Officials at the UNM School of Law introduced their new dean, Suellyn Scarnecchia, to the University community Tuesday evening at a presentation at the west wing of the school.
"The University of New Mexico Law School is one of the few law schools in the country that require their students to take clinical courses, which is one of the reasons why I accepted this position," Scarnecchia said.
The incoming dean teaches clinical and negotiation courses at Michigan, as well as an "Access to Justice" class, which addresses civil legal services for the poor.
Scarnecchia will begin her duties Jan. 1. The school's current dean, Robert Desiderio, tendered his resignation effective June 30, but will remain with UNM until Scarnecchia arrives.
Scarnecchia is currently the associate dean for Clinical Affairs and a clinical law professor at the University of Michigan. She was the first individual to be named to the position at the university. After her nomination, she stressed the need for future planning as a major way of improving Clinical Affairs.
Scarnecchia earned a bachelor's degree in history from Northwestern University and her law degree from the University of Michigan.
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She worked as a partner in the law firm of McCroskey, Feldman, Cochrane & Brock where she specialized in employment discrimination litigation.
After leaving the law firm in 1987, she joined the Child Advocacy Law Clinic.
Recently, Scarnecchia was asked to write a brief for the Kentucky Supreme Court concerning the rights of children.
Several representatives of the School of Law's various minority groups were in attendance to listen to Scarnecchia.
"I am highly impressed with the work that she has done and I feel that she will continue to bring new and different ideas to the UNM Law School," said Heidi Nesbit, member of the American Indian Law Center.
In addition to University officials, several members of the New Mexico judicial system were in attendance including: district judge Tommy Jewell, Isleta Judge William Johnson and state Supreme Court judge Gene Franchini.
