SEALS 2025 Conference Schedule

Prospective Law Teachers Workshop
Navigating the Hiring Process

This panel is part of the Prospective Law Teachers Workshop but is open to all SEALS participants. Panelists discuss strategies to navigate the hiring market for law professors. Topics include the NEAR form; application methods, including the AALS Faculty Appointments Register form; the hiring process, including screening interviews and on-campus callbacks; the “job talk"; and post-offer negotiations. Prior to this panel presentation, workshop participants are encouraged to attend the Aspiring Law Teachers Workshop programming to gain an overall insight into law teaching.

Moderators: Professor John Rice [ Lincoln Memorial University Duncan School of Law ]; Professor Shakira Pleasant [ University of Illinois Chicago School of Law ]

Discussants: Professor Victoria J. Haneman [ Creighton University School of Law ]; Professor Wendy Humphrey [ Texas Tech University School of Law ]; Dean Brian Gallini [ Quinnipiac University School of Law ]; Professor Linda Jellum [ University of Idaho College of Law ]; Professor Louis Virelli [ Stetson University College of Law ]

New Scholars Workshop (Constitutional Law, Federal Procedure, and the Supreme Court I)

This workshop gives New Scholars the opportunity to present a work-in-progress in a welcoming and supportive environment and to receive feedback on their presentation from more senior scholars in their fields. New Scholars are also assigned a mentor. The program is open to junior faculty at member schools. New Scholars are nominated to participate in the New Scholars Workshop by the deans of their respective law schools

Panelists: Professor Matthew Kim: Rethinking Jury Selection [ University of Florida Fredric G. Levin College of Law ]; Professor Riley Keenan: Patchwork Methodological Precedent [ University of Richmond School of Law ]; Professor Travis Ramey: Interlocutory Appeals in Complex Litigation: A Rule 23(f) for Collective Actions [ The University of Alabama School of Law ]; Professor Hayley Stillwell: Adjudicating Magic Words with AI Powered Jury Simulations [ The University of Oklahoma College of Law ]

New Scholars Workshop (Environmental and Agricultural Law)

This workshop gives New Scholars the opportunity to present a work-in-progress in a welcoming and supportive environment and to receive feedback on their presentation from more senior scholars in their fields. New Scholars are also assigned a mentor. The program is open to junior faculty at member schools. New Scholars are nominated to participate in the New Scholars Workshop by the deans of their respective law schools

Panelists: Professor Alex Erwin: Intraspecific Genetic Variation and the Endangered Species Act [ Florida International University College of Law ]; Professor Laura Mott: Consult Before You Leap! Towards a New Model of Community Engagement in the NHPA Section 106 Process [ Lincoln Memorial University Duncan School of Law ]; Professor Margie Alsbrook: A Nation With A Right to Farm but No Right to Food [ Mercer University School of Law ]; Professor Amber Polk: Theorizing Environmental Rights Amendments [ The University of Alabama School of Law ]

New Scholars Workshop (Criminal Justice, American Policing, and Incarceration)

This workshop gives New Scholars the opportunity to present a work-in-progress in a welcoming and supportive environment and to receive feedback on their presentation from more senior scholars in their fields. New Scholars are also assigned a mentor. The program is open to junior faculty at member schools. New Scholars are nominated to participate in the New Scholars Workshop by the deans of their respective law schools

Panelists: Professor Ilana Friedman: The Murder of First Responder Statutes [ University of Kentucky J. David Rosenberg College of Law ]; Professor Maya Watson: Transactional Lawyering for Abolition [ Wayne State University Law School ]; Professor Quo Mieko S Judkins: Navigating Justice: Discriminatory Eligibility and the Transformational Potential of Mental Health Diversion Courts [ University of the District of Columbia David A. Clarke School of Law ]

New Scholars Workshop (Contracts and Commercial Law, Bankruptcy, and Tax)

This workshop gives New Scholars the opportunity to present a work-in-progress in a welcoming and supportive environment and to receive feedback on their presentation from more senior scholars in their fields. New Scholars are also assigned a mentor. The program is open to junior faculty at member schools. New Scholars are nominated to participate in the New Scholars Workshop by the deans of their respective law schools

Panelists: Professor Daniel M. Tavera: Forum Shopping After Purdue [ Mississippi College School of Law ]; Professor Zhaoyi Li: Rethinking Corporate Taxation [ Albany Law School ]; Professor Anat Lior: Unveiling the Quasi-Regulatory Landscape: Empirical Insights into AI Liability Policies [ Drexel University Thomas R. Kline School of Law ]; Professor Jennifer Kenter: Contract Claims Against Universities in the Post-Covid Era [ Quinnipiac University School of Law ]

Remedies Workshop
Remedies in the Social Media Context

Courts increasingly confront traditional and novel legal claims about online infractions. From invasions of privacy to false news and from defamation to intellectual property infringement, effective remedies are essential. This discussion group explores various remedies that courts employ in the social media context from take downs and mandatory disclaimers to compensatory awards and disgorgement of profits. This group examines monetary relief for intangible injuries, constitutional standing obstacles, and the benefits and harms of national and global relief. We also explore unifying principles. Other topics include social media company measures such as content moderation and blocking. Ultimately, this group asks how remedies may best serve the rights at stake in the social media environment and beyond..

