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Linda Sue Ficht

Linda Sue Ficht

Clinical Associate Professor of Management
Law, Communication, and Ethics

Education

Bachelor's of Arts Degree in English, Southern Illinois University
MBA, Bradley University
Juris Doctor, Cum Laude, Southern Illinois University School of Law

CV

Linda Sue Ficht is a Clinical Associate Professor in Law, Communications, and Ethics in the Mitchell E. Daniels, Jr. School of Business.

Linda has 19 years of teaching experience and has won several teaching awards at previous institutions for her student-centered and innovative teaching. Linda teaches using a story-teller method that is very popular with students.

Linda also publishes high quality research in the area of employment law. Her recent publications include a paper regarding DEI in the A level management journal, International Journal of Selection and Assessment (2023). She also published an article regarding necessary amendments to Title VII in the highly regarded Cornell Journal of Law and Public Policy (2024). This paper was a finalist for the top employment law paper at the 2023 Academy of Legal Studies in Business Conference. Linda is currently working on research in the area of AI and the selection process.

Linda publishes in both law and management journals and regularly presents her research at conferences. Linda served as the Editor of the Academy of Legal Studies in Business conference proceedings for several years and serves as an ad hoc reviewer for other journals. She is currently the Secretary of the Interdisciplinary Law Section of the Academy of Legal Studies in Business.

Notably, in 2019 while working as a law professor in Virginia, Linda solely drafted Senate Bill 480, Virginia’s first statute regarding noncompete agreements. This bill sought to ban noncompete agreements for low wage workers (including independent contractors), interns and apprentices that make less than the average income in the Commonwealth of Virginia (excluding those whose income is primarily based on commission). The bill was introduced by Senator Bill DeSteph. SB480 passed the Virginia legislature and was signed into law on April 11, 2020 by then Governor Northam. The law went into effect on July 1, 2020. This law has provided Virginians with very important rights to change jobs without the oppressive effects of noncompete agreements.

In terms of public service, Linda served as a Commissioner on the Newport News Human Rights Commission for 4 years and served as a board member for the Newport News Human Services Advisory Board for two years. These positions were appointed by the Newport News, Virginia Mayor and City Council. 

Originally a licensed attorney in Illinois, Linda practiced law from 1997-2005 prior to becoming an academic. Linda’s main area of practice was insurance defense, medical malpractice defense, business law and family law. Linda has worked in both the private and public sector as a practicing attorney. Her first position was with Hinshaw & Culbertson, one of the largest law firms in Illinois. Linda also worked for the St. Claire County State’s Attorney’s Office and the Illinois Attorney General, Jim Ryan (Civil Div). While working for Kavanagh, Scully, Sudow, White and Frederick, Linda was a 2003 recipient of the 40 Leaders Under 40 Award for her work as an attorney in the Peoria, Illinois area. Linda is licensed to practice law in Illinois and Pennsylvania. She has been admitted to practice in the Northern, Central and Southern Federal District Courts of Illinois. Linda is a trained CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) for the Greater Peninsula area in Virginia. Linda’s vast legal experience gives her a great perspective while working with students who are majoring in business or considering a path to law school.

Linda holds a JD cum laude from Southern Illinois University School of Law, an M.B.A. with a concentration in Management from Bradley University; Beta Gamma Sigma, and a Bachelor of Arts in English from Southern Illinois, Carbondale.

Contact

lficht@purdue.edu
Phone: (765) 494-5517
Office: YONG 930

Area(s) of Expertise

Business Law, Employment Law, Ethics