Joseph Karl Grant has been named the next dean of the North Carolina Central University School of Law, one of just six law schools at a historically Black university. His appointment is effective July 1.
Most recently, Professor Grant served as interim dean and the Josiah H. Blackmore II/Shirley M. Nault Chair in Legal Education at the Capital University School of Law in Columbus, Ohio. Earlier in his tenure at Capital, he was the law school’s associate dean of administration and finance. Professor Grant previously served on the law school faculty at two other HBCUs, Howard University and Florida A&M University. He has also taught at West Virginia University, Appalachian School of Law, and the University of Oregon.
Professor Grant’s teaching and scholarship center on business associations, property, estates and trusts, taxation, financial regulation, sustainable business entities, and race and the law. Before entering academia, he practiced corporate and securities law, as well as labor and employment law.
“Joseph Grant is a thoughtful leader, respected legal scholar and experienced administrator whose background aligns well with the future of our School of Law,” said Ontario S. Wooden, provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs. “He understands the evolving landscape of legal education, including the opportunities and challenges presented by the NextGen Bar Exam, and he brings the vision, partnership-building skills and commitment to student success that this moment requires. I am confident his leadership will help strengthen academic excellence, improve bar passage outcomes and elevate the School of Law’s impact and visibility.”
Professor Grant holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, and a juris doctorate from Duke University in Durham, North Carolina.
