About Margaret
Margaret Raymond is a distinguished legal scholar and educator based in Madison, Wisconsin. She earned her Bachelor of Arts from Carleton College in 1982, where she developed a strong foundation in the liberal arts. In 1985, she graduated with a Juris Doctor from Columbia University School of Law. At Columbia, she served as Editor-in-Chief of the Columbia Law Review, a role that developed her editorial skills and broadened her knowledge of legal scholarship. After completing her law degree, Professor Raymond clerked for U.S. Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall, gaining invaluable insight into the highest court's workings. She also clerked for U.S. Court of Appeals Judge James L.
Oakes, further enhancing her legal acumen. Following her clerkships, she practiced as a commercial litigator and criminal defense attorney, where she applied her legal knowledge in real-world scenarios. This diverse experience laid the groundwork for her academic career. In 1995, Professor Raymond joined the University of Iowa College of Law as an associate professor. Her dedication to teaching and scholarship led to her promotion as the William G. Hammond Professor of Law. During her tenure at Iowa, she took on significant leadership roles, including serving as president of the Faculty Senate and co-chairing the university-wide budget committee. These positions allowed her to influence academic policy and contribute to the university's governance.
In 2011, she became the Fred W. and Vi Miller Dean of the University of Wisconsin Law School. As dean, she was responsible for faculty and staff development, strategic planning, fundraising, and curriculum oversight. Under her leadership, the law school advanced its mission and strengthened its community. After stepping down from the deanship in 2020, she continued her academic pursuits as the Warren P. Knowles Chair and Professor of Law at the university. Professor Raymond's scholarship focuses on constitutional criminal procedure, criminal law, and legal ethics. She co-authored "The Law and Ethics of Law Practice" with Emily Hughes, now in its third edition, which serves as an essential resource for law students and practitioners alike.
From 2013 to 2019, she was a member of the Wisconsin State Bar's Standing Committee on Professional Ethics. In 2019, she joined the Board of Directors of the Wisconsin Lawyers Mutual Insurance Company. Most recently, in 2024, she was appointed to a three-year term on the American Bar Association's Standing Committee on Ethics and Professional Responsibility. Her expertise has also led her to present on the use of generative AI in legal practice, including at the 24th Annual Symposium on Legal Malpractice & Ethics in January 2025. Outside of her professional life, Professor Raymond is married to Mark Sidel, the Doyle-Bascom Professor of Law and Public Affairs at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
