Law professors receive excellent teaching awards

Three IU Maurer School of Law faculty members and one adjunct professor have received teaching awards. The law school recognizes professors annually and the winners were chosen by a student committee who made their recommendations to the dean.

Kevin Brown

Brown is the recipient of the Leon H. Wallace Teaching Award. He teaches criminal law, law and education and torts at the Maurer School of Law. He has a B.S. in accounting from the Kelley School of Business (1978) and a law degree from Yale University (1982).

He has been a faculty member of the law school since 1987. His research primarily deals with race, law and education.  

Brown steps outside of the classroom by inviting students to go with him to India for a conference that addresses the issues covered in his class.

“I feel humbled to receive this great honor,” Brown said. “I am dedicated to teaching students, and the law students are an exceptional group of individuals.”

Daniel Conkle

Conkle is the recipient of the Trustees Teaching Award. At the Maurer School of Law, he teaches Constitutional Law I and II and Seminar in Law and Religion. He has a B.A. in political science from Ohio State University (1976) and a law degree from OSU (1979).

He has been a law school faculty member since 1983. His research is focused on constitutional law and theory, religious liberty and the role of religion in American law, politics and public life.

“I love to teach, and I enjoy seeing students learn,” Conkle said.

Conkle has been honored with the Leon H. Wallace Teaching Award and the Gavel Award twice.

Donna Nagy

Nagy is the recipient of the Trustees Teaching Award. She teaches securities litigation and enforcement, corporations and securities regulation at the Maurer School of Law.

She has a B.A. from Vassar College (1986) and a law degree from New York University Law School (1989).

She joined the law school faculty in 2006.

Nancy Vaidik

Judge Vaidik is the recipient of the Adjunct Faculty Teaching Award. She is an adjunct faculty member at the Maurer School of Law and teaches trial advocacy.

She has both a B.S. in political science and psychology (1977) with high distinction and a law degree from Valparaiso University (1980). She was an adjunct professor of law at Valparaiso University, but now, in addition to teaching at IU, she is a visiting professor of law at the College of Law of England and Wales. She currently serves on the Indiana Court of Appeals.

She founded the Porter County Sexual Assault Recovery Project, which is a shelter for women who are victims of abuse.  

“I love to teach and think of new ways to get students enthusiastic about learning,” Vaidik said. “I challenge my students to become better lawyers through interactive learning, emphasizing ethics and to improve daily.”