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Coach Rod Smith

Business Law Institute

Connecting the study of business law with legal practice.

About the Business Law Institute

The Rodney L. Smith Business Law Institute at Ave Maria School of Law prepares students to become distinguished leaders in business and corporate law. Through specialized coursework, hands-on training, competitions, scholarship, mentorship, conferences and externships, students connect the study of business law with legal practice.

The Institute brings together law students, attorneys, general counsel, executives and organizations throughout Southwest Florida and across the country. These connections provide opportunities for mentorship, internships and employment after graduation, helping BLI Fellows establish themselves within the business law community.

The BLI’s approach combines legal knowledge with practical experience, professional relationships and community engagement. Students develop skills in drafting and negotiating agreements, structuring transactions and counseling clients while preparing to serve as ethical leaders who understand the practice of law as a vocation.

The BLI Fellows Experience

Becoming a Fellow

Students may apply to become BLI Fellows after completing their first year of law school. Applicants must have a minimum GPA of 3.0 and demonstrate an interest in learning about business law. Prior business experience is not required.

Coursework and Practitioner Engagement

Selected Fellows are automatically enrolled in Business Organizations for the fall semester. The BLI Seminar, offered exclusively to Fellows during their 2L spring semester, connects students with attorneys, general counsel, executives and other business law professionals.

These practitioners represent fields including corporate law, taxation, intellectual property and compliance. They help students learn to analyze business problems, communicate with clients and balance legal risk with business objectives.

Business Organizations and the BLI Seminar give Fellows opportunities to deepen their understanding of business law while developing professional relationships that can lead to mentorship and employment.

Fellows are encouraged to take additional business-related courses, including:

  • UCC Sales
  • Secured Transactions
  • Federal Taxation
  • Bankruptcy
  • Real Estate Transactions
  • Trade Secrets
  • Other business-related upper-level electives

Learning From Business Leaders

Guest lecturers bring perspectives from scholarship, business leadership and in-house legal practice into the classroom. Discussions connect fundamental business law concepts with emerging issues, including intellectual property, labor relations and cross-border transactions.

Career Experience & Opportunities

The Business Law Institute works closely with Fellows to help them pursue internships with corporations and law firms, as well as judicial clerkship opportunities. These experiences connect classroom learning with legal practice and help students explore potential career paths.

National Competition Success

BLI Fellows represent Ave Maria School of Law in regional and national competitions, applying transactional and negotiation skills to real-world practice scenarios. Their accomplishments include first-place finishes and awards for outstanding written submissions.

ABA Law Student Tax Challenge

BLI Fellows Vincent Martino and John Wright earned First Place Overall and Best Overall Written Submission in the 25th annual ABA Law Student Tax Challenge.

The team advanced from a field of more than 70 teams nationwide to compete as one of six semifinalist teams at the American Bar Association’s Midyear Tax Conference in San Diego.

Read the competition story →

Duke Law Interscholastic Transactional Law Competition

The Duke Law Interscholastic Transactional Law Competition challenges students to review and revise contracts in a timed round, followed by live negotiations with an opposing team. Practicing corporate attorneys serve as judges, evaluating students’ preparation and performance.

In 2025, Tara Powers, Sabrina Martinez and Megan Howard represented Ave Maria School of Law, earning third place overall and first place in the mark-up and editing round.

BLI Fellows continued that success in 2026, earning second place overall and first place in the written component. Together, these results reflect the Institute’s emphasis on developing strong contract review and negotiation skills.

University of Miami ’Canes Contract Challenge

BLI Fellows have also represented Ave Maria School of Law at the University of Miami School of Law’s ’Canes Contract Challenge. Students draft and negotiate transactional agreements, developing practical skills in a competitive environment. The competition also gives Fellows opportunities to connect with members of the local legal community.

The Herald

The Business Law Herald gives Fellows two opportunities to research and write an article about a current topic in business law. The Herald publishes their work, providing each Fellow with two publications to include on a resume and discuss during interviews.

BLI alumnus John Wright’s article, “A New Era: Understanding the Historic NCAA v. House Settlement,” illustrates the reach of student scholarship. Wright was quoted in Forbes in connection with his analysis, bringing a Fellow’s work into a broader discussion of a current business law issue.

Writing for the Herald gives Fellows an opportunity to explore business law issues that interest them and share their analysis beyond the classroom. Their published articles also provide concrete examples of their research and writing abilities to discuss with prospective employers.

Beyond the Classroom: Connections, Community & Professional Growth

What Distinguishes the BLI

The Business Law Institute brings together academic study, practical training, mentorship and community building.

Student travel, competitions, scholarship, practitioner engagement and opportunities on and off campus give Fellows multiple ways to develop their abilities and explore business law in practice.

The Institute’s strength lies in the combination of these experiences. Fellows build legal skills alongside professional relationships, preparing them to become well-rounded practitioners and contributing members of the business law community.

Service to the community also reflects the Institute’s connection to Peter Cancro’s commitment to giving unconditionally and Ave Maria School of Law’s mission of educating lawyers who view the practice of law as a vocation.

Mentorship Beyond Law School

The BLI mentorship program pairs incoming 2L Fellows with 3L mentors, connecting students as they begin their experience within the Institute.

As each class graduates, the network continues to expand. Alumni return as mentors, speakers, coaches and professional resources for future Fellows.

These relationships connect alumni, current students and practitioners, strengthening a community that supports Fellows during law school and throughout their professional lives.

Conferences & Professional Development

BLI Fellows are encouraged to attend conferences and events that expose them to current developments in business law.
Fellows frequently represent the Institute at conferences through the American Bar Association Business Law Section, the Florida Bar Business Law Section, and other local and national organizations.

These experiences give students opportunities to travel, deepen their understanding of concepts studied in the classroom and meet practitioners from across the country working in a variety of practice areas.

Our Story

Honoring Coach Rod Smith

The Rodney L. Smith Business Law Institute was established through the generosity of Peter Cancro, founder of Jersey Mike’s, to honor one of his early mentors, Coach Rod Smith.

The Institute welcomed its inaugural class of Fellows in spring 2022, bringing students together with scholars and business leaders to explore fundamental and emerging issues in business law.

“We are honored to continue supporting the growth and impact of this great law school with the creation of the Coach Rod Smith Business Law Institute. The opportunity to bring together business leaders, scholars, lawyers, and students to make a difference in the study of business law will be transformative for Ave Maria School of Law. It is a privilege to be a part of providing worthy students with scholarships to become great business lawyers.”

— Peter Cancro, founder of Jersey Mike’s

A Growing Community

Under the leadership of Professor and Director Bruce Connolly, with support from Dean John Czarnetzky and members of the business law community, the BLI has continued to expand its academic and professional opportunities.

Since its founding, the Institute has grown into a community connecting students with attorneys, general counsel, executives and organizations throughout Southwest Florida and across the country.

Looking Forward

The Business Law Institute will continue investing in the development of future business lawyers, building on the experiences and contributions of each class of Fellows. Its commitment to improvement across successive generations of Fellows will guide its continued growth in legal education, professional development and community building.

Rodney L. Smith Business Law Institute Team:

Bruce Connolly

Director of the Business Law Institute & Professor of Law

Jill Backer

Assoc. Director of the Business Law Institute & Dean of Student Affairs

Jane Lipnic

Business Law Institute Coordinator

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(239) 687-5300

admissions@avemarialaw.edu

(239) 687-5300