FIVE FINALISTS FOR UGA LAW DEAN NAMED

Abstract

Friday, March 13, 1998

WRITER: Kathy R. Pharr, (706) 542-5172

CONTACT: Dean Russell H. Yeany, Chair of the Dean Search Committee, (706) 542-6446

Professor C. Ronald Ellington, Dean Search Committee, (706) 542-5215

FIVE FINALISTS FOR UGA LAW DEAN NAMED

ATHENS, Ga. -- Five finalists have been selected from the national search for the new dean of the University of Georgia School of Law and are being invited to the campus for on-site interviews over the next month.

"The search committee engaged in a very active, aggressive search and follow-up on all 116 nominations and 56 applicants, working from a set of agreed upon criteria," said College of Education Dean Russell H. Yeany, who chaired the search committee. "All candidates meet the established criteria. They represent a mix of experience, with significant experience of deanship at other major institutions. The list includes both internal and external candidates of the highest caliber."

The candidates, in alphabetical order, are:

Samuel M. Davis, currently dean and professor at the University of Mississippi Law School in Oxford, Mississippi. Davis was a faculty member at the UGA law school from 1970-1997, and served as UGA's associate vice president for academic affairs from 1994-97. He served as associate dean of the law school from 1986-1991 and was a chaired professor during that time; in 1991, he was named Allen Post Professor of Law.

Davis is a 1966 Phi Kappa Phi graduate of the University of Southern Mississippi. In 1969, he earned his law degree with honors from the University of Mississippi Law School, where he served as editor-in-chief of the Mississippi Law Journal. Davis received the master of laws degree from the University of Virginia the following year. His specialty areas are family law and juvenile law.

Thomas A. Eaton, currently J. Alton Hosch Professor at the University of Georgia School of Law. Eaton has been a member of the law faculty since 1979, and was named to his chaired position in 1993. Eaton served as law clerk to U.S. District Judge Robert R. Merhige, Jr. in Richmond, Virginia following his law school graduation, then worked as an associate with the Austin, Texas law firm of Graves, Dougherty, Hearon, Moody & Garwood.

Eaton earned his bachelor's degree from the University of Texas in 1972, and was elected to membership in Phi Kappa Phi. He graduated with high honors from the University of Texas Law School in 1975, where he was a member of the Texas Law Review. Eaton's specialty areas are torts and health care law.

Paul M. Kurtz, currently associate dean and J. Alton Hosch Professor at the University of Georgia School of Law. Kurtz joined the law faculty in 1975, and has served as the school's associate dean since 1991. He was named to the J. Alton Hosch chair in 1994. Kurtz clerked for Chief Judge Harry Phillips of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit upon his graduation from law school, then taught two years at Boston College Law School and Boston University Law School before joining the UGA law faculty.

Kurtz earned his bachelor's degree from Vanderbilt University in 1968 and his law degree from Vanderbilt in 1972, where he served as research editor of the Vanderbilt Law Review. He earned the master of laws degree from Harvard Law School in 1974. Kurtz' specialty areas are family law, criminal law and constitutional law.

David E. Shipley, dean and professor at the University of Kentucky College of Law in Lexington, Kentucky since 1993. Shipley previously served as dean, director of the law center and professor of law at the University of Mississippi Law School from 1990-1993. He joined the University of South Carolina law faculty in 1977, and served as its associate dean for administration from 1989-1990. He worked as an associate for the Providence, Rhode Island law firm of Tillinghast, Collins and Graham following his graduation from law school.

Shipley received his bachelor's degree with highest honors from Oberlin College in 1972. He then earned his law degree from the University of Chicago Law School in 1975, where he served as executive editor of the University of Chicago Law Review. Shipley's specialty areas are copyright, intellectual property and administrative law.

Donald J. Weidner, currently professor of law at Florida State University College of Law in Tallahassee, Florida. Weidner, a member of the Florida State law faculty since 1976, served as dean of the law school from 1991-1997 and as its associate dean from 1984-1985. Previously, he taught at the Cleveland State University College of Law and at the University of South Carolina School of Law. Weidner worked as an associate in the firm of Willkie Farr & Gallagher before beginning his career in legal academia.

Weidner earned his bachelor's degree from Fordham University in 1966 and his law degree with honors from the University of Texas at Austin in 1969, where he was a project editor of the Texas Law Review. His specialty areas are real property and real estate finance.

Each of the five candidates will meet with faculty, staff, students and alumni over a two-day interview period. The schedules for these meetings are now being finalized by the dean search committee.

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