Rob Saltzman
USC Gould School of Law

Rob Saltzman studies legal and professional ethics, the learning process in law school, legislation and the political process, and disabilities issues. He oversaw USC Gould’s Academic Support Program and taught Legal Profession and Legal Analysis of Evidence.

Dean Saltzman was a member of the Los Angeles Police Commission, which oversees the L.A. Police Department. Saltzman was appointed to the position in 2007 by Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa after serving as vice president of the L.A. City Ethics Commission. He served on the Police Commission until 2016. President Obama appointed Saltzman to the White House Commission on Presidential Scholars in 2011. Saltzman has served on a number of boards and committees for national legal education organizations, including the Law School Admissions Board, National Association for Law Placement Foundation board of trustees, the Rockefeller Center for Public Policy and Civic Leadership board of visitors at Dartmouth College, and the Association of American Law Schools Section on Pre-Legal Education and Admission to Law School executive board. His writings include “Affirmative Action in Law School Admissions and Legal Employment: Facts, Observations, and Suggestions for Gatekeepers” (Insights: Issues and Opportunities for Law Deans & Hiring Attorneys, 1998).

Prior to joining USC Law in 1988, Dean Saltzman practiced with a Colorado law firm, served as legal counsel to an elected Los Angeles County supervisor, and was special counsel to the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services. He holds an A.B. from Dartmouth College and a J.D. from Harvard Law School.

Publications

• “What Would Homer Do?: Bringing Professionalism to Legal Education and Beyond.” USC Law 16 (Summer 2002).
• “The Big Lie About Affirmative Action.” The Boston Globe A15 (May 11, 1998).
• “Affirmative Action in Law School Admissions and Legal Employment: Facts, Observations, and Suggestions for Gatekeepers.” Insights: Issues and Opportunities for Law Deans and Hiring Attorneys 12 (1998).
• “Race and Law Schools.” 105 Commentary 5 (April, 1998).
• “We Want Students with Drive and Compassion.” Newsweek: How to Get Into Graduate School (1998).
• “Report of the Liaison to Pre-Law Advisors’ National Council.” National Association for Law Placement Annual Review (1992-1993), at 23.
• “Report from the National Association for Law Placement.” Newsletter of the Pre-Law Advisors National Council #1 (Spring, 1993), at 6; reprinted at I Midwest Association of Pre-Law Advisors “Briefs” #2 (Summer 1993), at 5.
• “Judge with AIDS Will Enlighten Us About the Disease.” The Los Angeles Daily Journal, December 26, 1991, at 7.

Presentations

Presentations made at Association of American Law Schools, Law School Admission Council, and Pre-Law Advisers’ National Council conferences on the following topics:

• Affirmative Action and Legal Education
• Disabilities Issues in Law School Admissions and Student Services
• Developments in the Legal Job Market
• Preparing for Standardized Tests
• Humor in Law School Admissions

Professional Honors and Activities

• Appointed by Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa to five-year term on the Los Angeles City Ethics Commission charged with enforcement of the City campaign finance laws (2005-2010).
• Received Honor awarded by the Student Bar Association in recognition of efforts to create a "humane and meaningful academic environment" at the Law School (1989).
• Received Honor presented by the Black Law Students’ Association (1995 and 1999).
• Member of the Board of Trustees of the Los Angeles Gay & Lesbian Center (1999-2001).
• Member of the Public Policy Committee of the Los Angeles Gay & Lesbian Center (1999-2001).
• Member of the Board of Advisers of the David Bohnett Foundation (1999-present).
• Member of the Board of Visitors of the Rockefeller Center for Education and Research in Public Policy and Civic Leadership, Dartmouth College (1994-2000).
• Member of the Dartmouth College Alumni Council (2000-2003).
• Member of the Board of Trustees of the National Association for Law Placement Foundation (1999-2002).
• Appointed by the National Association for Law Placement (NALP) as the NALP Liaison to the Pre-Law Advisers’ National Council (PLANC) (1992-1994).
• Member of the Board of Trustees of the Law School Admission Council (1994-1997).
• Member of the LSAC Committee on Finance and Legal Affairs (1995-1999).
• Chair of the LSAC Committee on Misconduct and Irregularities (1999-2001).
• Member of the LSAC Committee on Test Development and Research (2001-2005).
• Chair of the LSAC Skills Readiness Inventory Subcommittee (2003-2005).
• Member and chair of the LSAC Committee charged with planning and teaching the annual training workshop for law school admissions professionals (member: 1989-90; chair: 1991).
• Member of the LSAC Services and Programs Committee (1993-1995).
• Chair of the LSAC Committee charged with planning the LSAC Annual Meeting and Educational Conference (1994).
• Member of the Association of American Law Schools (AALS) Student Services Section (1990-present), member of the Section Nominating Committee (1992), and Director at Large (1993).
• Member of the AALS Section on Pre-Legal Education and Admission to Law School (1990-present),Section Secretary (1993), Vice-Chair (1994) and Chair (1995).
• Member of the Financial Aid Services Committee of the LSAC charged with overseeing financial aid programs, including the Law Access Loan Program (1990-93).
• Member of the State Bar of California Loan Forgiveness Task Force charged with encouraging expansion of loan forgiveness programs for law students in California (1990-93).
• Member of the Finance and Planning Committee of the Los Angeles County Commission on AIDS, charged with advising County government on AIDS funding priorities (1990-92).

Miscellaneous Political Activities

• Appointed by Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa to five-year term on the Los Angeles City Ethics Commission charged with enforcement of the City campaign finance laws (2005-2010).
• Member of the Board of Directors of the Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund (2001-present).
• Member of the Board of Directors of the Gay and Lesbian Leadership Institute (2005-present).
• Paid summer internship with Frank McCloskey, Mayor of Bloomington, Indiana (1976 and 1972). McCloskey was eventually elected to Congress from the 8th District of Indiana.
• Campaign work for Udall for President campaign in 1976 New Hampshire primary.
• Paid six-month internship with U.S. Representative Michael J. Harrington (D-Mass.) in 1975.

FACULTY IN THE NEWS

LLM Guide
June 5, 2023
Re: USC Gould School of Law

Law schools have been adapting to the increase in technological advancements, especially with the increased need for attorneys with the creation of AI. “Attorneys work on the front end, conducting threat assessments to ensure that their clients’ systems and data are protected, and on the back end, to navigate any legal issues that may arise as a result of the attacks," Gruzas said.

RECENT SCHOLARSHIP

Robin Craig
April, 2023

"Fish, Whales, and a Blue Ethics for the Anthropocene: How Do We Think About the Last Wild Food in the Twenty-First Century?," 95:6 Southern California Law Review 1307-1343 (April 2023).

Robin Craig
April, 2023

"California Exceptionalism in the Colorado River: A Brief History and Implications for the Future."

Robin Craig
April, 2023

"Toward a Global Sustainable Development Agenda Built on Resilience" (with Murray W. Scown, Craig R. Allen, Lance Gunderson, David G. Angeler, Jorge H. Garcia, & Ahjond Garmestani), Global Sustainability (online publication April 2023).