AccessLex Institute is pleased to announce that Aaron N. Taylor has been named Executive Director of the AccessLex Center for Legal Education Excellence, effective June 1, 2017. Dr. Taylor will be coming to AccessLex Institute from Saint Louis University School of Law, where he is an Associate Professor, and the Law School Survey of Student Engagement (LSSSE), where, as Director, he has garnered national attention for his work promoting assessment and diversity in legal education.
Dr. Taylor has published widely and his work has been cited extensively. He has 15 years of experience diversifying law school cohorts and conducting research to reshape legal education at both the school and policy levels, and he is a frequent media commentator on education and diversity issues.
"When we began the search for this position, Aaron Taylor was the model for the type of candidate we were hoping to attract. The focus of his scholarship and experience aligns with our priorities, and I look forward to the leadership he will provide for the Center," said Christopher P. Chapman, president and chief executive officer of AccessLex Institute.
Through the work of the Washington, D.C.-based AccessLex Center for Legal Education Excellence, AccessLex Institute advocates for policies that make legal education work better for students and society alike. Research undertaken by the Institute focuses on the most critical issues facing legal education today, namely improving access for historically underrepresented students, increasing affordability and strengthening the value of the law degree.
"Challenges facing legal education provide an opportunity for us as a society to reimagine law school as a more effective, efficient and equitable enterprise," said Dr. Taylor. "The AccessLex Center for Legal Education Excellence represents an unprecedented opportunity to turn that imagination into reality."
Dr. Taylor received a bachelor of arts degree in political science from North Carolina A&T State University, a juris doctor from Howard University, and a doctorate in higher education leadership and policy from Vanderbilt University. He is also an alumnus of the Harvard University Administrative Fellowship Program.
About AccessLex Institute:
AccessLex Institute is a nonprofit organization committed to helping talented, purpose-driven students find their path from aspiring lawyer to fulfilled professional. In partnership with its nearly 200 Member law schools, improving access and positively influencing legal education have been at the heart of the Company's mission since 1983. AccessLex Institute has offices in West Chester, Pa., and Washington, D.C., with a team of accredited financial education counselors based throughout the United States. Learn more at AccessLex.org.
