VICTOR LOPEZ
Professor of Accounting, Taxation and Legal Studies in Business

What courses do you teach at the Zarb School of Business?

I teach legal studies courses including intellectual property and law for the entrepreneur.

Why did you develop a law for the entrepreneur course?

I developed the course primarily because of student interest. I had a lot of students who came to see me for guidance with businesses they were currently running and who were interested in starting a business.

Why did you become a professor?

It's started when I was in Honors College seminar at Queens College. I had the opportunity to teach with an English professor and it's something that I thoroughly enjoyed. Soon after graduating from law school I taught as an adjunct then went on to a dean's position and never looked back. I've always been interested in academic administration.

What is your most recent literary project?

My most recent book "Business, Law and the Legal Environment of Business" is being published by Textbook Media and can be used for a number of legal studies courses.

What are some of your past publications?

In the 1990's Prentice Hall published two of my books, "The Legal Environment of Business" and "Case and Resource Material for the Legal Environment" and Irwin-McGraw Hill published my book entitled "Business Law: An Introduction."

What do you enjoy most about writing?

It is a very liberating experience; writing allows you to channel your energy in a positive way and I enjoy the creative aspect. Whether I'm writing a textbook, poetry or fiction, writing gives me the ability to make something out of nothing.

What skills do you want your students to have when they graduate?

I want them to have a functional knowledge of the law, to be able to understand basic principles that they can apply in business as managers, entrepreneurs, and as employees. They should be able to think critically and have the skills to successfully navigate the sometimes dangerous waters of the legal environment.

What is your most memorable classroom experience?

Last semester, one of my legal students announced that she wanted to attend law school and become a professor at some point. That just made my day, that's what it is all about. What makes the faculty, and all of us who work with the university, have such a great feeling about getting up every morning is knowing that we're in the business of changing lives.