Tarr chosen new dean of IU School of Law-Indianapolis

By Diane Brown

Anthony Ashton Tarr, professor and dean of the T.C. Beirne School of Law at the University of Queensland, Australia, will assume leadership of the IU law school, located on the IUPUI campus, effective July 1. The IU Board of Trustees approved Tarr's appointment during their meeting April 5 at IU East in Richmond.

Tarr will replace Norman Lefstein, who is retiring June 30. Lefstein's numerous accomplishments include spearheading the fund-raising campaign for the $36 million Lawrence W. Inlow Hall, the new state-of-the-art law school building that opened last semester.

"I am certain that Anthony Tarr will provide continued strong leadership for the School of Law at IUPUI," said IU President Myles Brand. "It is a tribute to the school's reputation that we were able to attract someone with such an impressive and international background. I expect that reputation will only grow under Dean Tarr's able guidance."

The appointment of the new dean comes as IU School of Law-Indianapolis continues to broaden its commitment to legal education at home and abroad.

This fall, the school will enroll its first class of foreign law graduates and lawyers in a new degree program, the Master of Laws Program in American Law for Foreign Lawyers, which allows graduates of the program to sit for bar exams in 11 American jurisdictions.

This new program joins three existing international programs: a summer student program at one of China's premier law schools, the Renmin University of China School of Law; the Program in International Human Rights Law that has placed dozens of students as summer law interns with human rights organizations around the world; and the European Law Summer Program at the University de Lille II in France." The continuing progress of the IU School of Law-Indianapolis is very important to our university," said IUPUI Chancellor Gerald Bepko who is a former dean of the law school. "Tony has the academic background, the energy, the executive experience and the personality to provide superb leadership for our law school and to take it to its next level of success."

Since Tarr's appointment as dean of the T.C. Beirne School of Law in 1998, the school has become one of the leading law schools in Australia.

"Professor Tarr is, quite simply, one of the most outstanding deans of law in Australia" said University of Queensland President John Hay. "I appointed him as head of the law school in this university in order to transform it from an under-performing academic group to one of Australia's leading law schools. He has not only achieved that task, but established this university as a benchmark of excellence for law schools throughout Australia."

Tarr, after his departure from his current position, will be made an Honorary Professor of the University of Queensland in recognition of his work there.

Tarr, 48, holds two doctoral degrees, one from the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom and one from New Zealand's University of Canterbury. He also earned a master of laws degree from the University of Cambridge where he was made a scholar of Sidney Sussex College.

Prior to his appointment at the T.C. Beirne Law School, Tarr was dean and professor of law at Bond University, Queensland. Tarr established the Bond University law program, recruiting the initial staff of 50 faculty and administrative personnel, and developing the academic program and student recruitment and sponsorship strategies. Under his leadership, the school became self supporting and profitable in 1992, six years ahead of schedule.

In addition to his executive work with the Australian law schools, Tarr was chief executive officer for the Queensland Law Society that oversees regulatory and membership functions of the 5,000 solicitors (lawyers) in Queensland. He also held directorships at several other Australian corporations.

The newly appointed IU dean has 20 years of teaching experience in undergraduate and postgraduate law programs and has served as a consultant with several legal agencies.

Tarr's numerous publications include various journal articles and eight books on Australian commercial and insurance law.