Professor Destynie Janece Lynn Sewell
- Finance, Banking and Real Estate, Assistant Professor
General Information
Additional Contact Information
Destynie J. L. Sewell, J.D., MBA Assistant Professor of Emerging Technology Law, Ethics, and Commercial GovernanceCollege of Business Administration Legal Studies CoordinatorUrban Law Opportunities Program (ULOP) Co-DirectorUNO Student Legal Services Outreach Coordinator College of Business AdministrationUniversity of Nebraska at Omaha6708 Pine Street, Mammel Hall 228MOmaha, Nebraska 68182(402) 554-3651DSewell@unomaha.edu
Biography
Destynie Sewell is an Assistant Professor of Business Law and Ethics at the University of Nebraska at Omaha College of Business Administration. A Goodrich Scholar, she earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with concentrations in Banking, Finance, and Investment Science, and a Bachelor of Arts in French from UNO. She later received her Master of Business Administration from UNO and her Juris Doctor from Creighton University School of Law. Professor Sewell’s teaching and research focus on the intersection of law, ethics, and emerging technology, with particular emphasis on fundamental rights, risk, accountability, and governance in artificial intelligence and data-driven systems. Her work examines how legal frameworks respond to bias, liability, and the real-world impacts of human-mimicking technologies, with a focus on responsible innovation and civil rights implications.Before entering academia, she worked as a credit risk analyst for a large financial institution, managed research and development contracts, served as a Human Resource Manager focusing on labor and employment matters, and worked as a compliance officer for federal agencies. She remains committed to mentorship and preparing students to navigate complex legal and ethical challenges in modern business environments.
Teaching Interests
Business Law and Regulatory FrameworksBusiness Ethics and Ethical Decision-MakingLaw and Ethics of Emerging Technologies Advanced AI Systems Governance
Research Interests
Civil Rights, Discrimination, and Fundamental RightsArtificial Intelligence, Data Governance, and Algorithmic BiasLaw, Ethics, and Governance of Emerging TechnologiesTechnology Regulation, Liability, and Risk ManagementFinTech, Digital Assets, and Data Privacy
Service Summary
Professor Sewell approaches service as a core responsibility that strengthens both the university and the broader community. She currently coordinates the Legal Studies Program for the University of Nebraska at Omaha College of Business Administration and serves as Co-Director of the Urban Law Opportunities Program, where she works to expand pathways to law school and the legal profession.Her service centers on advising, mentoring, and connecting students to academic, professional, and career opportunities, with a focus on access and long-term success. In addition to her university roles, she remains active in her church community, reflecting her commitment to service, leadership, and community development.Through these efforts, Professor Sewell is dedicated to building meaningful pathways for student achievement and supporting the next generation of legal and business professionals.
Awards and Honors
2019 College of Public Affairs and Community Service Alumni Award for Excellence in Public Service, Service, Community - 2019
Nebraska State Bar Association Diversity Award, Service, Community - 2016
Educators in Omaha , Service, Community - 2017
Keynote Speaker, Service, University - 2017
Marketing and Management Department Outstanding Alumni Honoree, Service, Professional - 2015
Mirinda J. Ellis Award, Teaching - 2013
University of Nebraska at Omaha Commencement Speaker, Service, University - 2014
Education
JD, Creighton University School of Law, Omaha, Ne, Law, Business Law, 2011
MBA, University of Nebraska at Omaha, Omaha, Nebraska, 2007
BA, University of Nebraska at Omaha, Omaha, Nebraska, French, 2004
BS, University of Nebraska at Omaha, Omaha, Nebraska, Banking, Finance, and Investment Sciences, 2004
Professional Development
Community of Practice: Research, Pre-Tenured Faculty Leadership Forum , 09/07/2016 - 05/30/2020
Community of Practice: Research, Women's Book Collective, 09/01/2017
Community of Practice: Teaching, General Education U.S. Diversity Faculty Scholar, 09/01/2021 - 05/01/2023
Conference Attendance, Academy of Legal Studies in Business Annual Meeting, 08/06/2017 - 08/11/2017
Conference Attendance, Academy of Legal Studies in Business Annual Meeting, 08/07/2018 - 08/12/2018
Conference Attendance, 2021 ALSB Annual Conference, 08/02/2021 - 08/07/2021
Conference Attendance, 2019 ALSB Annual Conference, 08/06/2019 - 08/10/2019
Conference Attendance, 2016 ALSB Annual Conference, 08/08/2016 - 08/12/2016
Conference Attendance, MALSB Annual Conference, 03/28/2019 - 03/29/2019
Continuing Education Program, 2016 Legal Diversity Summit, 09/02/2016 - present
Other, CBA Focus Group, 10/19/2016 - present
Seminar, Implicit Bias Training, 08/19/2016 - present
Workshop, 2019 Huber Hurst Research Seminar, 02/18/2019 - 02/19/2019
Workshop, Unwrapping Grant Writing, 09/21/2018 - present
Other: Service, Faculty Search Advocate Faculty Leadership Forum, 09/01/2021
Seminar, 2016 UNO Accounting Speakers Series, 09/23/2016 - present
Seminar, When Worlds Collide: The Intersection of Employment Law and Other Areas of Federal Practice, 02/17/2017 - present
Workshop, 2019 Huber Hurst Research Seminar, 02/18/2019 - 02/19/2019
Workshop, MAV Grants Training, 09/09/2016 - present
Licensures and Certifications
Nebraska Bar License, Nebraska Supreme Court, 01/01/2012
U.S. Supreme Court Bar License, United States Supreme Court, 06/05/2017
Iowa Bar License, Iowa Supreme Court, 09/01/2011 - 12/01/2015
Scholarship/Research/Creative Activity
Selected Publications
Freeman, Thomas, Sewell, Destynie, McKain, Aaron. 2020. Janus and the Future of Collective Bargaining: Rhetorically Predicting a First Amendment Right to Negotiations , William and Mary Business Law Review, 11, 3, 609-645.
Sewell, Destynie, Trautman, Lawrence, Sanney, Kenneth, Yordy, Eric, Cowart, Tammy. 2020. The Importance of Truth Telling and Trust, Journal of Legal Studies Education, 37, 1, 7-36.
Sewell, Destynie, Trautman, Lawrence, Sanney, Kenneth, Yordy, Eric, Cowart, Tammy. 2021. Teaching Ethics and Values in an Age of Rapid Technological Change, Rutgers Business Law Review, 17, 1, 17-39.
Service
Department, College, and University
Chuck Hagel Symposium in Public Service, Other, UNO routinely hosts a symposium, honoring former Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel, for high school students within the Omaha metropolitan area. At this symposium, I present on the relationship between law an ethics in a policy making environment., 03/23/2018 - present