Goldman prize for excellence in teaching honors professors Bai, Bryant, and Houh
When talking about what makes a Goldman Prize recipient stand out, one can mention various qualities. But what really matters is how they use those qualities to make a difference in the lives of the students they teach. "The winners this year should come as no surprise to anyone who knows them well," stated Dean Haider Hamoudi in an email announcing the recipients. Given as a prestigious accolade upon faculty members, it offers students a chance to honor their professors and highlight their dedication to exemplary teaching.
Let the testimonials of their students shine a light on why they were deserving of this award. Congratulations to this year's honorees: Professors Lynn Bai, Chris Bryant, and Emily Houh.
Below is a compilation of excerpts from the nominating letters.
Lin (Lynn) Bai, Professor of Law
Professor Lynn Bai
"I was terrified to take Property after hearing from many students that it is the hardest 1L course. Professor Bai makes it seem easy. She is incredibly organized, prepared, and engaged every single day. She is always available to speak with students and is masterful at explaining confusing concepts in a way that is easy to grasp. She is the best professor I have had in my entire academic career, and I actually look forward to going to her class. I have spoken to several of my classmates about this and they could not agree more. We always joke that once we start talking about how much we love her we can't stop talking about it.” – student nominator
Professor Lynn Bai has expertise in the areas of corporate finance, securities regulation, property and empirical legal methods. A former corporate attorney and investment banker, she has worked as a professor at the College of Law for 17 years. Professor Bai’s research focuses on corporate and securities law. Her work has appeared in the University of Pennsylvania Journal of Business Law, NYU Journal of Law and Business, William & Mary Business Law Journal, Emory Corporate Governance and Accountability Review, University of Pennsylvania Law Review, Wisconsin Law Review, etc. She has been published on these topics in varies ways some of those include.
No Peeking: Addressing Pretextual Inspection Demands by Competitor-Affiliated Shareholders, Virginia Law & Business Review (forthcoming February 2024, with Sean Meyer)
Shareholder Inspection Rights: From Credible Basis to Rational Belief, 10 Emory Corporate Governance and Accountability Review 193 (2023)
Shareholder Appraisal Rights: Delaware’s Flawed Market Exception, 56 Michigan Journal of Law Reform Caveat 1 (2022) (with William Murphy)
Limited Liability Partnerships: An (Overlooked) Hole in the Shield, 23 University of Pennsylvania Journal of Business Law 862 (2021) (with Sarah Harden)
A. Christopher Bryant, Rufus King Professor of Constitutional Law
A. Christopher Bryant, Rufus King Professor of Constitutional Law
"Professor Bryant distinguishes himself above his peers because he is caring, approachable, and genuinely concerned with student success. As a first-year student in his Constitutional Law I course, I was able to see these qualities firsthand. As many of his students can attest, Professor Bryant's first year courses - because of his daily meditations, easy to understand approach to the class, and kind demeanor - are a haven from the panic and horror that makes up much of 1L [year]. Whether it was willing to stay after class to discuss a difficult concept, meeting over Zoom during Thanksgiving break, or just providing a kind and reassuring word during class, Professor Bryant's care and concern for students was obvious and contributed greatly to alleviating my personal fears of law school. [...] Professor Bryant's love for students shines in everything he does at the College of Law and for that reason he is deserving of this award.” –student nominator
Since joining the College of Law faculty in 2003, Professor A. Christopher Bryant has distinguished himself as a scholar and award-winning teacher of constitutional law. He has authored numerous articles and essays on contemporary constitutional issues, including the separation of powers, judicial review, and the roles of various branches of government in constitutional interpretation. He is a recognized expert on national legislative power and the deference owed to Congressional actions by the judiciary, with leading articles on the subject published in the Cornell Law Review, George Washington Law Review, BYU Law Review, Notre Dame Journal of Legislation, and William & Mary Bill of Rights Journal. His work on federalism and unenumerated rights includes a co-authored book, “Powers Reserved for the People and the States”: A History of the Ninth and Tenth Amendments, and articles in the Georgia Law Review and the Cornell Journal of Law and Public Policy. Some of his other publications are as follows:
Counting the Votes: Electronic Voting Irregularities, Election Integrity, and Public Corruption, 49 U. MEM. L. REV. (with Kimberly Breedon).
Hoosier Bridesmaids, 52 IND. L. REV. (with Margo Lambert).
Executive Privilege in a Hyper-partisan Era, 64 WAYNE L. REV. 63 (2018) (with Kimberly Breedon).
Restoring Trust with Trusts: Constructive and Blind Trusts as Remedies for Presidential Violations of the Constitution’s Emoluments Clauses, 11 ALB. GOV’T L. REV. 284 (2018) (with Kimberly Breedon).
Emily M.S. Houh, Gustavus Henry Wald Professor of the Law and Contracts | Co-founder, Nathaniel R. Jones Center for Race, Gender, and Social Justice
"Last fall, Professor Houh took on the task of teaching Contracts to the entire 1L class when Dean Tomain was away because of emergency health reasons. This task consisted of her class doubling in size overnight, required her to, at times, teach two Contracts classes back-to-back in one day, and opened her up from academically supporting 70 students to 140 students. Amid this, she remained committed to the legal education and success of the entire 1L class. […] Along with her commitment to fostering diversity and academic excellence, Professor Houh was also willing to fill a vacancy on the College’s Admissions Committee […]. Her dedication is admirable.” - student nominator
Professor Emily Houh has been teaching contracts, commercial law, and critical race theory since 2003 at UC Law. She co-founded the College’s Nathaniel R. Jones Center for Race, Gender, and Social Justice and co-directed the center for many years.
Professor Houh’s scholarship focuses on the interplay between contract law, critical race theory, and socioeconomic (in)equality. Her research with University of Cincinnati College of Law colleague Professor Kristin Kalsem explores the use of participatory action research methods in critical race/feminist praxis, particularly regarding the raced and gendered nature of the “fringe economy. Her work has been published in law reviews and other legal publications, such as:
Sketches of A Redemptive Theory of Contract, 66 HASTINGS L.J. 951 (2015).
Theorizing a Legal Participatory Action Research Method: Critical Race/Feminism and Participatory Action Research, 21 QUALITATIVE INQUIRY 262 (2015) (with Kristin Kalsem).
It’s Critical: Legal Participatory Action Research, 19 MICH. J. RACE & L. 287 (2014) (with Kristin Kalsem).
About the Goldman Prize for Excellence in Teaching
For more than 35 years, the Goldman Prize has been bestowed upon deserving individuals. What sets this award apart is its distinct process: students nominate and select the recipients, who happen to be their professors. In reaching their decision, the committee evaluates the professors' research and public service, recognizing how these aspects contribute to outstanding performance within the classroom.
Featured top image of the University of Cincinnati College of Law.
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