Michael Hunter Schwartz to step down as law dean and return to full-time teaching at McGeorge

Oct 02, 2024
A man speaks to a room full of students

Michael Hunter Schwartz has served as the dean of University of the Pacific McGeorge School of Law since 2017.

Dean Michael Hunter Schwartz is set to return to his roots in teaching and legal scholarship at the conclusion of the 2024-25 academic year. After leading McGeorge School of Law for eight years — including a year as Interim University Provost — Schwartz will resume his teaching, research, and writing career as a McGeorge faculty member following a short faculty development leave. 

"I love McGeorge, and I am excited that I get to devote the remainder of my professional career to our students as a full-time McGeorge faculty member,” Schwartz said.

On July 1, the institution announced that Schwartz will be stepping down at the conclusion of the 2024-25 academic year.

While some academics confine their interactions to the classroom or quick email exchanges, Schwartz takes a different approach. He creates an atmosphere where law students feel appreciated and listened to. Whether it’s a casual coffee chat, tailored study plans, or a few extra minutes after class, his commitment to student success is evident.

“Dean Schwartz has been a huge support for me in law school. When I was struggling, he assured me that the McGeorge community was there for me, gave me resources and tips for success, and made it clear that he was available anytime I needed him. He is motivational, inspiring, and collaborative,” said Chris Adams ‘27.

Schwartz understands that education extends beyond grades; it’s about fostering relationships that empower students to flourish.

“Dean Schwartz is a pillar of support for students here at McGeorge. I can personally attest to the notion that Dean Schwartz truly cares for every student here and actively works towards making McGeorge a very unique and special law school. We are truly so lucky to have him,” said S.J. Hammon ‘25, who serves as the president of McGeorge’s Student Bar Association.

In Jan. 2024, Schwartz was recognized as the 9th Most Influential Person in Legal Education by National Jurist Magazine. He first appeared on the list, which is a ranking of those who are “major forces in legal education” and is based on peer evaluations, as No. 13 in 2014, maintained his position amongst the top 15 in 2015, and rose to No. 9 in 2016.

“I was deeply honored to have been recognized among such accomplished and dedicated colleagues,” Schwartz said. “I would like to believe that the ranking reflects my passions for student success and improving the law school experience.”

Schwartz also has been honored as a Council on Legal Education Opportunity EDGE Honoree in Education for his commitment to diversity and by the Institute for the Advancement of the American Legal System for his innovative approach to teaching contracts.

As the 10th dean of McGeorge School of Law, Schwartz has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to advancing McGeorge through his remarkable contributions to student support, teaching, learning, and curriculum design.

“The impact that Dean Schwartz has had on prospective students, current students, and alumni is immeasurable. His respect, compassion, and commitment to the McGeorge community is consistently exemplified through his actions, including sending handwritten letters to every admitted student that includes a specific reference to their personal statement, performing at the annual Fall Spectacular, and hosting Brownies with the Dean sessions with law students,” said Katrina Syrakos ‘25. “In his simultaneous roles as a dean, professor, and colleague, Dean Schwartz effortlessly balances approachability, professionalism, and a vibrant personality. It is an honor and pleasure to work with and learn from him.”

A professor poses with students in his class inside of a classroom

Dean Schwartz takes a group photo with students from the Remedies class he is teaching this semester.

During Schwartz’s tenure as dean, he has overseen the law school’s highest bar pass rate in 25 years, supported the achievement of all of McGeorge’s highest U.S. News & World Report job placement rates, assisted in astounding increases in JD student entrance credentials, secured one of the 15 largest gifts in the history of U.S. legal education, and helped grow the law school’s endowment more than 70%.

He also oversaw the creation of an Honors Accelerated JD Degree, three online MSL degrees, an online LLM degree, a law-focused undergraduate study abroad program, the Sacramento Legal Employers Diversity Collective, and an experiential alumni mentoring program for first-year law students. Working with University leaders, Schwartz also oversaw the creation of the Center for Inclusion and Diversity in 2018 and a Military and Veteran Student Center in 2021 on the Sacramento campus.

During Schwartz’ deanship, law students completed an extraordinary amount of community service, a figure that surpasses those at other law schools because McGeorge now requires more such service than most law schools do as a condition of graduation. During the 2022-2023 academic year alone, McGeorge students contributed 63,993 hours of public service to the community. This outpouring of public service concretely demonstrates the law school’s and the students' dedication to making a positive impact on our community.

Schwartz's impact is far-reaching, evident in his extensive scholarly contributions, including seven books and numerous law review papers, book chapters, and shorter works. Notably, his groundbreaking works, such as "What the Best Law Teachers Do," “Expert Learning for Law Students,” and “Teaching Law by Design” and a unique Contracts textbook that has been widely adopted at other law schools and is the first book in an innovative textbook series he designed to modernize law school texts. “The Context and Practice Casebook” series, published by Carolina Academic Press, consists of 27 books authored by faculty members representing 32 different law schools.

Schwartz is, in other words, a national leader in law school teaching and learning. He has delivered more than 230 professional presentations about law school teaching, including conducting training programs for law professors at dozens of law schools throughout the U.S. as well as in Germany, the Republic of Georgia, Iran, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, and Chile. He currently serves on the editorial board of The Journal of Law Teaching and Learning, a peer-reviewed law journal that focuses on legal pedagogy.

Schwartz's national leadership is evident through his role as Chair-Elect for the AALS Section for Alternatively Scheduled JD Programs, as the Chair of the AALS Committee on Recruitment & Retention of Minority Law School Teachers and Students, and on the planning committee for the national conference for new law teachers and his past service chairing the AALS Sections on Deans, Socio-Economics, Teaching Methods, and Balance in Legal Education reflects his commitment to shaping legal academia. Schwartz also served on the inaugural, 10-member Dean’s Advisory Board for the American Bar Association’s (ABA)-Legal Education Police Practices Consortium.

Before his deanship at McGeorge School of Law, Schwartz was dean at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law from 2013-2017.

He also taught at Washburn University School of Law from 2006-2013, where he also served as the law school’s Associate Dean for Faculty Development and the Co-Director of the Institute for Law Teaching and Learning.

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