Berch wins 2011 Outstanding Journal Mentor award

At its annual banquet on Friday, April 15, the Arizona State Law Journal awarded Professor Michael Berch the 2011 Matheson Award for Outstanding Journal Mentor.

The award is named after Professor Alan Matheson who served on the founding faculty of the College of Law and has served as Dean or Interim Dean five times. It is housed in the awards case near the Admissions office.

Berch, the Alan A. Matheson Distinguished Professor of Law, was chosen because of his long-standing commitment to the journal, said 3L Megan Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief.

“Beginning in 1970, Professor Berch contributed many articles to the Law Journal,” Scanlon said. “He has also assisted his colleagues and students by editing and strengthening their work. In many articles throughout the years, Professor Berch is mentioned and thanked repeatedly.”

During the banquet, copies of the many volumes of the Arizona State Law Journal to which Berch had contributed during the past 40 years were showcased. Each of the 18 tables featured a different issue of the journal to which Berch had contributed in one way or another.

Berch was visibly surprised and touched to have been selected for the award. In his comments, he noted the joy he has derived from working with the many journal students during his 42 years at the law school.

In addition to teaching at the College of Law, Berch is an Honors Disciplinary Faculty member of Barrett, The Honors College at ASU. Since 1969, he has taught a wide variety of courses, including federal courts, civil procedure, conflict of laws, law and the regulatory state, and professional responsibility. He has coached many of ASU’s winning Moot Court teams and has written extensively.

Staci McCabe, Staci.McCabe@asu.edu
(480) 965-8702
Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law