February 04, 2025

Myles Lynk receives the 2025 ABF Outstanding Service Award

Myles Lynk, emeritus professor of the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law at Arizona State University and dean of the Emeritus College, received the 2025 American Bar Foundation Outstanding Service Award on Feb. 1 at the Fellows of the American Bar Foundation’s 69th Annual Awards Reception and Banquet.

The award recognizes individuals who have upheld the highest standards and values of the legal profession while serving the public. This year, the ABF honored Lynk for his dedication to civil rights advocacy and his significant contributions to the legal field throughout his career.

“In the words of our profession’s ethics rules, law professors and lawyers are public citizens with a special responsibility for the quality of justice in America,” Lynk said. “My efforts and the efforts of so many other lawyers to meet this responsibility is a testament to the enduring value of the rule of law and our need to protect it and promote it as the best guarantor of justice in our society.” 

Lynk’s connection with ASU dates back to 2000 when he served as a visiting scholar from practice.  From 2001 to 2019, Lynk was the Peter Kiewit Foundation Professor of Law and the Legal Profession at ASU. From Fall 2019 through the end of 2022, he was a prosecutor in the District of Columbia’s Office of Disciplinary Counsel. In 2023, he was a visiting law professor at the University of South Carolina and Michigan State University. He returned to ASU Law in 2024 to teach professional responsibility.

His distinguished career includes numerous prestigious appointments, including Honors Faculty Fellow at Barrett, the Honors College; Scholar-in-Residence at the ASU Center for the Study of Race and Democracy and Senior Fellow at the Lincoln Center for Applied Ethics. Lynk has also held visiting professorships at top universities, delivered global lectures on legal ethics and conducted groundbreaking research on the regulation of the legal profession, earning recognition as a leading expert in his field. At ASU, he played an instrumental role in various university councils and committees, advising on academic policies and supporting student organizations. He was also a key figure in founding the ASU Corporate and Business Law Journal. 

"Professor Lynk's recognition with the 2025 ABF Outstanding Service Award is a testament to his unwavering dedication to civil rights advocacy and ethical leadership within the legal profession," said Nancy Gonzales, executive vice president and university provost of ASU. "His impactful service has elevated our university's commitment to advancing the public good and inspired countless students and colleagues through his teaching and scholarship."

Lynk’s extensive work in the ABA includes leadership roles in advancing civil rights, economic development and professional ethics, as well as contributions to several key initiatives. His dedication has left a lasting impact on both the legal community and society, making him a deserving recipient of the ABF Outstanding Service Award.

Written by Crystal Jimenez