University of Michigan Law Prof. Douglas Laycock - husband of University President-elect Teresa Sullivan - will join the Law School faculty next semester, making what Laycock calls a "lateral move" from one prestigious law school to another.
Sullivan's selection this year allowed the Law School to finally nab Laycock, a long-sought law scholar and educator. Law School Dean Paul Mahoney said the Law School first became interested in Laycock during his time at the University of Texas but recognized that Laycock would be unable to make the transfer without his spouse.
"He is someone of the quality that we would always want to add to our faculty," Mahoney said. "It's always difficult to move two spouses at the same time so we were delighted when this opportunity arose."
This will be the couple's fourth move together, Laycock said, adding that each move has been a lucky one.
"Especially when we first started out; we were both able to get jobs at the same good schools ... at [the University of] Chicago and [the University of] Texas."
The pair did not entertain any of those moves lightly. As his wife began to move into administrative work, she was "only willing to move at a good University with a good law school," Laycock said.
Laycock, the current Yale Kamisar Collegiate Professor of Law, is renowned for his research in the legal areas of remedies, restitution and religious liberty. He does not, as of now, know what position he will fill at the Law School but expects to teach topics he has studied during his career.
Although he said he will miss summers and friends in Michigan, he looks forward to winters and opportunities in Virginia.
"I hope to make a difference [at the Law School] and have an influence on students," Laycock said.
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