Geoffrey Rapp will serve as the dean of the College of Law effective July 1. (University of Toledo) CHICAGO — DePaul University Provost Salma Ghanem announced Geoffrey Rapp will serve as the dean of the
College of Law, effective July 1. Rapp, an accomplished legal scholar who comes from the University of Toledo, brings two decades of teaching, scholarly and administrative leadership experience.
Rapp teaches and writes about tort and business law. He is the author of a torts casebook and has testified before the U.S. Congress on financial regulatory legislation. As senior associate dean for academic affairs at the law school, Rapp implemented the first accelerated, combined bachelor’s and law degree programs at University of Toledo, part of a set of measures which helped to increase enrollment. He also led the law school’s initial development of online and hybrid courses and oversaw the establishment of the first clinic for evening law students.
“Geoffrey’s extensive experience in legal education and achievements in supporting faculty and student success make him an ideal candidate to lead the law school,” Ghanem said.
Rapp has served on several American Bar Association accreditation teams, including chairing two site visit teams. He was selected by first-year students for the 2023 Beth A. Eisler 1L Teaching Award and won a 2016 university-wide research recognition, the Outstanding Faculty Research and Scholarship Award. He’s been published in journals such as North Carolina Law Review, Washington University Law Review, and Georgia Law Review, and quoted by local, national, and international media.
“Over its history, DePaul Law has meant so much to Chicago: preparing leaders, advocates, and public servants to do great things in government, the judiciary and business,” Rapp said. “I’m so impressed by the exceptionally experienced and talented faculty and staff. The law school's extensive alumni network in Chicago is a resource for current and future students. I look forward to getting to connect with them.”
Rapp earned an A.B. Phi Beta Kappa in Economics from Harvard College, an M.S.S. from the United States Army War College, and a J.D. from the Yale Law School. Rapp clerked for Judge Cornelia Kennedy of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit.
The College of Law is currently led by Julie Lawton, who has served as interim dean since May 2024.
“I would like to take this opportunity to thank Julie for her service as interim dean and I look forward to her continued leadership during this transition,” Ghanem said.
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Media Contact:
Mary Hansen
Mhanse26@depaul.edu