Dean Jim Rosenblatt

Today I learned that Jim Rosenblatt will be stepping down as Mississippi College's Dean in August 2014. That makes me sad. At some point, every dean has been touched  by Jim's positive and boundless energy. He has done amazing things at Mississippi College, and he has done his great work with a kind and giving spirit.

I will never forget my first experience as a new dean at Ole Miss. It was my first week on the job, and I went to the Mississippi Bar Convention in Destin, Florida. The first event I attended was the AT&T dinner for its outside counsel. The law school deans were invited to this dinner. What I didn't know was that this was the only event at the Bar Convention where men were expected to wear suit jackets or ties. I had assumed that a convention at the beach would be pretty casual, so I brought neither a jacket nor a tie. Not a great start to my new job!

Hearing of my plight, Jim Rosenblatt literally gave me the coat off of his back. Those of you who know Jim know that he always wears a coat and tie, so he said he could spare the jacket. I will never forget that simple act of kindness. As I have gotten to work in the same state with Jim over the last three plus years (as can be proven by his wonderful Deans Database) I can attest that his kindness was completely genuine, as was his dedication to his students and to legal education.