Jack M. Weiss

Biography

Jack M. Weiss, a national media law authority and Louisiana native, was named Chancellor of the LSU Paul M. Hebert Law Center in May 2007.

Before becoming Chancellor, Weiss for many years was one of the nation's leading defenders of the rights of a free press. In addition to his duties as Chancellor, Weiss will teach First Amendment Rights of Expression and Association, Media Law, and related courses.

Jack Weiss graduated with honors from Yale and magna cum laude from Harvard Law School, where he was managing editor of the Harvard Law Review. Following graduation, he served as law clerk for U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals Judge John Minor Wisdom and then for Chief Justice Warren E. Burger.

Weiss went on to serve as legislative assistant to then U.S. Senator J. Bennett Johnston.

He practiced in New Orleans for 23 years before moving to New York in 1998 to become a partner of Gibson, Dunn and Crutcher, ranked 9th by American Lawyer in its elite "A-List" of the nation's top 20 law firms. There, he specialized in defending the rights of the nation's media, most notably Dow Jones & Company, Inc., the publisher of The Wall Street Journal.

During his long career in Louisiana, Weiss was the principal outside lawyer for the New Orleans Times-Picayune and represented many other Louisiana and national media organizations in landmark press cases. In his years in New York, Weiss repeatedly was ranked among the city's top media lawyers.

In addition to his government service and experience as a practicing attorney, Weiss brings a rich academic background to the chancellorship. As an adjunct faculty member at the law schools of Columbia, Tulane, and LSU, Weiss has taught all but a few years since 1980.

Chancellor Weiss is only the 10th person in the Law Center's 102-year history to serve as its Dean or Chancellor.

Courses Taught

First Amendment Rights of Expression and Association, Comparative Media Law, Media Law

Honors & Awards

• Traphagen Distinguished Alumnus, Harvard Law School (2006)
• Recipient of Dean's Certificate for outstanding service to Harvard Law School for co-chairing record 35th reunion fund drive (2006)