Welcome Back—Spring 2023

Dear members of the Columbia Law School community,

Welcome back for what I hope will be a semester of growth—for each of us individually and for our Law School community as a whole.

We continue to strengthen our unparalleled faculty with the addition of Associate Professor Michael Love this month. Professor Love brings with him the formative experience of serving on the White House Council of Economic Advisers during the 2008 recession and a passion for teaching that will place him in good company among our exceptional educators.

2023 will also see the preparatory phases of our Law Library transformation—work made possible by a lead gift from Alia Tutor '00 and the support of many other generous friends. As I announced in November, more than 12,000 of these friends contributed to the extraordinary success of The Campaign for Columbia Law, which will propel both our physical space and our ambitious, diverse intellectual community toward the future. You can stay up-to-date on the progress of the library project by visiting the Library Renovation project webpage.

Of particular note, this year marks the 100th anniversary of the graduation of Paul Robeson, Class of 1923, one of our most distinguished alumni, whose life took on many shapes—scholar, performer, athlete, humanitarian, and advocate. Robeson’s legacy burns bright at the Law School with the eponymous annual Robeson Gala organized by the Black Law Students Association, a highlight every year. This year, a host of commemorative events are planned throughout campus in celebration of this anniversary, including our own 2023 Paul L. Robeson Lecture on March 9, which will be delivered by Darren Walker, President of the Ford Foundation.

Join me in greeting the new year in keen anticipation of the opportunities that await us, as well as a spirit of reflection on the lessons and legacies to be found in our shared history.

Sending you all my best for 2023,

Gillian Lester

Dean and Lucy G. Moses Professor of Law