 He was the co-chairman of the Second Circuit commission on Reduction of Burdens and Costs in Civil Litigation from 1977 to 1980, chairman of the New York City Charter Revision Commission from 1982 to 1983 and chairman of the State-City Commission on Integrity in Government in 1986.During the 1968 strife on Columbia's campus, he served as chairman of the faculty executive committee which was credited with easing tensions.Sovern became Dean of the Law School in 1970 and was named Executive Vice President of Academic Affairs and Provost in 1979.