Dayton Docket

Professor Thaddeus Hoffmeister is the new Assistant Dean of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at the University of Dayton School of Law.

As part of his new position, Hoffmeister will support students, staff and faculty from historically marginalized groups and promote the intercultural competency of everyone at the School of Law.

“My role is to continue to make this law school a welcoming place for everyone,” Hoffmeister says. “I think it’s good for students, faculty and staff to have a person to talk to if anything concerns them.”

In addition to this new role, Hoffmeister leads the law school’s Criminal Law Clinic where his students represent indigent clients charged with criminal offenses. He also previously served as the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs.

“Professor Hoffmeister has played an important role over his 15 years at the law school in helping shape the strong and welcoming community we have here,” says University of Dayton School of Law Dean Andrew Strauss. “I believe the relationships he’s formed in that time with students, faculty and staff make him a great fit for this position, and I’m excited for what he can do to strengthen the connections we all have to each other at the law school.”

In his time at Dayton Law, Hoffmeister has published a number of books, law review articles, and essays exploring juries, the criminal justice system, and the Internet. He has been widely cited in various media outlets ranging from the New York Times to CNN to Wired magazine. He has also made numerous appearances on both television and radio programs.

Hoffmeister replaces Professor Julie Zink who was the first to hold the role of Assistant Dean of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion before stepping down from it previously.

“I’m trying to uphold the standard Professor Zink put in place,” Hoffmeister says.

Among her accomplishments as Assistant Dean of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Professor Zink helped in the creation of the Flyer Legal Pathways Program, which proactively seeks out, recruits, and invests in academically talented undergraduates with capacity to excel in the legal profession; worked on drafting the School of Law’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Strategic Plan; and represented the law school with organizations such as the Greater Dayton Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Legal Roundtable.