Dean Marc Miller to Step Down After 12 Years of Transformative Leadership at University of Arizona Law

Marc L. Miller, Dean of the University of Arizona James E. Rogers College of Law, has announced that he will step down from his role in January 2025 after 12 years of service. As one of the longest-serving deans among U.S. law schools, Miller leaves a legacy of transformative growth, having cemented Arizona Law as a national leader in innovation and legal education.

Reflecting on his time as dean, Miller shared, “I feel an overwhelming sense of pride and gratitude for all we have achieved together. It has been an enormous privilege to work alongside such brilliant and passionate faculty, staff, students, university partners, alumni, and supporters.” 

Since becoming dean in November 2012, Miller has led the college through significant initiatives. Among these is the nation’s first undergraduate BA in Law program, launched in partnership with the School of Government and Public Policy and the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences. This program now serves more than 1,900 students worldwide, both in person and online, including at microcampuses in countries such as China and Cambodia.

Miller’s innovative approach also brought about the creation of the JD-Next exam and the first-in-the-nation acceptance of the GRE for JD admissions, setting the stage for increased access to legal education. Following Arizona Law’s lead, Harvard and now more than half of U.S. law schools have embraced the GRE as an admissions pathway. Under Miller’s guidance, the JD program has achieved record highs in academic achievement, diversity, and employment outcomes. In 2023, 90.35% of graduates secured full-time, long-term legal positions—the highest rate in college history—while the college maintained a longstanding tradition of placing graduates in competitive clerkships.

Throughout his tenure, Miller has welcomed over 45 faculty members who have contributed to a vibrant intellectual community known for its high-impact scholarship. In 2024, Arizona Law faculty were ranked 17th among public law schools and 38th overall in scholarly impact, according to the Sisk et al. study.

“I’m proud that our efforts have not only broadened access to legal education but also positioned Arizona Law at the forefront of addressing pressing societal issues,” said Miller. “Our work with the Arizona Supreme Court, for example, resulted in the development of the Legal Paraprofessional certification, which is expanding critical legal services in underserved areas, and for which we provide essential training.” 

Miller also championed the growth of Arizona Law’s endowment, leading successful fundraising campaigns that have supported key initiatives and expanded the college’s resources. Under his leadership, the endowment has grown by $26 million, funding new endowed scholarships and professorships. This year, the College also celebrated the completion of the state-of-the-art courtrooms and advocacy spaces that are part of the “A New Day in Court” project.

"Dean Marc Miller's visionary leadership has transformed the James E. Rogers College of Law over the past 12 years, making a great impact on access to legal education and innovation in the field," noted Ronald Marx, the Interim Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost. "His dedication to broadening access has made legal education more inclusive. We are deeply grateful for his service and look forward to his continued contributions to our academic community in his new role."

As Miller prepares to step down, he plans to take a research leave before returning to the classroom as a member of the law faculty.

“As I look ahead, I am eager to return to the classroom, and to have more time for scholarship,” said Miller. “I will be able to focus more on key global initiatives, including the pathbreaking JD partnership with the University of Technology Sydney. … While I am stepping down as dean, my commitment to our students and our community’s success remains as strong as ever.”

Key Accomplishments Under Dean Marc Miller’s Leadership:

• Became the first law school to accept the GRE for general JD admissions and developed and implemented the JD-Next exam, opening doors for non-traditional and underrepresented students to pursue legal education, and to succeed. Harvard Law followed Arizona’s lead in accepting the GRE, and today more than half of U.S. law schools offer the GRE as an admissions option.
• Spearheaded the creation of the first undergraduate law degree in the U.S., in partnership with the School of Government and Public Policy and the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences, now serving over 1,900 students in Tucson, online, and globally.
• Launch of the Masters of Legal Studies program for non-lawyers, training professionals in areas such as compliance, health law, regulatory science, dispute resolution, family law, criminal law, and mining and cannabis law, with the vast majority of students fully online.
• Hired more than 45 faculty since 2012 – well over half the current faculty – in tenure track, continuing status track, and career track roles, as traditional teachers and researchers, clinicians, librarians, global faculty, and as part of one of the most highly rated legal writing programs in the country.
• Partnered with the court to develop the Legal Paraprofessional certification, addressing the access-to-justice gap by enabling non-lawyers to provide legal services in underserved areas like family law. Worked with the Supreme Court on the Court’s February Bar option, and the Court’s new Arizona Lawyer Apprentice Program (ALAP) initiative.
• Established a first-of-its-kind partnership with the University of Technology Sydney (UTS), offering a fully U.S.-accredited JD program in Australia, providing international students with a unique pathway to a U.S. legal education without leaving Sydney, to admit its first students in fall 2025. 
• Established a partnership with the Mexican Foreign Ministry to train diplomats and diplomatic staff in the fundamentals of US law.
• Celebrated the completion of a state-of-the-art courtroom and advocacy spaces renovation, set to enhance the law school’s commitment to practical, hands-on legal education.
• Arizona Law achieved record-high employment rates for graduates, including the 2023 graduating class with the highest employment record in college history.
• Advanced and increased diversity and inclusion through numerous programs and scholarships, reducing student debt and allowing graduates to pursue a wider range of career opportunities without excessive financial burdens. 
• Championed the continued growth and impact of Arizona Law’s world-renowned Indigenous Peoples Law and Policy Program.
• Successful fundraising with regular and major gifts including two new endowed professorships – the Robert H. Mundheim Professorship and the Desmond and Jean Ruley Kearns Professorship.
• Supported partnerships throughout the University of Arizona colleges on courses, degrees, and dual degrees, and research including the new dual and accelerated degree pathways to law librarianship with the College of Information Science.