Professor Brian Blum Retires

Lewis & Clark Law School Distinguished Professor of Law, Brian Blum, is retiring after 48 years of teaching business law, evidence and the regulation and ethics of lawyers, amongst other courses. His scholarship and writing have focused on contract law, but he has also written on commercial law and bankruptcy/debtor-creditor law. He chaired the curriculum committee of the faculty for many years, ensuring that Lewis & Clark Law students had the courses they needed to succeed.

When asked to reflect on his career, Professor Blum humbly wrote, “I have greatly enjoyed my 47 years at the law school, and will retire with great affection for the school and fond memories of the many people with whom I have worked. It would be impossible and unfair to single out any persons, groups or events as highlights.”

“As to scholarship, although I have enjoyed writing law reviews, the books that I have written for use by students must be identified as the highlights of my scholarship. There are three of them, CONTRACTS: CASES, DISCUSSION, AND PROBLEMS, CONTRACTS, EXAMPLES AND EXPLANATIONS, and BANKRUPTCY AND DEBTOR/CREDITOR: EXAMPLES AND EXPLANATIONS. All of them were written originally many years ago (1993, 1998, and 2003) but I have kept them up-to-date with many revised editions.”

A recap of Professor Blum’s career:

Professor Blum obtained his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa in 1969, his Bachelor of Laws degree (cum laude) from the University of the Witwatersrand in 1971, and his Master of Laws degree from the University of Michigan in 1978. He practiced as an attorney in Johannesburg, South Africa, from 1972 to 1975 and as an advocate (barrister) from 1975 to 1977.

He taught commercial law as an adjunct professor at the University of Witwatersrand School of Law while in practice as an advocate.

Professor Blum joined the Lewis & Clark Law School faculty in 1978. He was promoted to the rank of Professor in 1983, was Associate Dean of Faculty from 2008 to 2012, and in 2016 he was named Jeffrey Bain Faculty Scholar in recognition of exemplary teaching and scholarship. He relinquished that title and was named Lewis & Clark Distinguished Professor of Law upon moving to half-time teaching in 2024.

During his time at Lewis & Clark, Professor Blum has taught comparative law, sales of goods, secured transactions, bankruptcy/debtor-creditor law, business associations, remedies, evidence, contracts, torts, and regulation and ethics of lawyers. In recent years, he has taught the last three of those subjects. His scholarship and writing have focused on contract law, but he has also written on commercial law and bankruptcy/debtor-creditor law. Professor Blum has served on various faculty committees during his time at Lewis & Clark, but his principal work has been on the Curriculum Committee, which he chaired for many years.

More Details can be found here.