Dear Friends and Colleagues,

In this edition of The Advocate, we take time to celebrate the arrival of the talented Class of 2005, new University leadership, past School of Law leadership and, as always, our student and faculty work in service to the community. We began this academic year by welcoming seventy smart, diverse, and public interest-oriented first-year students who were carefully selected from an applicant pool that was 22% larger than that of last year. Members of the Class of 2005 are already creating their own traditions and bonding with the School of Law and University community.

The School of Law also welcomes Dr. William Pollard, who was selected by the UDC Board of Trustees to serve as President of the University of the District of Columbia and began his tenure July 1. Dr. Pollard had been Dean and founder of the Syracuse University College of Human Services and Health Professions, which he formed by uniting the College of Nursing, the College of Human Development, and the School of Social Work. He had served as the Dean of the University’s School of Social Work since 1989. Dr. Pollard brings a wealth of experience and insight gained from that work and his prior leadership positions at Grambling State and at the University of Pittsburgh. He earned his Ph.D. at the University of Chicago, his M.S.W. from the University of North Carolina School of Social Work, and his B.A. from Shaw University.

Dr. Pollard already has participated in the School of Law's orientation program where he greeted the incoming class and he will join the faculty at its November meeting to share his vision for the University and for the School of Law. Please note 1L Deborah Anderson’s story describing President Pollard's stellar reputation at Syracuse University, where she first learned of him.

In September, the School of Law paused for a day to honor William L. Robinson, our founding dean, now Professor of Law, who led the institution with great zeal and ability for ten years. The cover story describes the excellent Conservative Constitutional Counter-Revolution program conceived and planned by Professor Robinson, which brought some 300 guests to the School of Law for a stimulating day-long colloquium. Closing the program with his portrait unveiling allowed the standing room only crowd the chance to thank Professor Robinson with a rousing, cheering, standing ovation. On a personal note, working closely with Bill Robinson for ten years has been a delight and I continue to benefit greatly from his wise and thoughtful counsel.

Finally, I urge you to read about our students and faculty who serve the community with great dedication and commitment, day in and day out, in public housing projects, in hospitals and jails, in administrative hearings, and in trials, at the D.C. Council, in D.C. agencies, and in public interest organizations all over town.

I am especially proud that last year, with the financial support provided by alumni, faculty, students, friends, and law firms, we more than tripled funding to support 25% of the first-year class working in full-time public interest, public service and public policy summer fellowship jobs. I look forward to the class of 2005 besting that record and I am completely confident that they will!

— Katherine S. Broderick, Dean