George Mason University announced on May 28 that Daniel B. Kelly will become the next dean of the Antonin Scalia Law School, effective June 25, 2026. Kelly is recognized as a legal scholar and academic leader with expertise in property law, real estate, and law and economics.
Kelly will succeed Ken Randall, who has served as dean since 2020 and led the law school to its highest-ever ranking. Randall will remain on the faculty following his tenure as dean.
Currently, Kelly serves as dean of the University of St. Thomas School of Law in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He previously spent 15 years on the faculty at the University of Notre Dame, where he directed both the Program on Law and Economics and was founding director of the Fitzgerald Institute for Real Estate. In these roles, Kelly expanded interdisciplinary collaboration by launching new academic programs and strengthening engagement with alumni and industry leaders.
“Dan Kelly has the right mix of experience to lead the Scalia Law School, as it finds itself on the threshold of moving from excellence to eminence,” said George Mason President Gregory Washington.
Kelly’s research focuses on property rights and real estate transactions, with scholarship published in journals such as Cornell Law Review, Columbia Law Review, and Emory Law Journal. He has held visiting appointments at both University of Chicago Law School and Harvard Law School. He is also a member of organizations including the American Law Institute and American College of Real Estate Lawyers.
“I am thrilled to be joining George Mason University as the next dean of the Antonin Scalia Law School,” said Kelly. “The law school has a stellar faculty, exceptional students, influential alumni, and a well-deserved reputation for academic, interdisciplinary, and scholarly excellence. It is an honor to be able to help lead and serve Scalia Law and George Mason.”
In his new role at George Mason University’s Antonin Scalia Law School, Kelly will oversee academic strategy while supporting faculty development and student success.
“In a highly competitive national search, Kelly distinguished himself as a thoughtful and accomplished leader with a strong record of academic excellence, innovation, and institutional leadership,” said Interim Provost Ajay Vinzé.
Before entering academia full-time, Kelly clerked for a judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit; worked at Cravath Swaine & Moore in New York; held research fellowships at Yale University and Harvard; earned his law degree from Harvard; and completed undergraduate studies at Notre Dame.
