Washburn Law Journal
A Tribute to Professor Robert E. Beck
Volume 49, No. 2 (Winter 2010)
During the first symposium in 1994, the professors decided it would be most appropriate to dedicate the final symposium product appearing in the Washburn Law Journal "to the one among us who best exemplified the scholar, teacher, and lawyer we all strive to be." That person was Professor Richard C. Maxwell, Professor Emeritus at both the Duke University and UCLA Schools of Law. The professors who participated in the 2009 symposium again chose the one among us who exemplifies the true scholar, teacher, and lawyer: Robert E. Beck, Professor Emeritus, Southern Illinois University Law School.
Professor Beck began his teaching career at the University of North Dakota School of Law where he taught from 1962 to 1976. In 1976, he joined the law faculty at Southern Illinois University where he taught full time until 2002. Since 2002, he has continued to teach at SIU part time in his capacity of Professor Emeritus. During his teaching career, he has received from both of these institutions awards for his excellence as a teacher and scholar. His effectiveness as a teacher, scholar, and lawyer has also been recognized for his work outside the law school. In 2007, the Board of Trustees for the Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Foundation awarded him the prestigious Clyde O. Martz Teaching Award.
Few lawyers possess the depth of expertise and experience that Professor Beck has acquired in the generic discipline we call "natural resources law." He is a noted scholar in water law, oil and gas law, mining law, environmental law, and energy law. From 1991 through 2008, Professor Beck served as Editor-in-Chief of the leading multi-volume water law treatise, Waters and Water Rights, while also writing and lecturing extensively on all aspects of natural resources law. When Professor Beck received the Clyde O. Martz Teaching Award, he was noted for distinguishing himself in "coal, oil and gas, water, and environmental law." This is no easy task, considering that each of these areas is viewed as a highly specialized and discrete body of law. Professor Beck artfully joins several "natural resources law" disciplines in his article for this volume in which he considers the "water law," "oil and gas law," and "environmental law" aspects of mineral development.
When I contacted Professor Beck to see if he would participate in the symposium, his response was immediate-as it was in 1994 when he agreed to participate in the first symposium. It was again a pure delight to be in the classroom with Professor Beck in which he approached his topic with the same thoughtful, searching analysis that has distinguished him as a teacher and scholar for over forty-seven years. Following Professor Beck's presentation, I had an opportunity to discuss it with my colleague, Professor Myrl Duncan. Although I cannot remember which one of us said it, we both concurred: "Nobody does it better than Bob Beck."
We dedicate this symposium issue on "The Future Course of Oil and Gas Jurisprudence II" in honor of Professor Robert E. Beck's past, present, and future contributions to the intriguing discipline we call oil and gas law.
David E. Pierce
