The University of Connecticut has reappointed Eboni S. Nelson to a second five-year term as dean of its School of Law, effective August 1, 2025.

“Since her appointment in July 2020, Dean Nelson has successfully led the School of Law through a period of both challenge and significant progress,” UConn Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs Anne D’Alleva shared in an announcement. “Her steady, visionary leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic and the years that followed advanced the Law School’s academic and scholarly excellence, student success and well-being, and community engagement.”

“I am truly honored to be reappointed as dean of the University of Connecticut School of Law,” said Dean Nelson. “Over the past five years, we have made great progress toward expanding access to justice, deepening our scholarly impact, and preparing students to be service-minded leaders and legal professionals as they advance justice and protect the rule of law. These accomplishments would not have been possible without the hard work and dedication of our exceptional staff, faculty, students, and alumni. I sincerely thank them, Provost D’Alleva, UConn colleagues, and community partners for their assistance and support. I look forward to building on our momentum as we strengthen our curriculum, advance belonging, and innovate legal education to meet the evolving needs of our society and profession.”

Provost D’Alleva praised Dean Nelson’s leadership, under which the School of Law has achieved strong academic outcomes and expanded opportunities for students. First-time bar passage rates reached 85% in July 2024, and graduate employment outcomes have improved significantly, with 92% of the most recent three classes securing full-time, long-term positions or pursuing graduate education within ten months of graduation. The Law School has expanded experiential offerings through the creation of four new clinics, broadened international opportunities, including an LL.M. pathway in European Law with the University of Liège in Belgium, and supported students’ well-being through the creation of the Husky Harvest Food Pantry and Clothing Closet.

Dean Nelson is also recognized for strengthening the Law School’s scholarly profile and enhancing its reputation and impact through external engagement. Faculty have secured nearly $2 million in grant funding, engaged in rigorous and relevant scholarship and legislative advocacy, published in top law journals, and obtained numerous prestigious fellowships and awards. She launched new internal initiatives to support faculty research and development, created intellectual life programs that brought nationally recognized speakers to campus, and increased visibility through conferences, judicial engagement, and community partnerships.

A sustained focus on diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging has led to meaningful institutional progress. The Law School enrolled its most racially and ethnically diverse class in Fall 2023 while simultaneously achieving record-setting increases in the class’s academic profile. Dean Nelson established the Office of Diversity, Belonging, and Community Engagement; created new pathway and outreach programs such as the Lifting the Law Program in collaboration with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Hartford and Otis Elevator; and appointed the inaugural Assistant Dean for Diversity, Belonging, and Community Engagement.

Philanthropic support has grown substantially under Dean Nelson’s leadership as she has deepened relationships with alumni, donors, and the broader legal community. She has advanced key fundraising priorities including student scholarships, public interest fellowships, faculty support, and community-facing programs.

“[Dean Nelson] is widely viewed as an empathetic, collaborative, and visionary leader who is deeply committed to the people and success of the Law School,” said Provost D’Alleva.  “Please join me in congratulating Dean Nelson on her reappointment, and in thanking her for her unwavering dedication to the success of the UConn School of Law. I look forward to continuing our collective efforts to advance the Law School’s mission and its impact on the community.”