Amy Bushaw Honored With Award for Excellence in Teaching

Professor Amy Bushaw specializes in Contracts and Commercial Law, and in recent years has been exploring the relationships among economic prosperity, social development and environmental protection. With her colleague Professor Dan Rohlf, she developed one of the first courses in the law school context to examine sustainability in law and business. 

What did you think when you learned you were chosen by the graduates to receive the prestigious Levenson award?

I was speechless. As this year’s lucky representative, I was honored to stand for the faculty as a whole. Every year I see this award as testament to the strong connection our students have with our faculty. I, like my colleagues, am ever so grateful to spend time with the talented, passionate and committed students who make up our community. It was a particular joy to receive this recognition from students who had already given me and the school so much.

What was your path to law school and becoming a law prof at LC? Do you have any recommendations for people who might want to follow in your footsteps?

I grew up in a small University town in Washington state.  When it was time to go to college, I saw a chance to see a new part of the country and headed off to the east coast, where I spent both my college and law school years. After graduation, I set out for a new place – this time, Texas – to start my legal career and to work with a group of talented lawyers of good humor and good will. After practicing law for eight years, my heart led me back to academia and to the Northwest. My path wandered, but each step was an enriching adventure. In retrospect, the experiences that stand out are those that allowed me to forge warm relationships and pursue meaningful causes.

What are some of your current projects, and what are some of your plans for the future?

I really enjoy preparing teaching materials, and have just completed the fourth edition of a contracts text with my colleague Brian Blum. I look forward to finding new and interesting ways to use the materials in my first-year contracts class. I also have a long-standing interest in how the law helps or hinders those entrepreneurs who seek to incorporate principles of sustainability into their business models. Off and on I co-teach a course on sustainability in law and business with another colleague, Dan Rohlf, and am always seeking to expand my expertise in that rapidly developing field. I am also active in an organization that seeks to promote life satisfaction among law students and lawyers. I hope to continue to study and understand the challenges to well-being inherent in the important work we do. 

What do you like to do for fun outside the law campus?

My dog Calvin accompanies me nearly everywhere, and we’re always looking for adventures. Come visit him in the office some time. I enjoy music - blues especially - and play the piano just a bit. My family and I are rabid baseball fans (go Mariners). I read a lot and love movies. I like to cook and try out the Portland food scene. I travel whenever and wherever I can.