By By Kayla Walker

Becoming the first Hasidic Jew to be dean of an American law school, Aaron D. Twerski took control of the University’s School of Law in a special convocation Aug. 30.

Twerski graduated with a Bachelor of Science in philosophy from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and received his law degree from Marquette University Law School in Milwaukee.

As an ordained Rabbi, Twerski also studied at Ner Israel Rabbinical College in Baltimore and Beth Medrash Eeyun Hatalmud in Monsey, N.Y.

Over the past 30 years, Twerski taught fellow and visiting professors at such law schools as the University of Michigan, Cornell and Harvard Universities.

Breaking a 30-generation tradition of the men in his family, who all became Rabbis, he chose instead, to enter the field of law.

After receiving his law degree in 1965, Twerski went to work for the U.S. Department of Justice in the Civil Rights Division.

“It was an exciting time because it was after the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965,” Twerski said.

As a part of the Civil Rights Division, Twerski worked on discovering the effects of a poll tax in Virginia.

“We found that it was not only an economic handicap for impoverished blacks but also used as a political tool,” he said.

Twerski went on to explain, “If someone didn’t pay the tax the previous three years, they would have to pay for those three years and the current one in order to vote.”

He also discovered that many notices sent out before the tax was due were not received, which led to the belief the tax was a tool of the corrupt local government.

After his stint with the Department of Justice, Twerski went to Harvard on a teaching fellowship.

Twerski, who was a faculty member, interim dean and associate dean of the University’s law school from 1972 through 1986, said he would like to teach one course a year.

This spring, the dean will conduct a products liability course and hopes to teach next fall.

“I would love to do a torts course,” he added.

Products liability law refers to the responsibility a manufacturer holds for a product that causes damage and tort law are cases that are filed to seek compensation for damages

Examples are medical malpractice and workers compensation.

Products liability and tort law are Twerski’s expertise.

“I have probably written 50 to 60 articles on product liability and worked on the torts restatement for the American Law Institute, which took six years,” he said.

Besides being involved in law education, Twerski serves on the boards of Maimonides Hospital, Agudas Israel and Mishkon, which work with seriously mentally and physically handicapped children.

“Since I took this job after so many years of being a teacher and scholar of law,” Twerski explained, “I would like to be able to leave my imprint on the future of the law school in order to enhance its reputation.”

However, Twerski has already left his mark by playing a part in bringing a master’s program in family law to the school.

The University will be the third in the country to boast this program.

“We [the faculty] have also made taking international law courses a requirement that will start next fall,” Twerski said.

He also plans to further prepare law students by providing more courses on trial skills.

One of Twerski’s goals is to help the school evolve along with the law.

“We have to visualize where law will be in 15 to 20 years so that we can prepare these lawyers for the roles they will have to fill,” he said.