About
New Dean Appointed at Touro Law Center
Harry Ballan of Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP Will Become Touro Law Dean Effective August 8, 2016
August 3, 2016The Touro College & University System today announced that Harry Ballan will join Touro College Jacob D. Fuchsberg Law Center as its new Dean. Ballan previously served as a partner and senior counsel for the New York office of the international law firm Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP. Ballan received a bachelor of arts, master of arts, and a Ph.D. in history and theory of music—all from Yale University. Ballan attended Columbia Law School and was awarded his J.D. in 1992.
Ballan has more than 30 years of experience in higher education. He began his teaching career as an instructor in music at Yale University, and since then, he has taught music at Penn State University and Brandeis University. His career in legal education began in 2003 as an adjunct associate professor of law at Brooklyn Law School and has also taught law as an adjunct professor at New York University. At Yeshiva University, he has taught a range of subjects relating to music and the brain, creativity, and decision-making. Additionally, he has served as Vice Chairman of the Academic Affairs Committee and member of the Investment Committee at Yeshiva University among many other volunteer roles throughout his career.
While at Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP, Ballan led teams on numerous domestic and cross-border mergers, acquisitions, spinoffs and security offerings. He worked on private equity and hedge funds for clients including Metalmark, Credit Suisse, J.P. Morgan and Citigroup. Ballan also led an active pro bono practice for numerous clients, focused in recent years on veterans and PTSD.
“As both a legal professional and an experienced professor, Harry Ballan is an extraordinary choice to serve as dean at Touro Law Center,” said Touro College and University System President Alan H. Kadish. “Ballan possesses a thorough understanding of how higher education operates as well as a unique perspective on academia as a result of his many years of experience. I know his wide-ranging background in diverse practice areas will have a positive impact on our students, faculty and the overall university culture.”
“Mr. Ballan is the ideal choice for Dean of Touro Law Center,” said Patricia E. Salkin, Touro College and University Provost for Graduate and Professional Studies who immediately precedes Harry Ballan as Dean of the Law Center. “I look forward to working closely with him in the transition. His experience in legal practice coupled with his academic interests and teaching experience as well as his varied leadership roles in higher education will ensure his success.”
“I am thrilled to have been chosen as the new Dean of Touro Law Center,” said Harry Ballan. “The school’s historic commitment to justice and excellence as well as its devotion to diversity at every level are inspiring. I hope to continue and expand these commitments, in particular the school’s tradition of supporting underserved and neglected populations, whether veterans or disaster victims. It's a privilege to be given the opportunity to work with students, faculty, staff and all the school's constituencies in the service of these goals and educational opportunities.”
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About the Touro College and University System
Touro is a system of non-profit institutions of higher and professional education. Touro College was chartered in 1970 primarily to enrich the Jewish heritage, and to serve the larger American and global community. Approximately 18,000 students are currently enrolled in its various schools and divisions. Touro College has 29 branch campuses, locations and instructional sites in the New York area, as well as branch campuses and programs in Berlin, Jerusalem and Moscow. New York Medical College; Touro University California and its Nevada branch campus; Touro University Worldwide and its Touro College Los Angeles division; as well as Hebrew Theological College in Skokie, Ill. are separately accredited institutions within the Touro College and University System. For further information on Touro College, please go to: http://www.touro.edu/news/
About Touro Law Center
Touro College Jacob D. Fuchsberg Law Center’s 185,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art law school is located adjacent to both a state and a federal courthouse in Central Islip, New York. Touro Law’s proximity to the courthouses, coupled with programming developed to integrate the courtroom into the classroom, provide a one-of-a kind learning model for law students, combining a rigorous curriculum taught by expert faculty with a practical courtroom experience. Touro Law, which has a student body of approximately 650 and an alumni base of more than 6,000, offers full- and part-time J.D. programs, several dual degree programs and graduate law programs for US and foreign law graduates. Touro Law Center is part of the Touro College system.
Touro Law’s newly implemented Portals to Practice is a cutting-edge, experiential learning program that reconceives and restructures the law school experience. Portals to Practice expands the scope and quality of legal education by focusing on the development of legal professionals, from pre-law through post-graduation.
Patti Desrochers
Director of Communications
(631) 761-7062
pdesrochers@tourolaw.edu