Jacob H. Rooksby is an experienced academic, administrator, and attorney with a proven track record of leadership and innovation in higher education. Appointed Dean of Gonzaga University School of Law in 2018, Rooksby has focused on enhancing the law school’s academic programs, modernizing its facilities, and integrating it more fully into the university and regional communities. Under his leadership, the law school has achieved record enrollment growth and diversification, elevated outcomes for graduates, and strengthened partnerships with local and state legal professions. Guided by a commitment to opportunity and fairness, Rooksby has worked to ensure faculty pay equity and created initiatives that empower students, faculty, and staff to thrive. He holds a joint appointment as a Professor of Law and Leadership Studies.

Rooksby’s scholarship focuses on intellectual property law and higher education law, addressing challenges central to universities’ missions in an evolving landscape. He is the author of The Branding of the American Mind: How Universities Capture, Manage, and Monetize Intellectual Property and Why It Matters (Johns Hopkins University Press, 2016), which explores the intersection of innovation and the public good. He also co-authored the 6th edition of The Law of Higher Education, the leading treatise in the field, and edited Research Handbook on Intellectual Property and Technology Transfer (Edward Elgar, 2020).

Rooksby’s deep connection to the legal profession informs his ability to build strategic relationship and navigate complex organizational challenges. He holds law licenses in Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Washington and has practiced with leading law firms, including McGuireWoods LLP and Dentons Cohen & Grigsby P.C. He currently serves as IP Optimization Strategist for FIG. 1 Patents, PLLC, a boutique intellectual property firm based in Spokane. Rooksby is an elected member of the American Law Institute, a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation, and a member of the bar of the Supreme Court of the United States.

An Indiana native, Rooksby earned his A.B., summa cum laude, in Hispanic Studies and Government from the College of William & Mary, where he was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa. He holds J.D., M.Ed., and Ph.D. degrees from the University of Virginia and completed post-graduate training in higher education leadership at Harvard University in 2019. As a graduate of the Ignatian Colleagues Program, he is deeply committed to education that prioritizes service, personal growth, and the pursuit of meaningful impact.

Rooksby and his wife, Kelly Drew Rooksby, an attorney, approach life with passion, curiosity, and a shared commitment to excellence. Together they raise three active daughters, a rambunctious Bernedoodle, and a stoic Russian blue cat. An avid outdoorsman, Rooksby has summited the highest point of elevation in 47 states and enjoys hiking, golfing, skiing, and camping with his family. He brings to leadership the same enthusiasm, determination, and purpose-driven focus that define his life and career.