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DEAN MARC C. MILLER: 2012-2025

Before Arizona Law

Marc Miller was raised in Los Angeles, California.^[1] He attended Pomona College as well as special programs related to the history and politics of India.^[2] Miller was a member of Phi Beta Kappa, an academic honor society. In 1979, he conducted research on urban housing in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India. He attended Oxford University in 1980 and focused on Political Philosophy and Indian History. Miller completed his bachelor of arts with honors in politics, philosophy, and economics in 1981.^[3]

After completing his undergraduate degree, Miller enrolled at the University of Chicago Law School.^[4]  He earned a place on the University of Chicago Law Review as the managing and book review editors.^[5] Miller graduated with his juris doctor with honors in 1984.^[6]

Following law school, Miller served as a law clerk for Chief Judge John C. Godbold at the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit in Montgomery, Alabama, from 1984-1985. He worked as an attorney-advisor in the Office of Legal Counsel for the U.S. Department of Justice in Washington, D.C. from 1985-1987. He then worked as special counsel at the Vera Institute of Justice in New York City from 1987-1988.^[7]  

In 1988, Miller began his teaching career as an assistant professor at Emory Law School in Atlanta, Georgia, during which time he was a visiting scholar at Stanford Law School during the 1995-1996 academic year, and a visiting professor at Duke Law School in spring 1998. While at Emory, he was promoted to associate professor in 1988 and full professor in 1998 , where he remained until 2006.  In 2003, Miller also served as the associate dean for faculty and scholarship at Emory Law School.^[8]

In 2006, Miller moved to the University of Arizona James E. Rogers College of Law and was selected as the Ralph W. Bilby Professor of Law.^[9] He served as vice dean at Arizona Law from 2011-2012.^[10]

Tenure as Dean

Miller was named as interim dean in November 2012, following the resignation of Dean Ponoroff, and he was officially appointed as dean of Arizona Law on July 1, 2013.^[11] His leadership was marked by a profound commitment to expanding access to legal education and reshaping the legal profession. Under Dean Miller's guidance, Arizona Law pioneered innovative programs and juris doctor (JD) admissions to make legal education more accessible in a multitude of ways.^[12] During Dean Miller’s tenure, the College of Law made positive impacts and expanded legal education in Arizona, the U.S., and abroad.

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Arizona Law added two new degree programs: the Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Law and Master of Legal Studies (MLS). The BA in Law Program was launched in 2014, the first of its kind program in the United States. Today, it serves over 1,900 students across Tucson, online, and at microcampuses globally. Notably, the program celebrated its 10th anniversary at Ocean University of China in Qingdao, which has already produced 581 graduates and currently enrolls another 493 dual-degree students.^[13]

The MLS program was designed for professionals seeking to understand law and regulations without needing a traditional JD. The MLS program currently serves over 400 students, predominantly online. Hundreds of graduates have entered diverse fields such as compliance, health law, and regulatory science. ^[14]

Dean Miller supported collaborations with numerous University of Arizona colleges on coursework, degrees, dual degree programs, and research initiatives.^[15] For example, Arizona Law collaborated with the College of Information Science to create new dual and fast-tracked degree pathways to law librarianship.^[16]

The College of Law broke new ground by being the first law school to accept the GRE for JD admissions, a practice now adopted by over half of all U.S. law schools.^[17] Furthermore, the creation of the research-based JD-Next course and exam aimed to reduce barriers to entry and address racial disparities found in traditional admissions tests, specifically to increase success for first-generation students and those new to the legal system.^[18]

Dean Miller's impact extended beyond the university walls, influencing legal practice, especially in Arizona, which ranks 49th out of 50 states in lawyers per capita.^[19] One example of this is the reformation of the Arizona Bar Exam. The Arizona Supreme Court, in collaboration with Arizona Law, approved the February bar option, allowing third-year JD students to take the bar exam before graduation.^[20]

Arizona Law worked to create state programs, such as the Arizona Legal Apprentice Program (ALAP) and Legal Paraprofessionals (LP) to address the shortage of legal professionals in Arizona. ALAP provides a licensure pathway for individuals scoring 260-269 on the bar exam who commit to working in rural areas or for public entities.^[21] The new role of Legal Paraprofessional (LP) allows licensed undergraduates and graduates to practice law in fundamental, limited areas like administrative, civil, family, criminal, and juvenile law, addressing unmet legal needs.^[22]

Arizona Law’s influence under Dean Miller also reached international and Indigenous communities. The advanced JD Admissions program supported the enrollment of talented lawyers from outside the U.S.^[23] In an unprecedented move, Arizona Law became the first U.S. law school approved by the ABA to deliver an accredited U.S. JD entirely outside the U.S., through a collaboration with the University of Technology Sydney.^[24]

Arizona Law conducts a foreign diplomat training program, with hundreds of U.S.-based Mexican and other foreign diplomats and diplomatic staff receiving training through a special partnership with the Mexican foreign service.

Arizona Law’s Indigenous Peoples Law & Policy Program (IPLP) continues to be a world leader, shaping legal bodies and training professionals in the field.^[25] In 2022, the Pascua Yaqui Nation microcampus was opened on the Pascua Yaqui Reservation near Tucson.^[26] The campus provides affordable educational opportunities related to Indigenous economic growth, governance, and community sustainability.^[27]

Dean Miller also oversaw significant internal advancements at Arizona Law. "A New Day in Court" Project was a 100% donor-funded project, featuring newly completed, state-of-the-art courtrooms and classrooms, honoring the legacy of Professor Emeritus Tom Mauet.^[28] The new courtrooms were commemorated in October 2024.^[29]

The College of Law’s endowment grew by more than $26 million during Miller’s tenure, with millions more pledged.^[30] This funding allowed for the establishment of two new endowed professorships and 23 new endowed scholarships. Annual grant and research funding increased more than tenfold, bringing in $2-to-$5 million annually in recent years.^[31]

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The College of Law’s faculty, programs, and clinics were expanded. Over 45 new faculty members joined Arizona Law, enriching its scholarly and teaching environment. The Innovation for Justice (i4J) program, TechLaw program, and clinics like the Intellectual Property Clinic and Natural Resource Use and Management Clinic were established, fostering new approaches to legal thinking and service delivery.^[32]

Arizona Law’s JD program has also accomplished high employment results with over 90% of graduates securing full-time positions in 2023.^[33] Dean Miller’s direction has resulted in unprecedented academic success, diversity, and employment.^[34]

Dean Miller expressed immense pride and gratitude for the collective efforts of faculty, staff, students, alumni, and supporters. He highlighted the significant contributions of twelve cohorts of graduates who have gone on to shape policies, lead firms, and serve as judges and justices.^[35]

After a distinguished twelve-year tenure, Dean Miller stepped down in January 2025. He ended his deanship as the third longest serving dean at Arizona Law and the 9th longest-serving current law dean in the country.^[36]

Retirement and Beyond 

Miller looks forward to returning to the classroom, dedicating more time to scholarship, and strengthening the Arizona Law’s global and online initiatives, while remaining committed to the success of its students and community.^[37] He has published over 70 articles and essays on topics such as the environmental, criminal justice, immigration, and legal theory.^[38]

Miller is married to Dr. Christina Cutshaw, Ph.D., and they have three children together: Wyatt, Evie, and Owen.^[39] Dr. Cutshaw is an assistant professor at the University of Arizona College of Public Health.^[40]

-- Tanya Furlong (’26)