Gaines and Zarov appointed associate deans at Law School

Two new associate deans are bringing fresh energy to Dean Margaret Raymond’s senior staff at the University of Wisconsin Law School.

Meg Gaines, clinical professor of law and director of the Center for Patient Partnerships (CPP), was recently appointed associate dean for academic affairs and experiential learning. Jonathan Zarov has been hired as associate dean for external affairs. 

“I am honored Dean Raymond has tapped me to serve in this role,” Gaines says. “I am inspired by her commitment to serve students, engage faculty and advance her vision for the integration of doctrinal and experiential learning to enrich legal education.”

Gaines will continue as the center’s director, focusing primarily on national initiatives, strategic planning and sustainability.

“I feel fortunate to have a small but dedicated staff that pursues the center’s day-to-day mission with unbounded creativity and enthusiasm,”  Gaines says. “I hope my work as associate dean will help raise awareness campuswide of the exciting educational innovations going on in clinical education.”

The first clinician appointed to this role, Gaines will serve a three-year term.

“Meg brings passion and intelligence to all her work,” Raymond says. “She’s deeply committed to the CPP – partly because the clinic helps patients when they most need it. But equally important, Meg has created an environment where our students are educated and transformed by their interactions with patients. This experiential learning is fundamental to our school – and helps produce well-rounded graduates who are ready to practice with expertise and compassion.”

Zarov comes to the school with more than two decades of experience in communications, marketing and public relations, most recently as communications director for the Wisconsin Initiative to Promote Healthy Lifestyles on a grant administered through the School of Medicine and Public Health’s Department of Family Medicine. Previously he served as vice president of marketing and communications at the Overture Center for the Arts in Madison.

Zarov also spent 10 years directing prevention campaigns and general marketing for UW–Madison’s University Health Services. While there, he served as communications manager for the PACE Project, a campus-community coalition to reduce high-risk drinking on the UW–Madison campus.

 “This is a wonderful moment to join the UW Law School,” Zarov says. “There’s a desire amongst all I’ve met here to illuminate the good work of our faculty, staff, and students – to tell our story. When we do that well, we’ll continue to attract exceptional students, maximize their opportunities throughout law school and into their careers, and keep our alumni engaged and supportive.” 

In his new position, Zarov will manage the external affairs team, coordinating communications to all external audiences, such as prospective students, alumni and media.

“We believe Jonathan is a great fit,” Raymond says. “Working in a variety of fields, he has built a strong portfolio of skills that will help us increase the law school’s visibility, focus on our message and connect better with our external constituencies.”