Veteran Samford University law professor Robert J. Goodwin has been named associate dean of Cumberland School of Law effective with the spring 2012 semester. Goodwin, who is J. Russell McElroy Professor of Law, has taught at Samford since 1983.

Goodwin earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Missouri, Columbia, and his law degree from Washington University in his native St. Louis. He taught at Washington University before joining the Cumberland faculty. He is active in public interest litigation. He is author of a nationally-adopted text on scientific evidence and is a fellow in the American Academy of Forensic Sciences. Earlier he also served as director of the Center for Advocacy and Clinical Education at Cumberland from 1984-91.

“We are extremely fortunate that Dean Goodwin is willing to serve the law school community in the capacity of associate academic dean. He is an exceptional teacher and a nationally recognized evidence scholar,” said Cumberland dean John L. Carroll.

Goodwin succeeds Henry C. Strickland, who is returning to full-time classroom teaching. Strickland has taught at Samford since 1988 and had been associate dean since 2001.

“We cannot thank Dean Strickland enough for his over 10 years of service as the associate academic dean,” Carroll said. “The success of the law school during those years was directly related to the competence, compassion and good humor he brought to that position.”