Dean Robert E. Kaplan to Retire from William & Mary Law Faculty
Service and Dedication One of Dean Kaplan's favorite quotes is "While we teach, we learn," and throughout his career at William & Mary, he says he has learned so much from students, faculty, administration, and staff colleagues. Photo by David F. Morrill
After 38 years of outstanding service and dedication to William & Mary Law School, Associate Dean and Professor of the Practice Robert E. Kaplan will retire at the end of the 2023-24 academic year. Known to colleagues and students alike as Rob, Kaplan has made significant contributions to both the academic community and the law school at large.
“Teacher, mentor, colleague, friend—Rob has been an amazing force for good in the law school community and beyond ever since his arrival in Williamsburg,” said A. Benjamin Spencer, Dean of the Law School. “His unstinting service and generous heart prove him to be a shining example of a citizen lawyer in action, and his daily presence in these halls will be missed.” 
Kaplan began his duties at the Law School as Associate Dean for the Office of Career Services on August 1, 1986. He came to William & Mary from Cincinnati, Ohio, where he specialized in labor and employment law with a prominent firm. In addition to serving a national client base, he held leadership roles in Cincinnati community service organizations.
Kaplan graduated from Northwestern University in 1976 with a B.S. in Communication Studies and earned his J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law in 1979. At Virginia he was senior editor of the Virginia Journal of International Law.
For the first nine years after Kaplan joined the Law School, he was the sole career services professional for the entire student body and all graduates. During more than 25 years at the helm of career services, he helped students establish the William & Mary Public Service Fund (PSF), which celebrated its 35th anniversary in 2023-24 with record-breaking fundraising.
Kaplan also spearheaded obtaining a grant from the Virginia Law Foundation, which has provided almost $1.6 million in summer public service funding for students at all eight Virginia law schools since 1990.
Kaplan likewise developed the Law School’s loan repayment assistance program, which has assisted nearly 100 graduates since its inception. Kaplan expanded resources and recruiting events, including starting off-campus interview programs in Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, and New York, and interview programs featuring government agencies, nonprofit organizations, and midsize and small Virginia-based law firms.
During his career services tenure, he served on the National Association for Law Placement’s (NALP) Board of Directors and on numerous NALP task forces and committees, including chairing the Bylaws, Nominating, and Recruitment Practices committees.
In his current role as Associate Dean and Professor of the Practice, Kaplan has tirelessly directed and taught in the externship program, which expanded under his leadership and now annually enrolls 150-200 students. He has taught Legal Writing (where he is well-regarded for his energetic teaching style and entertaining trivia) and managed summer public service fellowships, the loan repayment assistance program, and pro bono initiatives. Kaplan has also served as faculty advisor to PSF and the Bone Marrow Drive Committee. His proposal of a pie-eating contest fundraiser to benefit bone marrow donation has become an annual tradition.
The John Marshall Award and the George Wythe Society Award are among Kaplan’s recognitions for character, leadership, and outstanding service to the Law School community. The Black Law Students Association honored him twice for "invaluable and continuous support and encouragement" of the organization and its members. He has earned University recognition for being “most influential” to a William & Mary graduate’s education.
A faculty resolution commended Kaplan for “loyalty and service to the Law School, efforts as ambassador for the Law School, and job extraordinarily well-done.”
The Association of American Law Schools named Kaplan to its Pro Bono Honor Roll for his work supporting William & Mary's pro bono service. The American Red Cross, the National Marrow Donor Program, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Williamsburg, and the Williamsburg/James City County Community Action Agency have recognized him for outstanding service to their organizations.
Kaplan serves on William & Mary’s President’s Council for Community Partnerships, the Virginia Law Foundation’s Committee on Continuing Legal Education, and the Virginia Access to Justice Commission’s Pro Bono Coordinating Consortium. He also served on the Executive Committee of the Virginia Bar Association’s Community Service Program Council.
Reflecting on his career at William & Mary, Kaplan said, “One of my favorite quotes is ‘While we teach, we learn.’ Throughout my career teaching and advising students and alumni, I’ve learned so much from them and will always admire their achievements, commitment to service, compassion, hard work, and resilience. And I’ll be forever grateful for the enduring friendships, professional relationships, sound advice, and support of my faculty, administration, and staff colleagues. It’s been a professional and personal honor to be a part of this one-of-a-kind law school community.”
Kaplan looks forward to retirement with his family, making his way through his very long bucket list, and perhaps returning to the Law School part time.