Law school dean named at MU

The Associated Press

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- R. Lawrence Dessem has been named the new dean of the University of Missouri at Columbia School of Law.

Dessem, professor and dean of the Walter F. George School of Law at Mercer University in Georgia, will begin his new duties July 1, the University of Missouri said Monday.

"Dessem brings a record of successful administration and solid scholarship to this position," said Provost Brady Deaton of the University of Missouri. "He will bring sound leadership to the faculty, students and alumni during a critical building period for the law school."

Dessem is a 1976 graduate of Harvard Law School. In addition to his position at Mercer, Dessem also served as professor and associate dean for academic affairs at the University of Tennessee College of Law in Knoxville.

Dessem also has written two books on pretrial litigation.

"I am very excited about coming to MU," Dessem said. "The law school is extremely well respected nationally, and I look forward to working together with its outstanding faculty, students and alumni to move the school to even higher levels within legal education."