David Kirschner is the associate dean of admissions, financial aid, and innovation at the University of Southern California, Gould School of Law. Kirschner earned his BA in film production cum laude from the University of Southern California and his JD cum laude from California Western School of Law. Kirschner began his career in law school admissions as an alumni recruiter at California Western School of Law then assistant and then associate director of admissions at Loyola Law School, Loyola Marymount University before returning to his alma mater, USC, in 2011 as Director of Admissions. 

In his current position at USC, Kirschner is responsible for setting and implementing strategic goals and targets for each admission cycle. Throughout his career, Kirschner has been at the forefront of using technology and data to refine enrollment management practices and craft more effective recruitment and outreach strategies. Kirschner has extensive experience with LSAC and other professional organizations related to legal education. Currently, Kirschner chairs LSAC’s Schools & Candidates Committee and serves as a voting member of the Board of Trustees. Previously, Kirschner chaired the Newcomers Workshop and led a re-imagining of the program (2023-2025). Prior to that, he served consecutive terms on the LSAC Board of Trustees as the inaugural Chair of LSAC’s Emerging Markets & Innovation Committee (2019-2023). Kirschner has also served on LSAC’s Services and Programs Committee, Test Development & Research, and Finance & Legal Affairs Committee, as well as the Information Support Division Advisory Group and in planning the first ever UNITE preconference in 2022.

Outside of LSAC, Kirschner serves on the AI Advisory Council for Ruffalo Noel Levitz (RNL); the Advisory Board for the J. Serra High School Law Magnet; and the Alumni Association Board of Director for California Western School of Law. Previously, Kirschner served as chair of the American Association of Law Schools (AALS) Section on PreLegal Education and Admission to Law School and has been a member of American Bar Association (ABA) accreditation site visit teams. He also teaches in the USC Rossier Certificate in Leadership in Enrollment Management Program and co-teaches a summer seminar to incoming law students entitled “Lawyers and Leadership” with Professor Robert Rasmussen.