Zelda Harris takes the helm as interim dean

Zelda Harris is Loyola University Chicago School of Law’s interim dean, effective July 1, following the departure of Dean Michael Kaufman. Her appointment ensures continuity and a smooth transition in law school leadership.

Harris joined the faculty of the School of Law in August 2012 as director of the Dan K. Webb Center for Advocacy. Under her leadership, the School of Law’s trial advocacy program became nationally ranked, and student teams regularly win regional, national, and international competitions. She provides leadership in all aspects of the advocacy program, including curriculum development, program growth, and alumni relations.

In January 2018, Harris was appointed associate dean of academic affairs. In this role, she led, supervised, and managed the law school curriculum for JD and other graduate programs, and developed courses, academic policies, and other curricular programming. In addition, she recruited professional adjunct faculty to teach upper-level courses.

She is the architect of the School of Law’s Professional Identity Formation (PIF) course, an anti-racism, intersectionality, and implicit bias course required for all first-year students, which launched in 2018. She works with PIF director Carla Kupe to recruit diverse alumni to teach the course.

In addition, Harris is a Mary Ann G. McMorrow Professor of Law and teaches courses in trial advocacy, evidence, and domestic violence law.

Prior to joining Loyola, Harris served for 14 years on the law faculty at the University of Arizona James E. Rogers College of Law and worked as director of the Domestic Violence Law Clinic and co-director of the Child and Family Law Clinic. She has extensive experience as a litigator and advocate on behalf of victims of family violence. Harris also is involved with the National Institute for Trial Advocacy, where she provides advocacy training to new attorneys across the globe.

“Loyola is so blessed to have Zelda Harris at the helm,” says Kaufman. “She is spectacular in every way, and she’s managed all aspects of our law school with prudence, wisdom, and grace, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.”

“Dean Kaufman has been an incredible sponsor, mentor, and advocate for me,” Harris says. “I look forward to carrying our vision forward and growing the law school based on our shared and renewed mission to prepare graduates who will be ethical advocates for justice and equity; who will lead efforts to dismantle the legal, economic, political, and social structures that generate and sustain racism and all forms of oppression; and who will advance a rule of law that promotes social justice.”