"Jennifer Mnookin Named New Dean of UCLA School of Law"

So reads the title of this UCLA press release:

Jennifer Mnookin, a nationally renowned evidence law scholar who has held key administrative positions at the UCLA School of Law, has been appointed the school’s dean, Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost Scott Waugh announced today.

. . . 

Mnookin joined the faculty in 2005, and she served as vice dean for faculty and research from 2007 to 2009 and as vice dean for external appointments and intellectual life from 2012 to 2013. She is founding faculty director of the law school’s Program on Understanding, Science and Evidence. 

“Chancellor Block and I are confident that UCLA Law will reach new heights under Jennifer’s leadership,” Waugh said in an announcement. 

The 2014 recipient of the law school’s Rutter Award for Excellence in Teaching, Mnookin regularly teaches courses on evidence and torts, as well as more specialized classes in areas such as expert and scientific evidence, wrongful convictions, and law and popular culture. 

“It is a tremendous honor to be selected as the next dean of UCLA School of Law,” Mnookin said. “Having served on the UCLA Law faculty for the past decade, I know firsthand what an exceptional institution it is. We have tremendously capable students, an extraordinarily talented and dedicated faculty and staff, and passionate and involved alumni and friends.

Further, concise, coverage is available at the EvidenceProf Blog. The National Law Journal has this report.

I had the privilege of taking Mnookin's course on evidence law about two years ago. Her approach of combining traditional law school reading and the Socratic Method with in-class exercises, media projects, and video clips made it one of the most interesting and engaging courses I took during my time at UCLA.

Mnookin is an excellent choice for dean. Under her guidance UCLA Law's future is extremely bright.