As the William S. Richardson School of Law wrapped up one of the most challenging years of its existence, it has headed into a new year with a new Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, major plans in motion to reevaluate and strengthen the curriculum, and begin remaking the school in a dynamic growth image to enhance its national stature.
“There is always more you can do, and more impact you can have,” said Professor Nicholas Mirkay, who was named June 1 as the new Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, and is helping guide a strategic planning process started by Dean Camille Nelson at Richardson Law.
“It’s a constant work in progress and that was CJ’s vision – to continue making more and more progress. We’re not just a law school,” continued Mirkay. “We’re a legal resource for the community. That’s one of the challenges – to keep that going - that hallmark. We need to make sure that we continue that tradition.”
With Dean Camille Nelson having completed her first year at the school’s helm, there is already a new week-long Business Boot Camp program she spearheaded to offer students real life business and financial skills, whether or not they choose to focus on those fields of law. Mirkay expects that program to continue and grow, and applauds the legal community for its participation in the week of teaching.
“This highlights what our bench is in the business area,” says Mirkay who praised Professor Charles Booth for planning the program and reaching out to the legal community and other faculty to teach. “It offered an informative and open dialogue with the students.”
Professor Daniel Barnett, who stepped into the Academic Affairs associate deanship a year and a half ago, has returned to the critically important role of Director of Legal Writing which is a core area of the Law School curriculum. Traditionally the Academic Affairs Associate Deanship is just a two-year commitment from a faculty member who returns to teaching afterward.
“It’s been an honor to serve in this role,” said Barnett, “and personally it has been incredibly rewarding, as well as stressful.” Barnett said the challenge of helping guide the school through a year of COVID, virtual classes, and not seeing students in person, was difficult for everyone.
With Richardson Law just a few years away from its 50th anniversary, and seeing the retirement of a number of long-time faculty members, the strategic planning process underway strives to re-calibrate the school for a new era of legal training, for a world where lawyers lead in myriad sectors, where the pace of technological innovation has quickened, and a profession in which diversity, equity and inclusion are a core part of law’s future. Richardson is already one of the most diverse law school’s in the nation, but Barnett said there is a constant need to “evaluate efforts of inclusion that support a diverse population so that all can be successful.”
“We’re going through a strategic planning process and we’re going to come out on the other side with some very exciting changes,” he said. “It’s a very exciting time for Nick, and I feel the energy. Combine that with being creative and thoughtful and coming up with some real interesting changes to our curriculum, and the hiring we have to do, sets us up well for the next 10 or 15 years.”
Barnett said that one of the challenges is replacing retiring faculty at a time when budgets are tight. But there are already plans for visiting professors to join the faculty for the new semester.
“The visiting model doesn’t just fill in gaps, it’s an exchange of ideas,” said Barnett. “They’re a huge benefit to both schools to do that. You learn a tremendous amount and you bring that back to your own institution. It will help bring new ideas and fresh energy to the Law School as we go through a period of intense hiring.”
As Barnett faced the challenge of COVID he put together a task force at Richardson which offered training for managing virtual classes, and helped guide students and faculty through the year. “The task force was a huge undertaking,” said Barnett. “I wanted everyone to see what we were facing and everyone chipped in. The amount of support we got was tremendous.”
Dean Nelson is grateful for Barnett’s energy and vision stating, “I wish to thank Associate Dean Dan Barnett for his indefatigable service. It has been an honor and a pleasure to serve with someone as brilliant, wise, kind, and generous, especially in the face of the unprecedented challenges and changes wrought by the pandemic.”
In welcoming Associate Dean Mirkay into his new role, Nelson thanked him for serving as the Law School’s Director of Faculty Research, and continued, “In this role he has worked tirelessly to enhance our recognition of, and support for, faculty research and writing. He has organized numerous book events, panels, and presentations furthering our intellectual life. Additionally, he has supported the external recognition of faculty scholarly excellence through his work on launching Kaukehakeha (at the highest level), our new e-blast celebrating our faculty scholars whose legal expertise, scholarship, and contributions are recognized both locally and nationally. Before joining the Richardson Law faculty in August 2017, Nick Mirkay was Senior Associate Dean for Administration and Planning and Professor of Law at Creighton University School of Law. He began his career in legal academia at the Delaware Law School of Widener University. Professor Mirkay has primarily taught tax and business law courses in his 18 years in legal academia, including Federal Income Tax, Trusts and Estates, Nonprofit Organizations, Business Associations, and State and Local Taxation. He has received outstanding faculty awards at all three law schools at which he has served! In addition to being an exceptional teacher, Nick is also a prolific scholar and dedicated institutional citizen.”
As the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, Mirkay will also be working to support the various teaching methodologies being offered, in person, online, and H.O.T. Mirkay explains: “It’s called ‘HOT- Here Or There.’ It’s a hybrid environment where you have the option of some in-class or you can choose completely online. We have retrofitted several rooms to have that technology – teaching people in person with an online component at the same time. We are working to ensure that the classrooms are done in time. That’s the priority - to upgrade the technology overall. You can space students in those large rooms. But knowing the university is now requiring students to be vaccinated if they’re going to be on campus, it’s to be determined how that will ripple down to the classrooms.”