Northern Illinois University
College of Law

Robert Hsu is the director of the Business Law Innovation Clinic and a clinical assistant professor of Law at Northern Illinois University College of Law. With a dynamic combination of academic, professional and leadership expertise, Professor Hsu is dedicated to preparing law students for practice while addressing the legal needs of entrepreneurs, startups and small businesses in the Illinois community.

Before joining Northern Illinois University, Professor Hsu began his legal career at the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. He later practiced as an attorney at Dentons, where he provided comprehensive legal counsel to national clients in business law, ethics and real estate. His work focused on addressing complex legal risks, contracts and ensuring compliance with evolving laws and regulations.

Professor Hsu also worked as in-house counsel for a publicly traded company, where he negotiated and drafted complex contracts, lease agreements and commercial partnerships.

In academia, Professor Hsu previously taught at a major university, where he developed courses in business law, ethics and related topics. His teaching excellence and commitment to student success were recognized with a teaching award for his devotion to the student body.

A passionate advocate for experiential learning, Professor Hsu brings a student-centered approach to the Business Law Innovation Clinic, emphasizing hands-on experience, interdisciplinary collaboration and service to the entrepreneurial community.

Professor Hsu earned his Juris Doctor (J.D.) and Bachelor of Arts (B.A.), magna cum laude, from Indiana University, where he was elected to the Phi Beta Kappa Honor Society. During law school, Professor Hsu served as a staff editor for the Indiana Law Review. He is an active member of the Hispanic and Asian Bar Associations and regularly engages with the legal community, fostering partnerships to advance legal education and support emerging businesses.

Areas of Expertise

• Business law
• Ethics
• Real estate law

Presentations

• Presenter, Overview of Interesting Business Law Cases and Related Teaching Notes, San Diego Academy of Legal Studies in Business (ALSB) Academic Conference (July 25, 2023).
• Presenter, Ethics and Diversity (CLE seminar), Indianapolis Bar Association (June 28, 2021).
• Presenter, Ethics 2020: Rules Changes and Case Law Updates (CLE seminar), Indiana State Bar Association (May 26, 2020).

Contributions

• Don’t Walk The Line: Impermissible Threats Versus Allowable Puffery in Negotiations, Lexology, (December 16, 2019).
• A Summary of Recent Professional Liability Cases (2017, 2020), Lexology, (credited at 33).