JUNE 30, 2007 marked the conclusion of my twelve-year service as Dean of the University of Akron School of Law. During that time the University of Toledo Law Review initiated its very successful “Leadership in Legal Education Symposium” and I benefited from reading articles in the prior symposia. It was inspiring to read about the efforts, thoughts, concerns, and accomplishments of fellow deans. Sometimes those essays gave me reassurance, raised my curiosity, provided new ideas, gave me an opportunity to think about old matters from a different perspective, and even prompted healthy disagreement. Having benefited from the contributions of other deans for so many years, this year I felt obligated to try to make some small contribution to the joint enterprise. My goal in writing this essay is to expand on an area of common interest to many deans: how to strike a balance with family life and work.