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DEAN PAUL MARCUS: 1983-1988

Before Arizona Law

Paul Marcus attended the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) where he earned his bachelor of arts and juris doctor degrees in 1971.^[1] Following law school, Marcus clerked for one year at the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia.^[2] Marcus spent some time practicing law in Los Angeles, California, at Loeb & Loeb LLP.^[3] Marcus joined the University of Illinois faculty in 1974, where he focused his research and teaching on criminal law.^[4] He became a full professor in 1980.^[5]

Tenure as Dean

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Paul Marcus was appointed Dean on August 1, 1983.^[6] After his appointment, Marcus not only fulfilled his duties as dean, but also researched legal issues, wrote articles and books, and taught courses at the University of Arizona. Although Marcus’ deanship only lasted five years, his service to the College of Law was quite impactful. Between 1983 and 1984, Marcus completed numerous writing projects, which were published in the University of Arizona Law Review. They included "The Reporter's Privilege: An Analysis of the Common Law, Branzberg v. Hayes, and Recent Statutory Developments.” Marcus also finished a supplement for his criminal conspiracy book. He coauthored a criminal procedure casebook with Professor Joseph Cook, as well as the Gilbert’s criminal procedure supplement with Professor Charles Whitebread.^[7] In addition to his academic writing, Dean Marcus was active in several bar and judiciary committees.^[8] Marcus served for his duration as dean on the Arizona Ad Hoc Task Force on Gender Discrimination in the Courts.^[9] Professor Tom Mauet and Dean Marcus were co-reporters on the Federal Judicial Conference Committee on Jury Instructions in 1984, where they sought to create a federal standard for jury instructions.^[10] The results of Marcus and Mauet’s effort as co-reporters were published by the Federal Judicial Conference in Pattern Criminal Jury Instructions, Part II, (1986) (Co-Reporter).^[11] In 1984, Marcus was “…appointed United States National Reporter on Criminal law to the twelfth Congress of the International Academy of Comparative Law.”^[12]  Marcus also taught courses on criminal law and procedure in 1983 and 1984.^[13] In 1984, the American Bar Association reinspected University of Arizona Law and found it sustained an “…impressive education program,” run by faculty committed to achieving the topmost standards in law studies.^[14]

During Marcus’s tenure, new faculty were added, faculty salaries increased, and the College of Law received substantial research grants for the first time. International and comparative law was emphasized, and a faculty exchange between the National Autonomous University of Mexico in Mexico City (UNAM) and University of Arizona Law was created and subsequently approved by the university’s Board of Regents. The International Academy of Commercial Law chose two worldwide facilities for the upkeep and circulation of commercial law materials, one of which was the University of Arizona’s law library, and the other was the University of Geneva.^[15] This unique opportunity placed University of Arizona Law at the epicenter of international commercial law, where it could provide resources to the students, researchers, and attorneys.^[16] From 1983-1987, almost half a million dollars was contributed to the Law College Association. These funds supported scholarships, research, law library resources, and the procurement of new equipment.^[17] When not fulfilling his duties as dean, Marcus read avidly and enjoyed snorkeling and deep-sea fishing with his wife.^[18]

Retirement and Beyond

Marcus stepped down as dean in the summer of 1988 and remained on the faculty as a professor of law. Marcus referred to a deanship an “all-consuming position.”^[19] The Law College Association (LCA) established the “Paul Marcus Fellowship Fund” in 1988 to honor Dean Marcus’s contributions to the University of Arizona College of Law.^[20] The University of Arizona honored Marcus with the Distinguished Citizen of the Year Award on April 17, 2004, at the Law College Association (LCA) Annual Dinner at the Omni Tucson National Resort.^[21]

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Marcus joined the law faculty at the College of William & Mary in 1992, where he served as the Haynes Professor of Law and acted as dean for two years.^[22] While at William & Mary he received multiple awards for teaching. Marcus is a three-time recipient of the William & Mary Law School's Walter L. Williams, Jr., Memorial Teaching Award. Additionally, in 2007, he was appointed as the William & Mary law school's first Herbert V. Kelley, Sr., Professor for Excellence in Teaching.^[23] He also received the State of Virginia’s most prestigious award for professors in 2010, the State Council of Higher Education in Virginia Faculty Award.^[24] In 2016, Marcus was elected President of the Association of American Law Schools.^[25]

After Marcus left the University of Arizona, his scholarly pursuits continued. He is credited for writing over 50 law review articles and authoring or co-authoring eight books. He is also a well-known speaker in his field, having presented legal topics in 24 countries and lecturing regularly as a representative of the Federal Judicial Center.^[26]

While not presenting, teaching, or writing about law, Marcus served as an advisor for criminal law and volunteered at the Big Brothers Mentoring Program in Williamsburg, Virginia. In 2017, Marcus was named among one of the most influential individuals in legal education.^[27] He remained at William & Mary until 2022, when he retired as Professor Emeritus.^[28] When his retirement was announced on LinkedIn, over 500 people from around the world commented about their positive experiences with Marcus and the impact he had on their careers.^[29]

 -- Tanya Furlong (’26)