Marianne Kulow

Marianne Kulow

  • Gregory H. Adamian Professor of Law and Chair, Law
  • Gregory H Adamian Professor of Law, Law Department
  • Professor, Law Department
  • Department Chair
  • J.D. in Law, Boston University
  • M.A. in Psychology, University of Liverpool
  • A.B. in Psychology, Harvard University

Bio

Marianne DelPo Kulow joined the Bentley faculty after a Boston legal career that encompassed defending businesses against a variety of claims as well as government work as a public defender and a criminal prosecutor.

Professor Kulow has developed and taught four current Bentley courses. She continues to teach Laws that Oppress and Empower, while colleagues now teach the other three courses: Gender and the Law, Race and the Law, and Law and Society. She has also taught Business Law, as well as Management and Human Resources Law.

Professor Kulow's scholarship critiques current laws and suggests reforms to achieve improved workplace, education, and societal equity. She has published articles on various aspects of anti-discrimination law. She has a paper forthcoming in early 2026 in the Harvard Law and Policy Review critiquing laws that seek to reduce hiring discrimination against those with criminal records. In 2025 she published a paper in the Harvard Journal on Legislation on domestic violence laws that impact businesses.

Professor Kulow is currently working on two papers, both examining ways to improve laws that protect the rights of Americans with disabilities. The first of these focuses on service dog laws, the other on the impact of mail-in and online voting laws for disabled Americans.

Professor Kulow earned an A.B. in Psychology, magna cum laude, from Harvard College, an M.A. in Psychology from the University of Liverpool, and her Juris Doctorate cum laude from the Boston University School of Law.

Professional Memberships

  • Academy of Legal Studies in Business 1993-01-01 - Present
  • North Atlantic Regional Business Law Association 1993-01-01 - Present
  • Association for Psychological Science 2015-04-01 - 2016-12-31

    • Awards and Honors

  • Rainbow Award, Bentley University
  • TEDx speaker, TEDx Bentley
  • Outstanding Scholarly Contribution Award, Bentley University
  • John Bonsignore Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Law Teaching, Academy of Legal Studies in Business
  • Charles M. Hewitt Master Teacher Award, Academy of Legal Studies in Business
  • Innovation in Teaching Award, Bentley

