By Amellia Fowler

Julie Underwood and Julie Mead, professors emerita in the University of Wisconsin–Madison School of Education, have been inducted into the inaugural Education Law Hall of Fame, recognizing their extraordinary and lasting contributions to the field of education law through scholarship, legal practice, policy, leadership, and service. 

Mead served for many years on the faculty of the School of Education’s Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis, where she also held roles as department chair and associate dean. Her research has focused on special education law, school choice policy, charter schools, and the legal rights of students with disabilities. Throughout her career, Mead demonstrated a strong commitment to preparing ethical school administrators and ensuring that legal requirements serve the best education interests of all children. 

Underwood was a faculty member in the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis, who also served as dean of the School of Education from 2005 to 2015. She was the first woman to earn tenure in UW–Madison’s former Department of Educational Administration and the first woman to serve as School of Education dean.

In addition to her work at UW–Madison, Underwood served as associate executive director and general counsel of the National School Boards Association, where she oversaw the 3,000-member Council of School Attorneys, authored dozens of amicus curiae briefs, and joined oral arguments teams before the Supreme Court of the United States. 

Established in 2026 through the recommendation of the Ad Hoc Committee on Education Law Association Recognition, the Education Law Hall of Fame is among the highest honors bestowed by the Education Law Association (ELA). The Hall of Fame recognizes those whose foundational work shaped the field, with inductees including distinguished scholars, attorneys, and educational leaders who have made extraordinary and lasting contributions to education law. 

By honoring those with extensive achievements in the field, the ELA preserves their expertise, mentorship, historical knowledge, and thought leadership while also building connections between distinguished contributors. 

To learn more about Mead, Underwood, and the Education Law Hall of Fame, visit educationlaw.org.