Jerry Organ, Bakken Professor of Law and co-director and Holloran Center for Ethical Leadership in the Professions, has been named interim dean of the University of St. Thomas School of Law while the university conducts a national search for a permanent dean.
Organ will assume the role on June 25 following the departure of Dean Daniel B. Kelly, Mengler Chair in Law, who has led the school since 2024. Kelly has accepted a position leading the Antonin Scalia Law School at George Mason University in Virginia.
"While we will miss Dan's leadership and contributions to the University of St. Thomas School of Law, his appointment is also a meaningful recognition of the strength, reputation, and growing national profile of our law school," said Eddy Rojas, St. Thomas executive vice president and provost.
"Jerry is widely respected within the School of Law, across the university, and nationally in legal education," Rojas said. "He brings deep institutional knowledge, a collaborative leadership style, and a long-standing commitment to the law school's mission and excellence."
Organ, who joined the St. Thomas School of Law in 2001 as a founding faculty member, has played a key role in the school's growth and national reputation over the past two decades. He previously served four years as the associate dean for academic affairs and was recognized as one of the Top 20 Most Influential People in Legal Education for 2024 by the National Jurist magazine, as well as in 2012 and 2014.
In 2009, Organ became associate director of the Holloran Center for Ethical Leadership in the Professions, becoming co-director in 2016. The center is national leader in interdisciplinary research, curriculum development and programming focused on professional identity formation, for law students.
An award-winning educator, he is the recipient of law school's Mission Awards for Professional Preparation and Scholarly Engagement and Societal Reform, and Dean's Awards for Outstanding Teaching and Outstanding Scholarship.
"I feel honored and privileged to be given responsibility of serving as interim dean of the University of St. Thomas School of Law," Organ said. "Having invested most of my professional career in helping to build this very special law school with its distinctive mission, I look forward to the opportunity to steward the law school through this transition."
