Arizona Summit Law School Appoints New Associate Dean of Academic Affairs

Aug. 28, 2014 - PRLog -- Arizona Summit Law School recently appointed Keith Swisher as the school’s Associate Dean of Academic Affairs. Swisher replaces retired Judge Penny Willrich, who is concluding her term in the position and returning to faculty as a full-time professor of law, beginning fall 2014.

In his new role, Swisher will collaborate with Arizona Summit’s leadership team in facilitating curriculum development and academic support programs as well as evaluating opportunities to develop new and innovative legal education programs. In addition, Swisher’s responsibilities include overseeing course scheduling, faculty teaching assignments, adjunct faculty, the registrar’s office, and the academic calendar.

Prior to joining Arizona Summit, Swisher practiced criminal and commercial litigation and professional liability law with the law firm of Osborn Maledon. In 2009, Dean Swisher joined Arizona Summit Law School as a professor of law, teaching legal ethics and torts, and has since served as the Associate Dean of Faculty Development.

Swisher received his LL.M. from Harvard Law School and served as an editor of the Harvard Civil Rights-Civil Liberties Law Review. Swisher received his juris doctor, graduating first in his class, from Arizona State University College of Law, and received his B.S. in Political Science from Arizona State University.

In addition to his leadership position with Arizona Summit Law School, Swisher serves on the Criminal Justice Act Appellate Panel, representing indigent defendants in federal appeals, and serves on the State Bar’s Ethics Committee and Fee Arbitration Committee. Swisher is regularly published on topics pertaining to judicial and legal ethics and offers expert testimony on professional malpractice cases and disqualification.

About Arizona Summit Law School (http://www.AZSummitLaw.edu)

Founded in 2005, Arizona Summit Law School is dedicated to diversifying the legal profession by advancing advocates and civic-minded leaders from serving underserved communities.  The school, which is located in the heart of downtown Phoenix, earned early recognition from the American Bar Association for the development of comprehensive professionalism teaching modules, including the 2009 E. Smythe Gambrell Professionalism Award. Arizona Summit Law School has also earned top honors for two consecutive years by prelaw Magazine, a law school journal published by National Jurist, for its innovative ideas and approach to legal education. Arizona Summit Law School is accredited by the American Bar Association, and aims to establish the private law school as a benchmark institution for legal education in the 21st century. Additional information is available at www.azsummitlaw.edu.