Dexter A. Smith will join the Emory University School of Law community this fall as assistant dean of admission and financial aid. Smith comes to Emory from William & Mary Law School, where he currently serves in a similar capacity, having led the school to LSAT and undergraduate GPA-related boosts in the US News and World Report rankings.  

Smith will be responsible for overseeing recruitment and admission; formulating admission standards and enrollment targets; ensuring compliance with the American Bar Association, university, federal and state policies and regulations; and leading and inspiring as a member of the administrative team. He boasts skill in using ABA guidance to create and implement inclusive enrollment management strategies that optimize class size and scholarship percentages while foregrounding institutional goals surrounding the academic credentials of incoming students.   

Joanna M. Shepherd, vice dean and Thomas Simmons Professor of Law, remarks, “We’re very excited that Dexter Smith will be joining the Emory Law team. His skills and experience will bolster our already excellent admissions department.” 

Smith has an extensive history of service to the profession, including current memberships in the Coalition of Virginia Law Schools and the Southern Association of Pre-Law Advisors; and he presents widely on various admission-related topics, including first-generation law students, diversity in law schools, admissions essentials; and navigating the law school admissions process starting in high school.  

“I look forward to joining a great team with an emphasis on maintaining the excellence exemplified at an international institution housed within Atlanta,” Smith says. “This city is the professional, cultural, and social hub of the Southeast – a city which attracts the best and the brightest and presents opportunities on par with any other metropolitan area in the world.” 

 Smith holds a juris doctor, a master’s degree, and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Florida, where he was also the captain of the football team. He’s led admission and/or financial aid functions at Campbell University School of Law and Florida Coastal School of Law and was also assistant director of career services at the University of Florida.