Linda J. Rusch

Linda J. Rusch Professor of  Law Co-director, Commercial Law Center lrusch@lawschool.gonzaga.edu (509) 313-3769 B.A., Augustana College, Sioux Falls, South Dakota, 1980 J.D., University of Iowa School of Law, 1983

Biographical Information

Linda J. Rusch is a professor of law and was the inaugural holder of the Frederick N. and Barbara T. Curley Professor in Commercial Law at Gonzaga University School of Law from 2005-2010. She is also a co-director of the Law School’s Commercial Law Center. Prior to joining Gonzaga, she was a professor of law teaching in the area of commercial law at Hamline University School of Law in St. Paul, Minnesota. Prof. Rusch graduated from the University of Iowa College of Law with highest distinction and was elected to the Order of the Coif. Prior to joining the Hamline faculty in 1992, she practiced commercial law and bankruptcy as an associate with the Minneapolis firm of Faegre & Benson, and clerked for the Honorable Milton I. Shadur, United States District Court, Northern District of Illinois.

Over the course of several years, Prof. Rusch has been involved in the revision of the Uniform Commercial Code. From 1996-99, she served as the Associate Reporter for the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws and the American Law Institute Drafting Committee to Revise Article 2 of the UCC. From 2000 to 2003, she served as a co-reporter for and member of the NCCUSL-ALI Drafting Committee to revise UCC Article 7. In addition, from 2008 to 2011, she served as the Reporter for the NCCUSL Study Committee on Payment Issues.  She currently serves as a member of the Permanent Editorial Board of the UCC, and is on the Executive Committee for the PEB.

 Prof. Rusch served in many leadership roles in the American Bar Association Business Law Section, including as the past chair of the Committee on the UCC. In 2008, she started serving as an officer of the Business Law Section (Secretary, 2008-09, Vice Chair, 2009-10, Chair-elect 2010-11) and was named Chair in August 2011 for a one-year term. During her term as Vice-Chair, she served as the Editor-in Chief of The Business Lawyer, the academic peer-edited journal published by the ABA Business Law Section. During her term as Chair-elect, she served as Chair of the Council Committee on Planning for the Section, Class Representative for Chair-elects for the ABA Section Officers Conference, and Co-chair of the Planning Committee for the ABA Section Officers Conference Fall Meeting. During her term as Chair, she is responsible for the overall management of the ABA Business Law Section.

Prof. Rusch is a past President of the American College of Commercial Finance Lawyers. She is also a member of the American Law Institute and the American College of Bankruptcy. As a member of the American Law Institute, she has participated in the Members Consultative Groups on the development of the Restatement of Restitution, the Principles of Software Contracting, and the Restatement of Torts (Third): Economic Losses.

Prof. Rusch has published numerous articles and books on the Uniform Commercial Code and bankruptcy, and is a frequent lecturer on those topics.

Teaching Areas

• Creditor's Rights (Secured Transactions)
• Payment Systems
• Sales
• Contracts

Publications (2005-Present)

For full resume click here.

Books and Book Chapters

• Commercial Law: Problems and Materials on Sales and Payments (Thomson/West 2011) (with Prof. Stephen L. Sepinuck) (with Teacher's Manual)
• Payment Systems: Problems, Materials and Cases (Thomson/West 4th ed. 2011) (with Prof. Stephen L. Sepinuck) (with Teacher's Manual)
• Problems and Materials on Secured Transactions (with Professor Stephen L. Sepinuck) (2d ed. West 2010) (with Teacher's Manual)
• Hawkland’s Uniform Commercial Code Series, UCC Article 7 Volume (Revised Volume June 2010 & Supp. 2011)
• Hawkland’s Uniform Commercial Code Series, Revised UCC Article 7 (Revised Volume June 2010 & Supp. 2011)
• Hawkland’s Uniform Commercial Code Series, UCC Article 2 Volume (Annual Supplements for 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011)
• Hawkland’s Uniform Commercial Code Series, UCC Article 7 Volume (Annual Supplements for 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010)
• Hawkland’s Uniform Commercial Code Series, Revised UCC Article 7 (Annual Supplements for 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010)
• Advisory Group to Thomson/West, Selected Commercial Statutes (2005 to present)
• Sales and Leases: A Problem-solving Approach (with Prof. Stephen L. Sepinuck) (Thomson/West 2009) (with Teacher’s Manual)
• Problems and Materials on Bankruptcy Law and Practice  (with Prof. Stephen L. Sepinuck) (Thomson/West 2007) (with Teacher’s Manual)
• Payment Systems: Problems, Materials and Cases (Thomson/West 3d ed. 2007) (with Teacher’s Manual)
• Problems and Materials on Secured Transactions with Teacher’s Manual (with Prof. Stephen L. Sepinuck) (Thomson/West 2006)
• Black Letter Series: Secured Transactions (Thomson/West 2006)

Articles

• Reimagining Payment Systems: Allocation of Risk for Unauthorized Payment Inception, 83 Chi-Kent L. Rev. 561 (2008)

Works in Progress

• Secured Transactions, Black Letter Series (Thomson/West), 2d ed.

