Law school prepares to welcome dean

The law school's search for a dean is over.

Brian Bromberger will assume his responsibilities as the dean Aug. 1. He will succeed James Klebba, who has held the position since Aug. 1999.

Bromberger is the professor and associate dean for Academic Affairs at the University of North Carolina, School of Law. He has held the position since 1995.

"His personality is a definite fit both in the law school and for New Orleans. I am excited to be welcoming him aboard," said the Rev. Bernard Knoth, S.J., university president.

Bromberger is originally from Australia. He earned his bachelor of laws degree with honors at Melbourne University in Australia. He completed an LLM degree at the University of Pennsylvania.

Bromberger has served as a visiting professor at law schools in Australia, Canada and the United Kingdom.

In the United States, he has taught at the universities of Pennsylvania, Syracuse and Utah as well as at William and Mary College in Virginia.

"He is obviously well educated and has had experience at a variety of law schools," Knoth said.

Law professor Henry Gabriel served as the chairman of the Law School Dean Search Committee, which chose Bromberger from 22 candidates.

"The committee screened all of the candidates," Gabriel said. "They picked six to bring in to the faculty. Each candidate had to do a presentation in front of the full faculty."

Knoth learned of Bromberger's acceptance of the position by voice mail from his search consultant.

"I had just attended a Loyola reception for Louisiana legislative members up in Baton Rouge," he said. "I called back to the reception on my cell phone to let Dean Klebba and the other deans know the good news."

Gabriel said the average tenure in for law school deans in the United States is three years.

Klebba held the position for four years, and John Makdisi served for three years before Klebba.

Bromberger has written four books and many articles.