Daniel B. Kelly appointed as dean of the Antonin Scalia Law School

George Mason University has named Daniel B. Kelly the next dean of the Antonin Scalia Law School, effective June 25, 2026. Kelly is a nationally recognized legal scholar and academic leader with expertise in property law, real estate, and law and economics.

Kelly succeeds Ken Randall, who has served as dean since 2020 and led the law school to its highest-ever ranking. Randall will remain on the faculty.

Kelly currently serves as dean of the University of St. Thomas School of Law in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Prior to that role, he spent 15 years on the faculty at the University of Notre Dame, where he served as director of the Law School's Program on Law and Economics and founding director of the university's Fitzgerald Institute for Real Estate. Through his leadership, Kelly helped expand interdisciplinary collaboration across the university by launching new academic programs and strengthening engagement with alumni and industry leaders.

"Dan Kelly has the right mix of experience to lead the Scalia Law School, as it finds itself on the threshold of moving from excellence to eminence," said George Mason President Gregory Washington.

An interdisciplinary scholar, Kelly is widely recognized for his research on property rights and real estate transactions. His scholarship has appeared in leading publications including the Cornell Law Review, Columbia Law Review, and Emory Law Journal. He has also held visiting appointments at the University of Chicago Law School and Harvard Law School and is a member of the American Law Institute and the American College of Real Estate Lawyers.

"I am thrilled to be joining George Mason University as the next dean of the Antonin Scalia Law School," said Kelly. "The law school has a stellar faculty, exceptional students, influential alumni, and a well-deserved reputation for academic, interdisciplinary, and scholarly excellence. It is an honor to be able to help lead and serve Scalia Law and George Mason."

In his new role, Kelly will oversee the academic and strategic direction of the Antonin Scalia Law School, support faculty and student success, and help further strengthen the school's national reputation for excellence in legal education and scholarship.

"In a highly competitive national search, Kelly distinguished himself as a thoughtful and accomplished leader with a strong record of academic excellence, innovation, and institutional leadership," said Interim Provost and Executive Vice President Ajay Vinzé.

Prior to his academic career, Kelly served as a judicial clerk on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, worked as an attorney at Cravath, Swaine and Moore in New York, and held research fellowships at Yale and Harvard. He earned his law degree from Harvard Law School and his undergraduate degree from the University of Notre Dame.