Van Zandt has held the top position at Northwestern’s law school since 1995, earning a reputation as one of the most progressive and outspoken deans in legal education. He has advocated tailoring legal education to the job market and has been critical of the ever-rising cost of a legal education amid shrinking job prospects.
He spearheaded the creation of the law school’s three-year joint J.D./MBA program and also started its two-year accelerated J.D. program — the first of its kind at a top-tier school.