    • Scholarly Contributions and Creative Productions

    Journal Articles

  • Kulow, M., Granik, M. (2025). Intimate Partner Violence Workplace Legislation: Minimizing Costs and Maximizing Benefits. Harvard Journal on Legislation, (62) Issue 1
  • Kulow, M. D., Thomas, S. R. (2019). Assistive Technology and the ADA: Teaching Employers to Love These Reasonable Accommodations. Berkeley Journal of Labor and Employment Law, (40) 2
  • Missirian, D. E., Kulow, M. D. (2019). Defenseless Against Rape: Outdated Laws and a Proposed Solution. American University Journal of Gender, Social Policy and the Law, (28) 1
  • Kulow, M. D., Missirian, D. E. (2019). Building STEPs Down the Precipitous Cliff from University to Workplace: A Proposal to Modify Regulation of Higher Education Mental Disability Accommodations. Texas Journal on Civil Liberties & Civil Rights (U Texas Austin), (24) 2
  • Earle, B. H., Kulow, M. D. (2015). The "Deeply Toxic" Damage Caused by the Abolition of Mandatory Retirement and its Collision with Tenure in Higher Education: A Proposal for Statutory Change. University of Southern California Interdisciplinary Law Journal, (Volume 24) 2 51.
  • Kulow, M. D. (2013). Beyond the Paycheck Fairness Act: Mandatory Wage Disclosure Laws A Necessary Tool For Closing the Residual Gender Wage Gap. Harvard Journal on Legislation, (50) 2 385-435. (Link)
  • Kulow, M. D. (2012). Teaching Disability Employment Discrimination Law: Accommodating Physical and Mental Disabilities. Journal of Legal Studies Education, (29) 2 335-362.
  • Kulow, M. D. (2012). Legislating a Family Friendly Workplace: Should It Be Done in the United States?. Northwestern Journal of Law and Social Policy, (7) Winter 2012 88-115. (Link)
  • Kulow, M. D. (2002). Same Sex Marriages: A Scandinanvian Perspective. Loyola of Los Angeles International and Comparative Law Review, (24) 4 419-438.
  • Kulow, M. D. (2001). Same Sex Marriages: How Will They Impact Employers?. The Journal of Employment Discrimination Law, (3) 2 93-97.
  • Kulow, M. D. (2000). Never on Monday?! Workplace Religious Discrimination in the New Millennium. The Journal of Employment Discrimination Law, (1) 2 97-100.
  • Kulow, M. D. (2000). The Thin Line Between Love and Hate: Same Sex Hostile Environment Sexual Harassment. Labor Law Journal 15-.
  • Kulow, M. D. (2000). Too Old To Die Young, Too Young To Die Now: Are Early Retirement Incentives in Higher Education Necessary, Legal, and Ethical?. Seton Hall Law Review, (30) 3 827-.
  • Kulow, M. D. (1999). Never On Sunday: Religious Workplace Freedom in the New Millennium. Maine Law Review, (51) 2 342-.
  • Kulow, M. D. (1999). Sunday Blues: The Continuing Anachronism of Massachusetts Sunday Closing Laws. Business Law Review, (32) 1.
  • Kulow, M. D. (1999). The Thin Line Between Love and Hate: Same Sex Hostile Environment Sexual Harassment. Santa Clara Law Review, (40) 1 1-.
  • Kulow, M. D. (1999). Tobacco Abroad: Legal and Ethical Implications of Marketing Dangerous U.S. Products Overseas. Business and Society Review, (104) 2 147-.
  • Kulow, M. D. (1997). Supreme Judicial Court Preserves Negligence Standard For Massachusetts Dramshop Liability. Massachusetts Law Review, (82) 2 247-.
  • Kulow, M. D. (1996). Individual Liability Under Title VII: What Did Congress Mean By 'Employer'?. The Nebraska Law Review, (75) 2 278-.
  • Davies, A. D., Davies, C., Kulow, M. D. (1986). Depression and Anxiety in Patients Undergoing Diagnostic Investigations for Head and Neck Cancers. British Journal of Psychiatry, (149) 491-.
  • Teta, M. J., Kulow, M. D., Kasl, S. V., Meigs, J. W., Myers, M. H., Mulvihill, J. J. (1986). Psychological Consequences of Childhood and Adolescent Cancer Survival. Journal of Chronic Diseases, (39) 9 751-.

    • Conference Proceedings

  • Salimbene, F. P., Kulow, M. D. (2015). “Making Service-Learning Work for Undergraduate Business Law Education: Issues and Answers”
  • Earle, B. H., Kulow, M. D. (2014). “The Deeply Toxic Damage Caused by the Abolition of Mandatory Retirement and its Collision with Tenure in Higher Education: A Proposal for Statutory Repair” ALSB Proceeding

    • Digital and Electronic Media, Social Media, Blogs, Podcasts

  • Kulow, M. D., Earle, B. 2005. "PBS raises ire of government with lesbian episode (OpEd MetroWest Daily News)"

    • Other Scholarly Work

  • Kulow, M. D. (2009). Make your professional transition happen with development training. (Link).
  • Kulow, M. D. (2009). When a diploma and a job are not enough. .

