Interim Dean Duhart Named Dean of NSU's College of Law

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. and DAVIE, Fla., Jan. 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Olympia Ross Duhart, J.D., Nova Southeastern University's interim dean for the Shepard Broad College of Law, has been named dean of the college, effective immediately.

Duhart has served as interim dean since April, providing effective leadership during a period of transition while advancing the college's academic priorities and institutional goals.

"As part of the search process, input was sought from the college's faculty, students, and alumni, whose feedback reflected strong support for her appointment," said Ronald Chenail, NSU's executive vice president, provost and chief academic officer. "Following careful consideration, it became clear her experience, leadership, and vision make her exceptionally well-suited to continue leading the college in this role."

Duhart, an alumna of the college, is a tenured professor of law and a nationally recognized scholar and educator. She has held multiple leadership roles in the college and is widely respected for her contributions to legal education, scholarship, and service. She brings deep institutional knowledge and a forward-looking perspective to the appointment.

During her 20-plus years at the college, Duhart has been associate dean for academic affairs and strategic initiatives, and associate dean for faculty development. She helped propel the Legal Research & Writing Program to national recognition through her leadership.

She recently completed a second term as co-president of the Society of American Law Teachers (SALT), a post she also held from 2014-16. She is the first woman in SALT's 50-year history to serve two terms as co-president. Duhart continues to volunteer with several professional organizations, including the Association of American Law Schools, the Southeastern Association of Law Schools, and the National People of Color Legal Scholarship Conference. She has also served as an elected Board member for the Association of Legal Writing Directors. She also serves on the Board of Directors for Florida Humanities, which was established by the National Endowment for the Humanities. She is an elected Fellow of the American Bar Foundation.

Before joining NSU, Duhart worked as a litigation associate with Ruden McClosky and volunteered with the Florida Innocence Project. She also taught English and creative writing at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla.  Duhart has worked as a staff reporter for The Miami Herald. She is a co-author (with Camille Lamar Campbell) of "Persuasive Legal Writing: A Storytelling Approach." She is also a producer for the "SALT Teaching Social Justice Podcast." Olympia's work has appeared in the Wake Forest Law Review, the Gonzaga Journal of International Law, the Journal of Legal Education, the Berkeley Journal of African American Law & Policy, Harvard Business Review, USA Today, and The New York Times.

Duhart, born and raised in Miami, graduated magna cum laude at NSU. She earned her bachelor's degree in English, cum laude, from the University of Miami.

Nova Southeastern University (NSU) is the largest private research university in Florida and a top employer in the state, with more than $6.7 billion in projected economic impact. NSU is classified as an R1 institution by the Carnegie Foundation among universities with the highest level of research activity. Visit www.nova.edu.

SOURCE Nova Southeastern University