Gillian Lester

Gillian Lester. She is the Dean and Lucy G. Moses Professor of Law at Columbia Law School, a position she has held since 2015. An accomplished legal scholar, her work focuses on employment law, insurance law, and the economic analysis of legal institutions. Prior to her deanship, she served as Acting Dean and Deputy Dean at the University of California, Berkeley, School of Law, where she was also a distinguished professor.

Early life and education

Gillian Lester was born in Toronto and completed her undergraduate studies at the University of Toronto, earning a Bachelor of Arts. She remained at the University of Toronto Faculty of Law for her legal education, receiving a Bachelor of Laws. She then pursued advanced legal scholarship in the United States, earning a Doctor of Juridical Science from the University of California, Berkeley, School of Law, where her doctoral thesis examined issues within workers' compensation systems.

Academic career

Lester began her academic career as a professor at the University of California, Los Angeles School of Law. Her research and teaching there centered on contracts, employment discrimination, and social welfare policy. In 2005, she joined the faculty of the University of California, Berkeley, School of Law, where she held the Alexander F. and May T. Morrison Professorship. At Berkeley Law, she took on significant administrative roles, including serving as Acting Dean and Deputy Dean, and was instrumental in initiatives related to clinical legal education and faculty development. Her leadership during this period was recognized by the American Bar Association.

Deanship at Columbia Law School

In 2015, Gillian Lester was appointed the 15th Dean of Columbia Law School, succeeding David Schizer. Her tenure has been marked by a focus on expanding financial aid, enhancing the school's clinical programs, and promoting interdisciplinary research through centers like the Center for Gender & Sexuality Law. She has overseen significant curricular innovations, strengthened global partnerships with institutions like the National University of Singapore, and led efforts to increase diversity within the J.D. program. Under her leadership, the law school completed a major capital campaign supporting new initiatives in areas such as data privacy and national security law.

Scholarship and publications

Lester is a prolific scholar whose work is frequently cited in major legal publications and judicial opinions. Her influential articles have appeared in journals such as the Stanford Law Review, the Columbia Law Review, and the California Law Review. Her scholarship often employs economic analysis to examine legal structures, with notable works analyzing the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993, the efficiency of unemployment insurance, and the design of disability insurance programs. She is also a co-author of leading casebooks on employment law and has contributed to treatises published by West Academic.

Professional affiliations and recognition

Lester is an elected member of the American Law Institute and has served on the board of directors for the Law School Admission Council. She has been a visiting professor at institutions including Harvard Law School and the University of Chicago Law School. Her professional service includes committees for the Association of American Law Schools and advisory roles for organizations like Legal Services Corporation. She has received honorary degrees and awards for her contributions to legal education from entities such as the New York City Bar Association.

Category:American legal scholars Category:American law school deans Category:Columbia Law School faculty