"I would say he found himself in the worst possible situation and handled it in an excellent way," Geoffrey Stone, dean of the University of Chicago Law School, said after Vorenberg's resignation. "It was one of the biggest problems any dean in American law schools has faced in recent years. He handled it in a way that was much to his credit."

But nagging concerns over the political divisions within the faculty have made the search for Vorenberg's successor a more crucial issue for the faculty.

"I think the selection of the new dean may be the most important issue [for the faculty]," Visiting Professor of Law Charles J. Ogletree said, calling the dean search "the most important time for Harvard Law School since the retirement of Dean [Erwin] Griswold."

In May, the search for Vorenberg's successor became potentially divisive in itself when the faculty for the first time in Law School history elected the committee to advise the president on his dean selection. Professors expressed concern' that the six-member committee, which includes members from both sides of the politically divided faculty, might have trouble narrowing down the field of candidates.

The committee consists of Professor of Law Gerald E. Frug, a CLS adherent; Professor of Law David Kennedy and Tyler Professor of Constitutional Law Laurence H. Tribe '62, active supporters of Dalton's tenure; Professor of Law Robert C. Clark, one of the Law School's most vocal opponents of CLS; Cromwell Professor of Law David L. Shapiro '54; and Fessenden Professor of Law Bernard Wolfman.

But after the preliminary meetings, Tribe, who was elected to chair the six-member panel, said that he did not foresee any difficulties working with the different factions and expected to make progress through the summer.

"We've made a great deal of progress and I don't anticipate any problems," Tribe said.

Although Tribe and the committee would not discuss their deliberations, Bok said that he would look for administrative ability in a candidate for the post, but not necessarily prior experience.

"We are still primarily seeking academic leadership for the school, and we will look for academic qualities," Bok said.

Bok also said he would consider departing with Law School tradition and appoint a professor from outside the Law School to take the dean's post.

"I don't think one can start this process with a prediction of inside or out," Bok said. "It would be a big mistake not to pay attention to any potential source of candidates, since it is a difficult job. We do not want to overlook outside possibilities any more than inside ones."

Yet the presence of a new dean might not bridge the political rifts, professors say, in a Law School where all important issues are decided by faculty vote.

"Who knows, the dean is powerful and not powerful," Associate Dean and Professor of Law Andrew L. Kaufman '51 said. "He is the administrative head of the school and he has a big leadership role. But the faculty is not changing all at once."

While politics continued to be a source of controversy at the Law School, Vorenberg was able to look ahead to the Law School's academic future, presiding over the start in October of the first long-range planning process and internal review the Law School has conducted in over 25 years.

Kaufman, who is helping lead the special planning committee, said that future evaluations of the Law School would "be looking at the education program at this school and the long range planning," and not at the political problems of CLS.

The review, which will likely be followed by a large fundraising campaign, will examine the schools academic and financial programs, as well as programs with crowded facilities. Bok said Vorenberg timed his resignation so that his successor would be able to begin and conduct the capital fund drive--the first in 20 years--which the internal review is expected to spark.

And while Vorenberg led the Law School in its extensive examination of its education process and its facilities, professors said Vorenberg's legacy would include reforms in the curriculum. Colleagues credited Vorenberg with helping enlarge the Law School's clinical program and encouraging more students to pursue careers in public service law.

"This is an exciting time at the Law School," Kaufman said. "It's a rather different school than it was 15 years ago."