Sylvester named associate dean

07/10/2008

Sylvester named associate dean
Doug Sylvester outside

Douglas Sylvester
     Professor Douglas Sylvester of the Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law has been appointed Associate Dean for Faculty Research and Development by Dean Paul Schiff Berman.
     In his new role, Sylvester will work to build the most productive environment possible for fostering and disseminating faculty scholarship. This will include organizing various speaker series, overseeing faculty travel to participate in scholarly activities, helping to mentor junior faculty, and seeking innovative ways to increase the scholarly visibility of the faculty, Berman said.
     "Doug Sylvester is a both a serious scholar and an innovative institution-builder," said Berman of his first appointee since assuming the position of Dean on July 1. "I have no doubt that he will quickly become a fundamental part of building, here at the Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law, the new `gold standard' for 21st century legal education that President (Michael) Crow and I envision."
     Sylvester, who is a Faculty Fellow in the College's Center for the Study of Law, Science, & Technology, said scholarship is the key to a great law school.
     "Promoting faculty scholarship makes for better teaching, increases the law school's reputation, and allows us to attract and retain distinguished scholars," he said. "Those who know ASU have long been aware that our faculty is tremendously productive and innovative in their research. My job is to make sure that more people know about all that we do here and to make it easier for everyone to engage in research and scholarship."
     Sylvester, who joined the College in 2002, publishes, lectures, and teaches on issues of e-commerce, intellectual property law and commercialization, international law, international relations, legal history and privacy.
    Before arriving at ASU, Sylvester was an attorney in the Global e-Commerce Practice Group of Baker & McKenzie in Chicago. He was a frequent lecturer at national conferences, presenting on various e-commerce topics including privacy, e-contracting, e-payments and international technology transfer, and he also served as an expert witness in cases involving licensing and intellectual property.
     Sylvester has a J.D. from the University at Buffalo Law School and an LL.M. from New York University School of Law. 
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