Appointment of James M. Landis as Dean Of Law School Is Confirmed by Overseers

The appointment of James McCauley Landis as Dean of the Law School was confirmed yesterday afternoon at the meeting of the Board of Overseers.

Ever since the resignation of Dean Roscoe Pound last fall Landis has been constantly mentioned as the most likely to succeed to the position.

Only 37

Although only 37 years of age, Landis has already had a brilliant career as a scholar, legal expert, and government official He was born in Tokio, the son of a Presbyterian missionary. His first education was received there, for he did not come to America until he was 13. In 1917 he entered Princeton, where he was outstanding in both studies and athletics, and after graduation he attended the Harvard Law School from which he was graduated in 1924. He continued his studies and the following year became a doctor of judicial science.

After receiving the degree he was appointed assistant professor of law. As a result of his brilliant scholastic record he was chosen as secretary to Justice Louis D. Brandeis of the United States Supreme Court.

Full Professor

In 1928 he became a full professor at the Law School, one of the youngest men ever to receive such an appointment.

While in Cambridge Landis became interested in politics and was about to become a candidate for the Cambridge City Council when he was summoned to Washington by President Roosevelt on the recommendation of Professor Felix Frankfurter. He was then, in 1933, named as a member of the Federal Trade Commission and obtained a leave of absence from the Law School.

As a Brain Truster Landis was considered to have one of the keenest legal minds in the nation. He helped draw up the Securities Act and the Exchange Control Act and later became chairman of the Securities Exchange Commission. While in Washington he was one of the closest and most trusted of the President's advisers