Paul Ferber Retires, Lauded as Innovative Scholar
May 24, 2010
For more than two decades at Vermont Law School, Professor Paul Ferber earned the respect of faculty members and students, who admired not only his scholarship and legal skills but his kindness.
Ferber, who retired in May, was widely praised at a Passages spring barbeque on the VLS campus, where Dean Jeff Shields presented him with a cherry rocking chair engraved with the VLS seal.
The event also marked the move to part-time status for Professor Linda Smiddy and Assistant Professor Giuliana Robertson, who was director of the Academic Success Program.
Two other milestones were marked at the Passages event: Associate Professor John Greabe's resignation to join Franklin Pierce Law Center's faculty, and Professor Tseming Yang's leave of absence as director of the U.S.-China Partnership for Environmental Law to become deputy general counsel for international affairs of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Ferber, who specializes in commercial law, professional responsibility and professional skills, received his JD degree, cum laude, from New York University in 1966. After more than two decades in private practice and teaching in Los Angeles, he joined VLS in 1987 and served as director of the General Practice Program from 1988 through 2001. Among the courses he taught were Contracts, Introduction to Lawyering, Legal Profession, Remedies, Sales, and Secured Transactions.
At the Passages barbeque, Professor Kinvin Wroth described Ferber as "rigorous, passionate, direct and unhesitating in expressing his views." He said Ferber brought a strong record of legal practice and pedagogy to VLS and that his retirement will leave a "huge" gap to fill.
Professor Susan Apel, who succeeded Ferber as director of the GPP, said he was the reason she came to and has stayed at VLS. "My life and career are due largely to Paul's influence," she said.
Apel said the current GPP is built on a foundation created by Ferber, whom she called "one of the kindest people I know. He leaves a great legacy and big shoes to fill."
Professor Oliver Goodenough said Ferber was ahead of his time in terms of integrating skills and doctrine, cognitive psychology and learning theory and entrepreneurial scholarship.
Assistant Professor Cathryn "Cappy" Nunlist, assistant director of the GPP, recalled her first few weeks as a student under Ferber, and how he displayed infinite patience with her and other first-year students.
"What I really appreciate about Paul was that he didn't kill us when we acted like blooming idiots," she said, chuckling.
Associate Professor Betsy Baker, whose office was close to Ferber's, said students often visited him and exclaimed that his classes were "the best I ever had." She cited Ferber's passion and his collegiality, adding: "He's been the heart beat of this faculty."
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