The Class of 2017 selected Professor Mark Wu for the prestigious Albert M. Sacks-Paul A. Freund Award for Teaching Excellence for his work as a dedicated professor and mentor who cares not only about the intellectual development of his students, but also their emotional well-being. Professor Wu is only the second junior faculty member to receive the award.
“As a leading expert in international trade and intellectual property law, Professor Wu has gone above and beyond to design a curriculum that is both challenging and cutting edge and one that prepares us to be lawyers in the field.” said Class Marshal Jillian Ventura ’17 in her introduction. “Equally as important, Professor Wu has continually strived to make sure every person in his classroom feels included and that all views are appreciated.”
Wu thanked the Class of 2017 for the “most amazing meaningful award I’ve ever received” and asked that they not only honor him with an award, “but by asking each other, when you come back for your reunion, the ‘Professor Wu question’: what are you doing to make our profession more inclusive?”
Wu is also Faculty Director at the Berkman Klein Center for Internet and Society. He serves as a member of the Faculty Advisory Committees of the East Asian Legal Studies Program and the Fairbank Center for Chinese Studies. He is also a Faculty Associate of Harvard University’s Center for the Environment. Wu has has been faculty advisor for the Harvard Law School WTO Moot Court Team since its inception six years ago, leading the team to the final round in Geneva five out of the last six years.
Prior to joining the HLS faculty in 2010, Wu served as the Director for Intellectual Property in the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, where he was the lead U.S. negotiator for the IP chapters of several free-trade agreements; and as economist and operations officer for the World Bank in China. He also worked as an engagement manager for McKinsey & Co.
The Sacks-Freund Award recognizes a single faculty member each year for teaching ability, attentiveness to student concerns and general contributions to student life at the law school. It was established in 1992 and is named in honor of the late Harvard Law School Professors Albert Sacks ’48 and Paul Freund S.J. D. ’32. Recent recipients include Jeanne Suk ’02, Jon Hanson, Tyler Giannini and Benjamin Sachs.