3/10/03--Boston College Law School Dean John H. Garvey has announced the appointment of Professor George Brown to the position of Associate Dean for Academic Affairs. Brown will replace Professor Sharon O’Connor, who has held the position for the past year.

"I am delighted to be able to appoint someone of such great talent, wisdom, and experience," Dean Garvey said. "George has been a member of our community for 32 years, and he is a world-renowned teacher and scholar. His passion for teaching and his commitment to justice and professional responsibility are unmatched. He has the trust and affection of all quarters of the faculty and staff. We could not have found a better fit."

Dean Garvey went on to praise the work of O’Connor, the former Associate Dean for Library and Computing Services who will step down on June 1st to take her first sabbatical in 23 years. "Sharon has done a wonderful job," Garvey said. "I can’t thank her enough for all the important contributions she has made to this school."

Brown has had a remarkable career at Boston College Law School since joining the faculty in 1971. An expert in issues of government ethics and professional responsibility, and a specialist in the field of federal-state relations, he has authored over 30 articles. In the field of federal-state relations Professor Brown is best known for his work on the jurisdiction of federal courts and on the federal grant-in-aid system. In the field of government ethics, Professor Brown has written several articles on current judicial developments. His proposal for the use of state law in mail fraud prosecutions was adopted by the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit in a major anti-corruption decision. He has also delivered numerous important presentations and speeches across the country. Most recently, he delivered the keynote address, "Alternative Models of Ethics Enforcement: The U.S. Supreme Court and the Political Process," at the Sixth Annual Legislative Ethics Conference, jointly sponsored by the Connecticut General Assembly, the State Ethics Commission, and the Connecticut Humanities Council.

Prior to joining the Law School faculty Professor Brown served as Legislative Assistant to the Governor of Massachusetts and as Assistant Attorney General of Massachusetts. In 1994, Governor William Weld appointed him Chair of the Massachusetts State Ethics Commission. He has also served as Chair of the Section on Federal Courts of the Association of American Law Schools (AALS).

Professor Brown has served as a Member of the House of Delegates for the AALS. He served on the Massachusetts Education Reform Review Commission from 1993-1995, and was a member of the Massachusetts Special Legislative Commission on the Conflict of Public Interest Laws from 1994-1995. Professor Brown has also served as a consultant in a number of areas, including consultant to the Administrative Conference of the United States, and to the Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations. He has also served as Assistant Independent Counsel in the Office of Independent Counsel Donald C. Smaltz.

As the new Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, Professor Brown will work with the Dean and faculty in areas of curriculum review, program development, faculty appointment, and research, and will oversee the delivery of academic services to students.

Professor Brown's Website