Moderator: Professor Caprice Roberts [ Louisiana State University Paul M. Hebert Law Center ]

Discussants: Professor Christopher Lund [ Wayne State University Law School ]; Professor Albert Yoon [ University of Toronto Faculty of Law (Canada) ]; Professor Layne Keele [ Samford University Cumberland School of Law ]; Professor Vanessa Zboreak [ Jacksonville University College of Law ]; Professor Saurabh Vishnubhakat [ Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law of Yeshiva University ]; Professor Russell Weaver [ University of Louisville Louis D. Brandeis School of Law ]; Professor Jonathan Cardi [ Wake Forest University School of Law ]; Professor Vincent Cardi [ West Virginia University College of Law ]; Professor Nick Davrados [ Louisiana State University Paul M. Hebert Law Center ]; Professor Marc Roark [ University of Tulsa College of Law ]; Professor Richard Heppner [ Thomas R. Kline School of Law of Duquesne University ]; Professor John Parsi [ Louisiana State University Paul M. Hebert Law Center ]; Professor Robert Brain [ Loyola Law School, Los Angeles ]

Current Trends in Corporate Governance, Corporate Democracy, Business, Human Rights, Sustainable Development, Technology Governance, ESG

The discussion group will explore “Current Trends in Corporate Governance, Corporate Democracy, Business and Human Rights, Sustainable Development, Labor Issues, Technology Governance, and ESG". It will analyze how international, transnational, and domestic legal systems address challenges posed by multinational corporations and global value chains. Key topics include the EU’s Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive, the U.S. legacy of the Alien Tort Claims Act, ESG due diligence, materiality assessment, duty to report, rating agencies, the experience from other countries, U.N. Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, assessing their impact on the evolving regulatory landscape. Through case studies and practical insights, the group will emphasize reconciling corporate interests with human rights and sustainable development globally.

Moderator: Professor Paolo Davide Farah [ West Virginia University Rockefeller School of Policy and Politics ]

Discussants: Professor Scott Schang [ Wake Forest University School of Law ]; Professor Martin Svec [ Masaryk University (Czech Republic) ]; Professor Luigi Crema [ University of Milan Law School (Italy) ]; Professor Alessio Lo Giudice [ University of Messina Law School (Italy) ]; Professor Mario Gervasi [ University of Bari Law School (Italy) ]; Professor Kern Alexander [ University of Zurich (Switzerland) ]; Professor Carrie Shang [ California State Polytechnic University (Pomona) ]; Professor Chris Gassman [ University of Pittsburgh Center for Sustainable Business ]; Professor Laura Mott [ Lincoln Memorial University Duncan School of Law ]; Professor Emile Loza de Siles [ University of Hawaii at Manoa, William S. Richardson School of Law ]; Professor Milena Sterio [ Cleveland State University College of Law ]; Professor Dana Jones [ North Carolina Central University School of Law ]; Professor David Sella-Villa [ University of South Carolina Joseph F. Rice School of Law ]; Professor Lori Johnson [ University of Nevada, Las Vegas William S. Boyd School of Law ]; Professor Naveen Thomas [ Brooklyn Law School ]; Professor Jennifer Williams Zwagerman [ Drake University Law School ]; Professor Uche Ewelukwa Ofodile [ University of Arkansas School of Law ]; Professor Benjamin Edwards [ University of Nevada, Las Vegas William S. Boyd School of Law ]; Professor Ajay Mehrotra [ Northwestern Pritzker School of Law ]; Professor Rose Rameau [ Albany Law School ]; Professor Becky L. Jacobs [ The University of Tennessee College of Law ]; Professor Vera Korzun [ University of Akron School of Law ]; Professor Ifeoma Ajunwa [ Emory University School of Law ]; Professor Nicole G. Iannarone [ Drexel University Thomas R. Kline School of Law ]; Professor Constance Wagner [ Saint Louis University School of Law ]; Professor Joan MacLeod Heminway [ The University of Tennessee College of Law ]; Professor Eric Chaffee [ Case Western Reserve University School of Law ]

Break (sponsored by Carolina Academic Press)

New Scholars Workshop (Constitutional Law, Federal Procedure, and the Supreme Court II)

This workshop gives New Scholars the opportunity to present a work-in-progress in a welcoming and supportive environment and to receive feedback on their presentation from more senior scholars in their fields. New Scholars are also assigned a mentor. The program is open to junior faculty at member schools. New Scholars are nominated to participate in the New Scholars Workshop by the deans of their respective law schools

Panelists: Professor Annie Bright: From Deference to Accountability: Reconsidering Due Process in the Era of Expanding National Security [ St. Mary's University School of Law ]; Professor Alexandra Fay: Coordinated Sovereignty: Federal Tools for Resolving State-Tribe Conflict [ University of Tulsa College of Law ]

New Scholars Workshop ()

This workshop gives New Scholars the opportunity to present a work-in-progress in a welcoming and supportive environment and to receive feedback on their presentation from more senior scholars in their fields. New Scholars are also assigned a mentor. The program is open to junior faculty at member schools. New Scholars are nominated to participate in the New Scholars Workshop by the deans of their respective law schools

Aspiring Law Teachers Workshop
Screening Interviews: How to Secure Them and What to Expect

This panel exposes aspiring law teachers to ways an applicant can better increase their odds of securing a screening interview, along with the format and content of a typical screening interview for doctrinal, clinical, and legal writing positions. The group will engage in an in-depth discussion with aspiring law teachers about question content, interviewing styles, and common mistakes made by applicants during screening interviews. Experienced faculty will act as mock interviewers, while new members of the academy who have recently been through rigors of the job hiring market will act as mock interviewees. This session will be helpful to those who are about to enter the job market and those still thinking about it.

