The University of Tulsa’s College of Law community gathered in October to celebrate the inaugural Fred Dorwart Chair in Law Lecture, delivered by Professor Janet K. Levit, the first holder of the newly established endowed chair.
Created by the George Kaiser Family Foundation and named in honor of Frederic Dorwart, a longtime local attorney and former chair of the UTulsa Board of Trustees, the endowed chair recognizes exceptional scholarship that addresses complex legal issues and strengthens the Tulsa community. The lecture marked both the establishment of the chair and the continuation of UTulsa Law’s long tradition of faculty excellence and public engagement.
For many students in attendance, the event exemplified what distinguishes UTulsa Law, an environment where faculty scholarship directly influences student learning and real-world advocacy. “Professor Levit is a remarkable woman who inspires me weekly,” said law student Kelsey Hancock. “Her capacity to look to a brighter future, even when her research reveals troubling realities, reminds me how important it is that we keep doing this work.”
Bridging Scholarship, Service and Social Change
A graduate of Princeton, Yale and Yale Law School, Levit clerked for Judge Stephanie Seymour on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit before joining UTulsa Law. She served as dean of the college from 2007 to 2017 and later as provost and interim president of the university. Today, her research explores reproductive justice and implicit bias in leadership, and she leads UTulsa Law’s Reproductive Justice Practicum.
Levit’s lecture examined how private universities can safeguard reproductive rights on campus through federal law, health insurance plans and privacy protections. “Private universities are not powerless,” she said. “They have several legal tools at their disposal.”
Law student Dalton Long said the lecture offered a practical reminder: “It showed that the privileges of our education place us in a position to make tangible impact. We just have to be willing to do the research and speak up.”
Interim Dean Marc Roark reflected on what the event represented for the college. “Moments like this remind us that scholarship is not abstract,” he said. “At UTulsa Law, it becomes mentorship, conversation and community.”
The lecture concluded with remarks from Professor Stacey Tovino of the University of Oklahoma, an elected member of the American Law Institute and a fellow of the American Bar Foundation. A leading voice in health law, privacy and bioethics, Tovino praised Levit’s research as “a model of rigor and relevance,” highlighting how UTulsa Law faculty contribute to national conversations on law and policy.