International Law, Ethics and Compliance Leader to Head New Center in SMU Dedman School of Law

DALLAS (SMU) – Eric F. Hinton has been named director of SMU Dedman School of Law’s new Robert B. Rowling Center for Business Law and Leadership.

The Rowling Center’s mission is to prepare the next generation of prominent legal and business leaders and influence national and international conversations surrounding business and law. Beginning Sept. 24 Hinton will oversee the Rowling Center, including development of innovative courses and programming for SMU Dedman Law students, alumni, and the DFW business community.

“We are delighted to welcome Eric Hinton as the leader of this important new center,” said Jennifer Collins, Judge James Noel Dean of SMU Dedman School of Law. “His extensive legal and business experience, combined with his professional network, will enable him to make the Rowling Center immediately impactful to our students and the business and legal community.”

Hinton has 20 years of experience as an executive in international business law. He has worked for two public Fortune 500 companies as well as two privately owned companies. Hinton began his career practicing international trade law in Washington, D.C., and has also worked in Illinois, Texas, and Brussels, Belgium. Hinton currently co-teaches a course called “Ethics and Compliance for the Global Enterprise” at Dedman Law.

“In addition to understanding the law, it is important that today’s law students possess knowledge and skills in communications, ethics and compliance, entrepreneurship, finance and accounting, influencing, and leadership in order to compete in a complex and global business environment”, says Hinton. “I am excited to lead the Rowling Center and direct it in shaping the future of business law leaders.”

Hinton holds degrees from the University of Leiden Law School, Netherlands, BYU Law School, the University of Limerick, Ireland, and Utah State University, and studied international law at the Sorbonne in Paris, France. He has published scholarly articles on international business law topics at Columbia University, NYU, and the University of Texas at Austin.

The Robert B. Rowling Business Law and Leadership Center serves as a hub of academic excellence that educates students in topics at the intersection of law, business, and leadership, and serve as an important facilitator of faculty research and collaborative conversations among academics, policymakers, and business leaders. In addition to hosting lectures, conferences and symposia aimed at analyzing new developments in business and corporate law and policy, the center houses and coordinates established programming such as Dedman Law’s Corporate Counsel Symposium, Corporate Counsel Externship program and Corporate Directors’ Institute.

About the SMU Dedman School of Law

The School of Law at SMU was founded in 1925. It was named Dedman School of Law in 2001 in honor of Dallas benefactors Nancy and Robert H. Dedman, Sr., and their family. SMU Dedman Law enjoys a national and international reputation of distinction. It is among the most competitive law schools in the country for admission, as well as one of the most successful in the placement of its graduates.

About SMU

SMU is the nationally ranked global research university in the dynamic city of Dallas. SMU’s alumni, faculty and nearly 12,000 students in seven degree-granting schools demonstrate an entrepreneurial spirit as they lead change in their professions, communities and the world.