Lockwood receives prestigious faculty award

Professor Cristina D. Lockwood is the recipient of the 2015 Barnes Faculty Scholar Award at University of Detroit Mercy School of Law. This prestigious award recognizes a faculty member's outstanding scholarship, teaching excellence, and public service. Lockwood is a prolific scholar having published three articles in the last two years. The first of these articles, "Improving Learning in the Law School Classroom by Encouraging Students to Form Communities of Practice," was published in December 2013 in the Clinical Law Review. The second article, "Adhering to Professional Obligations: Amending Model Rule of Professional Conduct 1.8(e) to Allow for Humanitarian Loans to Existing Clients," was published in the fall 2014 University of San Francisco Law Review. Lockwood's most recent article, "Creating Ambiguity in the Void for Vagueness Doctrine by Avoiding a Vagueness Determination in Review of Federal Laws," was published in April 2015 in the Syracuse Law Review. Lockwood consistently demonstrates teaching excellence by challenging her students with formative assessments throughout the semester, such as group assignments inside and outside of the classroom for the purpose of solving realistic practice-based problems. Her students appreciate her hard work and dedication and consistently give her high evaluations in the School's anonymous faculty course review process. Lockwood is also committed to public service, which is a key element of the School's mission. She volunteers on campus, at her church, and in her community in many ways. She is always eager to lend a helping hand to assist the underserved. Lockwood received her bachelor's degree from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor and her Juris Doctor degree from Wayne State University in Detroit, where she served on the editorial board of the Wayne State University Law Review. After graduation, she was an associate for a New York law firm specializing in corporate transactions. On her return to Michigan, she worked for a real estate transaction firm and joined the Detroit Mercy School of Law faculty as an adjunct. In 1995, she joined the faculty full time to teach in the innovative Applied Legal Theory and Analysis Program. In addition, she teaches Professional Responsibility and Torts and serves on the Curriculum Committee. James T. Barnes, Sr., who passed away in 1978, was a distinguished alumnus of University of Detroit School of Law class of 1940. He particularly valued contributions which faculty make to the lives and careers of students. Knowing this, many friends of Barnes contributed funds to establish a memorial in 1979 to recognize the achievements of a School of Law faculty member each year. James T. Barnes, Jr. remains involved in the memorial to honor his father. The selection committee for the award consists of the Dean and two faculty members elected by the faculty. Published: Thu, Jul 09, 2015