Where did the summer go? The USF School of Law is gearing up for what promises to be another dynamic year. With any luck it will be less tumultuous than the past year, which witnessed the severe economic downturn affecting us all. I am proud to report that the law school and university have come through it all with values, vision, energy, and our economic stability intact. Indeed, an 87.3 percent bar pass rate, a rise in the rankings, the hire of four great new faculty, 4,000+ applications for 250 seats, a very smart group of first-year students arriving this week, and student engagement around the world make it a memorable time for the law school despite the difficulties. In fact, in a stunning demonstration of commitment, 100 percent of the 2009 graduating class together contributed more than $100,000 toward a class gift to endow a scholarship for future generations.

We welcome an impressive new class of students this week and look forward to a number of symposia this fall, including a day-long seminar on navigating the current legal employment landscape and two antitrust conferences featuring leading scholars and practitioners. We are also planning a USF alumni reception in San Diego during the California State Bar annual meeting, as well as a reunion in October. Look for details in this edition of @USFLaw and we hope to see you at one of our events or at the law school soon.

- Dean Jeffrey Brand