School of Law

Stephen Easton is described by colleagues as a true teacher in every sense of the word, and students say they are inspired his character and passion for law. His philosophy as an educator is to help students learn the law of the subject at hand, think about it, apply it, critique it and understand how it affects individuals; he hopes his students become interested and energized by what they are learning.

As an experienced trial attorney and formerly the youngest United States Attorney in the nation, Easton advises students and provides them with “constructive feedback” to help them “grow personally, academically and professionally.” One former student said, “He instilled in me a confidence in myself and in the judicial system,” and other students call his teaching style “innovative” and “enthusiastic.”

Easton earned a bachelor’s degree from Dickinson State University in 1980 and obtained a juris doctor from Stanford Law School in 1983. He began his teaching career at MU in 1998 and has received an Excellence in Education Award, a Gold Chalk Award and a Board of Advocates Faculty Achievement Award. The American Inns of Court awarded him the Warren E. Burger Prize in 2004 for his article, “My Last Lecture: Unsolicited Advice for Future and Current Lawyers,” an essay that displays his “dedication to the principles of ethics and professionalism.”