Bowen School of Law names 2025 Faculty Excellence winners
March 31 - April 6, 2025
By Felisha Weaver
The University of Arkansas at Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law has named Theresa Beiner, John Cook, Beth Levi, Alicia Mitchell, and Rob Steinbuch as the winners of the 2025 Faculty Excellence Awards.
Dean Colin Crawford celebrated the selection of these members of “Bowen’s talented faculty,” adding that “the Bowen School of Law boasts an exceptionally gifted group of teachers, scholars, and public servants.”
Faculty Excellence Award for Research
Theresa Beiner, professor in constitutional law, has been selected as the winner of the Faculty Excellence Award in Research.
Beiner has been a professor at Bowen for 30 years and served as dean of the School of Law from 2018-2023. Her work explores the legal understanding of employment discrimination law, judicial diversity, and civil procedure and has earned local, national and international recognition. With more than 4,790 citations on Google Scholar, her research has been featured in many prestigious legal publications.
Beiner’s upcoming publications include a law review article on the impact of diversity on the bench for employment discrimination cases, the third edition of her co-authored Civil Procedure casebook, and a chapter on sexual harassment in the Oxford Handbook of Feminism and Law in the United States. Additionally, she has signed a contract with Harvard University Press to co-author, “What the Best Legal Mentors Do.”
“I am honored that my colleagues would recognize my contribution to scholarship in my fields of interest,” Beiner said.
Beiner earned a J.D. from Northwestern University and a B.A. from the University of Virginia.
Faculty Excellence Award for Teaching
Beth Levi, instructor of clinical education and supervising attorney for the Family Law Clinic, has been selected as the winner of the Faculty Excellence Award in Teaching.
A dedicated educator and mentor, Levi has been described as the “Swiss Army knife” of teaching at Bowen, demonstrating an exceptional ability to support and develop her students through individualized attention, the application of rigorous academic standards, and an unwavering commitment to student success.
“I’m honored by the kind words of my colleagues and students,” said Levi. “It is my privilege to help train the next generation of Arkansas lawyers!”
Levi has been an integral part of the Bowen faculty since 2002. In addition to her long-time service as director of the Family Law Clinic, she has taught Research, Writing and Analysis (RWA), Civil Procedure, and Professional Responsibility. Colleagues and students praise her for fostering an environment of academic excellence, with one student calling her “the best RWA professor” at the law school and another crediting her mentorship with helping overcome imposter syndrome. Levi’s intellectually demanding yet supportive approach has had a profound impact, both in the classroom and beyond.
Levi earned a J.D. from Harvard Law and an A.B. from Princeton University.
Faculty Excellence Award for Public Service
Robert Steinbuch, the Arkansas Bar Professor of Law, has been selected as the winner of the Faculty Excellence Award in Public Service.
A recognized expert in government transparency law, Steinbuch’s advocacy and legal scholarship have made a profound impact on several areas of law, including transparency and freedom of information, self-defense rights, and equal treatment under the law.
“I’m so thankful to be recognized for the litigative and legislative efforts that I’ve undertaken to protect freedom in Arkansas,” Steinbuch said. “Be it government transparency, the right to defend oneself, or equal treatment for all, I’ve worked to improve the lives of everyday Arkansans through my intersecting roles of law professor, attorney, and journalist. While receiving the award is quite humbling, the true reward is being afforded the opportunity to contribute to bettering our world.”
A leading authority on the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) law, Steinbuch is frequently sought by both local and national news outlets to help inform the public about their rights. Colleagues and legal professionals describe him as a “one-man FOIA-defending machine” whose legislative advocacy, legal scholarship, and extensive pro bono work have had a lasting impact on Arkansans.
Steinbuch earned a J.D. from Columbia University and his B.A., and M.A., from the University of Pennsylvania.
Faculty Excellence Award for Rising Faculty
John Cook, assistant professor of law, has been selected as the winner of the Faculty Excellence Award for Rising Faculty.
Recognized for his exemplary teaching, leadership, and scholarly contributions, Cook has made a significant impact on students and colleagues alike. Regarded as a promising scholar and talented educator, Cook’s students describe him as a dedicated and deeply caring professor who fosters an engaging learning environment where questions and mistakes are embraced as part of the learning process. His ability to integrate active learning into research and writing courses has been praised as both practical and effective.
“I am truly honored to have received the Rising Faculty Excellence Award,” Cook said. “Bowen is an amazing place with absolutely wonderful students and faculty. I am extremely grateful to the Bowen community for showing such confidence in me at this early stage of my career by way of this award.”
Cook has taken on leadership roles within the law school, including service as director of the Rural Practice Incubator Project and serving as an affiliated faculty member with the Center for Racial Justice and Criminal Justice Reform. His contributions to legal scholarship focus on questions of national security and legal writing.
Cook earned a J.D. from Duke University School of Law, an M.Sc., from Oxford University, and a B.A. from Yale University.
Faculty Excellence Award for Social Justice
Alicia Mitchell, assistant professor of legal education and director of the Low Income Taxpayer Clinic, has been selected as the winner of the Faculty Excellence Award for Social Justice.
A dedicated advocate for economic justice, Mitchell has spent more than two decades at the UA Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law working to support low-income taxpayers in Arkansas through legal representation, education, and advocacy. Throughout her career, Mitchell has mentored and trained future attorneys while ensuring that underrepresented communities receive high-quality legal assistance.
“I am very humbled by the recognition of this award,” Mitchell said. “It is an honor to be a part of an institution that prioritizes social justice.”
Under her leadership, the Low Income Taxpayer Clinic has provided critical legal services, helping hundreds of Arkansans navigate tax-related challenges. Her advocacy has resulted in a reduction of more than $730,000 in tax liabilities for low-income families and brought numerous taxpayers into compliance with state and federal regulations. Mitchell has also secured more than $2 million in grant funding to maintain and sustain the clinic. Colleagues and students describe her as an “exemplar for the values of access to justice, professionalism, and excellence in legal skills.”
Mitchell earned a J.D., MBA, and BBA from the University of Mississippi.
