Susan Westerberg Prager
Encyclopedia
Susan Westerberg Prager became the sixth Association of American Law Schools Executive Vice President and Executive Director on September 1, 2008. She is an American
legal scholar and administrator and was dean of the UCLA School of Law
from 1982 to 1998, being one of the first female deans of a law school
in the United States. Prager served the longest tenure of any dean in UCLA Law history, and was the first alum to become dean of the UCLA School of Law. During her term at the UCLA School of Law, she became the second woman to serve as the president of the Association of American Law Schools
. Prior to law school, she worked in the U.S. Senate, the U.S. House of Representatives, and the California State Assembly.
Prager was born in Sacramento, California
, and grew up in Sloughhouse, California
, a small town outside of Sacramento. She received her undergraduate degree in history from Stanford University
in 1964, and she later received a master's degree
in history, also from Stanford, and she served for fourteen years as a trustee of Stanford University. She received her law degree from UCLA and was editor-in-chief of the UCLA Law Review. She practiced law at Powe, Porter & Alphin in Durham, N.C. before returning to the UCLA School of Law faculty where she focused on family law, community property, and historic preservation law. She was also provost
of Dartmouth College
and president of Occidental College
. Early in her career, she worked for a number of legislators, including U.S. Senator Thomas Kuchel
of California
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
legal scholar and administrator and was dean of the UCLA School of Law
UCLA School of Law
The UCLA School of Law is the law school of the University of California, Los Angeles. It has been approved by the American Bar Association since 1950. It joined the Association of American Law Schools in 1952.- History :...
from 1982 to 1998, being one of the first female deans of a law school
Law school
A law school is an institution specializing in legal education.- Law degrees :- Canada :...
in the United States. Prager served the longest tenure of any dean in UCLA Law history, and was the first alum to become dean of the UCLA School of Law. During her term at the UCLA School of Law, she became the second woman to serve as the president of the Association of American Law Schools
Association of American Law Schools
The Association of American Law Schools is a non-profit organization of 170 law schools in the United States. Another 25 schools are "non-member fee paid" schools, which are not members but choose to pay AALS dues. Its purpose is to improve the legal profession through the improvement of legal...
. Prior to law school, she worked in the U.S. Senate, the U.S. House of Representatives, and the California State Assembly.
Prager was born in Sacramento, California
Sacramento, California
Sacramento is the capital city of the U.S. state of California and the county seat of Sacramento County. It is located at the confluence of the Sacramento River and the American River in the northern portion of California's expansive Central Valley. With a population of 466,488 at the 2010 census,...
, and grew up in Sloughhouse, California
Sloughhouse, California
Sloughhouse is an unincorporated community in Sacramento County, California, United States. Sloughhouse is located on California State Route 16 east-southeast of downtown Sacramento. Sloughhouse has a post office with ZIP code 95683, which was established in 1916. Jared Sheldon, who built a...
, a small town outside of Sacramento. She received her undergraduate degree in history from Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
in 1964, and she later received a master's degree
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
in history, also from Stanford, and she served for fourteen years as a trustee of Stanford University. She received her law degree from UCLA and was editor-in-chief of the UCLA Law Review. She practiced law at Powe, Porter & Alphin in Durham, N.C. before returning to the UCLA School of Law faculty where she focused on family law, community property, and historic preservation law. She was also provost
Provost (education)
A provost is the senior academic administrator at many institutions of higher education in the United States, Canada and Australia, the equivalent of a pro-vice-chancellor at some institutions in the United Kingdom and Ireland....
of Dartmouth College
Dartmouth College
Dartmouth College is a private, Ivy League university in Hanover, New Hampshire, United States. The institution comprises a liberal arts college, Dartmouth Medical School, Thayer School of Engineering, and the Tuck School of Business, as well as 19 graduate programs in the arts and sciences...
and president of Occidental College
Occidental College
Occidental College is a private, coeducational liberal arts college located in the Eagle Rock neighborhood of Los Angeles, California. Founded in 1887, Occidental College, or "Oxy" as it is called by students and alumni, is one of the oldest liberal arts colleges on the West Coast...
. Early in her career, she worked for a number of legislators, including U.S. Senator Thomas Kuchel
Thomas Kuchel
Thomas Henry Kuchel was a moderate Republican U.S. Senator from California. From 1959 to 1969 he was the minority whip in the Senate, where he was the co-manager on the floor for the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965.-Biography:Kuchel was born in Anaheim in Orange County,...
of California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
.