Wendy F. Hensel, associate dean for faculty and research development and professor of law, has been selected to serve as interim dean of Georgia State University College of Law for the 2017-18 academic year while the university conducts a national search for a new dean beginning with the 2018-19 academic year.
Kavita Pandit, associate provost for faculty affairs, and Richard Phillips, dean of Robinson College of Business, are co-chairing the national search.
“President Becker and I are excited to have Wendy serve in this capacity during the upcoming year,” said Risa Palm, Georgia State provost and senior vice president for academic affairs. “We look forward to working with Wendy to continue progress on the strategic plans for both the college and the university.”
Dean Steven J. Kaminshine, professor of law, is stepping down this summer to return to the faculty. “Wendy is a special talent who has distinguished herself through her leadership in overseeing the program for faculty development and research,” he said. “The college will be in great hands while it moves forward in the upcoming academic year.”
Hensel has been with the college since 1999. “I feel passionately about our students, our faculty and our mission,” she said. “I am incredibly proud of our programs and commitment to affordable legal education and consider it a privilege to provide leadership during this time.”
This spring, Hensel will work with Kaminshine to ensure a seamless transition for the college.
“We have been fortunate to have excellent leadership from Dean Kaminshine over the last 12 years,” Hensel said. “I hope to continue that tradition of excellence and facilitate a seamless transition to new leadership of the college.”
In addition to her teaching and research duties, Hensel has served as associate dean for faculty and research development since 2012 and chaired the college’s strategic planning committee in that role.
“Legal education is evolving rapidly, and it is critical that we continue to innovate and move forward on our strategic plan next year,” Hensel said. “I hope not only to continue our forward momentum but to support new initiatives that will help us continue our tradition of excellence in the coming years.”
Prior to her academic career, Hensel was an associate at Alston & Bird LLP and clerked for Judge Orinda Evans in U.S. District Court. She served as an intern at the U.S. Supreme Court.
Hensel graduated from Michigan State University and earned her J.D. at Harvard Law School. Her research interests include disability, education, employment and tort law.