Dean John Hutson Announces Retirement from Franklin Pierce Law Center
<<Concord, NH>> John D. Hutson, Dean & President of Franklin Pierce Law Center, has announced he will retire in the summer of 2011, at the end of the next academic year. Hutson, 63, has served as Dean & President of the school since July of 2000. He came to Pierce Law after retiring from the United States Navy as Judge Advocate General.
“During John’s tenure, Franklin Pierce Law Center has seen significant growth,” said Douglas J. Wood, JD ‘76 and Chair of the Board of Trustees. “While we continue as one of the nation’s leading law schools in intellectual property law, we also continue to create unique and innovative programs in legal education, such as the Daniel Webster Scholar Honors program that has now graduated three classes of practice-ready lawyers. We have strengthened the Social Justice Institute through the leadership of a full-time director. And the school has recently received its largest gift ever: one million dollars to create the Mort Goulder Professorship of Legal Writing, which will train students to express legal concepts in clear, concise, plain language.”
“In addition,” added Wood, “our reputation has grown with an expansion of graduate degrees in Commerce & Technology and International Criminal Law & Justice. John Hutson has played a pivotal role in creating or expanding all these programs. His clear, insightful vision and strong rapport with both faculty and students have been the hallmarks of his leadership.”
Dean Hutson has announced his retirement as affiliation negotiations between Franklin Pierce Law Center and the University of New Hampshire continue. “I am very excited about the future of this school,” he said. “My retirement after academic year 2010-11 will provide my successor with the opportunity to lead Franklin Pierce Law Center to new heights. The Board of Trustees will conduct, over the next 18 months, a thorough and thoughtful executive search for a new leader who will continue to inspire and invigorate the greatness of this institution.”
Franklin Pierce Law Center is a private independent law school located in Concord, NH. A global leader in intellectual property law, its graduates benefit from an emphasis on practical teaching through a wide range of clinics, externships, and the unique Daniel Webster Scholar Honors program.