The University of Southern California Gould School of Law has named Andrew Guzman as its next dean, effective in July.

Guzman is a professor and associate dean at the University of California, Berkeley School of Law. He will replace Robert Rasmussen, who has held the Los Angeles law school's top position since 2007. Rasmussen announced in May that he would step down at the end of the academic year.

“There is no better person to lead this law school than Andrew Guzman,” Rasmussen said in a written statement. “I have known and admired Professor Guzman for over 15 years. He is a wonderful teacher, a leading international scholar and a talented administrator. Under his leadership, the USC Gould School of Law will continue to advance among the ranks of the nation's finest law schools.”