Law School Dean Appointment
We are pleased to announce that Adam Chilton, the Howard G. Krane Professor of Law and the Walter Mander Research Scholar, has been appointed dean of the Law School, effective July 1. With a distinguished record of scholarship and collaborative leadership, Adam offers broad intellectual perspective, methodological rigor, and a clear vision for academic excellence and innovation—strengths that position him well to lead the Law School in the years ahead.
Adam’s research bridges international law, comparative law, and empirical legal studies. His work addresses a broad array of global and domestic legal issues, ranging from constitutional design and human rights to judicial behavior and legal education. His ongoing projects reflect the range and depth of his scholarship, including studies on the development of competition law across jurisdictions, the role of Bilateral Labor Agreements in shaping labor migration, and strategies for improving conditions in informal urban communities. He also engages deeply with topics central to American law and legal institutions, including Supreme Court reform, the ideological composition of the legal profession, judicial decision-making, and innovations in legal education.
In his recent book, How Constitutional Rights Matter, co-authored with Mila Versteeg, Adam uses empirical methods to examine how the inclusion of rights in written constitutions influences their real-world protection. He is also the co-author of Trial by Numbers: A Lawyer’s Guide to Statistical Evidence, written with Kyle Rozema, which offers legal professionals a practical introduction to empirical research methods.
Beyond his scholarly work, Adam is deeply committed to fostering academic excellence and mentorship within the legal community. He currently serves as co-editor of the University’s Journal of Law and Economics and previously co-directed the Harry A. Bigelow Teaching Fellowship, a leading program for training future law professors. He also serves on the board of the American Law and Economics Association and is a fellow of the Society for Empirical Legal Studies.
Adam earned his BA and MA in political science from Yale University, followed by a JD and PhD in political science from Harvard University. He joined the Law School faculty in 2014 after serving as a Bigelow Fellow and Lecturer in Law. Before beginning his academic career, he worked as a management consultant at the Boston Consulting Group.
He will succeed Thomas J. Miles, the Clifton R. Musser Professor of Law and Economics, who has served with distinction as dean of the Law School since 2015. Tom will return to the faculty when his appointment concludes next month.
Adam’s appointment was informed by the thoughtful recommendations of a faculty advisory committee, to whom we are deeply grateful for their time and insight.
We are confident that Adam will provide outstanding leadership as the Law School enters its next chapter. Please join us in congratulating Adam on this well-deserved appointment and thanking Tom for his dedicated service as dean.
Sincerely,
Paul
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Paul Alivisatos
President
Kate
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Katherine Baicker
Provost