    • Presentations

  • Kulow, M. D. (2025). “Big Dogs Little Dogs Red Dogs Blue Dogs: Which are service dogs, therapy dogs, emotional support dogs?” Presented at the Northeastern Academy of Legal Studies in Business (NEALSB) Northeastern Academy of Legal Studies in Business (NEALSB) Annual Conference
  • Kulow, M. D. (2025). “Go, Dog. Go! Reforming service dog laws” Presented at the Southeastern Academy of Legal Studies in Business Southeastern Academy of Legal Studies in Business
  • Kulow, M. (2025). “Service and Therapy Dog Certification & Regulation: Lessons from Europe” Presented at the Academy of Legal Studies in Business (ALSB) Academy of Legal Studies in Business (ALSB) annual conference Providence Rhode Island
  • Kulow, M. (2025). “Canine companions: Untangling Federal laws on Dogs trained for mental health support” Presented at the North Atlantic Business Law Association (NARBLA) North Atlantic Business Law Association (NARBLA) annual conference Babson College, Wellesley Massachusetts
  • Kulow, M. D., Missirian, D. E. (2024). “Sex Offender Restrictive Covenants: Legal and Public Safety Issues” Presented at the North Atlantic Regional Business Law Association (NARBLA) North Atlantic Regional Business Law Association (NARBLA) Annual Conference
  • Kulow, M. D. (2023). “Legal Regulation of Online Voting for Disabled U.S. Citizens: Impact on Business” Presented at the Academy of Legal Studies in Business (ALSB) Academy of Legal Studies in Business (ALSB) Annual Conference San Diego, CA
  • Kulow, M. D., Missirian, D. E. (2023). “Covid 19 Impact on University Student Disability Accommodations: Dangerous Precedents Steepen Cliff to Workplace?” Presented at the North Atlantic Regional Business Law Association (NARBLA) North Atlantic Regional Business Law Association (NARBLA) Annual Conference Boston, MA
  • Kulow, M., Missirian, D. (2023). “Covid Impact on Cliff from University to Workplace” Presented at the Canadian Academy of Legal Studies in Business (CALSB) Canadian Academy of Legal Studies in Business annual conference
  • Kulow, M. D. (2022). “Storm cloud or silver lining? Leveraging Pandemic Workplace changes to Better Support Workers with Disabilities” Presented at the Academy of Legal Studies in Business (ALSB) Academy of Legal Studies in Business (ALSB) Annual Conference Louisville, Kentucky
  • Kulow, M. D. (2022). “Navigating Legal Disability Accommodation Changes from University to Workplace” Presented at the Faculti Media Ltd. Faculti Online Lecture Series Online
  • Kulow, M. D. (2021). “Animal Rights and Business Opportunities” Presented at the Academy of Legal Studies in Business (ALSB) Academy of Legal Studies in Business (ALSB) annual conference
  • Kulow, M. D. (2021). “Pros and Cons: Legal Impact of Covid-Induced Workplace Changes on Disabled Workers” Presented at the University of Connecticut School of Business Equity Now Speaker Series
  • Kulow, M. D. (2020). “Ban the Address box: Extrapolating from ban the box laws to decrease homelessness” Presented at the (ALSB) Academy of Legal Studies in Business Annual Conference Providence, Rhode Island (remote)
  • Kulow, M. D. (2019). “Ex-convict Hiring Discrimination:  improving ban the box & fair-chance hiring laws” Presented at the ALSB Academy of Legal Studies in Business Annual Conference Montreal, Canada
  • Kulow, M. D. (2019). “Barriers to National Protection Against LGBTQ+ Workplace Discrimination” Presented at the Bentley University Research Council Bentley Research Colloquium Waltham, Massachusetts
  • Kulow, M. D. (2019). “Domestic Violence Workplace Legislation: Minimizing Costs and Maximizing Benefits” Presented at the MALSB Midwest Academy of Legal Studies in Business annual conference Chicago, Illinois
