Richard A. Matasar
Richard A. Matasar has just been appointed the Vice President for University Enterprise Initiatives at New York University. He works with deans and other members of the University community focusing initially on e-learning technologies and partnerships as well as programmatic synergies across the schools of NYU and throughout our global network.
He was 15th dean of New York Law School and served from July 1, 2000 until December 31, 2011. Rick is a nationally recognized scholar in civil procedure and federal jurisdiction and has spent many years thinking about law schools as institutions and how to use education to add value to society.
Prior to joining New York Law School, Rick was the Levin Mabie & Levin Professor of Law at the University of Florida Fredric G. Levin College of Law, one of the ten largest law schools in the nation, and served as its ninth dean from 1996 to 1999. During his tenure, he created and implemented the school’ s first comprehensive strategic plan, which led to the development of several new research centers and an expanded international presence. Technological strides under his leadership included the development of the International Center for Automated Information Research and the Legal Technology Institute. The law school also successfully completed a fundraising campaign of more than $40 million and tripled its endowment.
Rick also was dean of the Chicago-Kent College of Law (1991–96). At the University of Iowa College of Law, Rick was professor of law from 1980 to 1991 and served as associate dean for academic affairs from 1989 to 1991. He spent a semester as visiting professor of law at the University of Michigan Law School in 1989.
Rick has published extensively in scholarly and academic venues. His teaching and scholarly areas include civil procedure, constitutional litigation, federal jurisdiction, trial advocacy, and professionalism.
Rick resides in Manhattan with his wife Sharon.
