Faculty Profile

Biographical Information

Paul Bennett joined the College of Law in 1996 as the founding Director of the Child Advocacy Clinic. In 2009, he was named Co-Director along with Professor Zelda Harris of the Law College's new multi-disciplinary Child and Family Law Clinic. In addition to clinical legal education, Professor Bennett teaches classes in Professional Responsibility, Juvenile Law, Trial Advocacy and Law and Humanities. Last year, along with Professor Tom Mauet, Professor Bennett was chosen by Arizona Law students to receive the John Strong Teaching Award.

Professor Bennett joined the Arizona faculty after teaching for several years at Cornell Law School. He graduated from Bates College in Lewiston, Maine, in 1973 and received his J.D. from Cornell Law School in 1976. After receiving his law degree, he practiced with the Orleans Legal Aid Bureau in Albion, NY; Chemung County Neighborhood Legal Services in Ithaca, NY; and later was a partner in the law firm of Holmberg, Galbraith, Holmberg, Orkin and Bennett in Ithaca, NY.

Professor Bennett has long been active in Arizona's efforts to upgrade the quality of representation for children in the Juvenile and Family Courts. He is a member of the nationally recognized Model Court Working Committee and has chaired its subcommittees on Children's Voice and on Parent-Child Visitation. Professor Bennett has long advocated that, when children choose, they should be given a meaningful voice in the court proceedings that impact their lives.

Professor Bennett is the Co-Director with Professor Kenney Hegland of the Himelic Juvenile Detention Teaching Program in which law students teach weekend programs for children in lock up. He and Professor Hegland also direct the Arizona Law Camp in which high school students are brought to campus for a week of law related activities designed to stimulate their interest in the law and in continuing their education.

From 2004 - 2006, Professor Bennett co-chaired the State Bar of Arizona's Task Force on Professionalism and authored its final report. The Arizona Supreme Court and the State Bar of Arizona have adopted recommendations from the Report.

In 2007, along with Professor Barbara Atwood, Professor Bennett received a grant from the American Bar Association to produce training materials for lawyers who represent children in divorces.

Professor Bennett is the grandfather of three year old Hadyn, who, like all children has a mind of his own.