Horizons Fall 2013

28 HORIZONS Elena Marty-Nelson, J.D., LL.M., gave up a lucrative law practice to fulfill a dream she had since childhood—to teach. “I wanted to teach right out of law school, but I first went into practice at a large law firm in order to acquire experience and earn enough to pay off student loans,” said Marty-Nelson, who teaches courses in federal securities law, property, tax, wills, and trusts, among other classes, at NSU’s Shepard Broad Law Center. “I loved practicing law, but I have wanted to be a professor for as long as I can remember. I come from a family of educators.” After practicing law for several years, Marty-Nelson began her teaching career at Georgetown University Law Center, in Washington, D.C., in its real estate clinic. Marty- Nelson was recruited to NSU in 1992, becoming a full professor in 1997. Her dedication to teaching has not gone unnoticed, either by students or colleagues. The law students have voted Marty-Nelson as their Professor of the Year a record six times (1995–1996, 1996–1997, 2008–2009, 2009–2010, 2010–2011, and 2012–2013). She was also chosen the recipi- ent of the 2011–2012 Shepard Broad Law Center Professor of the Year award by her colleagues and the law school administration for her scholarly productivity and excellence in teaching. “She’s an inspiration, the smartest professor I’ve ever met,” said Lauren Taylor Clifton, an NSU 2014 Juris Doctor candidate. “She makes class interesting and fun. She’s what I want to be in 20 years.” Her teaching extends outside the classroom, too. She was the law school’s 2008 finalist for Adviser of the Year for the university’s Student Life Achievement Award (STUEY) for her work as faculty adviser to the Nova Law Review and the Hispanic Law Students Association. Marty-Nelson also writes exten- sively. Her scholarship includes a casebook, portfolios, and numerous law review articles. Her writings have been cited in deci- sions of the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, the United States District Court for Western District of Virginia, the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York, the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Alaska, the Oregon Supreme Court, and in treatises. Marty-Nelson’s scholarship has also helped guide legislators in crafting new laws, particularly in such areas as trust law, asset protection, and bankruptcy. “People should be taxed on the real value of a transaction, not what they can call it, or what form they can give it,” said Marty-Nelson. “Let’s handle it on its real economic value. That’s a running theme through my scholarship: fairness and substance.” Marty-Nelson laughs when she is complimented on the clarity of her scholarly writing. A layman could probably follow one of her articles. “I don’t play ‘Hide the Ball,’ ” Marty-Nelson said. “Maybe that’s one of the things students like about me. I try to write things that can make a difference, and that’s not going to work if it’s only going to appeal to other academics.” Clear language and presentation of difficult concepts are among the reasons that Lara Pietrzak is now taking her third class with Marty-Nelson. “She goes above and beyond for her students,” said Pietrzak, “making sure every one of us thoroughly understands the material being taught before moving onto the next topic.” Changes in Teaching At 53, Marty-Nelson has seen major transformations in teaching the law and in the way young lawyers begin their careers. When she started, digital technology did not exist, but she has found ways to work with it. Lawyer Pursued Her Vision: Teaching BY CHAUNCEY MABE