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Law School Administration: Who Does What?
From time to time you will find that you need help navigating your way through your law school career. Here are a few basic facts about the people who help administer the Law School. These are the people on the front line of student services. If they can’t help you, they will direct you to someone who can.
The Dean, the Associate Deans, Assistant Deans, Directors, and other Really Important People to Know:
Amy Arntsen, Registrar (Registrar@law.wisc.edu; room 5107). The Registrar maintains
records relevant to your legal education and certifies you for graduation and diploma privilege. If you wish to confirm how many
credits you have accumulated, which requirements you have satisfied, your current grade point average, or
need help planning to study abroad, become a visitor at another law
school, or apply for transfer, the Registrar can help you. After you graduate, Ms. Arntsen will certify your degree if you apply for bar admission in other states.
Steven M. Barkan, Professor and Director of the Law Library (room 6358). Professor Barkan heads the administration of the Law Library. He also teaches law courses such as Torts I and Torts II and directs the Summer Program in International and Comparative Law in Germany. For Law Library services, check the website at: library.law.wisc.edu/
Jane Ford Bennett, Senior Grade Reporter (room 5110A). If you have problems or questions about grades or need help with registration problems, such as dropping or adding courses, getting authorization for Directed Research or Directed Reading, or getting authorization for more than 18 credits in a semester, Jane can assist you. She also answers questions about the Dean’s List for each semester and can help you get information from your files, including your personal statement, application form or LSDAS report. All visiting students must see Jane to register for classes.
Josh Cutler, Financial & Payroll Specialist and Building Manager (room 5109). Josh is responsible for staff and student payroll. He can answer questions related to payroll disbursement, pay dates, timesheets, etc. He also handles facility problems and/or requests and building renovations.
Theresa Evans, Executive Assistant to the Dean (room 5211). She works closely with the Dean and the Associate Deans. If you need to make an appointment to see the Dean, or one of the Associate Deans, she is the one to see.
Trisha Fillbach, Interim Assistant Dean for Career Services (room 3221H). She leads the effort to assist students in seeking jobs. This involves counseling students, in groups and individually, as well as gathering, and making available, information about jobs. She works with employers who wish to utilize the Career Services Office as they look for employees. She helps students learn about general and specialized bar requirements and about how to make themselves most attractive to potential employers.
Kimberly A. Frank, Student Events Coordinator (Room 2320) She works directly with faculty, staff, and students on all student events. Working closely with our student organizations, she handles logistical arrangements and catering arrangements for the LEO receptions and banquet, orientation, banquets, exit photos, honors and awards ceremony, and December graduation.
Martha (Meg) Gaines, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Experiential Learning (Room 5211C and 4311A). In this position, Meg assists the Dean in administering the Law School, especially with respect to academic affairs and the curriculum. She works closely with the Assistant Deans who provide student services, and sometimes provides the administrative final word on a question of importance to students. She also serves as the Director of the Center for Patient Partnerships and teaches courses in the area of health care and consumer health advocacy.
Eric Giefer, Director of Technology (room 6232). He and his staff run the law school computer network and provide technical support for faculty, staff, and student organizations; develop applications and databases for law school administration; and support audio-visual systems and classroom technologies.
Michael Hall, Director of Student Life (room 5101). He consults with students about their academic, personal or
professional issues. The Director of Student Life can help you with the
following kinds of issues: accommodations for disabilities (during the
semester or during exams); re-scheduling of exams; complaints about
sexual or physical harassment or assault; or visiting at other law
schools or transferring to other schools.
Debi Hegerfeld, Front Office Receptionist (room 5110). She covers
the phones, handles walk-in inquiries, sorts the mail and maintains
classroom reservation requests. She handles take-home exams, and
maintains exam archives.
Jane Heymann, Curricular Coordinator and Externship Director (room 5103). Works in many different capacities of curriculum such as scheduling courses, answering student questions about registering for courses, maintaining and updating different curriculum related pieces on the website, and assisting our many adjunct faculty members with any issues that arise in the course of their teaching. Jane also serves as the director of the Law School's recently developed Law Externship clinic, whereby students obtain academic credit for working at "field placements" in a variety of government agencies and non-profit organizations.
