May 15, 2026 | Diana Nearhos

Graduating Students Recognize Professor Steven Wilf

The Perry Zirkel ’76 Distinguished Teaching Award is decided according to vote by the graduating class, after nominations are selected by a committee of students.

headshot of Steven Wilf over photo of Starr Hall

Professor Steven Wilf

The UConn School of Law Class of 2026 has selected Professor Steven Wilf as the recipient of the Perry Zirkel ’76 Distinguished Teaching Award.

In their nomination, students praised Wilf as “an outstanding educator who challenges students to think beyond black letter law, emphasizing broader implications and real-world application.” They noted that he balances intellectual rigor with accessibility, pushing students to think deeply while remaining supportive and engaged.

Wilf approaches teaching with an eye toward the future, often asking himself what students “will need to know when practicing a decade from now — even two decades — which is especially important in a rapidly changing area of law such as intellectual property.” Students echoed this sentiment, describing his teaching as dynamic and continually updated to reflect modern legal developments.

“It means a great deal to be recognized by graduating students, and this well-deserved honor reflects Professor Wilf’s lasting impact both inside and outside the classroom,” said Dean Eboni S. Nelson. “He challenges students to think deeply, connects the law to the realities of practice, and is committed to their success.”

Wilf teaches Criminal Law, Development of the Regulatory State, Intellectual Property Law, Copyright, and several seminars focused on the regulation of knowledge. He also founded UConn Law’s Intellectual Property Program.

The teaching award was established in 2016 through the generosity of Perry Zirkel, who graduated from UConn School of Law in 1976. He became a professor of education and law at Lehigh University and served as dean of the university’s College of Education. The UConn Neag School of Education also honors a faculty member each year with the Dr. Perry A. Zirkel Distinguished Teaching Award.

Past UConn Law recipients include Rachel Timm (2025), Bethany Berger (2024), Leslie Levin (2023), Mary Beattie (2022), Julia Simon-Kerr (2021), Jessica Rubin (2020), Alexandra Lahav (2019), Paul Chill (2018), Richard Pomp (2017), and Jeremy McClane (2016).