Marcus Cole

G. Marcus Cole
Born	G. Marcus Cole
Nationality	American
Occupation	Legal scholar, law school dean
Title	Joseph A. Matson Dean and Professor of Law
Employer	University of Notre Dame Law School
Known for	Legal scholarship, leadership at Notre Dame Law School
Awards	Dignitatis Humanae Award (2024)

G. Marcus Cole is an American legal scholar and academic administrator who serves as the Joseph A. Matson Dean and Professor of Law at the University of Notre Dame Law School. A figure whose professional trajectory has placed him at the intersection of legal education, religious liberty advocacy, and public discourse on race and justice in America, Cole has emerged as one of the more prominent law school deans in the United States. He has delivered numerous commencement addresses and public remarks on topics ranging from the responsibilities of legal professionals to the moral dimensions of civil rights and religious freedom. In October 2024, he was awarded the Dignitatis Humanae Award by the University of St. Thomas School of Law in recognition of his contributions to human dignity and legal education. Cole gained broader public attention in June 2020 when he published a deeply personal statement in response to the killing of George Floyd, writing, "I am George Floyd. Except, I can breathe. And I can do something."

Career

Appointment as Dean of Notre Dame Law School

Cole serves as the Joseph A. Matson Dean and Professor of Law at the University of Notre Dame Law School, a position that has placed him at the helm of one of the leading Catholic law schools in the United States. In this role, Cole oversees the academic programs, faculty, and strategic direction of the law school. His tenure has been marked by engagement with broader questions of legal ethics, human dignity, and the role of faith in legal education.

Public Statements on Race and Justice

In June 2020, following the killing of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer and the subsequent nationwide protests against racial injustice, Cole published a public statement that drew significant attention. Dated June 8, 2020, and published on the University of Notre Dame Law School's website, the statement was titled "I am George Floyd. Except, I can breathe. And I can do something." In it, Cole described having received "numerous messages of care and support from friends, neighbors, and acquaintances" in the days following Floyd's death. The statement reflected Cole's personal experience as a Black man in America and his perspective as a legal educator on matters of justice and equality.

The statement was notable for its directness and personal tone, departing from the more measured institutional communications typical of law school deans. Cole used his platform to address the systemic dimensions of racial injustice while also affirming his belief in the capacity of individuals and institutions—particularly legal institutions—to effect meaningful change. The statement was widely circulated and brought national attention to Cole's leadership at Notre Dame Law School.

Religious Liberty Advocacy

Cole has been an active participant in discussions surrounding religious liberty, a topic of particular significance to Notre Dame as a Catholic university. In July 2023, Cole delivered remarks at the Notre Dame Religious Liberty Summit's Gala and Award Dinner, held at the Merchant Taylors' Hall. The summit brought together legal scholars, religious leaders, and policymakers to discuss contemporary challenges to religious freedom both in the United States and internationally.

Cole's engagement with religious liberty issues has been a consistent theme throughout his deanship at Notre Dame. His remarks at the 2023 summit addressed the relationship between religious freedom and other fundamental rights, reflecting the law school's broader mission to integrate Catholic intellectual tradition with rigorous legal scholarship.

Commencement Addresses

As dean, Cole has delivered the charge to graduating classes at Notre Dame Law School on multiple occasions, using these addresses to articulate his vision for the legal profession and the responsibilities of new lawyers.

Commencement 2023

In May 2023, Cole delivered the charge to Notre Dame Law School's Class of 2023 during the law school's commencement ceremony. The address reflected on the professional and ethical obligations that graduates would carry into their careers and emphasized themes that had characterized Cole's tenure, including the importance of service, integrity, and a commitment to justice rooted in moral principles.

Commencement 2025

In May 2025, Cole delivered the charge to Notre Dame Law School's Class of 2025 during the law school's commencement exercises. The address continued the themes Cole had established in prior years, challenging graduates to use their legal training in service of the common good.

These annual commencement addresses have served as a public record of Cole's evolving thought on legal education, professional responsibility, and the moral framework within which he believes law should operate. His consistent return to themes of human dignity, faith, and service has distinguished his leadership style and aligned the law school's public identity with these principles.

Institutional Leadership

Under Cole's leadership, Notre Dame Law School has continued to engage with pressing legal and social questions. Cole has positioned the law school as a participant in national conversations about religious liberty, racial justice, and the role of Catholic higher education in contemporary American society. His willingness to speak publicly and personally on issues such as racial inequality—as demonstrated by his 2020 statement on George Floyd—has complemented the more traditional scholarly and administrative dimensions of his role as dean.

Cole's deanship has also been characterized by engagement with other institutions. His receipt of the Dignitatis Humanae Award from the University of St. Thomas School of Law in 2024 reflected recognition from peer institutions of his contributions to the legal academy. The award ceremony featured Rob Vischer, President of the University of St. Thomas, and Dan Kelly, Dean of the University of St. Thomas Law School, alongside Cole.

Recognition

Dignitatis Humanae Award (2024)

In October 2024, Cole was awarded the Dignitatis Humanae Award by the University of St. Thomas School of Law. The award, which takes its name from the Second Vatican Council's declaration on religious freedom ("Dignitatis Humanae"), recognizes individuals who have made distinguished contributions to the advancement of human dignity. The award ceremony took place with Rob Vischer, President of the University of St. Thomas, and Dan Kelly, Dean of the University of St. Thomas Law School, presenting the honor to Cole.

The award recognized Cole's work as both a legal scholar and an institutional leader. It reflected his engagement with questions of human dignity that have been central to his public addresses and scholarly work, as well as his leadership of Notre Dame Law School, a premier Catholic institution of legal education.

Public Addresses and Prominence

Cole's public profile has been shaped by a series of high-profile addresses and statements. His 2020 statement on the killing of George Floyd attracted broad attention for its personal candor and moral clarity. His remarks at the 2023 Notre Dame Religious Liberty Summit positioned him as a voice in national discussions about the relationship between faith and law. His commencement addresses in 2023 and 2025 further established his reputation as a dean who actively engages with the ethical and civic dimensions of legal education.

Legacy

Cole's tenure as Dean of Notre Dame Law School has been defined by a willingness to engage publicly with some of the most contested questions in American law and society. His 2020 statement on George Floyd represented a departure from the institutional caution that characterizes many academic administrators, and it positioned him as a dean willing to speak from personal experience about matters of racial justice. His advocacy for religious liberty, a central concern for Catholic legal education, has aligned with the broader mission of the University of Notre Dame while also contributing to national legal debates.

The Dignitatis Humanae Award from the University of St. Thomas in 2024 represented formal recognition of Cole's contributions to the legal profession and to the advancement of human dignity. His commencement addresses have provided a consistent articulation of the values he has sought to instill in Notre Dame Law School graduates: a commitment to service, a grounding in moral principle, and an understanding of law as a profession oriented toward justice.

Cole's leadership has also been notable for the way it has brought together concerns that are sometimes seen as existing in tension—racial justice and religious liberty, personal testimony and institutional authority, Catholic identity and engagement with secular legal debates. His public record suggests an effort to demonstrate that these concerns can be pursued simultaneously and that legal education, at its best, addresses the full range of human dignity.