Georgia State University College of Law, Atlanta (Photo: John Disney/ ALM)

It did not take Georgia State University College of Law long to find a new dean. The university has named Wendy Hensel, who had been serving as interim dean for the past four and a half months, as the law school's new leader.

Hensel became interim dean on July 1 after Steven Kaminshine, who'd been GSU Law's dean for 12 years, stepped down to return to teaching. GSU announced last April that she would serve in the post for the 2017-2018 academic year while the university conducted a national dean search.

Hensel has been on the law school faculty since 1999, and in 2012 she became its first associate dean for research and faculty development. She held that post until becoming interim dean in July.

“The continued success of the College of Law is essential to many dimensions of our university's strategic plan,” said GSU provost Risa Palm in an announcement. She added that she and GSU president Mark Becker “have great confidence in her ability to lead the college through the coming years.”

Hensel called GSU Law uniquely innovative and entrepreneurial when the legal profession is changing and said the law school will “position itself ahead of the changes rather than responding as they arise,” in the announcement.

“Georgia State will play a significant role not only in training the next generation of talented lawyers, but in helping the legal profession transition to new ways of practice as artificial intelligence increasingly enters the marketplace,” Hensel said. “Our new Legal Analytics Lab reflects our commitment to infusing our curriculum with the latest methodologies and areas of focus to ensure student success.”

Prior to her academic career, Hensel was an associate at Alston & Bird and clerked for Judge Orinda Evans in U.S. District Court. She served as an intern at the U.S. Supreme Court. Hensel graduated from Michigan State University and earned her J.D. at Harvard Law School.

Her research interests include disability, education, employment and tort law.

GSU's associate provost for faculty affairs, Kavita Pandit, and the dean of the Robinson College of Business, Richard Phillips, co-chaired the dean search.