Jerome (Jerry) Organ

Jerry Organ is one of the founding faculty members at the University of St. Thomas School of Law. He has earned a reputation as a gifted classroom teacher who cares deeply about his students, receiving a Gold Chalk Award at Missouri in 2001, a Mission Award for Professional Preparation in 2005, and the Dean’s Award for Teaching in 2010 at the University of St. Thomas.

Organ believes profoundly in the importance of integrating the skills and values of the profession into the doctrinal classroom and in instilling in students an appreciation of the vocation of being a lawyer. Organ’s scholarship is currently focused on issues associated with the culture of law school and the formation of professional identity.

Organ is co-director of the Holloran Center for Ethical Leadership in the Professions. His current research is directed toward transparency in financial aspects of the decision to attend law school—addressing both scholarship programs for students and employment and salary data of graduates. In addition, he is working on obtaining funding for a survey of law students to assess the extent to which alcohol consumption, drug use, and mental health issues are prevalent among law students. He also is working with the Holloran Center on developing assessment tools to document the development of professional identity among law students.