Bonnie L. Mitchell
Clinical Professor of Law
Professor Mitchell received a B.A. from the University of Utah in 1981 where she was elected to Phi Beta Kappa and received a Phi Kappa Phi Graduate Fellowship. She received her J.D. from the University of Utah S.J. Quinney College of Law in 1984, and was Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Energy Law and Policy and a member of Order of the Coif. Upon graduating from the College of Law, Professor Mitchell served as a law clerk for The Honorable Bruce S. Jenkins, U.S. District Court for the District of Utah. She then became Vice President of Business Affairs for American National Enterprises, Inc., Salt Lake City, and of counsel to Giauque & Williams, Salt Lake City.
In 1989, Professor Mitchell joined the College of Law administrative team, serving first as Assistant Dean for Admission and Student Services and then as Associate Dean for Program Development and Communications. In 1995, she joined the faculty as a full-time Clinical Professor of Law.
Before attending law school, Professor Mitchell was Director of Special Projects at Penrose Cancer Hospital in Colorado Springs and Director of the School of Radiation Oncology Technology at Norfolk General Hospital at Eastern Virginia Medical School.
Professor Mitchell’s research interests focus on the neuroscience of learning disabilities, especially those that affect writing. Her career reflects her stong interest in teaching professional skills. She received the Peter W. Billings Excellence in Teaching Award in 1999, and the University of Utah Award for Distinguished and Exemplary Service to Students with Disabilities in 2003.
Professor Mitchell teaches Legal Methods, Legal Writing and Editing for Teaching Assistants, and Judicial Process.
Selected Talks and Presentations
Administrative Law Opinion Writing, Utah State Office of Workforce Services, Spring 2008, Fall 2001
Judicial Opinion Writing, Utah Appellate Courts, Fall 1997
Establishing Race Neutral Admission Standards, Law School Admission Council Annual Conference, Atlanta, Fall 1991
Professional Service
College of Law
Faculty Advisor, Women’s Law Caucus
Faculty Advisor, Law Student Mental Health Association
Curriculum Committee
Committee on Leadership Initiative
Auxiliary Faculty Review Committee
Special Projects
Utah Supreme Court Standing Committee on Professionalism and Civility
Develop and implement programs to introduce Supreme Court Standards of Professionalism and Civility at student orientation, in first-year Legal Methods classes, and across the curriculum in advanced classes.
College of Law Learning Portfolio Initiative
Develop program to assist students in setting, achieving, and documenting their educational goals. Work with College of Law technology team to develop an electronic personal learning portfolio that students can present to prospective employers and that meets specific requirements of the Utah New Lawyer Training Program.
University of Utah Presidential Commission on the Status of Women
Improve the recruitment and retention of undergraduate women, and draft, develop, and implement new policy, rules, and procedures to address the safety of women on campus.
Professional Affiliations
Utah State Bar Association
Salt Lake County Bar Association
Women Lawyers of Utah
Utah Youth Mentor Program
Utah Supreme Court Standing Committee on Professionalism and Civility
Association of Legal Writing Directors
Legal Writing Institute
American Bar Association