5 finalists named for UNC law school dean

Five finalists are in the running for the job of dean of the law school at UNC-Chapel Hill.

The candidates are:

▪ Robert Ahdieh, vice dean and professor at Emory University’s law school,

▪ Michelle Anderson, dean and professor at City University of New York law school,

▪ Sam Bagenstos, professor at the University of Michigan law school,

▪ Martin Brinkley, partner at the Smith Anderson law firm in Raleigh and

▪ Daniel Crane, associate dean and professor at the University of Michigan law school.

The candidates will visit the UNC campus in April for interviews. In announcing the finalists, Mike Smith, chairman of the search committee and dean of the UNC School of Government, called them “remarkable people” who emerged as the strongest candidates in the search.

The next dean will succeed Jack Boger, who is retiring.

Law schools have hit hard times since the recession. As of last summer, law school applications were down 37 percent since 2010, and some schools have shrunk their enrollment to maintain quality.

The UNC law school is among the oldest in the country. It ranked 31st in the most recent U.S. News & World Report rankings.

The school has about 700 students and an annual budget of $27 million.

This story was originally published March 28, 2015 at 3:50 PM with the headline "5 finalists named for UNC law school dean."