Brian HalseyBrian J. Halsey, J.D., LL.M., CISSP

Title: MBA Coordinator, Professor of Business Law
Office Location: 412 BPMC, 50 Sharpless Street, West Chester, PA 19383 
Email: BHalsey@wcupa.edu
Phone: 610-436-2015
Google Scholar: Brian J. Halsey Profile


Education and Professional Certifications

  • J.D., Widener University Delaware Law School
  • LL.M., Villanova University School of Law
  • Certified Information Systems Security Professional
  • Admitted to the Bar of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
  • Admitted to the Bar of the State of New Jersey (Retired)
  • Admitted to the Bar of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania

Area of Expertise

Professor Halsey specializes in applied research regarding the legal, commercial, and societal ramifications of blockchain technologies, including cryptocurrencies, at all levels from the individual to the nation-state.

Relevant Professional/Applied Experience

Professor Halsey is a Professor of Business Law and the Coordinator of the University's nationally ranked MBA program. 

He is the former Graduate Director of the School of Business, where he oversaw the Master of Business Administration and Master of Human Resource Management programs.  Under his leadership the MBA program was nationally ranked for the first time - a distinction that the program still holds today.  The MBA program experienced 500% growth during his tenure as Graduate Director and continues to grow as he serves as MBA Coordinator.  The very successful MSHRM program was also launched under his Directorship.   

He is past President of the Mid-Atlantic Academy of Legal Studies in Business (MAALSB) and past Editor-In-Chief of the Atlantic Law Journal. He earned his Juris Doctor at Widener University Delaware Law School and his LL.M. at Villanova University School of Law. He also holds a Certified Information Systems Security Professional Certification.  He is a current member of the Pennsylvania Bar and the Bar of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and he is a former member of the New Jersey Bar.

Professor Halsey has also served on the West Chester Borough Planning Commission.

Research Programs/Grants/Interests

Professor Halsey's teaching interests are primarily in corporate law areas and the intersection of law and technology. His research interests include Teaching and Learning Scholarship that has direct application to the legal classroom environment and Applied Integrative/Application Scholarship that has direct application to real-world situations, especially for professionals in the cryptocurrency space.  

Recent Publications/Journals/Books

Publications in Refereed Journals

  • Brian J. Halsey, Julie D. Pfaff & Cynthia M. Gentile, Teaching the Threatened Fall of New York Times v. Sullivan: Priming Students to Use Current Lower Court Decisions to Predict the Next Phase of American Defamation Law, 27 Atlantic Law Journal 58 (2024).
  • Jennifer C. Halsey & Brian J. Halsey, Bitcoin’s IRS, SEC and CFTC Treatment, the Current State of Affairs, 74, No. 3 Journal of Financial Service Professionals 50 (2020).
  • Julie D. Pfaff & Brian J. Halsey, Teaching the Intersection of the First Amendment and Employment Law: Professional Football as a Classroom Illustration of the Limits of Political Speech, 21 Atlantic Law Journal 193 (2019).
  • Keith William Diener, Cynthia Gentile, Brian J. Halsey & Daniel T. Ostas, Atlantic Law Journal: Twenty Year Review, 20 Atlantic Law Journal 13 (2018).
  • Adam Epstein & Brian J. Halsey, Philadelphia and Sports Law, 19 Atlantic Law Journal 114 (2017).
  • Brian J. Halsey & Cynthia Gentile, "The Optical Horn” Update: Teaching with Beachey: New Ways to Utilize Two Related Short Cases to Demonstrate the Functions of Court System, Constitutional Issues, the Courts’ Relationship with the Legislature, and Competing Judicial Philosophies, 5 Rocky Mountain Law Journal 29 (2016).
  • Brian J. Halsey, Julie D. Pfaff & Amy Hendrickson, Gamechange: Cord Cutters, Technology, and the Legalities of the Race to Replace Cable, 25(2) Southern Law Journal 179 (2015).
  • Brian J. Halsey, Julie D. Pfaff & Jennifer C. Halsey, Trusteed Individual Retirement Accounts – Risk Management & Client Benefits in the Wake of Clark v. Rameker, 3 Rocky Mountain Law Journal 7 (2015).
  • A.J. Cataldo II & Brian J. Halsey, Profit-Motive and Self-Interest May Require a Demand-Pull Strategy To Reduce Textbook Costs for Students, Vol. VI. (6) International Research Journal of Applied Finance 434 (2015).
  • A.J. Cataldo II, Thomas Miller, Glenn Soltis & Brian J. Halsey, Building and Testing a Portfolio of Marijuana Stocks: Why U.S. SEC Trading Suspensions Might Cause Some to Crash Before or After Reaching New Highs, Vol. V. (9) International Research Journal of Applied Finance 1131 (2014).
  • A.J. Cataldo II, Thomas Miller, Lori Fuller & Brian J. Halsey, Still More Evidence of the Nevada Effect: Nevada Continues to Freeload and Consume a Disproportionate Share of SEC Regulatory Resources through 2013, Vol. V. (9) International Research Journal of Applied Finance 1222 (2014).
  • Brian J. Halsey, Sandra M. Tomkowicz & Jennifer C. Halsey, Benefit Corporation Concerns for Financial Service Professionals, 67, No. 1 Journal of Financial Service Professionals 74 (2013).
  • Brian J. Halsey, Teaching with Beachey, Utilizing Two Related Short Cases to Demonstrate the Functions of Court System, Its Relationship with the Legislature, and Competing Judicial Philosophies, 1 Rocky Mountain Law Journal 118 (2012).
  • Brian J. Halsey, Security, Confidentiality, & The Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act, 11 Atlantic Law Journal 194 (2009).
  • Brian J. Halsey, Medicare Part D Prescription Drug Advertising Governed by Federal, Not State, Law, Volume 37, Issue 3, J. of the Acad. Mark. Sci. (2009).
  • Brian J. Halsey, IRC § 179, Hybrid Cars & Sport Utility Vehicles:  The Counterproductive Income Tax Treatment of Certain Vehicles under the Internal Revenue Code and a Proposed Solution, 9 Atlantic Law Journal 39 (2008).

Textbook

  • Brian J. Halsey & June McLaughlin, Textbook – Business Law and the Legal Environment.  Wolters Kluwer Law & Business, Aspen Publishers, New York, NY (2011).

Manuscripts Under Preparation

  • Brian J. Halsey & Jennifer C. Halsey, Ramifications:  Central Bank Digital Currencies, Bitcoin, and the End of Cash (Working Title)  ______________ (Expected 2024).

Professional and Community Engagement

  • SOB Graduate Curriculum Management Committee 
  • CBPM Strategic Management Committee
  • Pre-Law Advisory Committee 
  • Marone Scholarship Award Committee 
  • CAPC Graduate Program Review Committee (2016 – 2017)
  • CAPC Undergraduate Program Review Committee (2015 – 2016)
  • CAPC Academic Review Committee (2013 to 2015)
  • Chair, Course Delivery Sub-Committee (2013 to 2015)
  • Member, Course Delivery Sub-Committee (2012 to 2013)
  • CAPC Distance Education Subcommittee (2012) 
  • CAPC CBPA Representative (2011 to 2017)
  • Academic Integrity Board (2013 to 2015)
  • Judicial Review Board (2010 to 2015)     

Classes Regularly Taught

  • BLA 201 Legal Environment of Business
  • BLA 307 Intellectual Property and the Online Environment
  • BLA 308 Entrepreneurial Law
  • MBA 610 Law and Ethics in the Business Environment

Faculty Directory