Dean Matthew Diller is delighted to announce that Marta Ricardo has been appointed as the new Assistant Dean of Professionalism at Fordham Law School. She will also continue in her role as Director of Lawyering Skills, enabling the Law School to build on the synergies between the Law School’s professional identity formation initiatives and its lawyering skills programs. Dean Ricardo joined Fordham Law in 2021. She has a distinguished career educating and preparing students to succeed as professionals and legal practitioners.
Dean Ricardo succeeds Jordana Confino, Fordham’s inaugural Assistant Dean of Professionalism, who has served as an inspirational and tireless leader, and a trailblazer in the profession’s work on wellness. Dean Diller said, “Jordana has done amazing work that made our professionalism program one of the best in the country, and I am confident that Marta’s experience and skills will build on the very strong foundation we have. I am delighted that Jordana will continue to teach in our program.”
Maya FitzGerald, Assistant Director of Professionalism, will be promoted to Director of Professionalism, and will assume primary responsibility for Fordham’s House System, including overseeing the Professionalism Fellows program and the Board of Student Advisors. Fordham’s innovative House System for first year students was launched in 2019 and has played a key role in fostering community and streamlining the 1L experience. FitzGerald’s creative attention to all aspects of the Law School’s professionalism initiatives has been essential to their success.
Professor Linda Sugin will continue in her leadership role as the founding faculty director of the Office of Professionalism. She will work closely with Dean Ricardo and Director FitzGerald. Professor Sugin’s commitment to and vision for nurturing students to build successful and fulfilling careers as professionals has been key to building Fordham Law’s innovative programs.
Fordham Law School’s Office of Professionalism oversees all aspects of the Law School’s programming and curriculum related to the ABA’s professional identity formation requirement. In addition to the House System, it operates the required professionalism curriculum for August and January orientations, the upper-level Peer Mentoring and Leadership Program, the Professionalism co-curricular series, Wellness Week, Gratitude Week, and other programs.