Regent University Welcomes NC Supreme Court Chief Justice as New Law School Dean

Regent University welcomed the new dean of its law school Friday – former North Carolina Supreme Court Chief Justice Mark Martin.

Martin served as a judge for 26 years – more than 20 of them on the state's high court.

In 1992, at age 29, Martin became the youngest superior court judge in the modern era. Just two years later, at 31 years old, Martin became the youngest judge in the history of the NC Court of Appeals. In 1998, as a 35-year-old, Martin was elected as the youngest Justice in the history of the Supreme Court of NC.

In his speech at his Regent installation service, Martin cited British Olympic runner Eric Liddell – the subject of the film "Chariots of Fire" – who refused to race in an Olympic event on a Sunday because of his faith, but went on to win a gold medal in a separate race.

"He showed us that Christians can remain faithful to their convictions and be successful in their lives," Martin explained. "The story of Eric Liddell, a person with a calling to excel in this life, holds special lessons for us here at Regent Law. This is an institution that holds such a calling in the highest regard."

In his address, Martin delivered his own charge to Regent Law students. "Let's get started running this race together," he said in closing. "Like Eric Liddell, with God's help, we will have a great race."

"Chief Justice Mark Martin is a distinguished leader who has served North Carolina for more than two decades," Robertson said in a press release when Martin's appointment was announced.

"We are delighted to welcome this public servant whose vast experience and Constitutional advocacy will infuse a standard of excellence by every measure into our law program. Chief Justice Martin has set records throughout his career and he represents the intellect, skill, integrity, and vision that we want our students and graduates to emulate."

Regent University has 11,000 students studying on its 70-acre campus in Virginia Beach, VA, and online around the world. The Regent University School of Law is fully approved by the American Bar Association (ABA) and boasts more than 3,300 graduates practicing law in 49 states and more than 20 countries, including 38 sitting judges.