USD Law Advocate, Spring 2026

DEAN’S MESSAGE

experiential learning spaces and create welcoming environments that reflect the caliber and ambition of our community. These improvements are investments not only in bricks and mortar, but in the generations of lawyers who will learn, lead and serve. Our faculty are building a better world through scholarship and service. Their thought leadership influences courts, policymakers and practitioners across the country and around the globe. In this issue, we are honored to pay tribute to scholar, mentor and beloved teacher Professor Roy L. Brooks as he retires after 47 years at USD Law. We are also delighted to welcome six outstanding new faculty members whose expertise spans critical and emerging areas of law. Their arrival strengthens our intellectual community and ensures that our students are learning at the forefront of legal development. USD Law’s commitment to student success remains unwavering. This fall, we welcomed an exceptionally talented and accomplished 1L class whose academic credentials and diverse experiences promise to enrich the community. We have expanded the international LLM offerings and certificate programs to meet the needs of students outside the U.S. Beyond the classroom, our advocacy competition teams have distin guished themselves on the national stage, earning top honors and demonstrating the skill, professionalism and preparation that define a USD Law education. None of this progress would be possible without you. As alumni and friends, you continue to inspire us through your achievements and generosity. Your sup port of scholarships, clinics and campus improvements directly empowers students and expands our impact. It is an exciting and consequential time for USD School of Law. Thank you for being part of this commu nity and for helping us build a better world—together. I look forward to welcoming you back to campus soon.

T his year’s magazine theme, Building a Better World , captures our aspirations and daily work at USD School of Law. Across campus and throughout the community, students, faculty and alumni are advancing justice, strengthening legal institutions and expanding opportunities to make a tangible difference. I am proud to share a few of the many ways USD Law is living out that mission. At the heart of our impact are the 13 legal clinics and three policy centers, which continue to transform lives while shaping practice-ready lawyers. Through direct representation, policy advocacy and community part nerships, students are addressing urgent needs from negotiating settlements for tenants facing homelessness and supporting immigrants seeking asylum to advocat ing for the innocent and safeguarding civil rights. Clinic by clinic, case by case, they are building a better world by ensuring that the promise of justice is accessible to all. We are building for the future in a very literal sense. Our Designing for the Future facilities campaign is reimagining the campus to support collaboration, innovation and excellence in legal education. Planned renovations will modernize classrooms, expand

ROBERT A. SCHAPIRO Dean and C. Hugh Friedman Professor of Law

SPRING 2026

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