Presentations (2005-Present)

For full resume click here.

2011

• Legal Education Innovation Summit, Presentation on Assessment (West Publishing, August 2011)
• Stakeholders Meeting on Notes and Mortgage Transfer Issues (NCCUSL/ALI, May 2011)

2010

• 2010 Commercial Law Developments, Gonzaga University School of Law, December 2010, Lane Powell, Seattle December 2010)
• Institute for Institute for the Development of Economic Policy for Indigenous People, Alaska Demonstration Project, Anchorage, Alaska (June 2010)
• Payments Law Reform, ABA Business Law Section Joint Subcommittees on Payments Meeting (April 2010)
• Work of the Article 9 Review Committee, ABA Business Law Section Joint Subcommittees on Secured Transactions (April 2010)

2005-2009

• 2009 Commercial Law Developments (Gonzaga University School of Law, December 2009; Lane Powell, Seattle, December 2009)
• Recent Developments in UCC and Bankruptcy Law, 19th Annual Bankruptcy Conference and Retreat, Bankruptcy Bar Association Eastern District of Washington (June 2009)
• NCCUSL-ALI Study Committee on Payments: Its Charges, Issues, Past and Future Activities, ABA Business Law Section Spring Meeting (Vancouver, British Columbia, April 2009)
• 2009 Financial Lawyer’s Conference Annual Seminar, Avoiding Pitfalls and Missed Opportunities Under Article 9 (San Diego, March 2009)
• Avoiding UCC Mistakes in Business Transactions, Potential UCC Changes, National Business Institute (Seattle, Feb. 2009)
• 2008 Commercial Law Developments (Gonzaga University School of Law, December 2008; Lane Powell, Seattle, December 2008)
• Paul Hastings, Drafting Opinion Letters (Los Angeles, July 2008)
• ALI-ABA, The UCC and Beyond: Current Developments in Commercial Law (New York, June 2008)
• Welcoming Remarks, National Conference for the Minority Lawyer (San Jose, June 2008)
• Surveying Your Membership, Business Bar Leader’s Conference (Chicago, May 2008)
• Global Secured Transactions Conference, Why isn’t Everyone Adopting Revised Article 9? (Thomas Jefferson Law School, San Diego, March 2008)
• Leadership Development Workshop, ABA Business Law Section Leadership Meeting (Dana Point, January 2008)
• 2007 Commercial Law Developments (Gonzaga University School of Law November 2007; Lane Powell, December 2007; Stoel Rives, December 2007; Aiken, Siljeg, and St. Louis, January 2008)
• “The Future of Payments Law” as part of a panel on “Electronic Payments Systems-The Death Knell for UCC Article 4 or a Clarion Call for Modernization?” ABA 2007 Annual Meeting (August 2007)
• Commercial Law Developments, Washington State Bar Business Law Section (June 2007)
• UCC and Bankruptcy Law, 17th Annual Bankruptcy Seminar and Retreat for the Bankruptcy Bar Association for the Eastern District of Washington (June 2007)
• Reimagining Payment Systems:  Allocation of Risk for Unauthorized Payment Inception, Symposium on Rethinking Payments Law sponsored by Federal Reserve Bank of New York, Brooklyn Law School, Columbia Law School, Hofstra University School of Law, New York University School of Law and St. John’s University School of Law (April 2007)
• 2006 Commercial Law Developments, Lane Powell (December 2006)
• The Subtle (and not so Subtle) Influence of Principles from the Uniform Commercial Code on Resolution of Bankruptcy Issues, Eastern and Western District of Washington Bankruptcy Judges Retreat (September 2006)
• Recent Developments in UCC and Bankruptcy Law, Sixteenth Annual Bankruptcy Seminar and Retreat, Eastern District of Washington Bankruptcy Bar Association (June 2006)
• Bankruptcy Case Law Update, Sixteenth Annual Bankruptcy Seminar and Retreat, Eastern District of Washington Bankruptcy Bar Association (June 2006)
• Payments Policy, Gonzaga University School of Law Faculty Colloquium (April 2006)
• Practicing Leadership as a Way of Life, Hamline University School of Law and Augustana College (March 2006)
• ALI-ABA, The New Uniform Commercial Code, Article 2 Sales and International Sales (December 2005)
• ABA-CLE, Teleconference CLE, The UCC and Revenue Recognition (November 2005)
• ABA-CLE, Simulcast and Videotape, Article 9 and the M&A Deal: How to Avoid the Traps (June 2005)
• AALS Conference on Commercial Law, Panel Presentation on “The New (and Improved?) UCC” (June 2005)
• 38th Annual Uniform Commercial Code Institute, Electronic Contracts: Practical Strategies for Enhancing Enforceability, Controlling Costs, and Managing Client Expectations (April 2005)
• MSBA Business Law Institute, UCC Articles 2 and 2A Revision, UCC Articles 1, 7, and 9 (April 2005)
• ABA Business Law Section Spring Meeting (April 2005)
  • Uniform Commercial Code Committee meeting, Member of panel for program “Stump the Chumps” in which audience members attempted to stump panel of experts on the Uniform Commercial Code
  • Crash Course in Check 21 for Business Lawyers: Answering Your Bank, Consumer, and Corporate Questions, CLE Program and one hour follow up question and answer session with Subcommittee on General Provisions and Relation to Other Law
  • Subcommittee on Payments, Member of panel for presentation and discussion on whether to develop statutory law on deposit accounts
• Hamline University School of Law Faculty Colloquium on Payments Policy (March 2005)

Community Service

For full resume click here.

