John Gotanda Named the Sixth Dean of VLS
John Y. Gotanda, one of the world’s leading authorities on damages in international law, has been named the sixth Dean of Villanova University School of Law. The appointment marks the conclusion of a national search spearheaded by a committee of Villanova trustees, faculty, administrators, and alumni.
In announcing the appointment, the Rev. Peter M. Donohue, O.S.A., Ph.D., University President, said, “We’re incredibly fortunate to have a legal scholar and academic leader of John Gotanda’s caliber. John’s exceptional qualifications, impressive vision, and strong leadership abilities—combined with his proven commitment to Villanova’s Catholic and Augustinian mission—make him uniquely qualified to lead the School of Law as it achieves new levels of excellence in the coming years.”
Dean Gotanda’s vision for the Villanova School of Law supports the overall University Strategic Plan and emphasizes the importance of an inspired, united academic community—with a shared sense of mission and purpose. Within the context of the worldwide practice of law, Dean Gotanda’s vision prioritizes interdisciplinary curricula, synergies among faculty courses and scholarship University-wide; global learning experiences; and a reinvigorated commitment to the School’s Catholic and Augustinian roots.
Dean Gotanda has served at Villanova School of Law as the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, Associate Dean for Research, Director of the J.D./M.B.A. Program, and Professor. In these roles, he has directed major academic programs and projects, such as the J.D./M.B.A. Program, the Judicial Externship Program, and the Global Democracy Project; led curricular improvement and faculty recruitment efforts; and spearheaded initiatives to promote faculty scholarship.
A native of Honolulu, Dean Gotanda, earned his B.S. in Business Administration and J. D. from the University of Hawaii. He was Editor-in-Chief of the University of Hawaii Law Review. Following law school, he was a staff attorney with the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. He then worked as an associate attorney with Covington & Burling in Washington, D.C., and later with Goodwin, Procter & Hoar in Boston before joining the Villanova School of Law faculty in 1994. He is the author of the book Supplemental Damages in Private International Law (Kluwer Law International) and has published in leading journals, including the American Journal of International Law, the Harvard International Law Journal, and the Oxford University Comparative Law Forum. Dean Gotanda’s writings have been cited by the U.S. Supreme Court and the U.S. Courts of Appeals for the Second, Seventh, Ninth, and Eleventh Circuits, as well as by numerous international tribunals. He has also served as an expert on damages for the U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. State Department and has been a featured lecturer at such institutions as the Hague Academy of International Law, the International Chamber of Commerce in Paris, and Tokyo University.
