GW President Stephen Joel Trachtenberg announced the appointment of Fredrick M. Lawrence, Boston University professor of law, as the new dean of the GW Law School. Lawrence, who will assume his post August 1, succeeds Interim Dean Roger Trangsrud.

"Frederick Lawrence comes to the position of Law School dean from a terrific field of candidates," President Trachtenberg said. "He brings to the school a perfect blend of scholarship and experience, and we look forward to welcoming him as the leader of the next generation of GW-educated legal professionals."

A graduate of Yale Law School, Lawrence is one of the nation’s leading civil rights experts and the author of five books, including Punishing Hate: Bias Crimes Under American Law, which examines bias-motivated violence and how the United States deals with such crimes. Lawrence has served as chair of the National Legal Affairs Committee of the Anti-Defamation League since 2003. In 2004, he became a member of the American delegation to the Organization and Cooperation in Europe on Enactment and Enforcement of Legislation to Combat Hate-Motivated Crimes.