UConn School of Law Dean Eboni S. Nelson has named five faculty members to professorships, honoring their contributions to fields ranging from administrative law and corporate finance to law and technology, employment law, and animal law.
“I am thrilled to recognize these exceptional faculty members for their scholarly achievements, innovative teaching, and meaningful service,” said Dean Eboni S. Nelson. “Each of them brings academic rigor, creativity, and a deep commitment to justice that enriches our academic and broader community and inspires our students.”
Meet the honorees:
Professor Anya Bernstein: Jesse Root Professor of Law
Bernstein is known for her interdisciplinary approach to legal scholarship, bringing her background in sociocultural anthropology to the study of judicial opinions and administrative practices. She teaches administrative law, civil procedure, legal interpretation, and the cultures of bureaucracy.
Bernstein’s recent articles, “Judicial Accountability” in The Georgetown Law Journal and “Working with Statutes” in the Texas Law Review, continue to shape the field. Her work has also appeared in The Yale Law Journal, The University of Chicago Law Review, and the Cornell Law Review.
“It’s an honor to have my scholarship on governments and courts recognized with the Jesse Root professorship, which will help me launch the next stage of my research on administration,” Bernstein said.
Kiel Brennan-Marquez: Wallace Stevens Professor of Law
With research focusing on how artificial intelligence and machine learning are reshaping legal institutions, Brennan-Marquez examines what, if anything, is lost when human decision-makers are replaced by automated systems. His most recent published works include “Micro-Costs” in The Georgetown Law Journal and “Judging Demeanor” forthcoming in the Minnesota Law Review.
“I’m delighted to receive this honor, not least because Wallace Stevens is one my favorite poets,” Brennan-Marquez said. “I became enchanted with his writing as a law student, so this professorship has a ‘full circle’ feel.”
Brennan-Marquez teaches courses in constitutional law, civil and criminal procedure, evidence, and law and technology.
Professor Minor Myers: Zephaniah Swift Professor of Law
Myers is a recognized expert in corporate law, mergers and acquisitions, and corporate finance, with his work being cited in major Delaware court decisions and informing legislative reforms. His insights have been featured in The New York Times, The Washington Post, and The Wall Street Journal, as well as many journal articles, including “Incentive Awards for Plaintiffs: Law, Economics, and Policy” in the Vanderbilt Law Review.
“It’s an honor to be named the Zephaniah Swift Professor of Law,” Myers said. “Receiving the professorship connects me to the distinguished colleagues who have previously held it, and, more broadly, it makes me feel part of an unbroken chain of influential legal scholarship in Connecticut that traces back to Zephaniah Swift himself, who, among other things, authored a pioneering early treatise on American law.”
Myers teaches business organizations, private equity and hedge funds, and corporate finance.
Professor Sachin S. Pandya: Roger Sherman Professor of Law
Pandya’s research spans employment law, anti-discrimination, and the use of computational tools in legal analysis. He teaches courses on labor and employment law and is currently leading several innovative projects, including software-based detection of wage-and-hour violations, studies on bias in jury selection, and mixed-method research on hate crime prosecutions.
In addition to his academic work, Pandya contributes to legal advocacy by writing briefs for federal and state appellate courts. His published work includes “The Braidwood Exploit: On the RFRA Declaratory-Judgment Class-Action and Title VII Employer Liability” in the University of Richmond Law Review and “Bayesian Detection of Bias in Peremptory Challenges Using Historical Strike Data” in The American Statistician.
“I appreciate the honor and, even more, the law school’s commitment to supporting serious research without fear or favor,” Pandya said.
Associate Dean Jessica Rubin: J. Agnes Burns Professor of Law
Rubin is the Associate Dean for Experiential Education and the Director of UConn Law School’s Animal Law Clinic. She was instrumental in creating Desmond’s Law, which allows Connecticut courts to appoint advocates in animal cruelty cases. She has published scholarly articles about that law, including “Desmond’s Law: Early Impressions of Connecticut’s Court Advocate Program for Animal Cruelty Cases” in the Harvard Law Review.
Rubin supervises students and appears in court to advocate for justice in cases of animal cruelty. She also trains students for national and international negotiation competitions and co-founded the annual UConn Business Law Negotiation Competition in partnership with the School of Business.
“I am grateful for the recognition of and continued support for my work in our experiential programs,” Rubin said. “This support enables us to do more for our students and community members who are involved in our clinical, field placement, pro bono, and legal practice programs.”