  • Kulow, M. D. (2019). “Achieving Federal LGBTQ+ Workplace Discrimination Protection: Statutory or Constitutional Strategy?” Presented at the PSWALSB Pacific Southwest Academy of Legal Studies in Business annual conference Palm Springs, California
  • Kulow, M. D. (2018). “Therapy Dogs as ADA Reasonable Accommodations: A Win-Win Proposal for Statutory Change” Presented at the ALSB Academy of Legal Studies in Business Annual Conference Portland, Oregon
  • Kulow, M. D., Missirian, D. (2018). “ADA Mental Disability Accommodations in the University & the Workplace:  A Proposal to Create a Ramp Instead of a Cliff” Presented at the NARBLA North Atlantic Regional Business Law Association annual conference Salem, Massachusetts
  • Thomas, S., Kulow, M. D. (2018). “Automation Technology without Unemployment: A Proposal to Maximize and Expedite Reemployment” Presented at the NARBLA North Atlantic Regional Business Law Association annual conference Salem, Massachusetts
  • Kulow, M. D., Thomas, S. (2017). “Technology in the Workplace: Legal Suggestions for Maximizing Benefits and Minimizing Negative Impacts” Presented at the Bentley University Research Council Bentley Research Colloquium Waltham, Massachusetts
  • Kulow, M. D., Thomas, S. (2017). “Technology in the Workplace: Regulatory Management to Increase Positive Employment Impacts and Decrease Negative Employment Impacts” Presented at the ALSB Academy of Legal Studies in Business Annual Conference Savannah, Georgia
  • Kulow, M. D. (2016). “Educational Accommodations for University Students with Learning Disabilities: Leveling the playing field or failing to prepare them for the workplace?” Presented at the ALSB Academy of Legal Studies in Business Annual Conference San Juan, Puerto Rico
  • Kulow, M. D. (2015). “Admitted as a female, Graduated as a male: Will the convergence of transgendered youth and Title IX spell the end of single sex colleges in the United States?” Presented at the ALSB Academy of Legal Studies in Business Annual Conference Philadelphia, PA
  • Salimbene, F. P., Kulow, M. D. (2015). “Measuring the Use of Service-Learning Pedagogy among Business Law Faculty: Insights, Issues, and Answers” Presented at the Academy of Legal Studies in Business Academy of Legal Studies in Business Annual Meeting Philadelphia, PA
  • Kulow, M. D. (2014). “ENDing Sexual Orientation Workplace Orientation” Presented at the ALSB Academy of Legal Studies in Business Annual Conference Seattle, WA
  • Earle, B. H., Kulow, M. D. (2014). “The Deeply Toxic Damage Caused by the Abolition of Mandatory Retirement and its Collision with Tenure in Higher Education: A Proposal for Statutory Repair” Presented at the Academy of Legal Studies in Business (ALSB) Academy of Legal Studies in Business (ALSB) annual conference
  • Kulow, M. D. (2012). “Beyond the Paycheck Fairness Act: Mandatory Wage Disclosure Laws” Presented at the ALSB Academy of Legal Studies in Business Annual Conference 2012 Kansas City
  • Kulow, M. D. (2012). “Interdisciplinary Learning: Linking Law and the Humanities” Presented at the ALSB Academy of legal Studies in Business Annual Conference 2012 Kansas City
  • Kulow, M. D. (2011). “Accomodating Mental Disabilities” Presented at the ALSB Academy of Legal Studies in Business Annual Conference 2011 New Orleans
  • Kulow, M. D. (2009). “Teaching non-traditional law courses in a business law curriculum” Presented at the ALSB Academy of Legal Studies in Business Annual Conference 2010 Denver, Colorado
  • Kulow, M. D. (2005). “Gay Marriage 101: A Legal Environment Teaching Module” Presented at the ALSB ALSB conference San Francisco, CA
  • Kulow, M. D. (2002). “The Business of Same Sex Marriage: An International Perspective” Presented at the NARBLA NARBLA conference Suffolk University, Boston, MA

