Stephen Utz, Roger Sherman Professor of Law Emeritus at the UConn School of Law and a beloved teacher and scholar, passed away peacefully on December 9 after a long illness.  His nearly 40-year career at the law school left an enduring mark on generations of students and faculty, shaping the school’s success and excellence in tax law and legal philosophy. 

“Professor Utz was such a kind, supportive, and thoughtful colleague and friend,” says Dean Eboni S. Nelson. “He was an exceptional teacher and scholar, and we will be forever grateful for his many contributions to the excellence of the law school and beyond. He will be sorely missed by so many.”  

UConn Law Professor Willajeanne McLean, Professor Utz’s longtime friend and colleague, remembered him as “not just a tax scholar but also a Greek and Latin scholar” whose “catholic interests” ranged from cooking and classical music to poetry. “His work couldn’t help but be informed by his wide‑ranging knowledge. He was intellectually curious and deeply empathetic. Professor Utz was one of the first people at the law school to befriend me, and that friendship endured for 34 years. I will miss him.”  

Born and raised in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Professor Utz demonstrated academic excellence early in life. He graduated from Louisiana State University at just 19, earning highest honors in philosophy.  As LSU’s first Marshall Scholar, he went on to earn a Ph.D. in the Philosophy of Science from King’s College, University of Cambridge.   

He taught philosophy at LSU before turning to law, enrolling at the University of Texas School of Law, where he graduated with high honors, served on the Texas Law Review, and was elected to the Order of the Coif, an honor society for law school graduates. Following law school, he clerked for Judge Joseph T. Sneed on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit and practiced at the tax law firm Caplin & Drysdale in Washington, D.C.   

Professor Utz joined the UConn School of Law faculty in 1983, beginning a distinguished academic career defined by outstanding teaching and prolific scholarship. He taught a range of courses over his four decades at UConn Law, including Federal Income Taxation, Tax Policy, International Tax, and Trusts and Estates. He retired in 2023. 

A renowned expert in federal tax law, tax policy, and jurisprudence, Professor Utz authored numerous articles, book chapters, and several widely adopted books, including “Tax Policy: A Survey and Introduction to the Principal Debates,” “Federal Income Taxation of Partners and Partnerships,” and “Inside Tax Law: What Matters and Why.” His casebook, “Federal Tax Law: Practice, Problems, and Perspective,” was published in 2013.  

He also brought his expertise to institutions around the world, holding visiting professorships at New York University School of Law, the Free University of Berlin, as well as at the Law Faculty of Aix‑Marseille and Trinity College in Hartford.   

Professor Utz is survived by his three daughters, Emma (Utz) Brewer, Clara Utz, and Annabel Utz, and by his partner, Ellen Keane. The family will hold a memorial service at a later date. They ask that in lieu of flowers, memorial gifts be made to the Elizabeth Park Conservancy, in honor of the park and gardens that were so special to him.