On Jan. 26, the Washburn University Board of Regents confirmed the appointment of Thomas Romig as the new dean for the Washburn School of Law. Romig will begin his duties as dean July 1.

Romig, a native of Manhattan, Kan., received a Bachelor of Science degree in social sciences from Kansas State University. He was commissioned through the Army ROTC and, while serving as a military intelligence officer, was selected for the Army Fully Funded Law School program. He graduated from the Santa Clara University School of Law in 1980.

Since 2005, Romig has served as deputy chief counsel for operations for the Federal Aviation Administration. In this position, he has supervised nine multi-disciplinary regional counsel offices and the Aeronautical Center Counsel Office.

Before becoming a part of the FAA, Romig served four years as the 36th Judge Advocate General of the Army, where he led and supervised an organization of more than 9,000 personnel. This personnel consisted of 5,000 active and reserve military and civilian attorneys and more than 4,000 paralegal personnel spread throughout 328 separate offices in 22 countries.

Among his military legal assignments were: teaching international law at the Judge Advocate General’s School in Charlottesville, Va., prosecuting felony and misdemeanor criminal cases, Chief of Planning for the JAG Corps, Chief Legal Officer for the Army Air Defense forces in Europe and Chief Legal Officer for U.S. Army V Corps.

Romig also oversaw a world-wide legal practice including international law, labor and employment law, civil and criminal litigation, administrative law, environmental law and claims and ethics compliance.

“Thomas has demonstrated an exemplary level of leadership and brings to Washburn a new level of expertise,” said Jerry Farley, university president, in a press release. “I’m confident with Thomas’ broad intellectual interests, thoughtful academic temperament and his enthusiasm about the new challenge, he will capitalize upon the many strengths of the School of Law.”