From The Dean
And I am very pleased to welcome the new Dean of Penn Carey Law, Sophia Z. Lee. Professor Lee, a member of our faculty for 14 years, is a dis-tinguished scholar, a tremendous teacher and mentor, and a thoughtful leader at the Law School and University.
Sophia inherits the role of stewarding our wonderful, thriving community, which is as talented, impactful, and diverse as ever. We continue to attract incredibly bright students, support them with unprecedented levels of financial aid, and launch them into meaningful careers in the public and private sectors, both in this country and around the world. Our faculty are national thought leaders and first-class teachers, and our dedicated staff ensure that the Law School works effectively and innovatively to meet the needs of our student body and the larger profession. Alumni from multiple decades spanning over 70 years have continued to engage with and support our current students in ways that I appreciate now more than ever. Thank you for all that you do to support your alma mater.
Our greatest asset at Penn Carey Law is our people—students, staff, faculty, and alumni. Two stories in this Journal issue remember the lives of two individuals who meant much to this school and whom we lost in the past year: longtime faculty member Michael Wachter and treasured alumnus Bob Toll L’66.
As a faculty colleague then as Dean, I experienced Michael Wachter’s special genius firsthand. Michael reinvented the Institute for Law & Economics (ILE), turning it into one of the nation’s preeminent academic centers for the analysis of corporate law and corporate finance, drawing leading thinkers including judges, corporate lawyers, and academics into important discussions.
But Michael’s influence did not stop there. Hundreds of students benefited from his incisive teaching and generous mentorships in ways that continue to shape many of their careers. In March 2023, we held a memorial event to honor Michael’s contributions to the Law School and to the University over 50 momentous years.
In this issue, we also commemorate Bob Toll, who passed last fall after a remarkable life and who dramatically influenced the Law School through supporting our students and programs focusing on public interest law. Bob and his wife, Jane Toll GSE’66, have had an indelible impact on the Law School, providing immeasurable resources year after year to launch talented students into life-changing public interest work. Bob and Jane made it possible for the Law School to increase public interest scholarships, broaden pro bono programs, expand summer fellowships, and provide generous loan forgiveness to students committed to public interest careers.
On this theme of public service, in this issue we also spotlight two alumnae who hold prominent and important positions in the federal government. Shira Perlmutter L’83 is Register of Copyrights and Kathi Vidal L’96 is Director of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Together, they are working on the frontiers of IP law and policy, dealing with emerging issues related to artificial intelligence and technology. We are proud of them and so many other alumni working at the intersection of legal and scientific knowledge.
In closing, I write this with deep gratitude for being able to work with and connect with so many of you in my role as Dean, and I look forward to seeing you back on campus in future years.
Sincerely,