Moderator: Professor Annie Scardulla [ University of North Carolina School of Law ]

Discussants: Professor Latisha Nixon-Jones [ Jacksonville University College of Law ]; Professor Louis Virelli [ Stetson University College of Law ]; Professor Vanessa Zboreak [ Jacksonville University College of Law ]; Professor Jack Harrison [ NKU Chase College of Law ]; Professor Joy Radice [ The University of Tennessee College of Law ]; Professor Frank Cooper [ University of Nevada Law Boyd School of Law ]; Professor Christopher Buccafusco [ Duke University School of Law ]; Professor Lisa Avalos [ Louisiana State University Paul M. Hebert Law Center ]; Professor Caprice Roberts [ Louisiana State University Paul M. Hebert Law Center ]

Call for Papers Competition

This panel will involve a presentation by Prof. Ramsi Woodcock, the winner of the competition. He will present his paper The Progressive Case Against Antimonopolism.

Moderator: Professor Ronald Rychlak [ The University of Mississippi School of Law ]

Panelists: Professor Ramsi Woodcock [ University of Kentucky J. David Rosenberg College of Law ]

Supreme Court Update - Individual Rights

This panel examines recent U.S. Supreme Court decisions and legislative developments on individual rights, particularly freedom of expression, religion, and equal protection.

Panelists: Professor Michael Dimino [ Widener University Commonwealth Law School ]; Professor Eric Segall [ Georgia State University College of Law ]; Professor Vanessa Zboreak [ Jacksonville University College of Law ]; Professor Howard Wasserman [ Florida International University College of Law ]; Professor Akram Faizer [ Lincoln Memorial University Duncan School of Law ]; Professor Joseph Blocher [ Duke University School of Law ]

Lunch (on your own)

New Scholars Workshop
New Scholars Luncheon (Sponsored by Aspen Publishing Co.)

This luncheon is for new scholars and their mentors. A ticket is required.

AccessLex Luncheon

The New Frontiers of the Eighth Amendment

This panel will explore the new frontiers of Eighth Amendment theory and doctrine emerging from recent court decisions and changes on the ground. The panelists will explore topics such as new approaches to Eighth Amendment “cruelty,” unpacking the meaning of “punishments,” the consequences of originalism versus living constitutionalism, and alternatives to the evolving-standards-of-decency test. They will also situate ongoing debates such as capital punishment in historical and comparative contexts.

Moderator: Professor Meghan Ryan [ SMU Dedman School of Law ]

Panelists: Professor John Bessler [ University of Baltimore School of Law ]; Professor Mugambi Jouet [ University of Southern California Law School ]; Professor Alexandra Klein [ Washington and Lee University School of Law ]; Professor Kathryn Miller [ Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law of Yeshiva University ]

New Scholars Workshop
Your Next Article

Is my next idea one that will become a good article? I’ve done some initial research, where do I go now? Should I take a different approach? These are common questions that new (and even experienced) scholars ask themselves as they progress with developing an idea into an article. The primary purpose of this panel is to provide participants in our New Scholars Workshop with input on direction and development of their scholarship. It offers New Scholars an opportunity to present a developing piece or a few ideas about potential projects in an informal setting and receive feedback on the idea. Additionally, this discussion group explores motivation, creativity, and the process for finding your next great idea.

Moderator: Professor Howard Wasserman [ Florida International University College of Law ]

Discussants: Professor Matthew Kim [ University of Florida Fredric G. Levin College of Law ]; Professor Riley Keenan [ University of Richmond School of Law ]; Professor Travis Ramey [ The University of Alabama School of Law ]; Professor Annie Bright [ St. Mary's University School of Law ]; Professor Alexandra Fay [ University of Tulsa College of Law ]; Professor Hayley Stillwell [ The University of Oklahoma College of Law ]

New Scholars Workshop
Your Next Article

Is my next idea one that will become a good article? I’ve done some initial research, where do I go now? Should I take a different approach? These are common questions that new (and even experienced) scholars ask themselves as they progress with developing an idea into an article. The primary purpose of this panel is to provide participants in our New Scholars Workshop with input on direction and development of their scholarship. It offers New Scholars an opportunity to present a developing piece or a few ideas about potential projects in an informal setting and receive feedback on the idea. Additionally, this discussion group explores motivation, creativity, and the process for finding your next great idea.

