Linda Barkacs

Linda L. Barkacs received her J.D. from the University of San Diego in 1993. She also has a B.A. in political science from San Diego State University and an A.A. in accounting from Irvine Valley College. Upon graduating from law school and passing the California bar exam, Professor Barkacs became an associate at a downtown San Diego law firm. During that time she was involved in a number of high-profile trials, including a sexual harassment case against the City of Oceanside that resulted in a $1.2 million verdict. In 1997, Professor Barkacs and her husband Craig (also a professor at USD) started their own law firm specializing in business and civil litigation (in both federal and state courts), employment law cases, and appeals. They were also involved in numerous mediations and arbitrations. Professor Barkacs began teaching at USD in 1997 and went full-time in Spring 2002. She is now a tenured Associate Professor of Business Law. As an educator, she has designed and taught numerous courses on law, ethics, and negotiation. She teaches in USDs undergraduate and graduate programs, including the Master of Science in Executive Leadership (a Ken Blanchard program), the Master of Science in Global Leadership, the Master of Science in Real Estate, and the Master of Science in Supply Chain Management. Professor Barkacs often teaches in USDs study-abroad classes and has traveled extensively throughout Europe, Asia, and South America. Professor Barkacs has received numerous awards for her teaching at USD, including the 2008 USD Outstanding Undergraduate Business Educator; 2008 and 2007 Professor of the Year, USD Senior Class (universitywide); 2007 Creative and Innovative Teaching Award, Academy of Education Leadership (national); and 2009 and 2010 nominee for U.S. Professor of the Year (Carnegie Foundation). She and her husband are principals in The Barkacs Group (www.tbgexecutivetraining.com), a consulting firm that provides negotiation, ethics, and team training for the private sector. Professor Barkacs has published numerous journal articles in the areas of law, ethics, and negotiation. She and her husband are coauthoring a book on negotiation. She has been the president, vice president, conference chair, and treasurer of the Pacific Southwest Academy of Legal Studies in Business (www.pswalsb.net). Professor Barkacs currently spends her time teaching, publishing, consulting for The Barkacs Group, and doing volunteer work for various civic causes. She enjoys walking, weight lifting, and spending her free time with her husband Craig and their three cats, Phoenix, Violet, and Vanessa.