Professor Jill Family named Associate Dean for Faculty Research and Development
Widener University Commonwealth Law is thrilled to announce that Professor Jill E. Family has been appointed as the Associate Dean for Faculty Research and Development. This appointment promises to amplify the law school's commitment to academic excellence and innovation.
"Our faculty has a proud tradition of legal scholarship that influences law reform at both the state and federal levels. I'm honored to help continue these efforts and to expand our footprint," said Professor Family.
Professor Family brings a remarkable breadth of expertise to this role. As the faculty advisor for the Law and Government Institute, she helps students develop rewarding careers in public service and helps develop programming that educates the public on government law.
An acclaimed scholar, Professor Family leads the discussion on the intersections of immigration law and administrative law. Her contributions have been pivotal in various academic and policy forums, including a significant role in a U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee hearing. Her prolific scholarship has been published in leading U.S., British, and Spanish law journals.
In her new role, Professor Family will advance faculty research goals and development initiatives. She will provide support to faculty to pursue groundbreaking research.
Dean andré douglas pond cummings expressed his enthusiasm: “Professor Family is a terrific scholar, known internationally for her critically important work in immigration law and administrative law, and will lead our law school's efforts to continue to produce transformative scholarship that impacts the region, state, and nation.” Dean cummings added, “She will also provide valuable mentoring to our junior faculty and enhance the scholarly culture of Widener Law Commonwealth." (Dean cummings uses lowercase letters in the legal spelling of his name.)
Professor Family's accolades include serving as Chair of the American Bar Association's Section of Administrative Law and Regulatory Practice and being an elected member of the American Law Institute. Her work has earned her numerous awards, including the prestigious Douglas E. Ray Excellence in Faculty Scholarship Award in 2011 and 2022.
