Judge John L. Carroll, dean of Samford University's Cumberland School of Law, has delayed his announced retirement a full year to enable the university to conduct a more complete search for his successor.  Judge Carroll will now retire as dean June 30, 2014, instead of June 30, 2013, as he announced in June of this year.

The delay comes at the request of Samford President Andrew Westmoreland and Provost and Executive Vice President Brad Creed, who cited the need for additional time to complete the search for a new law dean.

"Dr. Creed and I are in agreement that we will proceed with the formal appointment of a search committee before the end of this calendar year, which will provide ample time for the members of the group to recommend a new dean for the beginning of the 2014-15 academic year," said Dr. Westmoreland in a message to the Samford campus.

Dr. Westmoreland thanked Judge Carroll for "service that is, indeed, beyond the call of duty."  Judge Carroll agreed that Cumberland "would be best served through his continued engagement with our current and prospective students, faculty and staff, and alumni and other friends," said Dr. Westmoreland.

Carroll, the Ethel P. Malugen Professor of Law at Cumberland, announced June 25 that he would retire next year and return to his "real love in legal education--teaching."  He has served as law dean since 2001 as part of a distinguished law career that includes service as a United States Magistrate Judge, professor of law at Mercer University and legal director of the Southern Poverty Law Center.

Carroll is a magna cum laude graduate of Cumberland who also holds an undergraduate degree from Tufts University and master of laws from Harvard University.