Professor Tanaka Wins 2011 Distinguished Teaching Award

Professor Clayton Tanaka, Director of the Legal Writing Program at UC Davis School of Law, is the recipient of the 2011 Distinguished Teaching Award, Dean Kevin R. Johnson announced February 4. The award, which is supported by the generosity of Bill and Sally Rutter, honors "law teachers who give stellar performances in the classroom."  Professor Tanaka will be presented with the award at the Distinguished Teaching Award Dinner held Thursday, March 31 in the ARC Ballroom on the UC Davis campus.

Professor Tanaka joined the UC Davis School of Law community in 2007 as a Legal Writing professor.  Now Director of the Legal Writing Program, he is a dedicated teacher and mentor to his students, Dean Johnson said in his announcement.

Professor Tanaka earned his undergraduate degree in English from UC Davis and his J.D. from UC Hastings College of Law.  Before coming to King Hall, he practiced law in the Office of the California Attorney General for more than 25 years representing the State of California in the California and federal courts.  Professor Tanaka has argued cases in courts throughout the state, in the California Courts of Appeals and Supreme Court, and in federal courts including the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.

Dean Johnson said that special thanks were due to the selection committee, which included the 2010 Distinguished Teaching Award winner, Professor Amagda Pérez, Alumni Board Chair John Schick '72, and Philip Person '11.