Moderators: Professor Tim Todd [ Liberty University School of Law ]; Professor Kenya Smith [ Louisiana State University Paul M. Hebert Law Center ]

Discussants: Professor Daniel M. Tavera [ Mississippi College School of Law ]; Professor Zhaoyi Li [ Albany Law School ]; Professor Anat Lior [ Drexel University Thomas R. Kline School of Law ]; Professor Jennifer Kenter [ Quinnipiac University School of Law ]

Aspiring Law Teachers Workshop
What's in a Job Talk?

Panelists offer advice on best practices for job talks. Job talks are used not only to forecast the scholar you are and will become, but also to model the type of teacher you will be. The panelists share the characteristics of an effective job talk, focusing on topic selection, authenticity, expertise, clarity, and delivery. They also examine how to harness key points from your work into digestible, yet provocative content that best showcases your ideas and what you bring to the intellectual discourse. Panelists provide tips on how to prepare and how to handle tough questions from the faculty during your talk.

Moderator: Dean Karen Sneddon [ Mercer University ]

Discussants: Professor Erin Fitzgerald [ Elon University School of Law ]; Professor Meghan Boone [ Wake Forest University School of Law ]; Professor Chris Lund [ Wayne State University Law School ]; Professor Carla Spivack [ Albany Law School ]; Professor Ishaq Kundawala [ Mercer University School of Law ]; Professor Phyllis Taite [ The University of Oklahoma College of Law ]; Professor Jack Harrison [ Northern Kentucky University, Salmon P. Chase College of Law ]; Professor Nicholas Kahn Fogel [ Penn State Dickinson Law ]; Professor Meghan Boone [ Wake Forest University School of Law ]; Dean Elizabeth Kronk Warner [ The University of Utah S.J. Quinney College of Law ]

New Scholars Workshop
Your Next Article

Is my next idea one that will become a good article? I’ve done some initial research, where do I go now? Should I take a different approach? These are common questions that new (and even experienced) scholars ask themselves as they progress with developing an idea into an article. The primary purpose of this panel is to provide participants in our New Scholars Workshop with input on direction and development of their scholarship. It offers New Scholars an opportunity to present a developing piece or a few ideas about potential projects in an informal setting and receive feedback on the idea. Additionally, this discussion group explores motivation, creativity, and the process for finding your next great idea.

Moderator: Professor Marc Roark [ University of Tulsa College of Law ]

Discussants: Professor Alex Erwin [ Florida International University College of Law ]; Professor Laura Mott [ Lincoln Memorial University Duncan School of Law ]; Professor Margie Alsbrook [ Mercer University School of Law ]; Professor Amber Polk [ The University of Alabama School of Law ]

Supreme Court Update: Business, Corporate, Securities and Administrative Law

This panel provides an update on recent U.S. Supreme Court decisions, as well as legislative developments, dealing with business, administrative law, corporate and securities issues.

Panelists: Professor Tim Todd [ Liberty University School of Law ]; Professor Kenya Smith [ Louisiana State University Paul M. Hebert Law Center ]; Professor Colleen Baker [ University of Oklahoma Price College of Business ]; Professor Ronald Krotoszynski [ The University of Alabama School of Law ]

Break (sponsored by Carolina Academic Press)

Being Friendly Without Being Friends: Navigating the Professor-Student Relationship

In recent years, law schools have placed greater emphasis on being student-centered than perhaps they traditionally had. Many view this as a positive development. Yet, professors must now navigate the expectation of caring for students while still upholding standards, maintaining balance between professional obligations and personal life, and establishing their own professional identities. This discussion group focuses on striking balance in the new professor-student dynamic. Topics include staying culturally relevant, managing student expectations, setting appropriate boundaries with students and colleagues, managing time to fulfill teaching, scholarship, and service obligations, remaining professional but approachable when working with different types of students in different capacities, addressing the “student as consumer” culture, and promoting work-life balance for faculty.

Moderators: Professor Brittany Deitch [ Capital University Law School ]; Professor John Rice [ Lincoln Memorial University Duncan School of Law ]

Discussants: Professor Jean Steadman [ Charleston School of Law ]; Professor John Cook [ University of Arkansas at Little Rock, William H. Bowen School of Law ]; Professor Adrian McKinney [ University of Toledo College of Law ]; Professor Leo Yu [ SMU Dedman School of Law ]; Professor Emilio Longoria [ South Texas College of Law Houston ]; Professor Vanessa Zboreak [ Jacksonville University College of Law ]; Professor Hemanth Gundavaram [ Northeastern University School of Law ]; Professor Korey Taylor [ University of Nebraska College of Law ]; Professor Heather Baxter [ Nova Southeastern University Shepard Broad College of Law ]

Discussions in Dispute Resolution (Volume 3): Dealing with Differences

Following the publication of Discussions in Dispute Resolution: The Foundational Articles (Oxford 2021) and Discussions in Dispute Resolution: The Coming of Age (Oxford 2025), we are focusing on the rich body of literature on cultural, ethnic, racial and gender differences in the field of dispute resolution.  We are planning on gathering at SEALS to discuss several elements of the book:  What criteria should be used for including articles? Which articles should be discussed? How should the book be organized? And how can this book be used to enrich courses and programs on these critical topics?  We have had successful SEALS panels on the earlier volumes, and we look forward to continuing this important conversation at the conference.

