If you are on the AALS Business Associations listserv, then you may have already seen that the BA section will honor 13 law professors for exemplary mentorship, including our own Gordon Smith:  

Lynne L. Dallas (San Diego); Claire MooreDickerson (Tulane); Christopher Drahozal (Kansas); Egon Guttman (American); William A. “Bill” Klein (UCLA); Donald C. Langevoort (Georgetown); Juliet Moringiello (Widener Commonwealth); Marleen O’Connor (Stetson); Terry O’Neill (Emerita, Tulane); Charles “Chuck” O’Kelley (Seattle); Alysa L. Rolack (formerly of Indiana-Bloomington); Roberta Romano (Yale); and Gordon Smith (BYU).

What a great group of scholars, teachers and mentors!  This list has great meaning to me because so many generous souls on that list have helped me enormously in my career.  I could blog about most of the names here, but I'll take the time to mention two.

Many of you know the story of how Gordon and I "met on the internet" in 2004 when I cold-called him and basically said "Hi, I'm Christine and I'm 80 miles from you.  Here are all the things we have in common."  I guest blogged on his then-blog Venturpreneur, we started Conglomerate, and the rest is history.  I can't imagine where my career would have gone without the great advice and introductions that have come my way since that day.  And now we are two doors down from each other!  Thanks, Gordon, for being so gracious as to help out a new corporate law professor.  I've never cold-called anyone before or since -- thanks!  I know that 20 other people could say something similar, and obviously did in the call for nominations.

Another story that I haven't told on the blog is how I met Marleen O'Connor.  When I was going through the market in 2002 (for 2003-04), I briefly met Marleen at Stetson when I interviewed there.  Before I left the building, she found me and put a book in my hands:  I Don't Know How She Does It.  (I had a 3 year old and an infant at the time.)  I read the book the whole way home.  She also gave me a list of corporate law professors I should get to know, and several of them are on this list (Claire Moore Dickerson, Lynne Dallas).  I ended up choosing to go to Marquette, but Marleen stayed in touch with me and got me included on emails and the annual Law & Society conference-in-a-conference of corporate law professors.  Again, including me in that group has meant the world to me and my career.  I have such great mentors and friends from that group!  Thank you, Marleen, for everything!  When I talk to junior scholars going through the market, I always say to have fun and keep in touch with the people that you meet -- they are your next mentors, even if they don't become colleagues right away!

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