School Announces Annual Faculty Awards

UNC School of Law presented three awards to distinguished faculty on Thursday, May 4, 2023.

The awards presented include:

The Robert G. Byrd Award for Excellence and Creativity in Teaching, awarded to Rachel Gurvich, Clinical Associate Professor. The Byrd Award is named for Robert G. Byrd, an alumnus of the school who served as a member of the faculty from 1963 until 2004, and as dean from 1974-1979.

The James H. Chadbourn Award for Excellence in Scholarship, awarded to Eisha Jain, Henry P. Brandis Distinguished Professor of Law. The Chadbourn Award is named for James H. Chadbourn, editor-in-chief of the North Carolina Law Review in 1930-1931, a member of the Carolina Law faculty from 1931-1936, and a co-author of leading texts in civil procedure, federal court and evidence. In 1933, while at UNC, Chadbourn bravely authored a controversial work titled “Lynching and the Law.” This award honors a faculty member’s distinguished law journal article. Jain was recognized for her article, Policing the Polity, 131 YALE L.J. 1794 (2022).

The Charles E. Daye Award for Excellence in Service, awarded to Carissa Hessick, Anne Shea Ransdell and William Garland “Buck” Ransdell, Jr. Distinguished Professor of Law. This award is conferred annually based on service performed within the two years prior to the year in which the award is given. A faculty member is honored for exemplary public service, measured by the time, effort and creativity devoted to service, as well as the impact on the community.

The Van Hecke-Wettach Award for Excellence in Scholarship, awarded to Carissa Hessick, Anne Shea Ransdell and William Garland “Buck” Ransdell, Jr. Distinguished Professor of Law.  Every second year, the law school awards the Van Hecke-Wettach Award — named for two Carolina Law deans of the 1930s and 1940s respectively, Maurice Van Hecke and Robert Wettach — for the completion of an outstanding book or monograph. Hessick was recognized for her book “Punishment Without Trial: Why Plea Bargaining is a Bad Deal” (‎Harry N. Abrams (October 12, 2021).