Moderators: Professor Sarah Cole [ The Ohio State University, Moritz College of Law ]; Professor Art Hinshaw [ Arizona State University Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law ]; Professor Andrea Schneider [ Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law of Yeshiva University ]

Discussants: Professor Kelly Browe Olson [ University of Arkansas at Little Rock, William H. Bowen School of Law ]; Professor Cynthia Alkon [ Texas A&M University School of Law ]; Professor Jill Gross [ Pace Law School ]; Professor Erin Archerd [ University of Detroit Mercy School of Law ]; Professor Lauren Newell [ Campbell University, Norman Adrian Wiggins School of Law ]; Professor Nancy Welsh [ Texas A&M University School of Law ]; Professor Robyn Weinstein [ Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law of Yeshiva University ]; Professor Donna Erez-Navot [ University of Florida Fredric G. Levin College of Law ]; Professor Michael Green [ Texas A&M University School of Law ]; Professor Stephen Ware [ University of Kansas School of Law ]; Professor Carli Conklin [ University of Missouri School of Law ]; Professor Noam Ebner [ Creighton University School of Law ]

Distance Education Workshop
Online Education Basics

This program is jointly offered through the Newer Law Professors Committee and the Online Education Committee to focus on the fundamentals of teaching in an online setting. Although geared towards newer faculty, this discussion is also helpful for those faculty who may have learned the basics in the trial-by-fire transition to online and blended education brought on by the emergency adoption of online education. The discussion will feature how to design a course, uses of synchronous and asynchronous instruction, learning management systems, video conference tricks, how to use online techniques in in-person classes, and much more.

Moderator: Professor Colin Marks [ St. Mary's University School of Law ]

Discussants: Professor William Byrnes [ Texas A&M University School of Law ]; Professor Zoe Niesel [ St. Mary's University School of Law ]; Professor Jane Cross [ Nova Southeastern University Shepard Broad College of Law ]; Professor Max Huffman [ Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law ]; Professor Allison Mittendorf [ Ohio Northern University, Pettit College of Law ]; Professor Ellen Podgor [ Stetson University College of Law ]; Professor Gordon Russell [ Lincoln Memorial University Duncan School of Law ]; Professor Brian Sites [ University of Miami School of Law ]; Professor Marcia Narine Weldon [ University of Miami School of Law ]; Professor Steven Friedland [ Elon University School of Law ]; Professor Jon Garon [ Nova Southeastern University Shepard Broad College of Law ]; Professor Derek Fincham [ South Texas College of Law Houston ]; Professor Lisa Smith-Butler [ Charleston School of Law ]; Dean Donald Tobin [ University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law ]

Navigating Gender-Specific Challenges: Supporting New Academics in the Classroom and Beyond

In our discussion group, "Navigating Gender-Specific Challenges: Supporting New Academics in the Classroom and Beyond," we address the unique struggles faced by new members of the legal academy, particularly women and non-binary individuals. This session will explore gender-specific challenges, including disrespect or bias in interactions with students and colleagues, and the added difficulty of establishing authority in the classroom. Together, we will discuss strategies for overcoming these obstacles, fostering respect, and creating a more inclusive academic culture that empowers all new faculty members to thrive. This conversation is designed to provide both practical advice and a supportive space for sharing experiences and solutions.

Moderator: Professor Anne Mullins [ Stetson University College of Law ]

Discussants: Dean Elizabeth Kronk Warner [ The University of Utah S.J. Quinney College of Law ]; Professor Tanya Pierce [ Texas A&M University School of Law ]; Professor Rachel Koehn Breland [ South Texas College of Law ]; Professor Constance Wagner [ Saint Louis University School of Law ]; Professor Angela Morrison [ Texas A&M University School of Law ]; Professor Alicia Jackson [ Stetson University College of Law ]; Professor Emily Grant [ Washburn University School of Law ]; Dean Lindsey Gustafson [ University of Arkansas at Little Rock, William H. Bowen School of Law ]; Professor Kristen Hardy [ University of Florida Fredric G. Levin College of Law ]

Law Faculty Physical Well-Being

The Institute for Well-Being in Law (IWIL), which evolved from the National Task Force on Lawyer Well-Being, identifies five dimensions of holistic well-being for legal professionals: physical, spiritual, career/intellectual, social, and emotional. This discussion group hones in on the significance of maintaining physical well-being. While seemingly simple in nature, physical well-being can be difficult to navigate, especially for busy law faculty. Panelists hail from a variety of different legal education settings, explore a range of situations in which physical well-being is challenged, and offer options and strategies to improve physical well-being. Participants also may share their experiences involving students in activities and discussions focused on physical well-being.

