The University of Wisconsin Law School has a variety of ways to honor excellence among our students, alumni, faculty, and staff.
One of the ways that we recognize and encourage excellence in clinical teaching is through the Wisconsin Law Alumni Association’s Clinical Teacher of the Year Award. This award, initiated in 2008, makes a significant statement about the value and importance that the University of Wisconsin Law School and the Wisconsin Law Alumni Association place on clinical legal education.
To be eligible for this award, a nominee must have completed three years of teaching at the Law School; must not have received the award in the last four years; must teach law in an experiential setting (including in-house clinics, externship projects with a classroom component, and simulation courses); and must be a clinical member of the faculty.
The Clinical Teacher of the Year Award is determined by a committee named by the Dean. The award committee will consider all of the following criteria in naming an eligible candidate as the Clinical Teacher of the Year:
1) has provided excellent teaching in a clinical setting;
2) has taken responsibility for creating, developing, and implementing clinical education programs;
3) stretches him- or herself in teaching, research and service, and inspires students and colleagues to do the same; and
4) works constructively with the larger legal community.
Beginning with the 2009 award, the Law School is contacting former clinical students from the three most recent graduating classes, asking them to provide input to the award committee by nominating a former clinical teacher for the 2009 award. The committee will give great attention to the assessment of candidates’ teaching ability provided by former clinical students.
Winners of the Clinical Teacher of the Year Award
2011 Leslie Shear
2010 John Pray
2009 Marsha Mansfield
2008 Michele LaVigne
