D. Benjamin Beard

D. Benjamin Beard received his B.A. with high honors, magna cum laude, from the University of Cincinnati, where he was elected to Phi Beta Kappa. He worked as a paralegal for a year and a half before attending law school. He graduated first in his class from Case Western Reserve University School of Law in 1982, where he was inducted into the Order of Coif. He practiced commercial and corporate law for five years with the Cleveland firm of Calfee, Halter & Griswold. 

Professor Beard joined the College of Law faculty at the University of Idaho in 1987. He received tenure in 1991 and was promoted to full professor in 1993. His teaching and research interests are in the areas of commercial and property law, with a focus on electronic commerce issues. 

Professor Beard was the Reporter for the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act, which has been adopted in 48 jurisdictions and served as the model for the federal e-sign legislation adopted in June 2000. Professor Beard is an active member of numerous committees and subcommittees of the American Bar Association, and is an elected member of the American Law Institute. 

Professor Beard received the University of Idaho Alumni Award for Faculty Excellence in 1991, 1993, 2000 and 2001, and the Peter E. Heiser Teaching Award in 2002. He was Associate Dean from 2000-2006.