MORGANTOWN, WEST VIRGINIA — Tax law professor Elaine Wilson is the recipient of the 2016-17 Significant Scholarship Award at WVU Law.
She won the in-house award for her article Cooperatives: The First Social Enterprise, which will be published by the DePaul Law Review later this year. In the article, Wilson addresses the challenges faced by philanthropic organizations that pursue solutions to social problems by funding for-profit business.
According to Wilson, charitable values and economic benefits can be pursued at the same time with a cooperative business structure. She notes that several states have recently developed organizational models, such as low-profit limited liability entities and benefit corporations, that are designed to give profit to investors while spending money on charitable causes.
“This article exemplifies the outstanding scholarship our professors produce surrounding issues in their field of law,” said Joshua Fershee, associate dean for faculty research and development at the College of Law. “Professor Wilson addresses a relevant, widespread challenge and outlines ways to pursue productive enterprise while providing support for the cooperative movement in the charitable sector.”
A faculty committee presents the College of Law’s Significant Scholarship Award annually to a professor whose written work addresses an important public issue. The professor must also demonstrate an ability to conduct thorough research that is communicated in clear and concise writing.
Wilson joined the WVU College of Law faculty in 2012 and she heads the tax law curriculum. She earned her J.D. from Boston University. She is president of the West Virginia Tax Institute.
-WVU-
cb05/24/2017
