William Rutter Award for Teaching Excellence
William Rutter Award for Teaching Excellence
The Rutter Award recognizes UC Law SF faculty for outstanding commitment to classroom teaching. Founded by philanthropist, lawyer, and legal education publisher William Rutter in 1979, the award honors professors at California’s top law schools.
Professor Matt Coles wins 2026 Rutter Award for Teaching Excellence
UC Law SF Professor Matt Coles received the Rutter Award for Teaching Excellence in a ceremony March 11, 2026. The selection committee recognized Cole’s decades of work as a civil rights attorney and advocate who emphasizes in his teaching the importance of justice, equality, and public trust in the law.
“I have never seen such a thirst for justice, for fairness, for decency as I see among our students,” Coles said.
Nomination & Selection
The Rutter Award recipient is selected each year by a four-person committee that includes a student, recent alum, the provost & academic dean, and a prior winner. The Rutter Endowment provides UC Law SF with an annual award of $15,000 for the recipient.
2026
Matt Coles, Professor of Practice
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2025
Emily Murphy, Professor of Law and Harry & Lillian Hastings Research Chair
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2024
Stefano Moscato, Professor of Practice and Bar Success Analyst and Strategist
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2023
Alina Ball, Professor and Affiliated Scholar
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2022
Scott Dodson, James Edgar Hervey Chair in Litigation, Geoffrey C. Hazard Jr. Distinguished Professor of Law, and Director of the Center for Litigation and the Courts
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2020
Manoj Viswanathan, Joseph W. Cotchett ’64 Professor of Law and Co-Director, UC Law SF Center on Tax Law
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2019
Carol Izumi, Emerita Professor of Law
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2018
Mai Linh Spencer, Clinical Professor
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2017
Dave Owen, Associate Dean for Research and Harry Sunderland ’61 Professor of Law
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2016
David Takacs, Emeritus Professor of Law
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2015
Morris Ratner, Provost & Academic Dean, Professor of Law
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2014
George Bisharat, Emeritus Professor of Law
2013
Roger C. Park, Emeritus Distinguished Professor of Law and James Edgar Hervey Chair in Litigation
2012
Karen Musalo, Professor and Chair in International Law, Director of the Center for Gender & Refugee Studies
2011
Kate Bloch, Emerita Professor of Law and Harry & Lillian Hastings Research Chair
2010
Hadar Aviram, Thomas Miller ’73 Professor of Law
2009
Robin Feldman, Arthur J. Goldberg Distinguished Professor of Law, Albert Abramson ’54 Distinguished Professor of Law Chair, and Director of the Center for Innovation
2008
Heather Field, Stephen A. Lind Professor of Law and Co-Director of Center on Tax Law
2007
Lois Weithorn, The Honorable Raymond L. Sullivan Professor of Law
2006
Donna Ryu (joined the Northern District of California bench as a U.S. Magistrate Judge in 2010)
2005
Brian E. Gray, Emeritus Professor of Law
2004
Evan Lee, Emeritus Professor of Law
2003
Ashutosh Bhagwat
2002
William S. Dodge
2001
John Diamond, The Honorable Raymond L. Sullivan Professor of Law
2000
Reuel Schiller, The Honorable Roger J. Traynor Chair and Professor of Law