William C. Koch, Jr. is the Dean of Nashville School of Law.

Before his appointment in 2014, Dean Koch served as a Justice of the Tennessee Supreme Court
and as a Judge of the Tennessee Court of Appeals. During his 30-year judicial career, Dean Koch
was recognized as Tennessee’s Appellate Judge of the Year by the American Board of Trial
Advocates and was also listed as one of the 500 Leading Judges in America.

Prior to his appointment to the appellate bench, Dean Koch served as Counsel to Tennessee
Governor Lamar Alexander, Commissioner of Personnel, and Deputy Attorney General of the
State of Tennessee.

Born and raised in Honolulu, Hawaii, Dean Koch received his undergraduate degree from Trinity
College in Hartford, Connecticut. He earned his J.D. degree from Vanderbilt University School of
Law and his LL.M. in Judicial Process from the University of Virginia School of Law.

He has taught Constitutional Law at Nashville School of Law since 1997.

Dean Koch has also received appointments as an adjunct professor at Vanderbilt University
School of Law and Belmont University College of Law.

The dean is currently the Vice President of the American Inns of Court. He is the president of
the Harry Phillips American Inns of Court and is the chair of the Tennessee Supreme Court’s
Indigent Representation Task Force and a member of the Trial Court Vacancy Commission.
He has been married to Deborah Patterson Koch since 1985. The couple attends Christ Church
Cathedral in Nashville.