Law Revision

• Observer, NCCUSL Study Committee on Mortgage Foreclosure Issues (2011 to present)
• Reporter, NCCUSL Study Committee on Payments (2008 to present)
• Observer on behalf of American College of Commercial Finance Lawyers to drafting sessions of UCC Article 9 Review Committee (2008-10)
• Co-Reporter to NCCUSL-ALI Drafting Committee to Revise Article 7 of the UCC (October 2001-03)
• ALI representative to NCCUSL-ALI Drafting Committee to Revise Article 7 of the UCC (September 2000-03)
• Participant and member of Drafting Committee for Minnesota Senate Judiciary Committee Mediation Process on Economic Loss Doctrine in Minnesota (1999-00)

American Law Institute

• ALI Member of the Permanent Editorial Board of the Uniform Commercial Code (2000 to present), member of Executive Committee of Board (2005 to present)
• Members Consultative Group on Restatement of Torts (Third): Economic Losses (2006 to present)
• Members Consultative Group on Restatement of Restitution (1999-10)
• Members Consultative Group on Principles of Software Licensing (2005-09)

American Bar Association

• Co-chair, Planning Committee for 2011 Section Officers Conference Fall meeting
• Representative of all ABA Chairs-elect to the Section Officer's Conference of the ABA (September 2010 to present)
• Member of Executive Committee of Section Officer's Conference of the ABA (September 2010 to present)
• Publishing and CLE Stakeholders Task Force (September 2009 to August 2010)
• Standing Committee on Publishing Oversight (August 2006-August 2009)
• Liaison from the ABA Standing Committee on Publishing Oversight to the ABA Standing Committee on CLE (August 2006- August 2009)

ABA Legal Education and Admission to the Bar Section

• Member of site team for inspection of Phoenix Law School (October 2009)
• Member of site team for sabbatical inspection of University of Kentucky Law School (February 2006)
• Member of site team for sabbatical inspection of Quinnipiac University School of Law (February 2005)

ABA Business Law Section

• Chair of Section (August 2011 to present)
• Chair-elect of Section (August 2010-August 2011)
• Vice-Chair of Section (August 2009-August 2010)
• Chair-elect of Section (August 2010 to present)
• Vice-Chair of Section (August 2009-August 2010)
• Editor in Chief of The Business Lawyer (August 2009-2010)
• Section’s Planning Committee (January 2008-present), Chair, August 2010-present
• Section’s Content Committee (August 2009-present)
• Planning Committee for National Conference for the Minority Lawyer (2008-August 2010)
• Secretary of the Section (August 2008-August 2009)
  • Editor of E-Source (Section monthly e-newsletter) (August 2008-August 2009)
  • Co-chair ABA Relations Committee (August 2008-August 2009)
• Glass Cutter Award Committee (2008-09)
• Advance III Planning Committee (January 2006 - August 2008)
• Council Committee on Member Services, Chair (August 2006-August 2008)
• Appointed Faculty Editor for The Business Lawyer (April 2005 to August 2007)
• Member of Section Council (August 2004 to August 2008)
  • Council Committee on Committee Structure and Support (2004-06)
• Ad Hoc Committee on Content Distribution (2005-07)
• Editorial Board for The Business Lawyer, Volume 60 (August 2004-05)
• Working Group on the Transferability of Electronic Assets, Co-Chair (2003-05)
• Revenue Committee, Subcommittee on New Initiatives, Chair (2003-06)
• Working Group on Leadership Structure (2001-03)
• AD Hoc Committee on Annual Meeting (2002-03)
• UCC Committee

• Chair (August 1999 - August 2003)
• Vice Chair and Chair-Elect (August 1998-August 1999)

American College of Commercial Finance Lawyers

• Executive Committee member as Immediate Past President (April 2010-April 2011)
• President (April 2009 to April 2010)
• President-Elect (April 2008 to April 2009)
• Vice President (April 2007 to April 2008)
• Treasurer (2005-07)
• Member of the Board of Regents (2002-06)

Association of American Law Schools

• Member of the Executive Committee of the Section on Commercial and Related Commercial Law (February 2005 to 2006)

Minnesota State Bar Association

• Life and the Law Student Working Group (2002-04)
• Business Law Section Executive Council (2003-06)
• Ad Hoc Committee on Revising Minn. Stat. Chap. 336A (Lien Notification system for agricultural products) (2002-03)
• Chair, Article 1 Study Group (2001-03)
• Member, Business Law Section, Ad Hoc Article 9 Study Group (1996-01)
• Task Force on Agricultural Liens (1999-00)

American Bankruptcy Institute

• Normal and Small Business Reorganization Committee
• Banking and Finance Committee
• Legislation Committee
  

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