Moderator: Professor Joan MacLeod Heminway [ The University of Tennessee College of Law ]

Discussants: Professor R. Lisle Baker [ Suffolk University School of Law ]; Professor Catherine Bramble [ Brigham Young University, J. Reuben Clark Law School ]; Professor Michele Nneka Okoh [ Lewis & Clark Law School ]; Professor Kellyn McGee [ Widener University Commonwealth Law School ]; Professor Melanie Reid [ Lincoln Memorial University Duncan School of Law ]; Professor Rosemary Queenan [ Albany Law School ]; Professor Hemanth Gundavaram [ Northeastern University School of Law ]; Professor Aric Short [ Texas A&M University School of Law ]; Professor Sarah McConnell [ Roger Williams University School of Law ]; Professor Patricia Jones Winograd [ Loyola Law School, Los Angeles ]; Professor Lucinda Gardner [ University of North Carolina School of Law ]; Professor Colleen Baker [ University of Oklahoma Price College of Business ]

Aspiring Law Teachers Workshop
Crafting Your Scholarship Goals

This discussion group addresses the value of scholarship. Topics include how to develop best writing practices and balance commitments. Speakers explore various types of writing (from opinion-editorials and blogs to journal articles and manuscripts) and examine benchmarks for quality and quantity (including length, type of research, and placements). Speakers also offer advice on how to create a thoughtful, clear research agenda; consider how to evaluate different publication opportunities; and offer advice on how to maintain your voice as you seek to meet institutional and editorial norms.

Moderators: Professor Nicholas Kahn Fogel [ Penn State Dickinson Law ]; Professor Brian Owsley [ University of North Texas Dallas College of Law ]

Discussants: Professor Michael Vitiello [ University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law ]; Professor Margie Alsbrook [ Mercer University School of Law ]; Professor Robert Steinbuch [ University of Arkansas at Little Rock, William H. Bowen School of Law ]; Professor Andrea Martin [ Penn State Dickinson Law ]; Professor Louis Virelli [ Stetson University College of Law ]; Dean ándre douglas pond cummings [ Widener University Commonwealth Law School ]; Professor Christopher Buccafusco [ Duke University School of Law ]; Professor Tim Meyer [ Duke University School of Law ]

New Scholars Happy Hour (sponsored by Themis)

This reception is ONLY for New Scholars and their mentors.

New Member Reception

The University of Colorado School of Law, the University of Tulsa School of Law, and the Jacksonville University school of Law are the newest members of SEALS. They are hosting this reception to introduce themselves to SEALS.

SEALS Tennis Tournament (Sponsored by Aspen Publishing)

Tennis is open to everyone. However, you need to show up with your own racquet!

West Academic Golf Tournament

If you are interested in participating, please reach out to Mr. Paul Hellickson of Foundation Press who is the organizer for this tournament.

Pickleball (sponsored by the American Bar Association)

Just show up at the courts with your own equipment.

Prospective Law Teachers Workshop
Mock Job Interviews

As part of this workshop, participants have the opportunity to engage in mock interviews and receive feedback. Note: Participants for this session were previously selected. If you are a faculty member looking to assist, please contact Shakira Pleasant and John Rice by filling out this form - https://forms.gle/vVKtq4EA2LyXygPu9

Prospective Law Teachers Workshop
Mock Job Interviews

As part of this workshop, participants have the opportunity to engage in mock interviews and receive feedback. Note: Participants for this session were previously selected. If you are a faculty member looking to assist, please contact Shakira Pleasant and John Rice by filling out this form - https://forms.gle/vVKtq4EA2LyXygPu9

Prospective Law Teachers Workshop
Mock Job Interviews

As part of this workshop, participants have the opportunity to engage in mock interviews and receive feedback. Note: Participants for this session were previously selected. If you are a faculty member looking to assist, please contact Shakira Pleasant and John Rice by filling out this form - https://forms.gle/vVKtq4EA2LyXygPu9

Prospective Law Teachers Workshop
Mock Job Interviews

As part of this workshop, participants have the opportunity to engage in mock interviews and receive feedback. Note: Participants for this session were previously selected. If you are a faculty member looking to assist, please contact Shakira Pleasant and John Rice by filling out this form - https://forms.gle/vVKtq4EA2LyXygPu9

Prospective Law Teachers Workshop
Mock Job Interviews

As part of this workshop, participants have the opportunity to engage in mock interviews and receive feedback. Note: Participants for this session were previously selected. If you are a faculty member looking to assist, please contact Shakira Pleasant and John Rice by filling out this form - https://forms.gle/vVKtq4EA2LyXygPu9

Prospective Law Teachers Workshop
Mock Job Interviews

As part of this workshop, participants have the opportunity to engage in mock interviews and receive feedback. Note: Participants for this session were previously selected. If you are a faculty member looking to assist, please contact Shakira Pleasant and John Rice by filling out this form - https://forms.gle/vVKtq4EA2LyXygPu9

Prospective Law Teachers Workshop
Mock Job Interviews

As part of this workshop, participants have the opportunity to engage in mock interviews and receive feedback. Note: Participants for this session were previously selected. If you are a faculty member looking to assist, please contact Shakira Pleasant and John Rice by filling out this form - https://forms.gle/vVKtq4EA2LyXygPu9

Prospective Law Teachers Workshop
Mock Job Interviews

As part of this workshop, participants have the opportunity to engage in mock interviews and receive feedback. Note: Participants for this session were previously selected. If you are a faculty member looking to assist, please contact Shakira Pleasant and John Rice by filling out this form - https://forms.gle/vVKtq4EA2LyXygPu9

