Chapman University Fowler School of Law

06/03/2026

Congratulations, Bar Passers!

Today we’re celebrating graduates who took their state and federal oaths at the Fowler School of Law last night.

Interim Dean Ken Stahl welcomed recent graduates, their families, friends and their supporters to the Wylie Aitken courtroom in Kennedy Hall last night for our traditional June Bar Swearing-in ceremony. Joining him at the podium was law professor and Chapman alumnus John Bishop, the Honorable Layne H. Melzer of the Superior Court of California, and the Honorable Karen Scott of the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California. Each of our speakers and special guests shared high praise for the immense efforts, courage and stamina of these graduates on their journey to professional accreditation.

Congratulations to all the graduates who took their oaths in Kennedy Hall last night, and indeed to all the California Bar Exam passers currently being sworn in across the state. Well done to you all!


,

05/28/2026

It's finally here! Announcing AMICUS 3!

Each year, as we honor our students at our traditional Nixon Library Graduation Reception, the Fowler School of Law unveils a new edition of AMICUS magazine, an annual record of the vibrant life of our school and broader community, a publication that is especially dear to our graduating class and alumni.

This award-winning publication chronicles the ongoing story of Fowler School of Law in an annual, collectible booklet celebrating the many achievements of our exceptional community of legal scholars, students, staff and alumni.

Snag a print or digital copy (link below), and catch up the latest edition of AMICUS. Immerse yourself in our warm and thriving community of legal scholars, thought leaders, students and alumni shaping the legal landscape.

https://issuu.com/chapmanlawschool/docs/amicus_2026?fr=xKAE9_zMzMw

05/27/2026

Closing out the academic year in fine style, the Fowler School of Law Class of 2026 gathered for Commencement at Wilson Field on Friday morning to celebrate a momentous year of professional development and academic excellence, and overcoming one more hurdle on the path to professional life as lawyers.

Our guest speaker, the Honorable Stephen Higginson from the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, wished our graduates well, sharing words of wisdom and advice for the careers in law that lie ahead of them, while interim Dean Ken Stahl and retiring professor Susanna Ripken applauded the efforts of this exceptional class from the podium.

We extend our heartfelt congratulations the Class of 2026. We wish you every success for the future and look forward to welcoming you back to campus as Chapman alumni!

05/26/2026

Cheers rang out at the Nixon Library at the annual Fowler School of Law Graduation reception on Thursday night as the Class of 2026, their family and friends, as well as faulty and staff applauded an incredible year of hard work, exceptional scholarship and the awesome accomplishments of the class.

We toasted our graduates in style in the Nixon Library gardens as we unveiled our latest addition of the award-winning Fowler School of Law Amicus annual and honored the members of the Class of ‘26. Among the honorees at the Nixon Library included Kevin Driscoll (Honor Scholar Award), Jack Mays (Distinguished Graduate Award), Brianna Gerth (Professionalism Award), Elizabeth Bowers (ALI-CLE Award), Miles Jones (The Jayne Taylor Kacer Award), Gwen Fabish and Joellen Ogunmuyiwa (The Joann Leatherby Leadership Award for Women in the Law), Jacqueline LaBayne (The Cathy Elliot Award in Community Building), and this year’s legal writing awards went to Dan Qi, Hannah Hussey, Aubrey Adams, Renee Cabato and Jaeden Esquivel.

The Lisa Litwiller 1L Professor of the Year Award was presented to Professor Nahal Kazemi, while the Katherine B. Darmer Professor of the Year Award went to retiring Professor Susanna Ripken.

Congratulations to our graduating Class of 2026 and to all of our honorees; we are incredibly proud of you and what you have accomplished this year.

Congratulations Class of 2026!

05/11/2026

Professor Tom Campbell’s latest op-ed in the Orange County Register tackles the question of whether the Federal courts should decide on the constitutionality of the War Powers Act.

And, should they find the War Powers Act to be constitutional, he further suggests a vote in Congress to decide the continuation of the war in Iran, as Presidents Bush I and II requested for their wars in the Middle East. If not, says Campbell, perhaps the U.S. needs to devise another mechanism to restore the balance in clashes between branches of government; such as passing military appropriation bills of shorter duration, so the president has to seek congressional support during a war. To fail to decide whether the War Powers Act applies, however, leaves our country with no solution to the war powers question, short of the president always getting his way.

