University of Colorado Boulder will hire Lolita Buckner Inniss as the new dean of Colorado Law, making Inniss the first African American and second woman to lead the law school.
Inniss begins July 1, according to a campus news release, and succeeds Dean James Anaya, who did not seek a second term and will continue on as a professor.
Inniss is the senior associate dean for academic affairs and a professor of law at the Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law, where she is also a distinguished professor and faculty fellow.
Inniss also accepted an appointment as a visiting professor at Colorado Law beginning in May in order to get to know students, faculty and staff and to transition into the role.
In a statement, Provost Russell Moore said Inniss impressed members of the campus community with her record as a legal scholar and vision for the law school.
“Based on my interactions with her, I am confident that she will build upon and extend the gains in accessibility, excellence, and national reputation achieved by Dean Anaya, and will take Colorado Law to all new and exciting levels of success,” Moore said.
Inniss said she is honored and delighted to be the next dean of Colorado Law.
“This is a marvelous opportunity to make further contributions to the study of law working with CU Boulder students, faculty and staff, and to help lead a dynamic and nationally recognized law school into a bold new future,” Inniss said in a statement.
