About Ben Trachtenberg

Professor Trachtenberg joined the University of Missouri School of Law faculty in 2010. Before coming to Missouri, Professor Trachtenberg was a Visiting Assistant Professor at Brooklyn Law School from 2008-2010 where he taught Criminal Law and Environmental Law.  From 2006-2008, he was a Litigation Associate at Covington & Burling LLP assigned to white collar investigations and civil securities cases. While in practice, Professor Trachtenberg also handled pro bono representations in housing and employment law matters.

Professor Trachtenberg received his JD from Columbia Law School where he was Articles Editor on the Columbia Law Review and recipient of several academic awards. He has an M.A. in International Studies from the University of Limerick, Ireland and a B.A. from Yale in Political Science, with distinction. After graduating from law school, Professor Trachtenberg clerked at the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit with Judge Jose A. Cabranes.

Professor Trachtenberg is a member of the American Law Institute. He has published in the Florida Law Review, the Oregon Law Review, the Hastings Law Journal, the Nebraska Law Review, the New York Times, and the ABA Journal, among other publications.

Professor Trachtenberg teaches Criminal Procedure, Evidence, Professional Responsibility, and an undergraduate course on American law. With Professor Anne Alexander, he is the author of Criminal Procedure: A Free Law School Casebook.

In 2012, Professor Trachtenberg received the Gold Chalk Award for excellence in teaching from the University of Missouri Graduate Professional Council.  In 2014, he won the Provost’s Outstanding Junior Faculty Teaching Award, and in 2015, he received the Husch Blackwell Distinguished Faculty Award from the School of Law. He has won awards for university leadership from the MU campus and the UM System.

Professor Trachtenberg previously represented the law school on the MU Faculty Council on University Policy, which he chaired during 2015-2016 and 2016-2017. Trachtenberg became the Director of Undergraduate Studies for the School of Law in 2019. From January 2020 to May 2021, he served as Special Advisor to the MU Chancellor. On January 1, 2021, he became the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs at the law school.

Educational Background

• BA, with distinction, Yale University, '01
• MA , University of Limerick, '02
• JD , Columbia University, '05