Professors John F. DeStefano and Gustavo Ribeiro join Campbell Law School

Photo of an aerial shot of Campbell University's downtown campus, home of Campbell Law School

RALEIGH — Campbell Law School welcomed two new professors — John F. DeStefano and Gustavo Ribeiro — to the faculty effective July 1, 2021, Dean J. Rich Leonard has announced. 

DeStefano will teach Wills and Trusts and Estate Planning and Drafting beginning in the fall.

Photo of Professor DeSanto

Before his arrival at Campbell Law, DeStefano worked as a tax associate in nationally-ranked private client practice groups at Baker & Hostetler LLP in Washington, D.C., and New York-based international law firm Proskauer Rose LLP. Throughout his practice, he successfully counseled public company executives, private equity managers and other ultra high-net-worth families on intergenerational estate planning and legacy management, including trust and estate administration, income tax and transfer tax planning and private family foundations. 
 
DeStefano’s clerkship experience includes the U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission, Enforcement Division, in Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Economic Crimes Section, for the Southern District of Florida. He has been twice recognized by the Florida Supreme Court for his freely given service, receiving a Pro Bono Bronze Service Bronze Pin in 2016 and a Silver Pin the following year.
 

His numerous publications include “Legacy Planning Opportunities in the Wake of COVID-19,” AAUL Wash. Rep. (2020), “Legacy Management: A Fresh Look at an Age-Old Business,” AALU Wash. Rep. (2019), “Navigating the Murky Waters of §199A and 34 ActionLine (Fla. B. RPPTL Pub.) 4,” (2018). 

DeStefano earned a bachelor’s degree in 2008 and a master’s degree in finance in 2009 from the University of Florida. In 2014 he earned his J.D. followed by an LL.M. in taxation at the University of Florida Fredric G. Levin College of Law.

Ribeiro will teach property beginning in the fall.

Photo of Professor Riberio

Prior to joining Campbell Law, Ribeiro spent three semesters from 2010-2015 teaching at Fundação Getúlio Vargas Rio de Janeiro Law School (FGV). In both 2012 and 2015 he taught subjects involving Evidence and Logic at Harvard Law School. From 2014-2017 Ribeiro taught Philosophy, Economics, Government and American Democracy at Harvard University.

Since 2017, Ribeiro has been teaching courses on property, contracts and civil procedure at Boston University School of Law as an adjunct faculty member. He has experience as a litigation associate specializing in complex commercial and real estate at Greenberg & Traurig LLP. His clerkship experience includes working with the Hon. William G. Young in U.S. District Court in Massachusetts.

In 2018, Ribeiro servied as a pro bono attorney in immigration/asylum cases for Kids in Need of Defense. He also worked as a pro bono attorney for the Capital Habeas Corpus Unit as a part of the Federal Community Defender Office in 2019. The following year he served as a pro bono attorney with Lawyers for Good Government – Project Corazon.

His publications include “Evidentiary Policies Through other Means: Error Distribution as Procedural Due Process,” Utah Law Review (Forthcoming), “The Case for Varying Standards of Proof,” 56 San Diego Law Review 161 (2019), “Relevance, Probative Value, and Explanatory Considerations,” 23 The International Journal of Evidence & Proof 107 (2019), and “Can There be a Burden of the Best Explanation?,” 22 The International Journal of Evidence & Proof 1 (2018).

He earned a LL.B. from Fundação Getúlio Vargas Rio de Janeiro Law School (FGV) in 2011. At Harvard Law School he earned his LL.M in 2011 and his S.J.D. in 2017.

ABOUT CAMPBELL LAW

Since its founding in 1976, Campbell Law has developed lawyers who possess moral conviction, social compassion, and professional competence, and who view the law as a calling to serve others. Among its accolades, the school has been recognized by the American Bar Association (ABA) as having the nation’s top Professionalism Program and by the American Academy of Trial Lawyers for having the nation’s best Trial Advocacy Program. Campbell Law boasts more than 4,200 alumni, who make their home in nearly all 50 states and beyond. In 2021, Campbell Law is celebrating 45 years of graduating legal leaders and 12 years of being located in a state-of-the-art facility in the heart of North Carolina’s Capital City.