Today, her office door in the Knight Law Center is lined with colorful pictures and paintings made by her three children, but next month the office of associate law professor Lisa Kloppenberg will be vacant, and she’ll be settling into her new home and new job in Dayton, Ohio.
Starting July, Kloppenberg will be the dean of the University of Dayton School of Law, becoming one of the few female law deans in the country.
“It isn’t easy to leave this place,” she said.
Early in her law career, Kloppenberg worked for one of the first female deans of a major law school, and she said it was an experience that further motivated her to pursue a career in the field.
She said few females have served as deans of major law schools in the United States because they often have too much to juggle.
“It’s hard for a lot of women balancing family and career,” she said. “Many don’t even look at [becoming a dean].”
Kloppenberg said she is thankful to have a supportive husband who is ready to make the move with her.
“I tell my students the most important thing is not what firm you work for, but the partner you choose in life,” she said.
Mark Zunich, University employee relations manager, is Kloppenberg’s husband. He said the family is looking forward to the move.
“I’m very proud of Lisa and excited for the opportunity we have,” he said.
Zunich, who is also a lawyer, said he plans to work part time for the University of Dayton’s legal counsel.
“It’ll be a nice chance for me to be home more when the kids are home,” he said.
Kloppenberg said she’s looking forward to taking on her new responsibilities as dean.
“I think being dean will be like being a good coach,” she said. “You’ve got to make sure you get the best out of everybody.”
She said besides listening to her future faculty and building on their strengths, she hopes to start a program similar to the University of Oregon’s Appropriate Dispute Resolution Program.
Kloppenberg currently serves as the ADR program director, and she said the purpose of the program is to help law students become effective attorneys who can listen to their clients’ needs and help them solve problems outside of the courtroom.
“It’s about trying to get lawyers to think more broadly about their clients’ interests and choosing the right process to dissolve their disputes,” she said.
Judy Sprauer, manager of the ADR program , said it couldn’t have started without Kloppenberg.
“She’s left us with a really good foundation for the future,” she said. “Her leaving is our loss.”
Tiffany Harris, second year law student, agreed with Sprauer and said she wishes Kloppenberg wasn’t leaving.
“She was really instrumental in making my first law semester manageable,” she said.
Harris said Kloppenberg taught one of the more difficult law classes and always took the time to help students.
“She’s very accessible,” Harris said. “She’s not a professor who needs to remain aloof and demonstrate she’s smarter than you.”
Last summer, Harris worked as Kloppenberg’s research assistant and said she valued the opportunity.
“She really encourages people to pursue areas of law that they will find meaningful in the long run,” she said.
Richard Ludwick, the law school assistant dean for student affairs, said working with Kloppenberg has been a rewarding experience and he’s confident she will be an effective administrator.
“She’s a wonderful, people-oriented person and we’re going to miss her a great deal,” he said. “Ohio is lucky.”