University of Colorado Boulder Provost Russell Moore today named Lolita Buckner Inniss dean of the University of Colorado Law School, effective July 1, 2021. Inniss will become Colorado Law鈥檚 first African American dean and second female to lead the school.
Lolita Buckner Inniss
She will arrive May 1 as a visiting professor to get to know the current law students, faculty and staff, prepare for incoming law students and expedite her transition to becoming the dean. Inniss will succeed Colorado Law Dean James Anaya, who will continue as a university distinguished professor when his appointment as dean ends on June 30. He will also hold the Nicholas R. Doman Professorship in International Law.
鈥淧rofessor Inniss impressed many constituents in our campus community, including the search committee and me, with her accomplished record as a legal scholar and her inspiring, expansive vision for Colorado Law,鈥� said Moore. 鈥淏ased on my interactions with her, I am confident that she will build upon and extend the gains in accessibility, excellence and national reputation achieved by Dean Anaya, and will take Colorado Law to all new and exciting levels of success.鈥�
Inniss is the senior associate dean for academic affairs and a professor of law, university distinguished professor and the inaugural Robert G. Storey Distinguished Faculty Fellow at the Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law.
She received a bachelor鈥檚 degree from Princeton University, where she majored in romance languages and literature with certifications (minors) in African American and Latin American Studies. She earned her Juris Doctor from UCLA, where she was an editor of the National Black Law Journal. She also holds a masters of law degree with distinction and a doctoral degree in law from Osgoode Hall Law School, York University, in Canada, where she focused on comparative racism and legal history. At York University, Inniss received the Mary Jane Mossman Award for Work in Feminist Legal Theory and the Harley D. Hallett Award. Also at York University, she听 was a Peter Hogg Scholar and a graduate associate of the Institute of Feminist Legal Studies.听
鈥淚 am both honored and delighted to be named the next dean of Colorado Law,鈥� Inniss said. 鈥淭his is a marvelous opportunity to make further contributions to the study of law working with CU Boulder students, faculty and staff, and to help lead a dynamic and nationally recognized law school into a bold new future.鈥�
Moore paid tribute to Anaya, thanking him 鈥渇or his strong commitment to Colorado Law鈥� and recognizing his many achievements during his tenure as dean.
鈥淭hese include a range of programs to make Colorado Law more diverse, inclusive and accessible for students from the full spectrum of economic, social and cultural backgrounds,鈥� Moore said.
鈥淚 also want to thank Michele Moses, vice provost and associate vice chancellor for faculty affairs and committee chair, and members of the search committee for their hard work and commitment throughout this process,鈥� continued Moore. 鈥淭he quality of the four candidates presented as finalists is a testament to the outstanding national reputation and impact of Colorado Law.鈥�
