Dean Rasmussen: Practice Law with Purpose

Dean Rasmussen offers rewarding career and educational advice to USC Gould students. by Ahmanielle Hall If law students wondered what life is like in the shoes of Dean Robert K. Rasmussen, they were given an inspirational glimpse yesterday of the strides he took toward what he called his “life’s calling” to be dean of the USC Gould School of Law. “I could never imagine being anyplace else,” he said. Although Dean Rasmussen has found his niche in cultivating the potential of law students at USC, he said that when he went to law school, he didn’t arrive with the most “developed” background. His father had been killed in the service when he was 13 months old, and he was raised in a single-parent home. His mother worked as a nurse, and it was her zest for educational success that inspired him to pursue higher education. “My mother told me the only way to move forward was to suck it up and get an education.” She received a scholarship to attend UCLA for her master’s degree, and it was then that Dean Rasmussen got his first chance to assert his alliance with USC. “It was 1969, and there I was, this obnoxious 9-year-old USC fan in the midst of the UCLA student section at the football game,” he said. Although a Trojan fan from a young age, he said he has respect and admiration for UCLA for helping his mother provide a better life for the two of them. “You will never hear me say a bad word about UCLA; it changed my life.” Without a long line of professionals in his family, Dean Rasmussen set out on his own educational journey. He received his B.A. from Loyola University of Chicago and attended law school at the University of Chicago. Dean Rasmussen recalled that his first year in law school was nerve-racking and stressful, but an opportune moment as he walked the halls of the University of Chicago placed him on the path towards being an educator.

Dean Rasmussen found his first job on a bulletin board posting similar to this one posted at USC Gould.

“I found a note posted on the bulletin board for a research assistant position,” he said. Being a research assistant helped him discover that he would enjoy teaching law, and with the help of two research professors who served as mentors, he began working toward his professional career. He served as a clerk for the Honorable Judge John C. Godbold in the United States Court of Appeals for the 11^th Circuit in Montgomery, Ala. He also worked in the appellate courts for the U.S. Department of Justice. He was then offered a job at Vanderbilt to teach law and worked there for 18 years. Although he enjoyed teaching, he took a position as the associate dean. He told students that he had turned down many opportunities to serve as dean at law schools across the country, but when it came to the opportunity at USC, “it struck a nerve.” The 9-year-old USC fan inside cheered for him to jump at the opportunity and he “threw his hat in the ring” for the position. “I went from a reluctant candidate to waiting by the phone,” he said. Dean Rasmussen “loved” the strong Trojan network and USC Gould’s “unmatched history of innovation in law.” As proof, he cited the establishment of the first law clinic in 1929 at USC under John S. Bradway, which later grew to become the Los Angeles Legal Aid Foundation. His appointment as dean in 2007 was what he called “an incredible opportunity.” He said USC Gould is a pioneer in interdisciplinary studies that emphasizes the value of networking with professional students across USC’s campus. “We have the strongest constellation of professional students; as lawyers we work for people and we have to learn how to work with other professionals,” he said. “An alumnus once told me that the biggest problem for first year associates is not practicing the law; the biggest problem is that they can’t figure out the needs of the client.That’s why it is important to connect with other professionals on campus.” He said he truly believes in USC Gould and loves Los Angeles as its home base because it is exciting, diverse and embodies the future of the world -- a perfect setting for molding future attorneys. He said that his job comes with an additional benefit: he gets to teach contracts and commercial lending, an experience that he says tells him why he’s here at USC.

Dean Rasmussen discusses class progress with his former students after his presentation.

“Forget tuition; anyone can pay tuition, but how can I, in three years, give you an education to sustain a career of 50? That comes from our ability to teach you how to think, rigorously analyze and work with professionals,” he said. When asked about the decline of law school applications and what appears to be a saturated market when it comes to practicing law, Dean Rasmussen was hopeful about future forecasts for both USC Gould and the profession in its entirety. “I am grateful to be at USC,” he said. “When I look at outcomes for USC students, they remain successful regardless.” He did note that although there are many challenges in the industry, students will be well prepared for them if they are not afraid to grasp opportunities that come their way. “When opportunities come your way you have to take them; you never know where they may lead you.” Watch a video of the dean's talk.