Professor of Law
B.A., Minnesota State University
J.D., University of Illinois-Chicago (“JMLS”) (with honors)
Areas of Expertise
- Civil Procedure
- Comparative Law
- Contemplative Lawyering
- Legal Ethics and Profession
- Legal Skills
- Torts
Office: 621T
Professor Katerina Lewinbuk joined the South Texas College of Law Houston faculty in 2006. Prior to that, she taught at DePaul College of Law and School of Commerce in Chicago, Illinois, and was an Associate Attorney at the law firms of Baker McKenzie and Hinshaw & Culbertson LLP.
On top of having numerous published articles, in 2023 the Third Edition of her course book Connecting Ethics & Practice: A Lawyers Guide to Professional Responsibility (Aspen Publishing) will hit the shelves. She also co-authored the Third Edition of West’s Global Issues in the Legal Profession with Professor Moliterno (2022).
In addition to the various courses Professor Lewinbuk teaches, she created her “Mindful Lawyering” course, which introduces students to basic mindfulness meditation technique and provides valuable insight into dealing with commonly known law school or legal profession-related challenges including highly competitive situations, intellectually demanding work, multi-tasking, and the ensuing stress and difficult emotions. Professor Lewinbuk is dedicated to helping lawyers and law students find balance in their personal and professional lives and she serves as the Chair of The Mindfulness Resource Group for the Southeastern Association of Law Schools (SEALS).
Professor Lewinbuk is a double-Fulbright Senior Specialist grant recipient (Charles University in Prague, Czech Republic and Facultad Libre Derecho de Monterrey in Monterrey, Mexico) and she has further taken her talents abroad by teaching and presenting in different law schools in Ireland, Turkey, Republic of Georgia and United Kingdom, just to name a few. Professor Lewinbuk has also served as Legal Research & Writing Program Director and taught at the International Law Institute in Washington, D.C. The program prepares international LL.M. students to enter law schools throughout the United States and it also provides an overview of the U.S. legal system to judges and practicing attorneys from all over the world.
Professor Lewinbuk attended Moscow State University, Minnesota State University, and received her Juris Doctorate from the University of Illinois Chicago (“JMLS”) (Cum Laude). She is licensed to practice law in Illinois, Texas, and in the District of Columbia. Additionally, Professor Lewinbuk is fluent in both English and Russian.
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ARTICLES
True Perestroika or Still Perfunctory: A Decade of Developments in Russian Law Practice Reform, 32 Fla. J. Int’l L. 301 (2021).
The Voice of the Gods is Crippling: Law School for Helicoptered Millennials, 10 St. Mary’s J. Legal Mal. & Ethics 30 (2019). (with Taci Villarreal, Elena Bolonina)
Kindling the Fire: The Call for Incorporating Mandatory Mentoring Programs for Junior Lawyers and Law Students Nationwide, 63 St. Louis U. L.J. 211 (2019).
Keep Suing all the Lawyers: Recent Developments in Claims Against Lawyers for Aiding & Abetting a Client’s Breach of Fiduciary Duty, 8 St. Mary’s J. Legal Mal. & Ethics 158 (2017).
Law Student Heal Thy Self: Teaching Mindfulness As A Legal Skill, 41 J. Legal Prof. 37 (2016). (with Christy Gilbert)
Lawyer Heal Thy Self: Incorporating Mindfulness Into Legal Education & Profession, 40 J. Legal Prof. 1 (2015).
Mindfulness Meditation: Is the Practice a Saving Grace for Law Students? 78 Tex. B.J. 454 (2015).
Hard to Build, But Easy to Destroy?: Will Chaos in Legal Education Lead to Restructuring of Law Schools and Elimination of Faculty Tenure? 39 J. Legal Prof. 1 (2014).
There is No App for That: The Need for Legal Educators and Practitioners to Comply with Ethical Standards in the Digital Era, 24 U. Fla J. L. & Soc. Pol’y 321 (2013).
What Goes Around Comes Around: Lawsuits Against Lawyers and the ’Professional Responsibility’ of Law Schools to Face That Reality, 42 Sw U. L. Rev. 547 (2013).
Embracing Diversity Through a Multicultural Approach to Legal Education, 1 Charlotte L. Rev. 223 (2008-2009). (with Julie Spanbauer)
First, Do No Harm: The Consequences Of Advising Clients About Litigation Alternatives In Medical Malpractice Cases, 2 St. Mary’s J. Legal Mal. & Ethics 416 (2012) (by Invitation Only).
Perestroika or Just Perfunctory?: The Scope and Significance of Russia’s New Legal Ethics Laws, 35 J. Legal Prof. 25 (2010).
Russia’s Labor Pains: The Slow Creation of a Culture of Enforcement, 32 Fordham Int’l L.J. 846 (2009).
