Mark Cordes named interim dean of NIU College of Law

Northern Illinois University has named Mark Cordes interim dean of the NIU College of Law, effective June 1, 2015. Cordes replaces Jennifer Rosato Perea, who will assume the dean position at DePaul College of Law on July 1.

Cordes served as associate dean for the college from 1996-98, and in 1999 he earned the College of Law Alumni Council's Outstanding Professor Award for support of alumni activities. In 2001, he was selected the college's professor of the year.

Cordes - who teaches courses in property, land use controls, constitutional law, First Amendment and environmental law - is the author of more than two dozen book chapters and law review articles in these areas. He was a significant contributor to the revision of Thompson on Real Property, a leading multivolume treatise on property law. In addition to his law review articles, Cordes also contributed five entries to the recent Encyclopedia of American Civil Liberties.

Most recently, Cordes has worked with an interdisciplinary group at NIU to develop academic and engagement activities related to environmental law.

Prior to coming to NIU, Cordes was a teaching fellow at Stanford Law School for two years, where he earned his master of the science of law.

Cordes earned his juris doctor degree at Willamette University, where he was editor-in-chief of the Willamette Law Review. He served as a law clerk to Justice Thomas Tongue of the Oregon Supreme Court after graduation from law school.

Cordes earned his bachelor's degree in history and psychology from Portland State University before earning a master's degree at Fuller Theological Seminary.

Cordes served in the U.S. Army from 1970-72, including a tour in Vietnam, where he earned the Combat Infantry Badge and the Purple Heart.