Robert Popovich
Professor of Law Emeritus
B.S., with honors, 1975, California State University, Northridge
MBT, 1977, University of Southern California
J.D., summa cum laude, 1989, Pepperdine University
Member: California State Bar
As a law student at Pepperdine University’s School of Law, Robert Popovich was first in his class and the business editor of the Pepperdine Law Review. Upon graduation, he worked as an associate with the law firm Irell & Manella, practicing the areas of estate planning, taxation, and business transactions. Professor Popovich then joined the full-time faculty at Pepperdine Law, where he was awarded tenure and received numerous teaching awards. Prior to his tenure as a Pepperdine law student, he practiced, as a CPA, with Deloitte (then Deloitte Haskins and Sells), was a director of taxes for a large multi-national corporation, and was CEO and Chair of Lindmar Data Corporation. Professor Popovich has a great affinity for Southwestern Law School, as his late father practiced law and always credited his success to his law degree from Southwestern.
“My students know from the first day of class that they are my number one priority. Facilitating their learning of the law is, of course, a primary goal. Equally important is that every student knows that their well-being is paramount to me.”
Professor Popovich loves his work as a professor, in particular his passion for teaching. He comments, “My students know from the first day of class that they are my number one priority. Facilitating their learning of the law is, of course, a primary goal. Equally important is that every student knows that their well-being is paramount to me.”
Professor Popovich’s repertoire of classes include Community Property, Contracts, Estate Planning, Federal Estate and Gift Taxation, Federal Income Tax, and Wills and Trusts. He has served as the faculty advisor to both Pepperdine’s and Southwestern’s Tax Law Societies.
Professor Popovich’s areas of research include domestic and international tax, estates and trusts, estate planning, community property and business/financial- related matters.
Professor Popovich is licensed in California as a CPA. He is also a member of the American and California Bar Associations, (Taxation, Education, Teaching Taxation, Estate and Gift Taxation, Trusts and Estates, and Real Property, Probate and Trusts sections), the American Institute and California Society of Certified Public Accountants, and serves on the Association of American Law School’s committees of Donative Transfers, Fiduciaries and Estate Planning, and VAT and Other Consumption Taxes.
Honors / Awards
Professor Popovich was twice named a Luckman Distinguished Teaching Fellow, 1993-1998 and 1998-2003, six times named a Teacher of the Year, 2004-2005, 2008-2009, 2012-2013, 2015-2016, 2019-2020, and 2021-22, and was a 2006 recipient of the Howard A. White Award for Teaching Excellence.