David Schizer
Encyclopedia
David M. Schizer was named the fourteenth Dean
of Columbia Law School
in 2004. He was appointed dean at the age of 35, making him the youngest dean in the school's history and one of the youngest deans of a top law school.
One of the nation's leading experts in tax law
, Schizer worked at Davis Polk & Wardwell
prior to joining the Columbia Law faculty in 1998. Schizer is occasionally mentioned as a potential future United States Supreme Court nominee.
As dean, Schizer has more than doubled the amount of support given to Columbia Law School
, significantly broadening the base of donors that contribute leadership gifts. In the 2007-08 academic year, philanthropic support in excess of $37 million was raised to fund faculty scholarship, new professorships and student debt relief.
Schizer has also strengthened Columbia’s support for students and graduates working in government and public interest jobs. In spring of 2007 he announced guaranteed summer funding for all J.D. students working in public interest internships. In 2008 Schizer announced significant enhancements to Columbia Law School’s Loan Repayment Assistance Program (LRAP) by doubling the income threshold, accelerating loan forgiveness and enhancing benefits to working parents.
To broaden the curriculum and create the opportunity for more intense interactions between faculty and students, Schizer has begun to grow the faculty while greatly enlarging the student body (by almost 25% in the past five years). Since his tenure as dean began, 22 new faculty have been appointed. In the summer of 2008, construction of a new floor in Jerome Greene Hall will be completed providing 38 new faculty offices.
Schizer is a graduate of Yale University
where he earned his B.A., M.A. and J.D. degrees. Schizer clerked for U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg
for the 1994-95 term, and for Judge Alex Kozinski
of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit from 1993-94 term. Schizer is a member of the Federalist Society
.
Schizer continues to teach a colloquium on tax, and a course on professional responsibility. Prior to his appointment as dean, Schizer served as the Wilbur H. Friedman Professor of Tax Law at Columbia Law School. He started a highly popular Deals course, bringing students, academics and practitioners together to examine the art of the deal in the real world. For his ingenuity in the classroom, students awarded him the Willis L.M. Reese Prize for Excellence in Teaching.
Schizer was an internal candidate for the dean's position. The head of the search committee, Professor Michael C. Dorf
, has noted in interviews that several of Columbia's rival schools had recently appointed new and "relatively … young" deans. Dorf added that the excitement around a young, 'star' dean poses a fundraising challenge for competing schools. Even so, Schizer was eight years younger than Harvard Law School
dean Elena Kagan
was when she was appointed at the age of 43.
Many Columbia Law School students celebrated Schizer's appointment as dean for getting rid of the required classes Foundations of the Regulatory State and Perspectives on Legal Thought. This was commemorated in a Columbia Law Revue song, "Suddenly Schizer".
Dean (education)
In academic administration, a dean is a person with significant authority over a specific academic unit, or over a specific area of concern, or both...
of Columbia Law School
Columbia Law School
Columbia Law School, founded in 1858, is one of the oldest and most prestigious law schools in the United States. A member of the Ivy League, Columbia Law School is one of the professional graduate schools of Columbia University in New York City. It offers the J.D., LL.M., and J.S.D. degrees in...
in 2004. He was appointed dean at the age of 35, making him the youngest dean in the school's history and one of the youngest deans of a top law school.
One of the nation's leading experts in tax law
Tax law
Tax law is the codified system of laws that describes government levies on economic transactions, commonly called taxes.-Major issues:Primary taxation issues facing the governments world over include;* taxes on income and wealth...
, Schizer worked at Davis Polk & Wardwell
Davis Polk & Wardwell
Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP is an international law firm. The firm employs more than 800 attorneys worldwide and is headquartered in New York City. The firm represents many of the world's largest companies and leading financial institutions, and is best known for its corporate and litigation...
prior to joining the Columbia Law faculty in 1998. Schizer is occasionally mentioned as a potential future United States Supreme Court nominee.
As dean, Schizer has more than doubled the amount of support given to Columbia Law School
Columbia Law School
Columbia Law School, founded in 1858, is one of the oldest and most prestigious law schools in the United States. A member of the Ivy League, Columbia Law School is one of the professional graduate schools of Columbia University in New York City. It offers the J.D., LL.M., and J.S.D. degrees in...
, significantly broadening the base of donors that contribute leadership gifts. In the 2007-08 academic year, philanthropic support in excess of $37 million was raised to fund faculty scholarship, new professorships and student debt relief.
Schizer has also strengthened Columbia’s support for students and graduates working in government and public interest jobs. In spring of 2007 he announced guaranteed summer funding for all J.D. students working in public interest internships. In 2008 Schizer announced significant enhancements to Columbia Law School’s Loan Repayment Assistance Program (LRAP) by doubling the income threshold, accelerating loan forgiveness and enhancing benefits to working parents.
To broaden the curriculum and create the opportunity for more intense interactions between faculty and students, Schizer has begun to grow the faculty while greatly enlarging the student body (by almost 25% in the past five years). Since his tenure as dean began, 22 new faculty have been appointed. In the summer of 2008, construction of a new floor in Jerome Greene Hall will be completed providing 38 new faculty offices.
Schizer is a graduate of Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
where he earned his B.A., M.A. and J.D. degrees. Schizer clerked for U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg
Ruth Bader Ginsburg
Ruth Joan Bader Ginsburg is an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. Ginsburg was appointed by President Bill Clinton and took the oath of office on August 10, 1993. She is the second female justice and the first Jewish female justice.She is generally viewed as belonging to...
for the 1994-95 term, and for Judge Alex Kozinski
Alex Kozinski
Alex Kozinski is Chief Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, an essayist, and a judicial commentator.-Biography:...
of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit from 1993-94 term. Schizer is a member of the Federalist Society
Federalist Society
The Federalist Society for Law and Public Policy Studies, most frequently called simply the Federalist Society, is an organization of conservatives seeking reform of the current American legal system in accordance with a textualist and/or originalist interpretation of the U.S. Constitution...
.
Schizer continues to teach a colloquium on tax, and a course on professional responsibility. Prior to his appointment as dean, Schizer served as the Wilbur H. Friedman Professor of Tax Law at Columbia Law School. He started a highly popular Deals course, bringing students, academics and practitioners together to examine the art of the deal in the real world. For his ingenuity in the classroom, students awarded him the Willis L.M. Reese Prize for Excellence in Teaching.
Schizer was an internal candidate for the dean's position. The head of the search committee, Professor Michael C. Dorf
Michael C. Dorf
Michael C. Dorf is an American law professor and a noted U.S. constitutional law scholar. He is currently a Professor of Law at Cornell Law School. In addition to constitutional law, Professor Dorf has taught courses in civil procedure and federal courts...
, has noted in interviews that several of Columbia's rival schools had recently appointed new and "relatively … young" deans. Dorf added that the excitement around a young, 'star' dean poses a fundraising challenge for competing schools. Even so, Schizer was eight years younger than Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School is one of the professional graduate schools of Harvard University. Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, it is the oldest continually-operating law school in the United States and is home to the largest academic law library in the world. The school is routinely ranked by the U.S...
dean Elena Kagan
Elena Kagan
Elena Kagan is an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States, serving since August 7, 2010. Kagan is the Court's 112th justice and fourth female justice....
was when she was appointed at the age of 43.
Many Columbia Law School students celebrated Schizer's appointment as dean for getting rid of the required classes Foundations of the Regulatory State and Perspectives on Legal Thought. This was commemorated in a Columbia Law Revue song, "Suddenly Schizer".