Guzman Installed as Dean of USC Gould

In an exuberant ceremony, Andrew Guzman was officially installed as the dean and Carl Mason Franklin Chair at USC Gould School of Law on Oct. 5.

USC President C. L. Max Nikias led the honors, highlighting the dynamism of USC Gould and of Dean Guzman himself. “In assuming his duties at the Gould School of Law, Dean Guzman joins a school whose work is both pressing and paramount; both timely and timeless,” Nikias said.

“USC Gould consistently attracts students who are intellectually engaged, curious and compassionate,” he continued, noting the recent victories for clients achieved by students in Gould’s Post-Conviction Justice Project. Nikias also highlighted the school’s consistently stellar bar passage and employment rates, as well as its ranking as a “Top 10 law school for networking” by Business Insider.

Further, Nikias detailed Guzman’s academic pedigree, describing how Guzman earned a J.D. and a Ph.D. (economics) from Harvard University before joining the faculty at UC Berkeley’s law school, where he grew their international program at a “sprinter’s pace.”

Guzman inherited his Dominican father’s “drive and ambition,” Nikias continued. “He is one of our nation’s leading scholars in international law and economics, and the author of Overheated, a book about the human cost of climate change.” Nikias further illustrated Guzman’s accomplishments by noting that he has run “eight marathons in the last 10 years.”

“Today we salute Andrew Guzman as the new dean at USC Gould School of Law. In his new role, he brings a profound commitment to innovation and he’ll do so against the backdrop of Gould’s extraordinary tradition, one that connects to a larger tapestry within the legal profession,” Nikias said before bestowing Guzman with a miniature armchair set inside a glass case. The chair symbolizes the Carl Mason Franklin Chair in Law that Guzman now holds.

Guzman, who assumed his duties at Gould on July 1, began his remarks by offering heartfelt appreciation for the momentum generated by USC’s leadership, his predecessor Robert Rasmussen, as well as Gould’s faculty, staff and “amazing” alumni who have made Gould a “superb law school.”

The law, lawyers and legal scholars, Guzman pointed out, are at the “center of the way we do everything,” from our financial markets to environmental regulations to privacy issues, even fighting terrorism. “There is no part of our lives that has not been touched by the law,” he said. “Here at Gould, we have the opportunity to contribute to a profession with a profound impression on our society and we need to recognize the critical role that the law school plays.”

“We teach law. But we also teach justice,” Guzman continued. “We prepare our students to engage the world, but we also give them a way to imagine the world as it should be.”

Dean Guzman takes the reins of a top law school from his predecessor, Prof. Robert Rasmussen (left)

Guzman next shared his vision for the school’s future.  “First, we need to open our doors wider,” he said. “We need to offer opportunities to as many students as possible. Our top priority is scholarship support. I’ve sought support for a new honors program, and for a new First Generation Professionals program. The First Gen program is not only aimed to bring first generation students to the law school, but to offer a pathway to success that starts before they even apply, continues throughout their law school career and ultimately through their professional lives.”

Guzman also expressed the importance of boosting Gould’s international presence. “A law school that wants to prepare the world’s leaders, has to be global in fundamental ways,” he said. “It is my hope that in a couple of years, we’ll have a rigorous and robust international network with other universities. The goal here is to engage as deeply as possible and prepare students — both foreign and domestic — to operate at the highest levels of global legal practice.”

On a personal note, Guzman recognized his wife Jeannie Sears and their sons Nicholas and Daniel, noting how proud he is of them for moving to a new city and starting a new life. “Having you here means so much to me,” he said.

In addition to President Nikias, Provost Michael Quick as well as key members of the president’s leadership team, trustees, deans from USC schools, alumni, faculty, students and friends attended the ceremony at Town & Gown.