Professor William Vázquez Irizarry has been named permanent dean of the University of Puerto Rico's (UPR) Río Piedras Law School, effective October 1, 2026. The appointment was ratified Thursday, September 24, by the UPR Governing Board following the required consultation and evaluation process. Vázquez Irizarry is a Río Piedras graduate with a bachelor's degree in Political Science and a Juris Doctor, both Magna Cum Laude, and holds an LL.M. from the London School of Economics focused on Administrative Law and Regulation, European Public Law, and Legal Theory.
Since 2005 he has been a professor at the Law School, mainly teaching Administrative and Constitutional Law, and served as associate dean from 2017 to 2019, working on curriculum, admissions, accreditation and academic planning. His public service career includes roles as Puerto Rico's Secretary of Justice, legal advisor to the governor, executive assistant to the Secretary of the Governor's Office, and Litigation Director for the Municipality of San Juan.
He has participated in academic conferences across Puerto Rico, the U.S., Europe and Latin America, writing on administrative and constitutional law, comparative public law, governance and transparency. The appointment follows Dr. Érika Fontánez Torres, a professor since 2004, who served as interim dean since May during the institutional transition. The Río Piedras Chancellor thanked Fontánez Torres and welcomed Vázquez Irizarry.