Be sure to read Dr. Campbell’s fascinating take on this topic issue at the O. C. Register: https://www.ocregister.com/2026/05/06/tom-campbell-a-practical-path-to-reclaiming-congressional-war-powers/

Our country needs a definitive and practical resolution that includes a role for Congress regarding going to war. At present, we have neither.

05/07/2026

We are delighted to announce that, following a rigorous national search, Florida International University College of Law Dean Antony Page has accepted the role of Dean of Fowler School of Law, starting this fall when he takes the reins from Fowler's Interim Dean, Ken Stahl.

Page, an internationally recognized scholar has helped FIU Law ascend more than 20 spots in the US News graduate school rankings during his time there. He has overseen improved employment outcomes for the school and a record-breaking fundraising effort while broadening the FIU Law’s curriculum by expanding the environmental law program and extending scholarly impact and publications. Priorities for FIU Law under his leadership also included a student wellness program that was recognized with the 2021 Gambrell Professionalism Award by the ABA Standing Committee on Professionalism.

“Antony’s global perspective and accomplishments as a leader and academic have uniquely prepared him to lead the Fowler School of Law. His track record of helping students become practice-ready and prepared for the complexities of the law today make him the perfect fit for Chapman,” added Mike Ibba, Chapman’s Provost, as he announced Page’s appointment.

Before serving as Dean of Law at FIU, Page was vice dean at Indiana University’s McKinney School of Law where he earned tenure, and was lauded for his efforts in the classroom.

Page began his legal career by clerking for Judge H. Hupp in the Central District of California, and Judge A. Alarcon at the U.S. Court of Appeals before moving on to international legal practice in the London and Los Angeles offices of Sullivan & Cromwell. His scholarship has been published in numerous journals and cited by more than 25 courts, including the United States Supreme Court and, most notably; the Connecticut Supreme Court described one publication as a “landmark article.”

We look forward to welcoming Dean Antony Page to Kennedy Hall at the start of the fall term, as we thank Interim Dean Kenneth Stahl for his exceptional service to the school during this period of transition.

04/30/2026

Meet Harper, a law student whose faculty mentorship at Chapman led him to become the first American hired by a global law firm in Thailand.

04/24/2026

It was a bittersweet morning at Fowler School of Law on Wednesday as faculty stalwart and William P. Foley II Professor of Corporate Law, Professor Susanna Ripken presented her final lecture in an illustrious academic career to a standing ovation from students, alumni and staff who gathered to acknowledge her three decades of service to the school and university.

A routine recipient of the Fowler’s Professor of the Year award–voted by FSOL students–Susanna Ripken joined the Fowler School of Law in the spring of 1997 and has remained a vital part of our faculty and broader Chapman community ever since. This beloved Chapman Professor is widely recognized for her numerous scholarly contributions, whether as a teacher or as a thought leader and scholar in academic journals and textbooks. During her time at Chapman, she earned the Chapman University Faculty Excellence Award, the Valerie Scudder Award for excellence in teaching, scholarship and service, and the Michael Lang Award for scholarly excellence.

An irreplaceable part of the fabric of the school and an essential element in its spirit of excellence and professionalism, Susanna will be greatly missed in Kennedy Hall as she heads into retirement. We wish Professor Ripken the best and offer her our deepest gratitude for her enduring contributions to the school as she embarks on her next chapter and the new adventures that await her.

04/23/2026

Paws up, Pathers!

Fowler School of Law students took a quick break from books, briefs and exam-prep stress to recharge tired batteries with a little help from a flurry of furry friends who visited Kennedy Hall this morning. Our “Furry Finale” event was well-received by students who had a blast with a host of feline and canine friends who reminded Fowler students to “paws” briefly, sip a smoothie and enjoy a moment of calm before gearing up to tackle their final exams.

As we wrap up an awesome spring semester, here’s wishing all our students the best of luck for finals. You got this!

04/23/2026

Accomplished guest speakers routinely visit Chapman classrooms to share their knowledge and expertise with our students, and none more so than Fox Rothschild, LLC partner Joshua Edwards.

Edwards regaled Professor Kim Tyler’s Entertainment Industry Contracts class yesterday with his extensive experience in entertainment law and client management, charting his remarkable career trajectory and reassuring students that awesome careers don’t always follow logical pathways to their high points.

This exceptional guest speaker’s go-getter presence and never-say-die attitude to building a career in law and the entertainment industry inspires our students to keep their eyes on the prize, regardless of what may feel like momentary setbacks or diversions. Edwards' star-studded client list, career, and industry-defining moments, coupled with his self-effacing delivery, had our students glued to their seats for this awe-inspiring session. What a treat!