Lynnise E. Pantin

Clinical Professor of Law

Full-time faculty

education

J.D., Columbia Law School, 2003
B.A., Pomona College, 1998

universities of new york city

Fields of study

Constitutional law, regulation and public order
Company, business and transaction law
Intellectual property and technology
Social justice and human rights

areas of expertise

Clinical legal training
Entrepreneurship
Economic justice
Corporate and commercial law

Lynnise Pantin ’03 is the founding director of the Clinic for Entrepreneurship and Community Development. Students at the clinic develop legal skills by providing legal services in a range of transactional, intellectual property and governance matters to community organizations and low and middle income entrepreneurs.

Pantin's pedagogy is shaped by her scholarship, which focuses on the systemic socio-economic barriers that colored and humble entrepreneurs face. Her recent magazine articles include The imperative for economic justice for transactional law clinics by doing Villanova Law Review and The wealth gap and racial disparities in the startup ecosystem .

Pantin joined Columbia Law School in 2019 after opening her clinic as a visiting professor for a year. Previously, she was the founder and director of the Entrepreneurship and Innovation Clinic at Boston College Law School and co-founder of the Transactional Law Clinic at New York Law School, where she taught legal practice and directed the Social Entrepreneurship Initiative of the Impact Center for Public Welfare Law.

Pantin began her career as an Associate at Debevoise & Plimpton LLP practicing corporate and securities law in the investment management group of the firm's corporate division. She advised private investment funds, their sponsors and investors on all issues relating to the establishment and operation of national and international funds. It also provided free business transaction, incorporation and governance, and regulatory compliance services to nonprofits and small businesses. Prior to becoming an attorney, Pantin was an elementary school teacher in Washington, D.C.