Rooted in Tradition, Focused on the Future

The Fordham mission is clear: to prepare students not only for the challenges of the legal profession but also to lead with integrity, resilience, discernment, and vision in a rapidly changing world. As I approach the end of my first year as dean, I am energized by the progress we’ve made and inspired by the collective efforts of our community so that Fordham Law remains a beacon of excellence in legal education and a force for good in the profession and society.

Throughout the year, I have been working closely with our faculty and staff professionals to shape and communicate our goals, and we have the plans to achieve them. Meeting these goals will require decisive action, unrelenting determination, resilience, and a steadfast willingness to do the hard work that is necessary to take Fordham to even greater heights.

It all starts with mindset. We’re renewing our commitment to equip our graduates with not just the skills but the mindset to excel. Whether you call it being practice-ready, resourceful, or driven to persevere, Fordham graduates distinguish themselves by their ability to hit the ground running, step into leadership roles, and make meaningful contributions from day one. We do this by combining rigorous academic study with a real-life sense of law in action. This means fostering a grasp of the norms, values, and expectations that underlie legal systems and institutions while developing the practical ability to navigate new challenges for the profession. It means embracing our mission of service and commitment to community. And it means approaching those around us with empathy and respect as we deepen our shared commitment to putting the practice of law in the service of a better world.

The Fordham mindset is one of approaching the profession with a strong ethical compass and embracing a wide range of career opportunities—whether in private practice, government, or nonprofits. It demands adaptability, resourcefulness, and an unwavering commitment to making a meaningful impact.

At Fordham, we expect a great deal from our students and graduates, and they, in turn, rightly expect a great deal from our Law School. By fostering and enshrining these qualities as paramount values essential to our culture, we provide value to our students and the legal profession and also continue to strengthen the School’s reputation as a premier institution for legal education.

Making civil discourse foundational to our School’s culture means developing lawyers who understand the importance of engaging with, empathizing with, and respecting opposing views. Our profession is rooted in deep and probing inquiry, and spirited debate is essential to a complete legal education. Great lawyers can evaluate issues from all sides, and Fordham lawyers are recognized for their service to clients across the profession. With civil discourse under strain, we are determined to foster rigorous debate and promote an environment where students are encouraged to engage across difference, disagree with grace, and appreciate that we are all on the same team—team Fordham—to produce some of the finest lawyers and legal minds in the nation.

I am immensely proud of how our community of faculty, professionals, students, and alumni has embraced this call to action. Through this commitment, we cultivate maturity, humility, and respect for others while seeking to expand our understanding of the complexities inherent in law, our ideals, and the goals that guide our social, business, political, and professional lives.

Training the best lawyers requires not only preparing students to serve the law as it is practiced now but equipping them with the skills and knowledge for the legal world of the future. This is why we are dedicating significant resources to the thoughtful innovation of our curriculum. Naturally, it will continue to include doctrinal courses and clinics, but we are also focused on fostering mentorship and professionalism, building skills in dispute resolution and business development, and preparing students for the transformative changes brought about by technology.

At the forefront of these efforts is preparing students to deeply understand, address, and productively apply new technologies, including the use of artificial intelligence, which is reshaping—and will only continue to exert its transformative impact on—the legal profession. We are proud to offer new courses, experiential opportunities, conferences, and competition teams that allow students to grapple with these critical and complex issues.

Our students are participating in some of the most probing and nuanced conversations about the responsible use of AI, debating how it will transform vast areas of law—from antitrust to consumer protection and from intellectual property to corporate governance. We are committed not only to understanding the changes and transformations that technology will bring but to leading the way. Our vision is to establish ourselves as an unrivaled leader in this field—a trusted, sought-after source of insight, counsel, and guidance as the legal profession and society navigate the challenges and opportunities of an increasingly dynamic and unpredictable technological landscape.

Attracting and supporting world-class faculty is central to our mission and reflects Fordham’s national and global recognition as a leader in legal scholarship. Our research mission is driven by bold insights and the pursuit of new understandings, creating a dynamic learning environment that inspires our students to see their own potential to contribute meaningfully to the profession. By fostering innovative research and collaboration, our faculty address the critical legal challenges of our time while preparing our students to lead with insight and impact.

We are also committed to deepening our involvement with the legal profession by bringing distinguished attorneys from private firms and the public sector into the school as teachers, mentors, and guest speakers. These collaborations enrich our students’ education—blending theoretical rigor with practical application in our distinct Fordham way—and also strengthen the School’s connections with the legal community, enabling our graduates to shape the reforms necessary to address society’s most pressing challenges.

During my 15 years as a professor, and now as dean, I have been continually inspired by the spirit of devotion and commitment our alumni show whenever they are called upon. I constantly learn from their insights, experiences, and passions, and I am truly excited about the opportunities to strengthen our ties and collaborate more closely. By connecting more regularly and in more meaningful ways, we can amplify our collective impact. Together, we will become the force multiplier that elevates our students, strengthens our mission, and propels Fordham Law to even greater heights.

This is a key moment for Fordham Law—a time to grow, thrive, and seize endless opportunities as we build an institution that not only responds to the needs of today but anticipates the challenges of tomorrow. I am inspired by these responsibilities and committed with every fiber of my being to fulfilling them.

In shared purpose,

Joseph Landau
Dean and Paul Fuller Professor of Law