Aviva Abramovsky Named Dean of University of Idaho College of Law

MOSCOW - Aviva Abramovsky has been named the new dean of the University of Idaho College of Law. She will take over the role full time on June 10.

“I am excited to join University of Idaho as dean of the College of Law and become a part of this inspiring and welcoming academic community — one well known for its commitment to the highest quality of legal education,” Abramovsky said. “For both the law school and university, this is an unprecedented time of opportunity. I look forward to building on this community’s commitment to excellence by consistently engaging with the broader law school community to help our faculty, staff, students and alumni achieve their professional and educational goals. I am truly honored by this opportunity and commit myself to achieving the aspirations of this unique institution to the very best of my abilities.” 

Abramovsky is a noted expert in the fields of insurance law, commercial law, regulation of financial entities and legal ethics. She is a member of the American Law Institute and was the winner of the New York State Bar Association Professor David D. Siegel Award in recognition of outstanding contributions to the study of New York law. She is the author of “Uniform Commercial Code, West’s McKinney’s Forms for New York,” as well as numerous other book chapters and articles in the fields of insurance and commercial law. 

She joins Idaho Law from the University of Buffalo School of Law, where she was the William J. Magavern Faculty Scholar. Before that role, she served as dean of the school from 2017-23. She also spent 13 years teaching at the Syracuse University College of Law.

During her time at Buffalo, Abramovsky oversaw the expansion of the school’s experiential and clinical legal education program and the expansion of student support systems. It was under her leadership that Buffalo launched the second undergraduate law program in the country, as well as a Doctor of Juridical Science degree.

A graduate of Cornell University, she received her bachelor’s degree in industrial and labor relations before earning her juris doctor from University of Pennsylvania.

Abramovsky will take over for Johanna Kalb, who has served as dean since 2021. Kalb helped lead Idaho Law during its continued expansion in Boise and helped the college grow to record enrollment.