Photo: UDC David A. Clarke School of Law. Dean Angela Gilmore.
Angela Gilmore has been named dean of the University of the District of Columbia David A. Clarke School of Law, the only public law school in the nation's capital. The University announced the appointment on 24 June 2026, effective 29 June. Gilmore had served as the school's interim dean since August 2024, and the appointment makes her its standing leader. Our congratulations to her.
Who she is
Gilmore brings more than three decades in legal education, academic administration, accreditation, and practice. Before joining UDC Law she was senior counsel for accreditation at the American Bar Association, advising the body that sets and enforces the standards every U.S. law school must meet, work that gives her an unusually close view of what makes a law school run well. She has held associate-dean roles at North Carolina Central University School of Law and taught at several law schools including Nova Southeastern, Elon, and Iowa. She earned her law degree, cum laude, from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law, where she was a senior editor of the Journal of Law and Commerce, and is admitted to practice in Maryland.
The school she leads
UDC's David A. Clarke School of Law is one of only a handful of law schools at historically Black institutions, and its identity is built around public service. Its motto is "Practice Law. Promote Justice. Change Lives," and it asks more clinical work of its students than almost any law school in the country: full-time students complete hundreds of hours of supervised clinical practice, serving low-income District residents in areas such as housing, immigration, and juvenile justice. The school ranks near the very top nationally for the share of its graduates who go into public-interest and government careers. As interim dean, Gilmore led the school through strategic planning, bar-readiness and experiential-learning work, and its accreditation functions; the appointment continues that leadership.
For UDC law students
UDC Law students and alumni have complimentary access to LegalAlphabet, where they can search legal jobs and internships worldwide. Visit the UDC Law campus page, browse current openings on the United States legal jobs board, or read more from our Law School News desk.
Sources
This report is based on the announcement published by the University of the District of Columbia.
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