Prospective Law Teachers Workshop
Mock Job Interviews

As part of this workshop, participants have the opportunity to engage in mock interviews and receive feedback. Note: Participants for this session were previously selected. If you are a faculty member looking to assist, please contact Shakira Pleasant and John Rice by filling out this form - https://forms.gle/vVKtq4EA2LyXygPu9

Prospective Law Teachers Workshop
Mock Job Interviews

As part of this workshop, participants have the opportunity to engage in mock interviews and receive feedback. Note: Participants for this session were previously selected. If you are a faculty member looking to assist, please contact Shakira Pleasant and John Rice by filling out this form - https://forms.gle/vVKtq4EA2LyXygPu9

Prospective Law Teachers Workshop
Mock Job Interviews

As part of this workshop, participants have the opportunity to engage in mock interviews and receive feedback. Note: Participants for this session were previously selected. If you are a faculty member looking to assist, please contact Shakira Pleasant and John Rice by filling out this form - https://forms.gle/vVKtq4EA2LyXygPu9

Prospective Law Teachers Workshop
Mock Job Interviews

As part of this workshop, participants have the opportunity to engage in mock interviews and receive feedback. Note: Participants for this session were previously selected. If you are a faculty member looking to assist, please contact Shakira Pleasant and John Rice by filling out this form - https://forms.gle/vVKtq4EA2LyXygPu9

Break (sponsored by Point Bar Review)

Experience since the Roberts Court's Revolution in Administrative Law

In 2023, the Court announced its Major Questions Doctrine. In 2024, the Court overruled Chevron and installed Loper Bright; in Jarkesy it placed in doubt much of administrative adjudication; and in Corner Post it opened up longstanding regulations to possible new challenges. Popular press at the time characterized each of these decisions as having major consequences for the administrative state. The question is: Have they? The panel will assess how these cases have been raised by plaintiffs and applied in lower courts to determine their actual effect.

Panelists: Professor Linda Jellum [ University of Idaho College of Law ]; Professor Louis Virelli [ Stetson University College of Law ]; Professor William Funk [ Lewis & Clark Law School ]; Professor Richard Murphy [ Texas Tech University School of Law ]

New Scholars Workshop (Professional Responsibility, Legal Ethics, and Legal Writing)

This workshop gives New Scholars the opportunity to present a work-in-progress in a welcoming and supportive environment and to receive feedback on their presentation from more senior scholars in their fields. New Scholars are also assigned a mentor. The program is open to junior faculty at member schools. New Scholars are nominated to participate in the New Scholars Workshop by the deans of their respective law schools

Panelists: Professor Jennifer Cooper: Talk Is A Writing Catalyst [ Louisiana State University Paul M. Hebert Law Center ]; Professor Meagan Hurley: Do Rotten Apples Ruin the Whole Bunch? The Systemic Impact of State Bar Authorities’ Failures to Discipline Misbehaving Prosecutors and Defenders [ Mercer University School of Law ]; Professor Patrick Murphree: Ethics for the Litigator's Soul [ Jacksonville University College of Law ]; Professor Tracy Norton: Ethical Use of Generative AI as a Component of Professional Identity Formation in Law School [ Louisiana State University Paul M. Hebert Law Center ]

New Scholars Workshop (International and Comparative Law, Human Rights, and Democracy)

This workshop gives New Scholars the opportunity to present a work-in-progress in a welcoming and supportive environment and to receive feedback on their presentation from more senior scholars in their fields. New Scholars are also assigned a mentor. The program is open to junior faculty at member schools. New Scholars are nominated to participate in the New Scholars Workshop by the deans of their respective law schools

Panelists: Professor Amanda Stephens: CEDAW as Customary International Law [ St. Mary's University School of Law ]; Professor Leigha C. Crout: Legal Mobilization Under Authoritarianism [ Syracuse University College of Law ]; Professor Raquel Wilson: Mass Incarceration in a Black Country: What Explain Grenada’s High Incarceration Rates and What Lessons Can We Learn from Them? [ University of Kentucky J. David Rosenberg College of Law ]; Professor Jessica Tueller: Integrating Approaches to Segregation under Human Rights Law: Race, Sex, and Gender [ Tulane University Law School ]

New Scholars Workshop (Criminal Law and Procedure)

This workshop gives New Scholars the opportunity to present a work-in-progress in a welcoming and supportive environment and to receive feedback on their presentation from more senior scholars in their fields. New Scholars are also assigned a mentor. The program is open to junior faculty at member schools. New Scholars are nominated to participate in the New Scholars Workshop by the deans of their respective law schools

Panelists: Professor Adrian McKinney: Back to the Drawing Board: A Reflection of Senate Bill 1437 and Felony Murder Rule in California [ University of Toledo College of Law ]; Professor Catherine M. Hammack Aviran: Legal, Ethical, and Socio-Cultural Implications of ‘True Crime’ Media and Cold-Case Crowdsourcing [ Belmont University College of Law ]; Professor Claire Andresen: Obscenely Artificial [ South Texas College of Law ]; Professor Zachary Cormier: Constitutional Dead Zones [ Mississippi College School of Law ]

Aspiring Law Teachers Workshop
The Art of Self-Promotion

This panel explores packaging, marketing, and promotion strategies for your academic reputation and your scholarly ideas. Speakers discuss conventional and controversial methods of enhancing your academic brand. They also address potential pitfalls including consequences of public ideological battles. Should professors stay in their lane of expertise and maintain professional etiquette? Can professors afford to stay silent? Last, panelists offer tips on how to balance personal and professional interests in social media dissemination.

