Thank You to Michael O’Hear

michaelohearFive years ago Marquette Law School launched this faculty blog. It was then, and has been since, a group project, with posts coming from faculty members, primarily, but others as well, including alumni and students, and comments from just about anyone willing to include his or her name. Yet one person has had more to do with the blog, from its suggestion to its success, than any other: Michael M. O’Hear, professor of law and associate dean for research. Professor O’Hear himself has put up almost 500 posts, variously touching upon Seventh Circuit decisions, Wisconsin law and policy in the area of sentencing, the work of faculty colleagues, and many other topics. His work also has involved leadership beyond such example — to the point that a contributor to the Volokh Conspiracy, one of the most popular law blogs, remarked in 2011 that the Marquette blog is the most frequently updated of any law school faculty blog. It is thus with both gratitude and a bit of anxiety that I relate that Professor O’Hear has handed the reins to another colleague (Professor Bruce E. Boyden). After a half-decade of service as lead editor, Professor O’Hear leaves this blog in good shape, and he is especially eager to turn more of his undivided attention to a book project. To be sure, Professor O’Hear will continue to contribute to the blog, but I wish not merely to note the handoff but also to thank him for his prodigious work on this project for as long as — indeed, even longer than — we have published this blog.

Joseph D. Kearney

Joseph D. Kearney has served as dean and professor of law at Marquette University Law School since 2003. He joined the faculty in 1997.

This Post Has 4 Comments

  1. Dean Strang

    For probably ten years now, I have had the good fortune to collaborate with Michael O’Hear on one thing or another and even to share a classroom with him. He is as bright and thoughtful as anyone I ever have met. MULS, and all of us in Wisconsin more generally, are very lucky to have him; Ft. Wayne’s loss is our gain. This blog is one example I can offer in support of my claims. There are many others, as those who also know Michael I expect will agree.

  2. Rick Sankovitz

    Congratulations, Michael!

  3. David Papke

    The Faculty Blog has been a wonderful addition to the life of the Law School, and Michael O’Hear is chiefly responsible for inventing, maintaining, and always improving it. Michael, thank you for your valuable work. It’s genuinely appreciated.

  4. Doug Hoffer

    The Faculty Blog is a small part of Michael’s efforts to encourage and foster opportunities for others to write and think about the law. I second Dean Strang’s comment that MULS is lucky to have him.

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