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Biography

Linda S. Ficht is an assistant professor of business law in the Luter School of Business.

In the spring semester of 2020, Linda received the Class of 2013 Faculty Development Fund Award in recognition of her work with student mentoring and university service.

In 2018-2019, the Luter School of Business named Linda the Brout Professor. This award recognizes a strong history of excellence in teaching, innovative course design, and potential for research. The award led to the creation of a unique negotiations course that combines the management theory underpinning negotiations with the theory underlying conflict resolution.

Linda has also created a specific teaching method called Team Based Critical Analysis, which she uses to effectively teach business law. Linda’s classes combine case analysis with real world simulations to give business students exposure to legal issues from a practice perspective. Linda teaches the undergraduate Legal Environment of Business course as well as Conflict Resolution/Negotiations, and Employment Law in the Luter School of Business.

Linda’s research interests primarily lie in employment law. Currently Linda is researching legal issues that arise during the selection process and the use of noncompete clauses with interns and low wage workers. During 2019, Linda drafted Virginia Senate Bill 1387, sponsored by Senator Frank Wagner, which sought to ban noncompete agreements for low wage earners. The Bill passed the Virginia Senate but died in House committee. In 2020, Senator Bill DeSteph reintroduced the Bill as Senate Bill 480. SB480 passed the Virginia legislature and was signed into law on April 11, 2020. The law went into effect on July 1, 2020.

Linda publishes in both law and management journals and regularly presents her research at conferences. Linda is the Editor of the Academy of Legal Studies in Business conference proceedings and serves as an ad hoc reviewer for other journals.

Linda currently serves as a Commissioner on the Newport News Human Rights Commission (appointed 2020) and is a board member for the Newport News Human Services Advisory Board (appointed 2022), after being appointed by the Newport News Mayor and City Council.

Originally a licensed attorney in Illinois, Linda practiced law from 1997-2005 prior to becoming an academic. Linda’s main area of practice was insurance defense, medical malpractice defense, business law and family law. Linda has worked in both the private and public sector as a practicing attorney. Her first position was with Hinshaw & Culbertson, one of the largest law firms in Illinois. Linda also worked for the St. Claire County State’s Attorney’s Office and the Illinois Attorney General, Jim Ryan. While working for Kavanagh, Scully, Sudow, White and Frederick, Linda was a 2003 recipient of the 40 Leaders Under 40 Award for her work as an attorney in the Peoria, Illinois area. Linda is licensed to practice law in Illinois and Pennsylvania. She has been admitted to practice in the Northern, Central and Southern Federal District Courts of Illinois. Linda is a trained CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) for the Greater Peninsula area in Virginia as of November, 2019. Linda’s vast legal experience gives her a great perspective while working with students who are majoring in business or considering a path to law school.
Linda holds a JD cum laude from Southern Illinois University School of Law, an M.B.A. with a concentration in Management from Bradley University; Beta Gamma Sigma, and a Bachelor of Arts in English from Southern Illinois, Carbondale.