An Interview with Robert E. Kaplan

Authors

• Robert E. Kaplan
• Daniella Relvas-Veliadis

Files

Interview Date

2-10-2026

Description

"Nothing I've accomplished in 39 years have I done by myself, right? It's been collaborative and a team effort all along the way with eight deans and lots of faculty and administrators and alumni and, oh my gosh, and the students. ... I had the best job in the world for 39 years because every year I got to work with and get to know and establish relationships with just an amazingly diverse and capable and talented group of students..." -- Rob Kaplan

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In this oral history, dated February 10, 2026, Dean Robert E. Kaplan gives us an overview of his 39 years of service and dedication to William & Mary Law School. The interview covers many of the lasting initiatives Dean Kaplan passionately spearheaded or managed, including William & Mary’s Public Service Fund (PSF), several bone marrow fundraising projects, and the Law School’s loan repayment assistance program. He also discusses his more than 25 years managing the Office of Career Services, revamping the Legal Writing program to shape it into what it is today, and expanding the externship program which now enrolls between 150 to 200 students each year. Throughout the interview, Dean Kaplan emphasizes what motivated him: students. His passion for working with students and supporting public service initiatives is what initially drew him to William & Mary Law and kept him focused on making it a better place, year by year.

Run Time

01:42:21

Comments

A transcript and guide to the oral history are available as additional files, above.

Use the CC button on the video to toggle captions on and off. 

Keywords

Davison M. Douglas, Timothy J. Sullivan, Career Services, Citizen Lawyer, COVID-19 Pandemic 2020-2023--Virginia, Experiential learning, Law school community, Legal Skills and Legal Writing, Public Service Fund (PSF), Summer in Madrid (study abroad program), Teaching--Law school

Local Identifier

OH.2026.001

Conditions Governing Reproduction and Use

The copyright for these materials has been transferred to the repository. Permission to publish, quote, or reproduce for reasons not covered by fair use must be secured from the repository.

Recommended Citation

Kaplan, Robert E. and Relvas-Veliadis, Daniella, "An Interview with Robert E. Kaplan" (2026). William & Mary Law School Oral Histories. 25.
https://scholarship.law.wm.edu/oralhist_all/25