The University of Michigan Board of Regents has confirmed Neel U. Sukhatme as the upcoming David A. Breach Dean of Law and a professor of law. Currently a professor at Georgetown University Law Center, Sukhatme will assume his role on July 1, 2025, for a renewable five-year term.
Provost Laurie K. McCauley welcomed Sukhatme, praising his innovative scholarship and commitment to public good. She expressed confidence in his visionary leadership, which will strengthen Michigan Law’s standing in legal education and research.
Sukhatme, who has served as associate dean for research and academic programs at Georgetown, brings extensive experience in faculty hiring, budgeting, and strategic academic initiatives. His research spans patent law, election law, criminology, and public law, with publications in prestigious journals like the Harvard Law Review and Duke Law Journal.
Beyond academia, Sukhatme has been a Thomas Alva Edison Visiting Scholar at the US Patent and Trademark Office, co-founded Free Our Vote, a nonprofit focused on voting rights, and launched Spindrop, an AI-driven music tech startup. He previously worked as a patent attorney at Latham & Watkins LLP and clerked for federal courts.
A computer engineering graduate from the University of Illinois, Sukhatme earned his JD from Harvard Law and a PhD in economics from Princeton. Excited to lead Michigan Law, he aims to advance interdisciplinary collaboration and adapt legal education to a rapidly evolving technological landscape.
