Lunch with the Deans
SBA is hosting a town hall event in which students can come and discuss certain issues with the administration.
From the Deans' Suite - 8/12/25 - Not Everything that Counts
“Not everything that counts”
Next week, we will greet the largest first-year class at CSU|Law since at least 2009. Over 200 students—nearly one-third in our part-time, online JD—will start their first year of law school on August 20. The 2025 1L class represents a remarkable milestone: the largest number of out-of-state students ever admitted at CSU|Law. Nearly 40% of the class—15% full-time and 82% part-time, online—come from outside of Ohio, representing 29 different states, the District of Columbia, and Canada.
From the Deans' Suite - 8/5/25 - Opening Doors for 53 Years and Counting
This week, I want to spotlight a program that captures the heart of who we are and how we fulfill our mission: the Legal Career Opportunities Program (“LCOP”). Yesterday, we welcomed sixteen first-year students to the LCOP Class of 2025, making it the perfect time to celebrate this extraordinary legacy.
LCOP began in 1972 with a bold vision: to expand access to legal education for talented individuals who might otherwise be denied the opportunity to pursue a law degree. For 53 years, it has stayed true to that mission by identifying promise, providing early academic preparation, and building the skills and confidence that allow students to succeed.
From the Deans' Suite - 7/29/25 - The Bar Exam is Tough
As you read this, our 2025 graduates are deep into Day 1 of the bar exam—and we couldn’t be prouder of them.
Over the past three years, these remarkable students have shown resilience, grit, and determination. They’ve made it through three or more years of law school—many while juggling jobs, families, and other major responsibilities. And they’ve pushed through our demanding bar prep program. They are ready.
The bar exam is tough. But so are they.
They’ve done the work, and they carry with them the support of the entire CSU|Law community —faculty, staff, alumni, and friends—believing in them every step of the way.
From the Deans' Suite - 7/22/25 - One Week to the Bar Exam
It's almost time for the bar exam!
As I’ve walked through the law library and the Robert and Judy Rawson Learning Commons in recent days, all signs point to the bar exam, which is now just one week away. Study rooms have become bar study command centers—dry-erase boards and windows are covered in outlines; tables are piled with books, snacks, and coffee; and graduates are giving their all in this final stretch.
Every CSU Law bar taker had the opportunity to reserve a private study room from graduation through the weekend before the exam, and they’ve made the most of their spaces. Some rooms are used for quiet solo study; others are alive with collaboration and shared learning.
From the Deans' Suite - 7/15/25 - Champions of Justice
“There’s never a wrong time to stand up for what’s right”
That was the inspiring theme of American Bar Association President Bill Bay’s talk last week at the Cleveland City Club. At once a truism and a battle cry, President Bay was referring to the ABA’s response to the disturbing rise in attacks on the legal profession and personal threats to judges and their families. Threats against judges, once rare and unthinkable, have become alarmingly commonplace. U.S. District Court Judge Dan Polster joined President Bay decrying these unprecedented attacks and emphasized that judges need all of us to help defend against them:
We speak through our opinions. We need others, what I call “Champions of Justice,” to speak for us.
From the Deans' Suite - 7/8/25 - Strong Start with Jump Start
These last two weeks have marked exciting milestones for our incoming students as they began CSU Law’s Jump Start Program. Last night, Dean Brian Ray and I had the pleasure of welcoming more than 100 students for the first evening of the in-person Jump Start Program, and last week our new JD Online students began their own Jump Start sessions.
Jump Start is a cornerstone of the academic support we provide for every incoming student. Jump Start has come a long way since it began back in 2016 as an optional program with just 15–20 students. The student feedback was so positive that we quickly decided to require every student to participate.
From the Deans’ Suite - 7/1/25 - New Day, New Deans
On our first day as Co-Deans, we would like to express our deep gratitude to Dean Lee Fisher for his nine years of visionary leadership. His legacy leaves CSU Law well-positioned for an exciting future.
That future is already taking shape! We’re on track to bring in another record-setting 1L class. We’re launching innovative programs, including Centers for Intellectual Property and Innovation, International Law, and Law & Leadership. We’re welcoming talented new faculty and staff to the CSU Law family. Add an alumni network that never stops showing up, and it’s easy to see why CSU Law is thriving.
Monday Morning Message 6.9.25 A Bittersweet Moment.....My Final Morning Message
“I have always been delighted at the prospect of a new day, a fresh try, one more start….” ―J.B. Priestley
This morning is my final Monday Morning Message as Dean of Cleveland State University College of Law.
It’s a bittersweet moment because I’ll be stepping down as Dean in a few weeks on June 30 to become the 10th President of Baldwin Wallace University. While I’m very excited about this rare opportunity to lead such an iconic university, I will always cherish my time serving this iconic law school. Serving CSU Law the past 9 years has been one of the greatest honors of my life.
Ironic Twist of History
Monday Morning Message 6.2.25 You Graduate as Lawyer-Leaders
“I hope you all work with and are mentored by lawyer-leaders who embody the highest ideals of our profession….But you will also encounter others who have used the law to bend truth, exploit technicalities, and abandon core Constitutional principles like due process in pursuit of privilege, position, and power. Recognize them for what they are—and make sure you choose a different path – protect your reputation for that is what others will see as the outward manifestation of your character. You will never have to apologize for being the lawyer-leader whose presence strengthens the rule of law, whose counsel uplifts justice, and whose character inspires trust.