Feature
Gary J. Greener – Southwestern Law School By Donna McGill Southwestern Law School has one of the most respected Career Services departments of any school in the country. Associate Dean Gary J. Greener’s time spent practicing law has served him well in his role at Southwestern. We’re proud to induct him into the LawCrossing.com Career Dean Hall of Fame.
With international law studies and an emphasis in comparative law, Gary J. Greener first spent several years as an attorney with firms from Los Angeles and Orange County, California. He handled everything from environmental, construction, employment litigations, as well as serving as the hiring partner for Breidenbach, Buckley, Hutching, Halm and Hamblet. This experience served him well as he moved forward to accept the role he’s currently in as associate dean at his alma mater, Southwestern Law School. That’s not to say, however, he didn’t keep close ties with the school he loves so much before returning. He served as a judge for the school’s Intramural Moot Court Program as well as a panelist for several career development programs. He currently serves on the Board of Directors for the National LGBT Bar Association, where he serves as a delegate to the American Bar Association’s AIDS Coordinating Committee. He has also served on the Board of Directors for the HIV and AIDS Legal Services Alliance. Further, he has chaired the GLBT Committee of the National Association for Law Placement, the State Bar of California on Sexual Orientation Discrimination as well as the Board of Directors for Art Share, Los Angeles. He clearly juggles a full plate on a daily basis; and his coworkers often watch as he gracefully handles each of his many responsibilities. As mentioned, Greener graduated from Southwestern Law School and in 2000, the school was on his path in a full time capacity once again. He accepted a position in 2000 as the Assistant Dean for Career Services, and in 2008, he was
PAGE
named Associate Dean. This is a role he enjoys and excels at as students have come to rely on him and his staff. His responsibilities include promoting and fostering relationships between legal firms, corporations, governmental agencies and other employers the law students and alumni often consider. He manages the Career Services program in its entirety (always the humble one, he strives to ensure that we know it’s a group effort), including counseling services that are an intricate part of the Southwestern experience. His goal is to ensure each student brings his or her talent to the forefront as a new chapter unfolds for each of them, much in the way it did for him those years ago. The role of the Career Services Office is to identify and evaluate career goals and explore the various options; ensure a solid understanding is had by students on the various specialty areas; assist students as they prepare for a job search and finally, to locate those employers by incorporating recruitment programs and other inquiries. Currently, including Greener, there are six staff members who make this happen on a daily basis. They work to ensure the student site is maintained with up to date information and Greener is known to have an open door policy. He also works to foster those relationships that can benefit law students with other ABA schools throughout the country. From job counseling to salary statistics to workshops, Associate Dean Gary J. Greener remains committed to the school he loves and the students who arrive each year with their own contributions that continue to make Southwestern Law School one of the best in the nation. For more information on Dean Greener, visit the Southwestern Law School site at SWLaw.edu/StudentServices.
www.lawcrossing.com