Elysa M. Dishman

Elysa Dishman is a professor of law at BYU’s J. Reuben Clark Law School, where she has taught since 2016. Dishman received her undergraduate degree in political science at BYU, then she headed east for law school at the University of Virginia. Following graduation, she landed a position at Baker Botts LLP in Washington, DC, where she spent almost seven years defending corporations in securities class actions, derivative suits, and state enforcement actions before returning to BYU. Her work reflects years of dedication and practice that led her to where she is today. 

Prior to joining BYU Law’s faculty, Dishman accomplished many things to distinguish her within the law world, such as rising to her position as senior litigation associate at Baker Botts LLP, being named Rising Star in Civil Litigation by Super Lawyers, and logging more than one hundred hours of pro bono work in criminal defense and veteran appeals. The enforcement side of her practice—including research on and experience with the state attorneys general, multistate coalitions, and regulatory investigations—defined the next chapter of her career. 

When Dishman joined BYU Law faculty in 2016, she brought her experience directly into her scholarship. She set out to answer a question her practice had raised, but never fully resolved: How do state attorneys general actually work together, and what does that mean for corporations, federalism, and the development of national policy? 

That question has helped Dishman produce a body of work that is both timely and distinctive. Her articles on multistate litigation have appeared in the Notre Dame Law Review, Alabama Law review, Arizona State Law Journal, and BYU Law Review. The empirical research she’s conducted has given her the opportunity to present in many places, including Fordham Law School, American University, Amsterdam Law School, and University College London. She was promoted to full professor at BYU Law in 2024. 

In previous years, Dishman has advised BYU Law’s Women in Law Organization and spoken publicly on cultivating civility in legal professions. She currently teaches Business Organizations, Corporate Compliance and Legal Risk Management, Professional Responsibility, and Criminal Law.