    • Service

    Service: Department

  • Committee Member for Mentoring Circle 2025-01-01 - 2025-06-30
  • Committee Chair for Mentoring Circle 2023-09-01 - Present
  • Committee Chair for LTFP Research Committee 2024-01-01 - 2024-02-28
  • Committee Member for Departmental Curriculum Development 2024-01-01 - 2024-06-30
  • Committee Member for Hiring Committee 2023-07-01 - 2024-01-02
  • Principal Advisor to Tenure-Track Faculty for Principal Evaluator to Tenure-Track Department Faculty Member 2023-07-01 - 2024-06-30
  • Guest panelist for Adamian Law Club 2023-01-01 - 2023-12-31
  • Committee Chair for Hiring Committee 2022-08-01 - 2023-06-30
  • Committee Member for L&T Promotion Evaluation Committee 2022-08-01 - 2022-09-30
  • Committee Member for Hiring Committee 2022-02-01 - 2022-05-31
  • Committee Member for Departmental Curriculum Reform Committee 2021-10-01 - 2022-01-31
  • Committee Member for Hiring Committee 2021-10-01 - 2021-12-31
  • Committee Member for Departmental Curriculum Development 2021-07-01 - Present
  • Committee Member for L&T Promotion Evaluation Committee 2021-08-01 - 2021-09-30
  • Committee Member for L&T Tenure Evaluation Committee 2021-08-01 - 2021-09-30
  • Committee Member for Hiring Committee 2021-02-01 - 2021-04-30
  • Principal Advisor to Tenure-Track Faculty for Principal Adviser to Tenure-Track Faculty Member 2020-07-01 - 2021-06-30
  • Committee Member for Departmental Curriculum Reform Committee 2019-11-01 - 2019-12-31
  • Mentor (Faculty) for LTFP Research Advisory 2019-09-01 - 2019-12-31
  • Department Representative at Club events for Adamian Law Club 2019-01-01 - 2020-12-31
  • Principal Advisor to Tenure-Track Faculty for Principal Adviser to Tenure-Track Faculty Member 2019-07-01 - 2020-06-30
  • Principal Advisor to Tenure-Track Faculty for Principal Adviser to Tenure-Track Faculty Member 2018-07-01 - 2019-06-30
  • Committee Chair for LTFP Intra-Departmental Research Colloquia 2017-09-01 - 2018-06-30
  • Mentor (Faculty) for Research Adviser 2017-07-01 - Present
  • Committee Member for Law and Tax Department Classroom Visit Committee 2016-09-01 - Present
  • Principal Advisor to Tenure-Track Faculty for Principal Adviser to Tenure-Track Faculty Member 2017-07-01 - 2018-06-30
  • Committee Chair for Hiring Committee 2017-02-01 - 2017-06-30
  • Committee Chair for LTFP Tenure Evaluation Committee 2017-04-01 - 2017-05-31
  • Committee Chair for Hiring Committee 2016-06-01 - 2017-01-31
  • Committee Member for LTFP Tenure Evaluation Committee 2016-08-01 - 2016-09-30
  • Committee Chair for Hiring Committee 2016-01-01 - 2016-05-31
  • Committee Chair for Hiring Committee 2015-03-01 - 2015-12-31
  • Committee Chair for Hiring Committee 2015-01-01 - 2015-05-31
  • Committee Chair for Hiring Committee 2014-01-01 - 2014-03-31
  • Committee Member for Hiring Committee 2012-07-01 - 2012-11-30
  • Committee Member for Adamian Professorship Selection Committee 2012-01-01 - 2012-03-31
  • Principal Advisor to Tenure-Track Faculty for Law Taxation and Financial Planning 2011-07-01 - 2013-06-30

    • Service: Public

  • Judge for Massachusetts Speech & Debate League tournaments 2019-01-01 - 2021-05-31
  • Program Organizer for Co-Chair, Harvard University Class of 1983 35th Reunion Committee 2017-05-01 - 2018-05-31
  • Board Member for Radcliffe Choral Society Foundation 2014-05-01 - 2017-05-31
  • Coordinator of Understanding Differences Program for 4th grade (2013-14) and fifth grade (2012-13). Room Parent for children's classes 2010-2011, 2012-2013, 2014-15. for Meadowbrook School 2010-09-01 - 2015-06-30
  • Program Coordinator for Harvard University Class of 1983 30th Reunion Committee 2012-09-01 - 2013-09-30

    • Service: University

  • Department Chair for Law Department 2026-07-01 - 2029-06-30
  • Guest Speaker for LGBTQ+ Steering Committee 2025-04-01 - Present
  • Guest Speaker for Valente Center 2025-02-01 - 2025-02-28
  • Committee Member for Bentley Research Council 2023-07-01 - 2026-06-30
  • Department Chair for Law Department 2020-05-01 - 2023-06-30
  • Department Chair for Law Department 2013-07-01 - 2017-06-30
  • Committee Member for LGBTQ Steering Committee 2011-07-01 - Present
  • Program Director for Women's Leadership Institute (now subsumed into Center for Women and Business) 2005-07-01 - 2011-08-31