Gregory Van Tatenhove

Dean

University of Kentucky J. David Rosenberg College of Law Dean Gregory Van Tatenhove previously served as a U.S. District Judge for the Eastern District of Kentucky, a role he held from 2006 until he became dean of the college in July 2026.

Previously, he served as the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky, chief of staff for U.S. Representative Ron Lewis and an Honors Program Trial Attorney in the U.S. Department of Justice.

In each of these roles, Van Tatenhove demonstrated broad and substantive senior-level leadership, managing complex multidisciplinary teams, overseeing substantial budgets and adjudicating complex legal and public policy issues.

He has served as chair of various organizational committees, including the Committee on Court Administration and Case Management, the Sixth Circuit Criminal Pattern Jury Instruction Committee and the U.S. Attorney General’s Advisory Committee, leading strategic planning initiatives and developing and implementing policies and procedures. Appointed by the Chief Justice as chair of the Committee on Court Administration and Case Management, Van Tatenhove led a talented group of judges in reaching consensus on the most prominent issues facing the judiciary. As chair, he was also part of a small group of judges responsible for the federal judiciary's five-year strategic plan.

Van Tatenhove previously served as an adjunct instructor in the UK Rosenberg College of Law, teaching “Crime and Punishment: Sentencing Policy and Procedure.” Before becoming dean, Van Tatenhove was a judge and lecturer in the Trial Advocacy Program for Assistant United States Attorneys, a part of the National Advocacy Center at the University of South Carolina.

He has delivered numerous presentations on rule of law, anti-money laundering, anti-trafficking and other issues to legal professionals across the United States and throughout Africa, Asia and the Caribbean.