Transactional lawyering and the education of transactional lawyers has been transformed by Tina L. Stark (Weisenfeld). You may have known her for her wonderful books–Drafting Contracts: How & Why Lawyers Do What They Do and Negotiating and Drafting Contract Boilerplate are on my bookshelves and those of so many others. You may have heard her speak at a conference or symposium.
Yet, many of us also knew Tina on a more personal level. Some of us had her as an instructor or as a colleague. Long a consultant and advisor to law schools, bar associations, and legal employers on transactional legal education and training, Tina also held full-time administrative and teaching appointments at Emory University School of Law and Boston University School of Law and was a visitor at Fordham University School of Law. Earlier in her career, she was an adjunct law professor at Fordham Law and the Maurice A. Deane School of Law at Hofstra University.
Tina passed away earlier this week. But her presence will continue to be felt in so many ways. She and I initially bonded over our not only our love of teaching plainly from practical materials but also our identical higher education academic background–a Brown University undergraduate degree and a law degree from New York University School of Law. In leaving a short online tribute on the memorial website created in her honor and memory, I noted her moxie. Whether we were speaking on a law teacher or continuing legal education panel, arguing about a contract drafting principle or norm, or discussing current events in the broader world, Tina exhibited a transparency, wit, courage, and determination that was inspirational. If at first she could not convince you of the error of your thoughts or ways, she would persevere in endeavoring to change your mind. She was a force to be reckoned with, in the best possible way. Her generosity and kindness infused every personal and professional interaction.
Tina will also be remembered by many as the core founding member and initial chair of the Association of American Law Schools Section on Transactional Law and Skills. Of those in the group of us who promoted the creation of that section, none was more driven and passionate than Tina. The whole thing was her idea. She was (as we often have noted) the mother of our section, and I was honored to serve with her on the executive committee and later as section chair.
Tina’s physical presence will continue to be missed in the legal academy–and especially among us business law profs–for years to come. But we are grateful she left behind so much of herself in her writings, recordings, students, and–yes–in so many of us. She is now free of her earthly burdens. It is time for all of us in transactional and continuing legal education to persevere in carrying on the mission.
An online obituary for Tina can be found here. A memorial service is being held on Sunday, December 28 at 11:00 am (Eastern Time) and is available by livestream here. I assume that many also will honor her and her work at the 2025 Association of American Law Schools annual meeting in January. I will look forward to doing that.