Landau will be formally installed in his new role in a ceremony on Sept. 12. Fordham Now sat down with him to discuss his vision for Fordham Law.

You taught at Fordham Law for many years and won the school’s Teacher of the Year Award twice. What did you enjoy about teaching, and how will it inform your role as dean?

Teaching has always been a highlight of my career. There’s something truly special about witnessing students tackle complex legal questions and watching them grasp new ideas. It’s a privilege to dive into the legal subjects I enjoyed most as a practicing attorney and see them come alive in new ways in the classroom. And Fordham students are amazing. They come to class prepared and ready to engage.

In your opening message to the Fordham community, you said that Fordham Law is well-positioned to address the “major challenges of our time,” including the polarization placing strains on our legal and political institutions. With a presidential election coming up, that polarization is likely to reach a fever pitch. How can Fordham Law address this challenge?

Fordham is committed to an environment in which students engage with diverse perspectives and develop the skills to counsel clients from all walks of life. Our graduates possess a unique ability to listen attentively, speak with clarity, and bridge divides. We are also unique for our community of trust—a place where people have respect for differing viewpoints and extend grace to those with whom they might disagree. When challenges arise, we get to lean into that communal fabric, and it makes a big difference.

You’ve spent your career working on behalf of marginalized communities, from recent immigrants to LGBTQ+ Americans. How will you continue this work as dean?

Fordham Law has a proud tradition of being a school of opportunity, opening doors for those who face barriers to a legal education. We are a place where students from diverse backgrounds come together, and we see ourselves as a positive force for change. This aspect of Fordham’s identity resonates very strongly with my work in social and legal movements, uniting people around common causes while driving change. I’m committed to continuing this work at Fordham, and I’m excited about it. We have always been—and will continue to be—a law school that promotes an education that brings out the best in everyone so that the broadest range of students can access the transformative power of legal education.

In an article you co-wrote with your predecessor, Dean Matthew Diller, you said that law schools must educate students about new technology emerging in the legal field, including virtual litigation tools, remote networking, and artificial intelligence. What steps should law schools be taking to ensure future lawyers use these technologies effectively and ethically?

The pace of technological change has been astounding, and not just in areas like AI. Law schools must stay ahead by equipping students not only to understand these tools but also to be leaders in shaping their future. Fordham Law School is positioning itself at the epicenter of law and technology. This means hosting conferences where the most important discussions on technology and the law take place, creating tech-focused competition teams, and fostering partnerships that expose students to real-world tech-driven legal problems. Our students engage with pressing issues such as AI and its intersection with ethics, bias, privacy, and both domestic and global regulation—preparing them for leadership in a rapidly evolving legal landscape.

You have said that Fordham Law operates “more fluidly across the theory-practice divide” than any other law school in the world. Can you explain what that means and why it makes you proud?

Some law schools focus heavily on abstract legal theory, while others train students solely for specific events like the bar exam. At Fordham, we excel at finding the ideal balance between those two approaches. Our students graduate with both a deep understanding of legal principles and the skills to apply them in real-world contexts—whether in private practice, government, or public service, and our alumni do some of the most important and sophisticated work across the legal field. This dual focus on both academic excellence and professional preparedness also defines our extracurricular offerings, competitions, and professionalism training. It’s what makes Fordham Law unique and why our alumni are so successful throughout the profession.

According to Joseph Landau, the Dean of Fordham University School of Law, empathy plays a huge part in being an effective critical thinker. “Understanding where others are coming from, and acknowledging their problems, are crucial steps to forming our own opinions about an issue, especially if we are trying to be part of the solution to those problems,” Landau says. “This means considering not just the context of words, but the broader context so that we can engage in a dialogue that is both insightful and respectful.”

Landau places a premium on the “respectful” aspect of communication. Helping law students understand the importance of “civil discourse,” with an emphasis on civil, is a top priority for him.

Landau believes that “[e]mbracing that unknown and being open to unexpected opportunities are essential components of a critical mindset.” Those unexpected opportunities might include the chance to learn from sources we’re normally skeptical about.

“We need to ask ourselves if we have fully considered all aspects of an issue, including potential counterexamples and counterarguments. By challenging our assumptions and testing our hypotheses, we cultivate a mindset of discernment that is both rigorous and open-minded,” Landau says.

Landau has served as the associate dean of academic affairs since 2021. He has served on the faculty since 2010 and twice won Fordham Law School’s Teacher of the Year Award.

Matthew Diller, who has served as the dean of Fordham Law since 2015, announced last June that he plans to step down from the position. He will return to the law school faculty, where he previously served for 16 years.

“Dean Landau’s deep engagement in critical legal discussions go beyond scholarship to make an impact on the practice of law and its effects on society,” said Tania Tetlow, president of Fordham. “His leadership roles within and beyond Fordham demonstrate a deep commitment to the law and social justice, and to ensuring that Fordham Law students thrive as future leaders in the legal community.”

Landau said, “I am deeply honored and excited for the opportunity to lead Fordham Law School. Fordham Law has a unique role in legal education. We bring a tradition of excellence to our mission of service to the community and to the larger legal profession. Our superb academic program, distinguished and diverse faculty, vibrant scholarly community, talented students, and accomplished alumni are a source of inspiration. Matthew has been a tremendous dean, and I look forward to building on his remarkable legacy.”

Diller added, “It has been my privilege and honor to lead Fordham Law for the past nine years. I believe our school will be in great hands under Joe, who brings his brilliance, energy, and enthusiasm to Fordham Law every day. I’ve worked closely with him as a colleague and value his counsel and leadership across the law school. He understands the DNA of our school and has the vision to carry our mission forward in a changing world. He is well poised to lead Fordham into the next great era of legal education.”

Landau is an accomplished scholar who writes at the intersection of constitutional law and procedure. His articles have appeared in major law reviews, including the Columbia Law Review, Duke Law Journal, Vanderbilt Law Review, and Minnesota Law Review. He is also a prominent thought leader in the legal community who has had commentaries published in outlets such as The New York Times, The New Republic, and National Law Journal. He was honored with the Fordham Law Dean’s Distinguished Research Award in 2020–2021.

Landau’s tenure at Fordham has been marked by significant contributions to academic programming, strategic planning, and the advancement of social justice through law, particularly in the movement for the rights of LGBT immigrants. He is a former board chair of Immigration Equality and the Immigration Equality Action Fund, and he served on the NYC Bar Association’s LGBT Rights Committee. He was the recipient of Immigration Equality’s Global Vision Award in 2014, and in 2012, he was named one of the Best LGBT Lawyers Under 40 by the National LGBT Bar Association. As associate dean for academic affairs, he has been a champion of Fordham’s values, a close collaborator with faculty and administrators, an advocate for students, and a booster of alumni.

Prior to joining the Fordham Law faculty, Landau was an associate at Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP, where in addition to specializing in securities litigation he co-directed the firm’s pro bono practice group in immigration and international human rights.

Landau earned his J.D. from Yale Law School and his bachelor’s degree from Duke University, where he was a member of Phi Beta Kappa and graduated summa cum laude. Prior to law school, he was the assistant managing editor at The New Republic magazine. After law school, he clerked for Judge David Trager of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York and Judge Betty Binns Fletcher of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.

He is married to Joseph Fitzgerald, and they have two children.