Lynn A. Stout

Lynn Andrea Stout passed away early on the morning of April 16, 2018 at the Hospicare residence in Ithaca, NY after a courageous struggle with cancer. Lynn was born on September 14, 1957 in Albany, NY. She is survived by her two beloved sons, Daniel Cowan Stout Olin and David Alexander Olin. She also leaves her brother, Warren Stout and sister, Katherine Stout Van Woert, and their families. She was predeceased by her parents. Lynn graduated summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa from the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs at Princeton University with a B.A. (1979) and Masters in Public Affairs (1982). She held a Juris Doctor from Yale Law School (1982).

Lynn was an internationally recognized expert, scholar, author, and speaker in the fields of corporate governance, securities regulation, financial derivatives, law and economics, and moral and ethical behavior. She was known as a passionate teacher and mentor. Lynn pioneered the field of progressive business law. As the Marc and Beth Goldbert Distinguished Professor of Corporate and Business Law at the Cornell Law School , Lynn helped transform the Clarke Business Law Institute into one of the nation’s preeminent business law programs. Prior to that, Lynn was the Paul Hastings Distinguished Professor of Corporate and Securities Law at UCLA School of Law. She also taught at Harvard Law School, NYU Law School, Georgetown University Law School, and George Washington National Law Center.

Lynn served on or consulted to a number of non-profit and for-profit boards in the worlds of law, finance, and economics including the CFA Institute Board of Governors, the Financial Research Advisory Committee to the U.S. Treasury, the Aspen Institute’s Business & Society Program, the Brookings Institute Project on Corporate Purpose, the Gruter Institute for Law and Behavioral Research, and the Eaton Vance Mutual Funds. She recently co-founded a nonprofit startup, The Ethical Shareholder Initiative, whose primary aim is to provide a platform by which shareholders can empower corporations to act for the common good.

Lynn lectured widely, was frequently interviewed by the media, and was the author of numerous articles and books including The Shareholder Value Myth: How Putting Shareholders First Harms Investors, Corporations, and the Public which became part of a national conversation about better ways to run corporations. She devoted her last months to writing her final book, Citizen Capitalism: How a Universal Fund Can Provide Income and Influence to All , which shares Lynn’s vision and solution to income inequality. The book will be released posthumously.

Lynn was as passionate in her personal life as she was in her professional life. She lived life boldly. She was a kind, generous, and supportive friend. Lynn was an avid horsewoman: she rode on the Princeton equestrian team, played polo, fox hunted, and competed in combined tests. She also enjoyed running, hiking, skiing, biking, kayaking, boxing, and flying - especially hot air balloons. She was an inspirational member of the Ithaca Dragon Boat Club and participated in Ithaca’s Scottish Games. Lynn was also an artist and musician.

Lynn excelled at everything she put her mind to. She had a sharp and nimble mind and loved a good debate or discussion with friends. Her passion for life was infectious, her drive to excellence without peer, and her accomplishments many. She was strongly independent and resolute, even in her final days. She used her life to create a more just and equitable world; the world has lost a remarkable human being and force for good with her passing.

Lynn will be honored at a memorial service in Ithaca, on Saturday June16, 2018
at 7:00 P.M. at the First Unitarian Church of Ithaca, 306 North Aurora St. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation either to Hospicare and Palliative Care Services in Ithaca at hospicare.org or to the Cornell Law School Lynn Stout Memorial Fund.

For donations to the Cornell Law School online: http://www.lawschool.cornell.edu/alumni/giving/make_a_gift.cfm

In the section "What area(s) of Cornell would you like to support?" please select the "Cornell Annual Fund for the Law School" and be sure to select "In Honor/Memory of (optional)" and indicate: “In memory of Lynn Stout.”

Or make checks payable to: Cornell University, Box 37334, Boone, IA 50037-0334. Please specify in the memo area: "In honor of the Lynn Stout Memorial Fund".