President Eric W. Kaler and Provost Joy K. Ward have announced that Paul Rose, associate dean for strategic initiatives at The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law, will begin as dean of Case Western Reserve University School of Law July 1, pending Board of Trustees approval next month.
“Paul brings exceptional experience to Case Western Reserve—not only as a law scholar but also as an administrative leader responsible for developing critical initiatives that have proven impact,” President Kaler said. “I am eager to see all that he can, and will, do to drive our law school forward.”
Rose’s appointment follows a national search for a successor to Jessica Berg and Michael Scharf, who led the school as co-deans for the past decade.
“I want to thank Jessica and Michael for their dedication over the past 10 years,” Provost Ward said. “Now, as we look to the law school’s future, I’m confident Paul’s experience and expertise, particularly in navigating the changing landscape of law schools nationally, make him an ideal choice to lead Case Western Reserve University School of Law.”
Rose, who also holds the J. Gilbert Reese Chair in Contract Law at Ohio State, is an expert in corporate governance, sustainable finance and public funds. He has authored more than 50 books, law review articles, essays and book chapters. For his scholarly impact, Rose was appointed to the World Bank as a senior consultant in 2019 and elected to the American Law Institute in 2023.
Since joining the Ohio State faculty in 2007—and earning tenure four years later—Rose has served in a variety of roles at the Moritz College of Law, including a decade as executive director of the Law, Finance and Governance Program and four years as the school’s associate dean for academic affairs before taking on his current role leading strategic initiatives. Among other successes in his latest position, Rose has guided Moritz College through the design and implementation of an online master’s program in legal studies for working professionals and three online certificate programs that can stand alone or can be stacked into a master’s degree.
He also has shown deep commitment to service, both inside and outside academia—as a university senator and a member of a variety of committees, including the search for Ohio State’s president in 2023, as well as through work with the American Bar Association and as a volunteer guardian ad litem/court-appointed special advocate for children.
Rose’s focus, though, has always centered on his students. His approach in the classroom has garnered a number of accolades, including the law college’s top teaching award twice and a university-wide honor from among Ohio State’s more than 7,700 faculty members. Outside the classroom, Rose has volunteered as a moot court coach, guiding teams to four national competition championships, and as faculty advisor for student organizations such as the Business Law Society, the Ohio State Business Law Journal and the Public Interest Law Foundation.
This commitment to students is one Rose will continue as he moves into his leadership role at Case Western Reserve.
“I’m dedicated to ensuring Case Western Reserve’s great students get great jobs,” Rose said, citing improving the school’s bar passage and job placement rates as his priorities.
Rose also is focused on advancing the school’s reputation, especially given the high caliber of its faculty and alumni, he said.
“Case Western Reserve has an exceptional faculty and a great alumni network,” Rose said. “The stability of the leadership has positioned the school for continued success—and I look forward to engaging with a variety of constituents and stakeholders to drive further growth and reach even greater heights.”