BYU Law School

BYU Law Names New Dean

Brigham Young University has named David H. Moore the new dean of the J. Reuben Clark Law School.

“David has a strong vision for the positive impact that BYU Law can have on BYU and for the future of our students both in and out of the classroom,” Brigham Young University President C. Shane Reese says in a press release. “His academic and legal credentials are outstanding, but I am most impressed with his commitment to the spiritual mission of the university and his keen understanding of BYU Law’s unique approach to legal education.”

EXTENSIVE EXPERIENCE

Moore replaces D. Gordon Smith, who has been serving as dean of BYU’s law school since 2016 and will return to teaching and research at the law school following a sabbatical.

On Smith’s departure from the dean position, Reese stated:

“Gordon has made important contributions to the university and BYU Law. Under his leadership, BYU Law is flourishing and has made significant transformation in key areas, including legal innovation, technology, law and corpus linguistics, scholarship and global engagement. We will miss his leadership at BYU Law but know that our students will be blessed by his return to the classroom.”

Moore, who joined BYU Law in 2008, holds the Sterling and Eleanor Colton Endowed Chair in Law and served as associate director of the International Center for Law and Religion Studies. He has extensive experience in foreign relations law, international law, international human rights, and international development.

Prior to his tenure at BYU, Moore served as a law clerk for US Supreme Court Justice Samuel A. Alito, Jr. He has conducted research and taught at esteemed institutions such as George Washington University Law School, University of Kentucky College of Law, and University of Chicago Law School. Moore also gained experience as an Honor Program trial attorney in the Federal Programs Branch of the US Department of Justice, Civil Division.

Sources: BYU Law, BYU Law