Douglas S. Eakeley joined Rutgers Law School in 2012 as the first occupant
of the Alan V. Lowenstein Chair in Corporate and Business Law, after
several decades in private practice specializing in complex commercial
litigation. He is the founder and codirector of the Rutgers Center for
Corporate Law and Governance. He has successfully tried numerous matters in federal and state courts,
argued many appeals in the federal and state appellate courts, and
served as lead counsel in cases in which new law was established.
Professor Eakeley is included in the 2008-2016 editions of The Best Lawyers in America for his work on "make or break" litigation. He has also been recognized every year since 2005 by Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers for Business.
A former Rhodes Scholar and graduate of Yale Law School, Professor
Eakeley served as first assistant attorney general of the State of New
Jersey. In 1993 he was appointed by President Clinton to the board of
directors of the Legal Services Corporation, which he chaired until
April 2003. His current professional affiliations include serving as chair of the New Jersey Institute for Social Justice and trustee of
Legal Services of New Jersey.
Professor Eakeley has received numerous awards for his pro bono
work and contributions to the legal community, including the American
Jewish Committee's Judge Learned Hand Award, Thurgood Marshall College
Fund Award of Excellence, John Minor Wisdom Public Service and
Professionalism Award from the Litigation Section of the American Bar
Association, National Housing Institute's Outstanding Service Award,
Reynoso-Abascal Don Quixote Award from California Rural Legal
Assistance, League of Women Voters of New Jersey Making Democracy Work
Award, Lead New Jersey's Lifetime of Leadership Award and the first
Legal Services of New Jersey/New Jersey State Bar Association's Pro Bono
Publico Award (renamed the Debevoise-Eakeley Award).
