The James Concannon Dean

Former Washburn University School of Law Dean James Concannon, H ’24, had no higher goal than improving the lives of his students. After Concannon’s sudden passing last year, his family, close friends, and former students wanted a way to honor the legacy of the man they say personified the institution and character of Washburn Law.

“Jim is a legend – he is Washburn Law School,” said Jeff Jackson, BBA ’89, JD ’92, James M. Concannon Dean and Professor of Law. “Everyone associated with Washburn Law has a Jim Concannon story. People like to talk about his wry wit, his sage wisdom and his ‘Concannon-isms,’ like ‘Don’t think great thoughts, read the statute.’ Most of all he was a deeply caring human being, and I can definitively say that none of us would be where we are today if it weren’t for Dean Concannon.”

Almost immediately after his passing, it seemed obvious to his many friends, colleagues, students, and mentees that Concannon’s name should be forever tied in some way with the dean’s position at Washburn Law – a position Concannon himself held from 1988-2001 (the dean’s suite in the new building is already named in his honor). That happened to dovetail with a need already identified by Washburn University President JuliAnn Mazachek to create endowed deanships at Washburn, giving the heads of Washburn’s schools and colleges more freedom and resources to support their areas. To recognize Concannon’s tremendous reputation and contributions to Washburn Law, a campaign quickly coalesced to endow the Washburn Law deanship and for that position to formally be named the James M. Concannon Dean and Professor of Law.

“Through the prestige of this named position, the Concannon Deanship ensures Washburn Law will continue our history of exceptional leaders like Jim Concannon,” Mazachek said. “The deanship provides financial resources for Dean Jackson and his successors to create and execute a vision that prepares outstanding lawyers who serve their communities with excellence, integrity, and professionalism and contribute to the development of the law and a more just society.”

With a goal of $3 million to create such a prestigious post, the campaign for the James Concannon Deanship got an initial boost through major donations from Concannon’s friends and former students, led by Jack, BBA ’70, and Jan Brier, among others, as well as the Washburn University School of Law Foundation. News of the campaign also spread by word of mouth, a push on Washburn’s annual Day of Giving, and through mailers including a match from an anonymous donor. In barely a year, the campaign had already surpassed the $3 million goal, making it one of the quickest successful fundraising campaigns in Washburn history.

For Jackson, the funds provide an exciting array of possibilities, especially now that the law school has moved into Robert J. Dole Hall. In particular, Jackson is looking at ways to further tailor the new space for students, as well as opportunities for students to gain more knowledge and real-world experiences.

“For the first year of this deanship we will be looking at what we can do for our students,” Jackson said. “I want to be sure I’m using the funds wisely, and I know Jim would want me to use it in a way that would make life better for the students.”

A celebration of the campaign’s success, and the establishment of the Concannon Deanship, was held this fall. Friends, family, and former colleagues gathered in Robert J. Dole Hall on Oct. 2 to recognize Concannon’s legacy and celebrate the establishment of Washburn’s first endowed deanship. The Kansas City Royals game was even on in the background, a nod to Concannon who memorably watched a game during a faculty meeting.

Ultimately the success of the fundraising campaign does not surprise Melissa Masoner, Concannon’s spouse of 35 years, who knows firsthand how passionate Washburn Law alumni are about supporting the school.

“Washburn has and deserves national stature,” Masoner said. “Jim’s ability to represent the school and the students was just phenomenal. This fund provides future deans the freedom of opportunity to show Washburn at its very best in the legal community.”

Jackson agrees and adds that this endowed deanship gives him and every future Washburn Law dean a leg up that will allow them to go above and beyond in supporting students, just like Concannon always did.

“The students were always his number one priority when he was a dean and a professor, and I think that will be his lasting legacy here,” Jackson noted. “Not every dean is so lucky to have had a predecessor like Jim Concannon, and now for that legacy to be tied in with giving me and all future deans a budget to do more when advancing Washburn Law – it is hard to think of a more appropriate legacy for Dean Concannon than that.”