(Originally published by Stanford Report on January 8, 2024)

Robert Weisberg is stepping down as interim dean to deal with some health issues; former Dean Paul Brest will now serve in the interim role. The search for the school’s next dean is continuing.

Professor Robert Weisberg is stepping down as interim dean of Stanford Law School so he can successfully address some recent health issues. He will be succeeded in the interim post by professor emeritus and former Dean Paul Brest, Stanford Provost Jenny Martinez announced.

Weisberg, the Edwin E. Huddleson, Jr. Professor of Law, will remain actively involved as a member of the law school faculty. He took on the interim dean role in October 2023 when Martinez, the previous dean of the law school, became Stanford provost.

A search for Martinez’s successor is well underway but is not yet complete, Martinez said. Brest, who served as dean from 1987 to 1999, has been a member of the law school faculty since 1969 and continues to teach and be active in university affairs.

“I am grateful to Bob for his time as interim dean, which has built on an extraordinary career of scholarship and service at SLS, and I completely support his decision to put his health first,” Martinez said. “I am deeply appreciative that Paul has agreed to step into the role while our search wraps up. Paul is well known to our community for his distinguished legal scholarship, his extensive knowledge of SLS, and his commitment to Stanford as a university citizen.”

Weisberg said he plans to assist Brest and play an advisory role for faculty and staff colleagues on issues he worked on in the fall. He expects the transition to create minimal disruption for the school, he said.

“Toward the end of winter break I encountered some problems of personal health that I will be addressing in the coming weeks to get to a good resolution,” Weisberg said. “Doing so requires energy and attention that would be diverted from decanal work. I’ve concluded that maintaining the pace of business that the deanship requires, even in this interim phase, is impractical right now.”

“Bob has done a great service in guiding Stanford Law School during this interim period,” Brest said. “I am looking forward to continuing his work in collaboration with him and with the school’s faculty, staff, and students.”