"By comparison to its tier schools, GW Law School does not have an endowment as large as it would like," said Trangsrud, who will remain at the University as the Oswald Symister Colclough Research Professor of Law. "We have one of over $80 million, but the amount of endowment per student is not very high."
Lawrence added, "The truth is (Trangsrud) is right, the endowment is low compared other schools, but among the nation's 180 law schools, it is high."
Trachtenberg said the new dean's greatest challenge would be to move the Law School into the upper echelon of schools.
"We need to go to the next level, and to do that we need facilities, faculty and scholarships," Trachtenberg said. "Ultimately all these things are available but at a price."
Lawrence, who will be coming from a law school tied with GW as the 20th best in the U.S. News rankings, said he looks forward to new challenges.
"Legal academia is a very competitive business with a lot of good law schools who would very much like to catch up and pass GW," Lawrence said. "We are on a very delicate position among law schools, with a relatively flat field behind us and a very steep field ahead of us."
Law School Associate Dean Thomas Morrison said he is enthusiastic about Lawrence's appointment, adding that the BU professor is "no stranger" to law.
"He's a great guy, he's going to be a super dean," Morrison said. "Internationally known civil rights scholar, this guy has been there and done it, which is great for this school."
Trachtenberg said he chose Lawrence "because he was the best dancer," not completely a joke.
Shortly after his college years at Williams College and Yale Law School, Lawrence was a member of the New York Choral Society, a group he performed with at Carnegie Hall and The Kennedy Center.
"I'm excited about coming to a city I know quite well," Lawrence said. "It's the epicenter of not only the national government but a wide variety of scholars and great thinkers in the field of law."
Lawrence added, "The truth is (Trangsrud) is right, the endowment is low compared other schools, but among the nation's 180 law schools, it is high."
Trachtenberg said the new dean's greatest challenge would be to move the Law School into the upper echelon of schools.
"We need to go to the next level, and to do that we need facilities, faculty and scholarships," Trachtenberg said. "Ultimately all these things are available but at a price."
Lawrence, who will be coming from a law school tied with GW as the 20th best in the U.S. News rankings, said he looks forward to new challenges.
"Legal academia is a very competitive business with a lot of good law schools who would very much like to catch up and pass GW," Lawrence said. "We are on a very delicate position among law schools, with a relatively flat field behind us and a very steep field ahead of us."
Law School Associate Dean Thomas Morrison said he is enthusiastic about Lawrence's appointment, adding that the BU professor is "no stranger" to law.
"He's a great guy, he's going to be a super dean," Morrison said. "Internationally known civil rights scholar, this guy has been there and done it, which is great for this school."
Trachtenberg said he chose Lawrence "because he was the best dancer," not completely a joke.
Shortly after his college years at Williams College and Yale Law School, Lawrence was a member of the New York Choral Society, a group he performed with at Carnegie Hall and The Kennedy Center.
"I'm excited about coming to a city I know quite well," Lawrence said. "It's the epicenter of not only the national government but a wide variety of scholars and great thinkers in the field of law."
