Northwestern named Hari Osofsky the new dean of the Pritzker School of Law, according to a Tuesday news release. 

Osofsky is the current dean of Penn State Law, where she is also a professor. Her term at NU will begin Aug. 1. 

“I am extremely honored to be joining the Northwestern Pritzker Law community as its next dean,” Osofsky said in the release. “This Law School has long been a leader in innovation, interdisciplinarity and experiential education, and has been doing important work to advance diversity, equity and inclusion.”

Osofsky succeeds former Pritzker Dean Kimberly Yuracko, who left the position at the end of July 2020 to join the Office of the Provost. Since then, Pritzker Prof. James Speta has served as interim dean. 

Provost Kathleen Hagerty said she was thrilled to welcome Osofsky into the position and the greater NU community. 

“Her dynamic experience as a leader, scholar and mentor further strengthens Northwestern Pritzker Law’s national reputation for excellence and innovation at a time when we are reimagining our approaches to society’s injustices,” Hagerty said in the release. 

Under Osofsky’s leadership, Penn State Law launched initiatives like an associate dean for diversity, equity and inclusion, diversity-based scholarships and a lab focused on gender and economic equity.

In addition to her roles in Penn State Law, Osofsky has served as president of the Association for Law, Property and Society and chaired the American Association of Law Schools’ Sections on Property and on International Law. Furthermore, she has served on the editorial board of Climate Law for more than a decade.

According to the release, Osofsky specializes in improving energy and climate change policy in regard to injustice and governance. She graduated with a bachelor’s degree in philosophy and studies in the environment from Yale University and has authored more than 50 publications, including textbooks and articles, on the topics of climate change law. 

In 2019, Osofsky was recognized as one of the top women of legal tech in the American Bar Association’s Legal Technology Resource Center.

Responding to her appointment as dean, Osofsky said she looked forward to addressing the “moment of change” in society and the legal profession impacted by the crisis of the past year.

“I am excited to collaborate with our faculty, staff, students and alumni across the University and nationally and internationally to build an ambitious future grounded in the Law School’s strengths to make a difference,” Osofsky said in the release. 

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @YunkyoMoonK

Related Stories:

— Kelly Mayo appointed dean of Northwestern’s The Graduate School

— Mike Polisky announced as Northwestern’s next athletic director

— Amar Shah first NU Hindu chaplain, large step for Hindu community