For the First Time Ever, Legal Academy Honors Two Michigan Ross Professors with Prestigious Career Award

The Academy of Legal Studies in Business has awarded its 2020 Distinguished Career Achievement Award to two professors, Lynda Oswald and Cindy Schipani, at the Ross School of Business. This is the first time the academy has honored two people from the same school in the same year.

“This is outstanding recognition for Lynda and Cindy as well as for Ross,” business law area chair Dana Muir said. “It is the first time that two people from the same school have ever won the award. The awards have been given since 1993, but they are not given in all years, and only twice before have two people won.”

Both Oswald and Schipani are past presidents of the ALSB. At Ross, Oswald is the Louis and Myrtle Moskowitz Research Professor of Business and Law. Schipani is the Merwin H. Waterman Collegiate Professor of Business Administration and professor of Business Law.

The award recognizes members of the ALSB who are exemplars of excellence in the field throughout their careers. Specific criteria include:

• Research, including publications, grants, scholarly presentations, and cited studies.
• Teaching, supported by student evaluations and comments, innovative course development, and awards.
• Service, including contributions to the ALSB and its affiliates, or significant administrative contributions to the nominee’s institution.

“It’s such an honor for any academic to be recognized by their peers for their career achievements – but to share this honor in this unprecedented way makes this award even more meaningful,” Oswald said.  Schipani agreed, adding, “It is also an honor to be among so many supportive colleagues both at Ross and the Academy.”