Vanderbilt Law School’s National Council voted to change its name to the Board of Advisors, a name which better reflects the board’s role in supporting the law school, at its meeting on Friday, October 22.
“The alumni who serve on the board offer invaluable guidance to me and to our administrative team about all aspects of our operation,” said Dean Chris Guthrie. “The Board of Advisors’ new name reflects its increasingly important role in providing advice and offering a real-world perspective as we make decisions about the law school’s future.”
In the aftermath of the financial crisis that began in fall 2008, members of Vanderbilt Law School’s National Council advised Dean Guthrie and the law school’s administrative staff as the law school identified priorities in the face of tighter budgets and supported the launch of multiple initiatives.
Doug Dunn, Class of 1970, who recently retired as a partner in Milbank Tweed in New York, is currently president of the Board of Advisors. “The board plays a crucial role on a number of levels: offering guidance to help the law school carry out its mission of providing an excellent and relevant legal education, attracting talented and capable students, and mentoring students and recent graduates,” Dunn said. “During my term as president, I’ve learned a tremendous amount about the effort it takes to provide the level of legal education Vanderbilt students receive. I think the alumni on the Board appreciate the opportunity to apply their experience to improve the current student preparation. ”
The Board of Advisors meets at the law school twice each year and serves the school in other ways throughout the year. Board members serve three-year terms, and a member of the most recent graduating class joins the law school's board each year for a one-year term. The board includes three standing committees: an executive committee, a nominating committee, and a finance committee. Pat Mulloy, Class of 1977, is currently president-elect of the board, and his term as president will begin in fall 2011.