Brian Pappas

Brian Pappas is the Dean of the University of North Dakota School of Law, a role he has held since July 2022. Effective July 2025, he will transition to become Chancellor of Indiana University South Bend. He concurrently serves as a Professor of Law at UND. His academic journey includes a J.D. from Wayne State University, an LL.M. in Dispute Resolution from the University of Missouri, and a Ph.D. in Public Administration from the University of Kansas. He previously held roles as Associate Provost at Eastern Michigan University and Director of the Conflict Resolution Clinic at Michigan State University’s College of Law.

Pappas specializes in organizational development, conflict management, and interdisciplinary collaboration. His research focuses on mediation’s role in legal systems, Title IX compliance, and campus sexual misconduct policies. He has trained thousands of mediators and chairs the American Bar Association’s Section of Dispute Resolution. Under his leadership at UND Law, the school saw increased bar passage rates, expanded clinical programs to four areas, and a 29% rise in applications. Key achievements include securing a $1.75M bequest and improving student support through added advisors and academic success programs.

He advocates for civility in public discourse, as evidenced by his 2023 ABA House of Delegates address. His community engagement includes mindfulness training for students and board memberships with the Mindfulness in Law Society and National Legal Mentoring Consortium. Pappas emphasizes service to the profession, having mediated in courts, communities, and government settings. His family relocated to North Dakota in 2022, where they embrace UND athletics and statewide cultural exploration.