Benjamin Edwards

Benjamin Edwards is an Associate Professor at UNLV Law. His expertise is in the areas of Business and Securities Law, Corporate Governance and Consumer Protection.

What is some recent writing that I should I read?

I’ve written about the regulation of investment advice and how important it is for people to receive honest advice that is in their best interest.  My academic research and writing on the issue gave me a foundation to respond quickly to current events.  Earlier this year, the Washington Post ran a fun opinion piece I wrote that used a food analogy to explain the issue. In putting it together, I drew from a much larger law review article that just came out in the Ohio State Law Journal.

How does your research and scholarship influence your teaching and service and vice versa?

I’ve been incredibly fortunate because my research and teaching have aligned with my service.  I teach students about financial regulation and also serve as a member of the Public Investors Arbitration Bar Association—an international bar association of lawyers that represent investors.  When I ran an Investor Advocacy Clinic at Michigan State, I would bring students in to committee conference calls to gain perspective on pending financial rules and regulations.  Teaching in a law clinic also strengthened my scholarship.  Much of my work features detailed explorations of financial products that appeared in the clinic’s cases.  Working with students on these issues made me a better scholar.

When students ask you what they should read outside the required textbooks and other law-related books, what do you suggest?

For business and securities classes, I always suggest that students read the Wall Street Journal and the New York Times DealBook blog.  Although he is on hiatus right now, students should read the engaging columns by Stephen Davidoff Solomon—the Deal Professor.  He explains complex transactions in a clear and often hilarious way.

What is it about being a law school professor that inspires or motivates you?

I absolutely love serving as a law professor and cannot imagine a better job.  It allows me to help launch incredibly talented students into their careers and to build relationships with a vibrant community of practitioners and scholars. It’s also an incredible thrill to see my students succeed.  Last year one of my students won a national writing competition for an essay he drafted.  The news had me grinning louder than a brass band.