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ALUMNI UPDATES
White Proudly Serves as Dean of Golden Gate Law
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Frederic White ’70, ’73L
is the first African-American law school dean in California.
PHOTO: RICHARD TAUBER
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Frederic White ’70, ’73L has completed
his first year as dean of Golden Gate University School of Law in
San Francisco. He is the first African American to serve as dean
of an ABA-accredited California law school. Before becoming dean
on January 1, 2004, White taught at Cleveland-Marshall College of
Law for 26 years, including five years as associate dean.
White was born and raised in Cleveland and became the first member
of his family to graduate from a four-year college. A political
science major at the College, he participated in student activism
on campus. “In effect,” he says, “I was fighting
the system that I’m now a part of.”
White was accepted by the Law School and the Journalism School,
and says his experiences during the demonstrations helped him decide.
“When we students took over buildings,” he told Class-
Action, the magazine of Golden Gate Law, “I was impressed
by the quality and fervor of the African-American and white lawyers
who represented us. They weren’t doing it for money. I said
to myself, ‘I ought to do that.’ That’s what drew
me to law school.”
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White holds his sons Alfred (left)
and Michael as he graduates from Columbia Law in 1973
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White was a municipal finance attorney for 5 1/2 years at Squire,
Sanders & Dempsey in Cleveland before going into teaching, “the
best decision I ever made.” As for his present job, he says,
“In my wildest dreams, I never thought I’d be dean of
a law school. I remember taking over buildings in 1968 and railing
against the system. I remember walking out during law faculty meetings
in 1978 or 1979 because of what I thought were injustices of race
or gender or other problems.
“I have learned that growth includes realizing that what
you said or did 20 years ago may not have validity today. Everybody
has the capacity for adaptation. One thing I want to do here is
help our students adapt to the changing times. Law is different
now from 10 years ago, and 10 years from now it will be different.
We must make sure our lawyers know that they are in the forefront
of a new century. Some of the things they learn and do now will
have implications on the next generation. It’s wonderful for
me to be a part of that.”
Alex Sachare ’71
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