Mohamed Khimji has been named the next dean in the Faculty of Law. His five-year appointment begins July 1, 2025.
Khimji has strong ties to the university, as a former Western law professor and Stephen Dattels Chair in Corporate Finance Law.
“We’re delighted to welcome Mohamed back to Western,” said Florentine Strzelczyk, provost and vice-president (academic). “Mohamed brings an impressive record of academic leadership, teaching and research strengths in corporate and commercial law, and deep experience in curriculum development and alumni engagement. He is well-positioned to lead the faculty, advancing its new strategic plan and educating the leaders and lawyers of tomorrow.”
Khimji returns to Western from Queen’s University in Kingston, Ont. where he currently holds the David Allgood Professorship in Business Law. During his time at Queen’s, he’s held key leadership roles, including interim associate dean of graduate studies, associate dean of academic policy and director of the business law program.
“I’m humbled to be selected for this role. I look forward to reconnecting with the faculty and staff I already know and supporting the more junior faculty members to help them achieve their teaching and research goals,” Khimji said. “I’m excited to work with this terrific group of scholars.”
Khimji plans to kick off his tenure with “100 days of listening.”
“I want to meet with the faculty, staff and students in law, and with our alumni and community partners, to really have an informed sense of the opportunities and challenges,” he said.
A collaborative leader, committed to inclusive education
Born and raised in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, Khimji began studying law at the University of Bristol, in the U.K. right after high school.
“A couple of things appealed to me about law,” Khimji recalled. “I thought, instinctively, I had the skill set. Also, my favourite subject in high school was English literature, and I liked reading, analysis and processing information.”
His instincts proved correct, forging a career in which he’s been recognized for his collaborative leadership style and dedication to inclusive education – a commitment born out of his lived experience as a first-generation university graduate and internationally trained lawyer.
“I’m very passionate about giving students in similar positions things I didn’t have, like network, information and advice.
“If you’re a first-generation student, you don’t always have access to a wide network, which is why I’m a big believer in alumni mentors and connections. Advice on how to navigate this experience isn’t there organically, so we need to have institutional structures in place to provide that.”
As a professor, he enjoys working directly with students to help them achieve their goals. As incoming dean in the Faculty of Law, he’s hoping to impact students from an institutional level, ensuring future lawyers have the skills and knowledge to address global challenges.
“These are interesting times. There’s a lot going on in the world, with significant issues continuing to affect our society and economy – such as the rule of law being threatened, the trade war and the emergence of generative AI,” Khimji said. “All require fundamental, serious social debate and are areas where our students will be trained to make important contributions. I think that’s exciting.”
‘Law (Taylor’s version)’ coming to Western
An influential scholar in corporate and commercial law, Khimji’s work has shaped legal thinking in areas ranging from the conceptualizing of property rights in financial assets to the evolution of secured lending regimes.
In the classroom, he works to connect legal education to contemporary issues, as he did most recently, by creating the business law seminar course Law (Taylor’s Version).
The course examines cultural icon Taylor Swift’s interactions with the legal system and how she’s affected entertainment law in the music industry. It was a hit with Queen’s JD students, who “were so engaged in the legal issues and class discussions,” Khimji said.
Now law students here will have that same opportunity to connect with Khimji, as he brings the course to Western.
Strzelczyk thanked members of the selection committee for their collaborative efforts over the past several months leading to Khimji’s appointment.
She also expressed her gratitude for Western law professor Andrew Botterell’s service as acting dean since July 1, 2024.
“Andrew provided steady leadership and ensured a smooth transition for the faculty,” she said. “He played a key role in advancing the early implementation of Western Law’s strategic plan, which sets priorities to enhance research, attract top talent and strengthen the faculty’s reputation as a hub of legal scholarship.”
Strzelczyk also thanked Erika Chamberlain for her “exceptional leadership” over two terms as dean of the Faculty of Law.
“Erika’s decade of service has left an enduring legacy of innovation, excellence and student-centered growth,” she said.
