The Indiana University School of Law was founded in 1842 as the first state university law department in the Midwest, with David McDonald serving as its first Professor of Law. In 1877 the Law Department suspended operation, reopening in 1889 as the School of Law, with David D. Banta serving as its first dean. Since that rocky start the Law School has flourished under the leadership of 16 deans, including our longest serving dean, Bernard Gavit; our first female dean, Lauren Robel; and our current dean, Christina Ochoa. Each has left their mark on the school that is today’s Indiana University Maurer School of Law.

To learn more about each of Indiana’s deans, view the pages below. To learn more about our Interim/Acting, Deans, click here. To see a list of the individuals who administered the Law Department, before it was a School, consult the Law School Dean Portrait collection, click here.