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UPCOMING EVENTS

Greetings,

This week, we fondly remember long-time professor and tort law luminary Dan Dobbs, who passed away in March. Dan’s legacy and excellence speak for themselves, but he will be most remembered as a trusted friend, colleague and mentor.

Until the footnotes,

Marc

The University of Arizona James E. Rogers College of Law mourns the loss of our esteemed former colleague, Regents Professor Emeritus Dan B. Dobbs, who passed away on March 21, 2024, at the age of 91. 

Dan left an indelible mark on the study and practice of law over the course of his illustrious career which spanned five and a half decades. His influence on the law was profound and far-reaching. After writing a number of influential articles in tort law, Dan’s co-authorship of “Prosser & Keeton on Torts” solidified his reputation as a leading authority in the torts field. He later wrote the leading contemporary torts treatise, “The Law of Torts.” His third treatise, “The Law of Remedies,” defined that field. Written as sole author and with coauthors, his treatises and hornbook have become essential texts in legal practice, and the many editions of his casebooks in torts, economic and dignitary torts and remedies, have become core texts in legal education. 

Beyond his prolific writing, Dan was celebrated for his unwavering dedication to excellence. Colleagues and students alike revered his meticulous approach to scholarship, often beginning his workday as early as 4:00 a.m., and his commitment to precision in his research and writing.

His scholarship garnered recognition from courts and legal professionals worldwide, with thousands of judicial opinions citing his work, including more than one hundred acknowledgments from the United States Supreme Court alone. He received the William L. Prosser Award for outstanding contributions to torts scholarship, teaching and service. He also served as a member of the American Law Institute and the European Group on Tort Law. His commitment to advancing principles of fairness in the law, and his passion for teaching, inspired countless individuals within the legal community.

In recognition of his outstanding contributions, Dan was named Regents Professor of the University of Arizona, the highest academic honor bestowed by the institution. 

Ellen Bublick, his Arizona Law colleague and coauthor wrote: “Through his prolific and revered scholarship and his rigorous teaching, Dan’s name became synonymous with excellence. He set high standards for his students, his colleagues and himself—a confidence and challenge that made us all better. He was a wise person, always willing to share an insight or illuminating story. It was the honor of a lifetime to work alongside him and to be the first holder of the Chair in his name. I am so lucky to have had Dan as a beloved colleague, coauthor and friend for thirteen years, and after his retirement, as a dear friend for fourteen years more.” 

“Dan was not only a true giant in the field of tort law but also a cherished member of our academic community,” said Dean Miller. “His passion for scholarship and dedication to teaching left an indelible mark on all who had the privilege of knowing him. As we mourn his loss, let us also celebrate his remarkable legacy, which has shaped the lives of so many Arizona graduates, and which will continue to inspire future generations of legal scholars and practitioners.”

AROUND THE COLLEGE

It is 8:30 a.m. on a Monday morning and Dean Emerita Toni M. Massaro begins her Equal Protection course to a classful of law students, many of whom are set to graduate this spring semester.

“Her lectures are captivating,” said SBA President and third-year law student Kyran Brown. “Having spare time on Monday and Tuesday mornings as a 3L would be nice, but many of the Class of 2024, including myself, could not have passed on learning about the Fourteenth Amendment from Professor Massaro.”

For this and many reasons, the Class of 2024 invited University of Arizona Law Dean Emerita and Regents Professor Toni M. Massaro to deliver the keynote address for the University of Arizona James E. Rogers College of Law convocation ceremony on May 11, 2024. This year’s Convocation coincides with Toni’s retirement from her decades as a professor here. 

A noted constitutional scholar, Toni has taught at University of Arizona Law since 1990 and served as dean, the first woman to hold that position, from 1999-2009. Since that time, she has continued to teach at the college as well as serving as the executive director of the Agnese Nelms Haury Program on Social and Environmental Justice at the University of Arizona, and President of the J. Byron McCormick Society of Law and Public Affairs. Toni also serves as a faculty co-advisor to the Justice Advocates Coalition (JAC). 

Toni is an eight-time recipient of the Teacher of the Year Award. In 2022, she was honored for her influence and impact on the university with a commemorative bench in the University’s Women’s Plaza of Honor. 

“I know I speak for many people in this building and beyond when I say that learning from Professor Massaro is a profoundly moving and inspiring experience,” said third-year law student Molly Case, who co-wrote the speaker invitation to Toni. “She brings constitutional law and history to life, introducing students to Supreme Court justices as if they were old friends (or occasionally mere professional acquaintances) and illuminating the tectonic forces at play behind every case the Court decides. By situating her courses within the broader historical context in which legal doctrines evolve, Professor Massaro shows her students what entering the legal field can – and should – mean.”

For the full story, see here. 

For details on University of Arizona Law’s 2024 convocation ceremony, visit law.arizona.edu/graduation. Alumni and friends are invited to the ceremony to celebrate and listen to Toni’s address. It will also be livestreamed and recorded.

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Mention the name Dan Dobbs as a verbal Rorschach test, and scholars, judges and lawyers throughout the country would say “torts.” Only a few scholars can fairly be said to not only inform but help to define a field: Dan was one, and he not only shaped the field of torts, but shaped the College of Law of which we are all so proud.

Warmly,