Four Law School Professors Receive Plumeri Awards
Four members of the William & Mary Law School faculty have received Plumeri Awards for Faculty Excellence this year. The awards, now in their third year, are given to 20 William & Mary faculty in recognition of exemplary achievements in teaching, research and service. The recipients from the Law School this year are Peter A. Alces, Michael Steven Green, Sarah L. Stafford, who holds a joint appointment with the Department of Economics, and Timothy Zick.
“William & Mary enjoys a great reputation for academic excellence, and the crux of that reputation is our outstanding faculty,” said Provost Michael R. Halleran. “Their commitment to student learning, both in and out of the classroom, and dedication to scholarship, help ensure our students’ success.”
“I am delighted that Professors Alces, Green, Stafford, and Zick have received Plumeri awards,” said Law School Dean Davison M. Douglas. “Each is very deserving – having demonstrated sustained excellence as both scholars and teachers.”
Peter A. Alces, Rita Rollins Professor of Law, is one of the nation’s leading commercial law scholars. He is known for his in-depth research of a wide range of complex legal issues, from commercial law to the philosophical foundations of contract law, about which he has written influential articles and a book. He excels at teaching diverse law courses, earning praise from students for his energetic teaching style and passion for the material.
Michael Steven Green, Robert E. and Elizabeth S. Scott Professor of 
Law, is a versatile faculty member who is an expert in both law and philosophy. Green is the author of numerous articles, essays and book chapters, including pieces that have appeared in leading law journals. Despite teaching two classes on material typically regarded as dense and difficult — Civil Procedure and Conflict of Laws — his students’ written comments on his classes demonstrate that through enthusiasm, engagement and extra effort, Green overcomes the inherent difficulty of these subjects.
Sarah L. Stafford is the Paul R. Verkuil Distinguished Professor of Public Policy, Economics and Law. From teacher, mentor, and campus leader, to first-rate scholar and policy-shaper, Stafford wears many hats at William & Mary. With a joint appointment between the Law School and the Department of Economics, she is a leading scholar in environmental economics, where her research informs current policy topics such as the economics of hazardous waste and sustainability practices on college campuses. She has team-taught law and economics, and will teach Economic Analysis of Law in 2011-12.
Timothy Zick, Professor of Law, has amassed a sizable body of scholarship, focused primarily
on free speech and federalism issues. Since joining the William & Mary Law School faculty, Zick has cemented himself as a skilled and valued teacher, drawing praise especially for his clarity and organization in the classroom. He previously won top awards for his teaching at St. John’s Law School, where he worked for six years. His first book, Speech Out of Doors: Preserving First Amendment Liberties in Public Places (Cambridge University Press), was published in 2009. Zick is currently working on a second book about the First Amendment, which is under contract with Cambridge University Press.
The Plumeri Awards were made possible through a significant commitment from Joseph J. Plumeri II ’66 in 2008. Plumeri said he wanted to “honor and support” faculty efforts at his alma mater and enhance faculty-student interaction. All recipients receive $10,000, which is used for research, summer salaries or other stipends associated with scholarly endeavor.