Professor Evans to join the UNH Law faculty Fall 2017!

unh-law-logo-twitter_400x400I am thrilled to announce that I will join the tenured faculty of The University of New Hampshire School of Law this fall as a Full Professor.

UNH Law, formerly Franklin Pierce Law Center, is a leader in intellectual property law, social justice, sports law, and innovative practical preparation and is ranked 82nd by US News & World Report. It is also home to the preeminent Franklin Pierce Center for Intellectual Property (FPCIP) and the UNH Sports and Entertainment Law Institute (SELI).

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I look forward to serving as an integral part of both FPCIP and SELI, and I will also continue my work in the areas of Trusts & Estates and Inclusion & Equity.

[Read the official press release]

 

I am excited to announce that my hiring class includes Ryan Vacca. He is the David L. Brennan Professor of Law at The University of Akron School of Law, where he also serves as the Interim Co-Dean and Director of the Center for Intellectual Property Law & Technology.

My departure from Widener Law Commonwealth is bittersweet; I have loved my time here! WLC has been a tremendous place to evolve as an educator and scholar in the legal academy while surrounded by wonderful, supportive colleagues and inspired by fantastic students (whom I will miss most of all!). Thank you for the well wishes I’ve already received.

Evans joins law school’s senior leadership as Associate Dean of Inclusion & Equity

Associate Professor Tonya M. Evans joins the law school’s senior leadership team as the Associate Dean of Inclusion and Equity.

Professor Tonya M. Evans imageDean Evans’ new role includes overseeing the law school’s implementation of its strategic plan, practices, and policies related to diversity, inclusion, and equity in the classroom and legal profession.

Her goal is to inspire and sustain a law school community that champions a culture of respect, civility, professionalism, and inclusivity.

To that end, Dean Evans will oversee and implement the greater University’s strategic goals regarding diversity to:

  • Continue to foster a campus climate that values multiple perspectives and experiences.
  • Prepare all students for success in a diverse and global society.
  • Expand and promote access, equity, and success for disadvantaged and underrepresented students, faculty, staff, and administrators.
  • Create and sustain institutional structures and processes to support a culture of inclusivity.
  • Promote scholarship related to diversity and inclusive excellence.

She will continue to teach in the areas of intellectual property, property, wills and trusts and entertainment law.

“We are preparing our students for success in a diverse and global society,” said Widener Law Commonwealth Dean Christian Johnson. “I know that Associate Dean Evans will work to create and sustain a campus environment that will promote access, equity and success for underrepresented students, faculty, staff and administration as well as the greater legal community.”

Read the complete article at the Widener Law Commonwealth website.

Insight into Diversity and Widener

Recently, Widener University was named, along with a select group of institutions nationwide, to receive an INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine‘s 2016 Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award, which recognizes U.S. colleges and universities that demonstrate an outstanding commitment to diversity and inclusion. Widener is one of only 83 institutions in the United States to receive the award this year, and the only one in the Philadelphia region.

 “As a leading metropolitan university, Widener has made a concerted effort to create a campus community that is dedicated to diversity and inclusion, and I’m very pleased that we are being recognized with the HEED Award,” said Widener President Julie E. Wollman.

A Note About Diversity at Widener

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Widener celebrates diversity and embraces multiculturalism as  it strives to maintain an inclusive and welcoming campus communityWidener encourages all students, faculty, staff, and guests on campus to respect the dignity of every individual and honor the value of their contribution to its community.

Widener University leadership is also aware that incidents of bias and hate crimes have increased on college campuses around the country. It condemns such acts and encourages all members of our community to follow its bias protocol.