Guest Editors’ Introduction: Professional Ethics for the Attorney, 43 Statutes and Decisions: the Laws of the USSR and its Successor States, May-June 2008, at 7. (with Stephen D. Shenfield)
Let’s Sue All the Lawyers: The Rise of Claims Against Lawyers for Aiding and Abetting a Client’s Breach of Fiduciary Duty, 40 Ariz. St. L.J. 135 (2008).
Can Successful Lawyers Think in Different Languages?: Incorporating Critical Strategies That Support Learning Lawyering Skills for the Practice of Law in a Global Environment, 41 Law Teacher: Int’l J. Legal Educ. 275 (2007). Reprinted in, 7 Richmond J. Global L. & Bus. 1 (2008).
Transformation of the Ethical Boundaries of the Attorney-Client Privilege in Response to the Growing Complexity of the Modern Business World, 42 Willamette L. Rev. 79 (2006).
Employment Practice Flash Points (monthly publication) (June 2004 B July 2005). –co-authored monthly updates on recent developments. (with Prof. Julie Spanbauer) — 13 issues (to access go to https://www.iicle.com/flashpoints/flashpoints_content.asp?ID=3)
Supreme Court Decision On Workplace Arbitration in Waffle House, 7 The Global Employer, May 2002, at 25. (with Gerald L. Maatman, Jr.& Robert Lewis)
Russian Duma Approves New Labor Code, CCH Incorporated, July 2001.
The Application of Attorney-Client Privilege in Malpractice Action, 14 CBA Record, Nov. 2000, at 46.
BOOKS
Connecting Ethics and Practice: A Lawyer’s Guide to Professional Responsibility, 3d. Ed. Interactive Online Casebook Connect version (Wolters Kluwer) – (forthcoming).
Applying US Model of Professional Regulation for Lawyers of Russia, (with Alexander Orlov) Forthcoming.
Global Issues in the Legal Profession. 3d ed. (St. Paul, MN: West Academic, 2022). (with Jim Moliterno)
Connecting Ethics and Practice: A Lawyer’s Guide to Professional Responsibility, 2d Ed. Interactive Online Casebook Connect version (New York: Wolters Kluwer, 2020).
Connecting Ethics and Practice: A Lawyer’s Guide to Professional Responsibility. 2d Ed. (New York: Wolters Kluwer, 2019).
Connecting Ethics and Practice: A Lawyer’s Guide to Professional Responsibility. (New York: Wolters Kluwer, 2017).
CHAPTERS
Mindfulness Matters In Law School, in Lawyers As Changemakers: The Global Integrative Law Movement (Chicago, IL: American Bar Association, 2016).
Guest Editor, Professional Ethics for the Attorney, 43 Statutes and Decisions: the Laws of the USSR and its Successor States, May-June, July-August, and September-October, 2008. (with Stephen D. Shenfield)
PRESENTATIONS & PROCEEDINGS
Presenter, “Teaching Mindfulness as a Legal Skill” SALT Teaching Conference, Chicago, October 2016.
Southeastern Association of Law Schools (SEALS) – Florida, August 2016.
- Discussant, Assemble the initial proposal, participate and contribute to the discussion group titled: “Incorporating Mindfulness into the Legal Education Curriculum.”
Panelist, “New Approaches to Teaching Legal Ethics.” International Legal Ethics Conference VII, Fordham Law School, N.Y. July 2016.
Presenter, “From Angst to Action: Transforming Anxious Law Students into Powerful Advocates” Global Legal Skills XI Conference, Verona, Italy, May 2016.
Southeastern Association of Law Schools (SEALS) – Florida, August 2015.
“Mindfulness in Law Schools” Conference
- Panelist, “Open Plenary”
- Panelist, “Teaching Mindfulness in Law School”
Southeastern Association of Law Schools (SEALS) – Florida (August 2014):
- Panelist, “Strategies for Balancing Our Love for Work and Our Love for Life Beyond the Academy”
- Moderator, “Self-Coping/Self-Doping: Law Student Use and Abuse of Drugs/Alcohol and What We Should Be Doing” and “LL.M. Programs & Current Challenges”
Presenter, “There is No App for That: The Need for Legal Educators and Practitioners to Comply with Ethical Standards in the Digital Era,” Global Legal Ethics VI Conference, London, United Kingdom (July 2014).
Presenter, “Fulbright scholarship grants & other opportunities for LRW professionals,” Global Legal Skills VIII Conference, Verona, Italy (May 2014).
Southeastern Association of Law Schools (SEALS) – Florida (August 2013) Panelist on 2 separate panels: “Professional Responsibility” & “The Future of the Legal Profession.”
Presenter, “Fulbright Opportunities for Legal Writing Professionals,” 13th Annual Rocky Mountain Regional Legal Writing Conference, University of Colorado School of Law, Boulder (March 2013).
