MORGANTOWN – In a recent election by the American Law Institute, West Virginia University College of Law professor Vincent Cardi was chosen to be part of the institute.
Cardi's education and introduction to the study of law began at Ohio State University, where he earned his Bachelor's and J.D. He later attended Harvard University where he received his LL.M. He currently serves as the Commissioner of the West Virginia State Election Commission.
The American Law Institute was founded in 1923 as a nonpartizan organization and has grown to contain a total limit of 3,000 members today. The institute seeks to provide clarity and modernization within scholarly work and to better the law. Members of the institute are chosen who will help to be ambassadors for excellence and diversity in the legal world.
Cardi has been a part of the College of Law at WVU since 1967 and has experience in bankruptcy law, commercial law, legal drafting, sale and secured transaction, as well as contracts law. In addition to his expertise in various fields, Cardi has also been the winner of the West Virginia University Foundation Award for outstanding teaching, and has been a member of the West Virginia Law Institute's governing council for over 20 years.
In the entire state of West Virginia, there are only seven American Law Institute members, and Cardi's acceptance is a great honor, not only to him, but also to WVU and the institute.
In an interview with Pauline Toboulidis, communications copywriter with the institute, she explained what Cardi's acceptance signifies.
"Professor Cardi’s participation in the ALI’s mission and process reflects not only a single faculty member’s dedication to legal scholarship and law reform, but the university’s dedication as well," she told the West Virginia Record.
According to Toboulidis, the institute is the most prestigious of its kind in the country and the selection process is an involved one. It begins with the confidential nomination by a current institute member who knows the candidate's work and achievements and is then followed by a review by the membership committee. Following the review, recommendations are made and presented to the council, which is the institute's governing body. Recommendations of individuals from the U.S. and abroad with high character and dedication to excellence in law are encouraged .
"The Institute’s members comprise the nation’s very best judges, legal scholars, and practitioners in every area of the law," Toboulidis said.
Throughout the year, Cardi has been a part of the West Virginia Commission on Uniform State Laws, the West Virginia State Election Commission, the American Bankruptcy Institute Law Review Advisory Board and the Legal Aid of West Virginia, all of which will only aid him in his new position in the institute.
"Professor Cardi was selected to the Institute because of his professional excellence and his commitment to legal scholarship," Toubolidis said.
She believes that Cardi's past experiences will bring perspective to the work of the institute and WVU, adding that the academic world will benefit from the newest addition to the ALI.