It didn’t take much nudging for David Holt to throw his hat in the ring for the position of dean at Oklahoma City University School of Law.
“My only trepidation was whether the people making the decision could accept that I could do two things,” said Holt, who has been mayor of Oklahoma City since 2018. “Ultimately, it felt like a really good fit for a lot of good reasons.”
A dean’s role, he said, is internal and external.
“Vision setting and funding, solving problems and getting people to work together, that’s in my wheelhouse and that’s what I do,” Holt said.
The modern dean, he added, takes on more of an external role these days.
In Oklahoma City, the person serving as mayor historically has maintained additional professional employment.
OCU President Kenneth Evans said he believes Holt, a 2009 graduate of OCU School of Law’s evening program, has the qualities needed to lead the law school into its next era.
“I appreciate David’s leadership experience, broad network within the law and government communities, and strong connection to the OCU School of Law,” Evans said. “Our university community welcomes him back to campus and looks forward to his impact on our law school.”
Holt became law dean on July 1. His selection followed a multi-month, national search that was launched after Jim Roth announced he would be leaving the position following the expiration of his contract on June 30.
Holt previously served more than seven years as a state senator. He has worked as a practicing attorney and in various roles in local, state and federal government, including as an assistant to the speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives and in legislative affairs at the White House.
He was born and raised in Oklahoma City and is a member of the Osage Nation. In addition to serving as an adjunct professor in the OCU Honors Program, he has served on the Uniform Law Commission.
OCU School of Law is located in downtown Oklahoma City, just steps from government buildings, numerous law firms and county and federal courthouses.
Holt will float in and out of the two worlds, and he said technology will help.
As for his goals as dean of the law school, he said there are a few key things to build upon, including a strong foothold in Native American law and public service.
“This school and its beautiful building sit right in the heart of the nation’s 20th largest city,” Holt said. “Fully utilizing the resources we already have, and building upon them, our potential is limitless.”