Southeastern Association of Law Schools (SEALS) – Florida (July 2012). Panelist on 3 separate panels:
- “Professional Responsibility Pecha Kucha;”
- “Planning for Student Outcome Measurements: Discussion Group on Design Implementation & Ideas;”
- “Comparing Legal Writing Programs—An Insider’s Perspective.”
Presenter, Genocide, Massacre and the World’s Response, International Human Rights Conference with a Focus on Violence in Russia & China Helsinki State University/Law Faculty—Helsinki, Finland (May 2012).
Visiting Lecturer, Lawyers & Human Rights, Herzen State University St. Petersburg/Law Department-St. Petersburg, Russia (May 2012)
Invited Speaker, One Size does NOT Fit All: A Lawyer’s Potential Duty to Advise Clients of Litigation Alternatives in Medical Malpractice Cases, Legal Malpractice & Ethics Symposium-St. Mary’s Law School, San Antonio, TX (Feb. 2012).
Presenter, Fulbright scholarship grants & other opportunities for LRW professionals, One-Day Annual LRW Workshop—Brooklyn Law School, NY (December 2011).
Presenter, Fulbright Program Anniversary Celebration Conference, New York City, NY, December 2011.
Presenter, National Institute for Teaching Ethics & Professionalism (NIETP) 2011 Fellow, Global & Comparative Ethics Workshop, University of St. Thomas, MN, April 2011.
Presenter, First, Do No Harm: Application of a Lawyer’s Potential Duty to Advise Clients of Litigation Alternatives to Medical Malpractice Cases, Texas Southern University Law School—Houston, Texas (March 21, 2011).
Panelist, Legal Profession and Attorney Ethics in Russia: History, Status & Current Developments, Annual Meeting: Southeastern Association of Law schools, Palm Beach, FL, July 2010.
Panelist, Incorporating a Bicultural Approach to Teaching all Entering Law Students, 14th Biennial Conference of the Legal Writing Institute, Marco Island, FL, June 27-30, 2010.
Panelist, Avoiding Culture Shock: Embracing a Bicultural Appraoch to Teaching all Entering Law Students, Intersections of Law & Culture 2009, Franklin College, Lugano Switzerland, October 2-4, 2009. (with Julie Spanbauer)
Biculturalism: The Need To Be Aware Of How Culture And Ethnicity Shape Identities, Learning Styles, And Attitudes Toward Conflict Resolution. Global Legal Skills VI Conference, Georgetown University Law Center, Washington, DC, June 2009.
Are the Lawyers Always at Fault: the Rise of Claims Against Lawyers for Aiding and Abetting a Client’s Breach of Fiduciary Duty, Legal Malpractice Symposium, St. Mary’s Law Journal, San Antonio, Texas, February 2009.
Can Successful Lawyers Think in Different Languages? Incorporating Critical Strategies That Support Learning Lawyering Skills for the Practice of Law in a Global Environment, 4th International Conference on Law, Athens, Greece, July 2007. (Proceedings to be published by (Athens Institute of Education & Research (ATINER))
Using Storytelling in Teaching Legal Skills to International Students, Once upon a Legal Time: Developing the Skills of Storytelling in Law, City University of London, July 2007.
Using Storytelling in Teaching Legal Skills to International Students, 7th Annual Rocky Mountain Regional Legal Writing Conference, William S. Boyd School of Law, University of Nevada, March 2007.
Expanding Classroom Borders by Incorporating Interdisciplinary Rhetorical Strategies and First-hand Experience into the ESL and EFL Legal Writing Classroom, LWI Biennial Conference, Atlanta, Georgia, June 2006. (with Professors Brown and Spanbauer)
Panelist, Creating Appropriate Assignments, Global Legal Skills, John Marshall Law School, Chicago, Illinois, May 2005.
Transformation of the Ethical Boundaries of the Attorney-client Privilege in Response to the Growing Complexity of the Modern Business World, 11th Annual Vincentian Conference on Business Ethics, Chicago, Illinois, October 2004.
Survival Kit for New Teachers, 4th Annual Rocky Mountain Regional Legal Writing Conference, William S. Boyd School of Law, University of Nevada, March 2004.
Recent Decisions Addressing Disparate Impact and Disparate Treatment Issues Illinois Institute of Continuing Legal Education, March 2005.
Recent Decisions Addressing Unique Aspects of Employment Law Illinois Institute of Continuing Legal Education, January 2005.
Illinois Institute of Continuing Legal Education — See examples of specific topics below:
Recent Decisions Assessing Title VII and Section 1981 Hostile Environment & Retaliation Law Illinois Institute of Continuing Legal Education, November 2004
Recent Decisions Assessing Retaliation Claims in Illinois Federal & State Courts and Issues Relating to Time Limitation for Filing a Claim under the ADA & Title VII, Illinois Institute of Continuing Legal Education, December 2004.