Timothy S. Fisher has been named the next dean of the University of Connecticut’s School of Law, after an extensive national search. He will assume the position on July 1, 2013.

“Tim is a visionary and charismatic leader who will develop and implement a strategic vision for the School of Law to grow and thrive in a changing legal environment,” said Provost Mun Choi, who announced the appointment.

Fisher has been practicing law in Connecticut since 1978. He has gained national recognition for his accomplishments and expertise in construction law, family wealth disputes, commercial law, and alternative dispute resolution. He currently is a partner at McCarter & English LLP, a firm of 360 attorneys with offices throughout the United States.

During the past 16 years, he has taught extensively on ethics to practicing lawyers and students of both law and business schools at UConn and Quinnipiac University, and has published treatises and numerous articles in professional journals.

Fisher, who is deeply committed to public service, has been appointed by two different governors of the state to serve on commissions related to justice and the courts, most recently in his current role as chair of the Commission on Judicial Compensation. He also serves as president of the Connecticut Bar Foundation, which is both the primary funding source for legal aid in the state and the sponsor of programs exploring issues of law and society.

Fisher’s law practice has included extensive pro bono service, including such areas as marriage equality, prison conditions, non-profit governance, and volunteer criminal defense. He also led McCarter’s sponsorship of the Connecticut Innocence Project.

He is a past officer of the Connecticut Bar Association, and has led or co-led task forces for the association, including those on the future of the legal profession, confidentiality and the courts, and the future of Connecticut’s probate court system.

A native of New Haven, Fisher received his BA in economics from Yale University in 1975 and his JD from Columbia Law School in 1978. He lives in West Hartford with his wife, Dina S. Fisher, a graduate of the University of Connecticut School of Law.

“These are challenging and exciting times at our University,” said Choi. “We are thrilled to have someone of Tim’s experience, ability, and vision to grow the School of Law.”