be awarded to recognize the longest-serving law school dean at the AALS Annual Meeting.
The acquisition of the RDD fits into the association’s recent efforts to provide the legal community and the public with detailed information on the law school deanship. In 2022, AALS published The American Law School Dean Study, a national report based on a survey conducted by NORC at the University of Chicago for the association to understand details about law school deans, their career pathways, search and selection processes, duties and responsibilities, and their challenges, and satisfaction with their role. Dean Rosenblatt was a member of the advisory committee for the project and information from RDD was cited in the report.