Klint Alexander has been hired as the new dean for the UW College of Law. Alexander has career experience in the private sector and is currently senior lecturer in international law and politics at Vanderbilt University.
The College of Law announced it’s new dean, Klint Alexander, a lawyer with experience in the private sector and government, last week.
Alexander takes over the college on July 1, and was selected by a committee made up of current faculty members, a College of Law staff representative, representatives from a variety of departments on campus and alumni. Lisa Nunley, the College of Law’s student services coordinator and a member of the search committee, said Alexander stood out for a number of reasons.
“He has tremendous scholarship and he was very personable. Personality-wise, he’s such a great fit, not just for the College of Law, but for the university and the community as a whole. He’s very down-to-earth and brings a lot to the table,” Nunley said.
Since 2013 Alexander worked as part of Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell and Berkowitz, the law firm of former U.S. Senator Howard Baker. This experience followed work as an official in the U.S. Trader Representative’s Office in Washington, where he coordinated trade policy reviews and represented the White House before the World Trade Organization and the World Customs Organization.
“His experience with international law and his experience within the legal community nationwide and internationally as well just opens a lot of doors for us in a lot of ways,” Nunley said.
Alexander is no stranger to teaching law as he’s taught both graduate and undergraduate students at several universities. A press release from the university enumerated Alexander’s educational experience.
“Alexander has served in teaching and leadership roles at several major institutions, including Yale, Vanderbilt and the University of London,” the release read. Alexander holds the position of senior lecturer in international law and politics at Vanderbilt and the University of London.
Nunley said Alexander should help the college’s upcoming expansion effort.
“One of the things the College of Law is looking at is building an expansion. This building is very small for the needs that we have,” Nunley said. “We know that’s something we want to start moving forward on is trying to do some fund-raising and connection-making to try and get that ball rolling.”
Alexander said UW’s law school is in a good place, thanks to prior deans.
“The law school’s previous deans have done an excellent job of elevating UW in the rankings, recruiting top faculty and expanding course offerings for students in the past 5-7 years,” Alexander said. “I hope to continue this trend, while keeping the cost of law school affordable. The new dean should develop more innovative ways to capitalize on Wyoming’s strengths in energy and natural resources, clinical training and practice and rural development.”
Kayla Spence, a University of Wyoming law student said she likes Alexander so far.
“I was very impressed with some of the great and fun ideas Dean Alexander had to help build on the strengths of the law school and address the weaknesses,” Spence said. “He is interested in the culture of the school and the region. He recognized the potential that the University of Wyoming has and I for one am excited to see what he will help the college achieve moving forward.”
Alexander is replacing Jacquelyn Bridgeman, the interim dean who filled the position for the last year and a half.
