Brian Kane, who spent two decades as Idaho’s top law enforcement aide before leading a national organization of state attorneys general, has taken the helm of the University of Idaho College of Law. Kane began his role as dean on July 31, returning to the institution where he earned his undergraduate degree and once served as student body president.
The appointment underscores what university officials see as a turning point for the law school. Enrollment climbed 9.8% last fall, with the Boise campus welcoming 121 first-year students and the Moscow campus enrolling 79. The school fielded 823 applications this year and now serves 502 students across both locations—none of whom pay full tuition, as the law school extends in-state tuition rates to all first-year students regardless of residency.
A Career in Law and Public Service
Kane, 56, brings extensive experience in state government and legal administration. He served four years in the U.S. Army before attending the University of Idaho, where he became active in campus leadership. Following his undergraduate years, he joined the office of Idaho Attorney General Lawrence Wasden, where he served as chief deputy for two decades. In that role, Kane managed day-to-day operations of the attorney general’s office under Wasden’s tenure.
More recently, Kane served four years as executive director of the National Association of Attorneys General, an organization representing 56 elected attorneys general and territorial officials across the country. He transitioned from that position to his new deanship about three weeks after stepping down from the NAAG role.
Lawrence Wasden, the former attorney general under whom Kane worked for 20 years, expressed confidence in the appointment. “I think that they couldn’t have made a better choice,” Wasden told the Lewiston Tribune, according to the law school’s announcement.
Building Momentum at a Critical Juncture
Kane has described his arrival at an inflection point for the law school. “We’re really poised for a significant evolution,” he said, indicating his intent to build on the recent enrollment growth and expand the program’s reach and impact.
The law school’s recent trajectory reflects growing student interest in the program, particularly among Idaho residents and regional applicants. The decision to extend in-state tuition to all first-year students, regardless of origin, appears to have broadened the school’s appeal while keeping the institution’s cost structure manageable for its student body.
Kane’s appointment also marks a symbolic reconnection—he returns to the university as a degree-holder and former student leader, bringing institutional knowledge and a network cultivated through decades of public service in Idaho and nationally. His experience managing a large state attorney general’s office and coordinating among state attorneys general nationwide suggests he is positioned to navigate the operational and strategic challenges facing law schools in a changing legal landscape.
The timing of Kane’s arrival aligns with a broader expansion of the law school’s footprint, with both the Moscow and Boise campuses serving as anchors for legal education in Idaho. Whether enrollment growth continues and how Kane shapes the school’s academic priorities and partnerships remain to be seen as he settles into his first months as dean.
What Comes Next
The law school will look to Kane to chart its direction as enrollment pressures and changing career paths reshape legal education nationally. His mandate appears to center on sustaining recent growth while enhancing the program’s reputation and outcomes. Updates on his strategic initiatives and any policy changes at the law school are expected as the 2026-27 academic year progresses.