Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School (AJMLS) announces the retirement of Michael J. Lynch, Director of the Law Library and Professor of Law, effective at the end of this academic year. Professor Lynch has been an integral part of the AJMLS community for 27 years, joining the faculty in 1997. His distinguished career in legal education spans over four decades, during which he has profoundly impacted both the institution and the lives of countless students and colleagues.
Professor Lynch’s contributions are many and varied. He was instrumental in the expansion of the law library and its transformation into a vital academic resource that secured full ABA accreditation for the school. When Professor Lynch took lead of the library in 1997, the footprint spanned 18,000 square feet with an estimated 50,000 volumes. At its peak, the footprint had expanded to 25,000 square feet and over 290,000 volumes (including microforms). Additionally, this period saw a significant expansion in the availability of hundreds of thousands of volumes and millions of documents through widespread access to online databases. Beyond his administrative duties, he is revered for his teaching, particularly in Contracts, where his deep knowledge and passion for the law have inspired generations of students.
Before his tenure at AJMLS, Professor Lynch served as Associate Library Director at Florida State University and the University of Toledo Law Schools, where he pioneered the transition from traditional to computer-based legal research methods. He has taught at various institutions, including Emory University, and has been a prolific writer, contributing numerous scholarly articles and publications to the field of law.
In 2013, AJMLS honored Professor Lynch by dedicating the law library in his name, a testament to his enduring legacy at the school. His commitment to academic excellence and student success has left a lasting mark on the institution, and his absence will be deeply felt at the Michael J. Lynch Law Library.
Please join us in congratulating Professor Lynch on his impressive career, and wishing him a long and healthy retirement with his family.