The University of the District of Columbia announced the appointment of Angela Gilmore as dean of the University of the District of Columbia David A. Clarke School of Law, effective June 29, 2026.
Gilmore has served as interim dean of UDC Law since August 2024. During this period, she has provided executive leadership for the District's public law school, sustaining academic quality and institutional stability while advancing the law school’s mission of access to justice, public service and practice-ready legal education.
As interim dean, Gilmore has led strategic planning and operational decision-making; supported student success, academic support, bar readiness and experiential-learning initiatives; overseen personnel and faculty processes; strengthened alumni and community relationships; and supported fundraising and advancement efforts. Her leadership has also included oversight of accreditation and compliance functions, with a focus on maintaining the law school’s academic standards, accountability and long-term institutional strength.
Gilmore brings more than three decades of experience in legal education, academic administration, accreditation and legal practice. Prior to joining UDC Law, she served as senior counsel for Accreditation at the American Bar Association (ABA). In that national role, she advised the Council of the Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar on all aspects of the ABA law school accreditation process. Her responsibilities included interpreting and applying accreditation standards and rules of procedure, overseeing site-visit protocols and reports, evaluating law schools for compliance, and reviewing variances and major-change requests. She also counseled law schools on accreditation requirements and regulatory compliance.
Before serving with the American Bar Association, Gilmore held multiple senior academic and administrative roles at North Carolina Central University School of Law. As associate dean for Academic Affairs, she coordinated the academic program, collaborated with faculty and administration on new initiatives and strategic planning, prepared course and teaching schedules, hired adjunct faculty, and advised students on academic planning. She supervised key areas of the law school’s academic infrastructure, including clinical programs, legal writing, academic support, bar preparation, the evening program, the registrar’s office and faculty support services.
Gilmore also served as associate dean for Pipeline and Non-JD Programs at North Carolina Central University School of Law, where she developed programs designed to broaden access to legal education, strengthen pathways into the legal profession, and advance diversity, equity and inclusion. As the school’s policy and regulatory compliance officer, she led ABA and Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) accreditation and regulatory compliance efforts, developed long-range compliance strategies, and coordinated faculty personnel review processes.
Earlier in her career, Gilmore held leadership roles at Nova Southeastern University Shepard Broad College of Law, including director of the Evening Division and co-director of the Critical Skills Program. In those roles, she worked to strengthen the academic experience of evening-division students and developed academic support and bar preparation programs for law students.
A longtime legal educator, Gilmore has taught at several law schools, including North Carolina Central University School of Law, Nova Southeastern University Shepard Broad College of Law, Elon University School of Law, and the University of Iowa College of Law. Her teaching, administrative and accreditation experience reflects a sustained commitment to student achievement, faculty excellence, access to legal education, and the preparation of lawyers equipped to serve their communities.
Gilmore earned her Juris Doctor, cum laude, from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law, where she served as senior editor of the Journal of Law and Commerce. She earned her Bachelor of Arts from Houghton College and is admitted to practice in Maryland.
As Dean, Gilmore will lead UDC Law in building upon its strengths as an HBCU-affiliated public law school with a nationally recognized commitment to clinical education, public interest law, access to justice and service to historically underserved communities. Her priorities include strengthening enrollment and student success; advancing bar passage and employment outcomes; expanding clinical and experiential learning opportunities; supporting faculty and staff excellence; deepening alumni, legal-community and District partnerships; and advancing the law school’s long-term sustainability and impact.
The university looks forward to Gilmore’s continued leadership as UDC Law enters its next chapter of service and innovation.
Editor's Note: Angela Gilmore has since been appointed dean of the UDC David A. Clarke School of Law.