Angela M. Banks steps in as interim dean at ASU Law

The Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law at Arizona State University has officially welcomed Angela M. Banks as interim dean, building on the momentum that has positioned ASU Law as a national leader in legal education.

Banks is an internationally recognized scholar of immigration and citizenship law and the Charles J. Merriam Distinguished Professor of Law. She has served as ASU Law's vice dean since 2023, providing strategic and operational leadership across the college while helping advance its academic mission, student success initiatives and long-term growth. During her tenure, ASU Law has continued to earn national recognition for excellence and innovation, including becoming home to the nation's No. 1 Legal Writing program, ranking among the country's top public law schools and earning top-10 recognition for return on investment.

As a member of ASU Law's executive leadership team, she has shaped the college's strategic direction, leading the launch of its nationally recognized part-time and online Juris Doctor program and advancing initiatives that expand access and strengthen student success. Beyond ASU Law, Banks has led universitywide initiatives and is widely recognized for her scholarship, teaching and leadership. In 2020, she was elected a life member of the Council on Foreign Relations, a distinction recognizing leaders whose expertise contributes to national and international policy discussions.

Her focus as interim dean is to continue to carry out the comprehensive strategic plan focused on four key priority areas that will guide the future of ASU Law: specific student success outcomes, deliberate community building, integration of cutting-edge technology and a comprehensive online strategy for an inclusive legal education.  

"Our momentum continues," Banks said. "ASU Law is stronger than ever because of the extraordinary work happening across our community every day. Our strategic plan continues. And our commitment to excellence continues."

This year marks several major milestones for the college, including 20 years since it was renamed in honor of Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, 10 years at the Beus Center for Law and Society, the 20th anniversary of the Master of Legal Studies program, the 25th anniversary of the Lodestar Dispute Resolution Center and the 20th anniversary of the American Indian Policy Institute.

"These milestones are more than anniversaries," Banks said. "They tell the story of a law school that has never stood still — a law school willing to innovate, evolve and lead."

Looking ahead, Banks said ASU Law will continue advancing priorities while expanding access to legal education through initiatives such as the thriving part-time and online JD and the recently launched Master of Legal Studies in Health Care Compliance avnd Administration.

"The future of legal education is changing rapidly, and ASU Law is helping shape that future," Banks said. "We have the talent, vision and determination to build on our successes and continue expanding our impact."

Before joining ASU Law, she was a professor at William & Mary Law School and previously held positions at Harvard Law School, the Iran-United States Claims Tribunal and WilmerHale. She received a B.A. in sociology from Spelman College summa cum laude and a Master of Letters in sociology from Oxford, where she was a Marshall Scholar. Banks is a graduate of Harvard Law School, where she served as an editor of the Harvard Law Review and the Harvard International Law Journal.