Emily Suski Named Dean of the School of Law

Emily Suski has been appointed as the dean of the School of Law, effective July 1, 2026.  She will succeed Dean Cynthia Nance, who will return to a full-time faculty position in the School of Law.

"I'm pleased to name Emily Suski the new dean of the School of Law and welcome her to the University of Arkansas," said Provost Indrajeet Chaubey. "She has extensive experience in leadership roles in legal education and practice and is an accomplished scholar. She has also been very successful in establishing medical-legal partnerships in South Carolina to support children's health and overall well-being. I look forward to working with her to continue the great momentum the School of Law has experienced under Dean Cynthia Nance's leadership and increase the school's footprint in Northwest Arkansas and the rest of the state."

Suski comes to the University of Arkansas from the University of South Carolina Joseph F. Rice School of Law, where she has served as a faculty member since 2016 and, more recently, as the associate dean for strategic and institutional priorities. She is the founding faculty director of the Carolina Health Advocacy Medicolegal Partnership (CHAMPS) and has also served as the associate dean for clinics and externships at the University of South Carolina. Prior to joining the University of South Carolina, Suski was a faculty member at Georgia State University College of Law and the University of Virginia School of Law.  In addition, she was a staff attorney for the JustChildren Program of the Legal Aid Justice Center in Charlottesville, Va. 

"I am deeply grateful for the trust and confidence that Provost Chaubey has placed in me, and I am delighted to join the University of Arkansas," said Suski. "I look forward to working with the faculty, staff, and students at the School of Law to continue and expand on the excellent work they are already doing. I am also grateful to Dean Nance for all the work she has done in her time leading the School of Law and look forward to working with her on a smooth transition in leadership. I could not be more thrilled to be joining such a dynamic, engaged law school and university community."

Suski's teaching and areas of expertise include education, health and poverty law, and clinical legal education. Her scholarship explores issues at the intersection of education law and civil rights. She has been published in several journals, including the Stanford Law Review, Emory Law Journal, Iowa Law Review, Minnesota Law Review, California Law Review, UCLA Law Review, and Clinical Law Review. 

Suski holds a Master of Laws with honors from Georgetown University Law Center.  She also holds a Juris Doctor, a Master of Social Work and Bachelor of Arts with distinction from the University of North Carolina. For more information on Suski, view her curriculum vitae.

"I want to express my sincere gratitude to Dean Nance for her service to the School of Law for more than 30 years as both a faculty member and a dean," said Provost Chaubey.  "The University of Arkansas is indebted to Dean Nance for her significant contributions to our institution and the legal community, and the School of Law's tremendous success is due, in large part, to her extraordinary leadership."

"I also want to thank the search chair, Brian Raines, Dean of the Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences, and the search committee for their role in presenting excellent candidates and helping the university select the best person to lead the School of Law in the future," added Chaubey.

About the University of Arkansas: As Arkansas' flagship institution, the U of A provides an internationally competitive education in more than 200 academic programs. Founded in 1871, the U of A contributes more than $3 billion to Arkansas' economy through the teaching of new knowledge and skills, entrepreneurship and job development, discovery through research and creative activity while also providing training for professional disciplines. The Carnegie Foundation classifies the U of A among the few U.S. colleges and universities with the highest level of research activity. U.S. News & World Report ranks the U of A among the top public universities in the nation. See how the U of A works to build a better world at Arkansas Research and Economic Development News.