Lee Jankowski, Financial Specialist (room 5106A). Lee works on financial matters, including purchasing, invoices, and reimbursements. She works closely with Josh Cutler and Associate Dean Pluymers.
Jini M. Jasti, Assistant Dean for Alumni Relations/External Affairs and Executive Director of the Wisconsin Law Alumni Association (room 2332). She works to foster closer connections of alumni to the University of Wisconsin Law School, to each other, and to our students. She serves as a creative point person in Alumni Relations to Admissions, Career Services, current students, and student organizations. As the Executive Director of Wisconsin Law Alumni Association, she oversees its financial matters and organizes the WLAA's board meetings and special events.
Kevin M. Kelly, Associate Dean of Student & Academic Affairs (room 5105). Dean Kelly helps plan the curriculum, including the schedule of courses, credits, and related academic issues. He recruits adjunct faculty, counsels students on academic questions or concerns, and handles Diploma Privilege eligibility and JD degree requirements issues, including those involving transfer students and visiting students. He also works closely with Mike Hall, Director of Student Life, on all issues pertaining to the student experience here at the Law School, as well as with Jane Heymann (Curricular Coordinator & Externship Director), Amy Arntsen (Law School Registrar), and Jane Ford Bennett (Senior Grade Reporter).
Heinz Klug, Professor and Associate Dean for Research and Faculty Development (room 5211B). He works primarily with faculty in seeking and administering research funds, and in meeting the research demands of their work. He also teaches law school courses.
John Ohnesorge, Professor and Director of the East Asian Legal Studies Center (room 4312). Professor Ohnesorge heads the East Asian Legal Studies Center.
Moji E. Olaniyan, Assistant Dean & Director of Academic Enrichment Program (432 East Campus Mall, Rooms 128/9). She works with students to provide academic enrichment and/or academic support services.
Bethany Pluymers, Associate Dean for Administration (room 5115). Dean Pluymers is responsible for the overall administrative processes, financial, human resources and facilities management of the Law School, including staffing issues, budgetary issues, payroll and benefits, reimbursements, facilities etc. The Tech Department also reports to Dean Pluymers.
Margaret Raymond, Professor and Dean of the Law School (room 5211A). Dean Raymond serves as the chief academic and executive officer of the school, with overall responsibility for faculty and staff development, personnel oversight, fund-raising, budget planning and management, curriculum and student academic affairs.
Sue Sawatske, Faculty Secretary (room 5211). Sue works in the Dean’s Suite and is the one to contact for clerkship letters. She also schedules the Dean’s conference rooms (as opposed to classrooms) including the Atrium.
Rebecca Scheller, Assistant Dean for Admissions and Financial Aid (room 4314C). She
administers, along with the Admissions Committee, the process of
reviewing applications to the Law School. She also administers the
financial aid program.
David Schultz, Professor and Associate Dean for Continuing Legal Education and Outreach (room 2348). He administers the Law School program which provides continuing legal education to Wisconsin lawyers, in addition to other programs designed to serve the bench and bar, such as the Wisconsin Jury Instruction project. He also teaches criminal law.
Lynn F. Thompson, Director of Student and Alumni Events (room 2334). Lynn oversees the UW Law School’s major alumni events, two main annual lectures, and the major student events, including graduation and honors and awards ceremonies, and the LEO banquet. Lynn’s door is open to any student organization event planners and will offer assistance and guidance when possible.
Ursula Weigold, Director of Legal Research & Writing (room 4373A). She is responsible for the overall design and administration of the required legal research and writing curriculum. She coordinates with other departments and programs on ways to enhance students' legal research, writing and problem-solving skills. She teaches legal research and writing classes and is available to answer student questions about the program or courses.
"When the facts change, I change my mind. What do you do, sir?" John Maynard Keynes (when challenged with an 'inconsistency')
