About Ellen Cosgrove

Prior to law education, Ellen Cosgrove worked for Manufacturers Hanover Trust Co. in 1984 as an assistant secretary. After law school graduation in 1991, Ellen Cosgrove represented corporate clients with LeBoeuf Lamb Green & MacRae.

The University of Chicago Law School hired her as its Associate Dean and Dean of Students in 1995, where she was in charge of the Offices of Student Affairs and Registrar. She worked closely with the Faculty Director of Academic Affairs. She also was the co-chair of the First Year Legal Research & Writing Program, coordinator of the Discipline and Curriculum Committees, and chair of Centennial Committee (a year-long centennial celebration). The class of 2000 gave her the Class Award for her contributions to improving the law school community and quality of life.

After nine years with Chicago Law, Ms. Cosgrove became the Associate Dean and Dean of Students at Harvard Law School in 2004. As a Harvard Law administrator, she counseled law school students on bar admission, academics, career, and personal matters. During her time with the law program, she received the Staff Award in 2006 and 2009 and was honored at the Harvard Law International Women’s Day Portrait. Upon leaving the program, her students bid their farewells by parodying her in a production.

Ms. Cosgrove also was an administrator at Yale University Law before leaving in 2022. Presently, she heads a consulting company that works with law schools on their student services programs, a firm she has been working for since 2012.