Gerry W. Beyer joined the faculty of the Texas Tech University School of Law in June 2005 as the first holder of the Governor Preston E. Smith Regents Professorship.  Previously, Prof. Beyer taught at St. Mary's University and has served as a visiting professor at several other law schools including Boston College, The Ohio State University, Southern Methodist University, the University of New Mexico, Santa Clara University, and La Trobe University (Australia). 

He is the recipient of dozens of outstanding and distinguished faculty awards from several law schools including the Chancellor's Distinguished Teaching Award, the most prestigious university-wide teaching award at Texas Tech.  Prof. Beyer was also the recipient of the 2012-2013 Outstanding Researcher Award from the Texas Tech School of Law and the 2015 President's Academic Achievement Award.

As a state and nationally recognized expert in estate planning, Prof. Beyer is a highly sought after lecturer.  He presents dozens of continuing education presentations each year for many state and local bar associations, estate planning organizations, universities, and civic groups.

Prof. Beyer is the editor of the most popular estate planning blawg in the nation which for the past five years has been named to the ABA Journal's Blawg 100. He has authored and co-authored hundreds of books and articles focusing on various aspects of estate planning for professional, law student, and lay audiences. He has three times won awards from the American Bar Association's Probate & Property magazine for his writing and is one of the most often downloaded law authors on the Social Science Research Network. He is currently Editor-in-Chief of the REPTL Reporter, the official journal of the Real Estate, Probate, and Trust Law Section of the State Bar of Texas.

Prof. Beyer serves as a mentor to many students and various law school organizations as well as participating regularly in pro bono activities. He is the advisor for the Estate Planning and Community Property Law Journal and its annual seminar.

Prof. Beyer received his J.D. from The Ohio State University summa cum laude and his LL.M. and J.S.D. degrees from the University of Illinois. He is a member of the Order of the Coif, an Academic Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC), and a member of the American Law Institute.