Moderators: Professor Nancy Soonpa [ Texas Tech University School of Law ]; Professor Meghan Boone [ Wake Forest University School of Law ]

Discussants: Professor Carliss Chatman [ SMU Dedman School of Law ]; Professor Lucas Osborn [ Campbell University, Norman Adrian Wiggins School of Law ]; Professor Clare Ryan [ The University of Alabama School of Law ]; Professor Laura Lane-Steele [ University of South Carolina Joseph F. Rice School of Law ]; Professor Carliss Chatman [ SMU Dedman School of Law ]; Professor Carliss Chatman [ SMU Dedman School of Law ]; Professor Carliss Chatman [ SMU Dedman School of Law ]; Professor Carliss Chatman [ SMU Dedman School of Law ]

Dean's Workshop
So You Think You Want to be a Dean?

Are you considering a career as a law school dean? Join us for an insightful and engaging panel discussion titled "So You Think You Want to Be a Dean?" This session is designed for prospective law school deans who want to learn more about the multifaceted role of a dean and the challenges and opportunities of the role. The discussants promise honest answers about common challenges and the rewarding aspects of the position. This panel will focus on Leadership and Vision, Administrative Responsibilities, Academic and Community Engagement, Challenges and Rewards, and Career Pathways.

Discussants: Dean Eboni S. Nelson [ University of Connecticut School of Law ]; Dean Elizabeth Kronk Warner [ The University of Utah S.J. Quinney College of Law ]; Professor Lolita Buckner Inniss [ University of Colorado Law School ]; Dean Tamara Lawson [ St. Thomas University Benjamin L. Crump College of Law ]

Consent and Coercion in the Law

Consent and related concepts like coercion figure prominently in the law. In commercial law, consent is thought to provide a justification for the enforcement of contracts. In criminal law, it is a condition on the enforcement of plea deals. And in constitutional law, conditions on spending programs can be found to be unconstitutional if they are overly coercive. Consent is often said to work a kind of “moral magic.” But how should we think about consent and coercion as they show up in the law? Are there cases where consent fails to effect a normative change? Does coercion always vitiate the moral magic? Contributors are invited to present work on these and other related questions concerning consent and coercion.

Moderator: Professor Andrew Jordan [ University of Iowa College of Law ]

Discussants: Professor John Hasnas [ Georgetown University Law Center ]; Professor John Anderson [ Mississippi College School of Law ]; Professor Mitchell Berman [ University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School ]; Professor Ken Levy [ Louisiana State University Paul M. Hebert Law Center ]; Professor Stephen Galoob [ University of Tulsa College of Law ]; Professor Jeremy Kidd [ Drake University Law School ]; Professor Christopher Lund [ Wayne State University Law School ]; Professor Stephanie Barclay [ Georgetown University Law Center ]; Professor Erin Sheley [ The University of Oklahoma College of Law ]

Intellectual Justice

This panel explores the intersection of law, knowledge, culture, and justice. While intellectual property laws aim to promote “Progress” under the U.S. Constitution, ongoing debates about whether that progress should prioritize economic incentives alone or also advance broader values like equality, privacy, cultural integrity, and distributive justice. Panelists will examine how legal frameworks—ranging from intellectual property laws to religious freedoms to rights of privacy—can shape, protect, or challenge the well-being of communities, cultures, and the world at large.

Moderator: Professor Dustin Marlan [ University of North Carolina School of Law ]

Panelists: Professor Tim McFarlin [ Samford University Cumberland School of Law ]; Professor June Tai [ University of Iowa College of Law ]; Professor Andrew C. Michaels [ University of Houston Law Center ]; Professor Srividhya Ragavan [ Texas A&M University School of Law ]

Lunch (on your own)

Carolina Academic Press Luncheon

New Scholars Workshop
Your Next Article

Is my next idea one that will become a good article? I’ve done some initial research, where do I go now? Should I take a different approach? These are common questions that new (and even experienced) scholars ask themselves as they progress with developing an idea into an article. The primary purpose of this panel is to provide participants in our New Scholars Workshop with input on direction and development of their scholarship. It offers New Scholars an opportunity to present a developing piece or a few ideas about potential projects in an informal setting and receive feedback on the idea. Additionally, this discussion group explores motivation, creativity, and the process for finding your next great idea.

Moderator: Professor Russell Gold [ The University of Alabama School of Law ]

Discussants: Professor Ilana Friedman [ University of Kentucky J. David Rosenberg College of Law ]; Professor Maya Watson [ Wayne State University Law School ]; Professor Quo Mieko S Judkins [ University of the District of Columbia David A. Clarke School of Law ]; Professor Adrian McKinney [ University of Toledo College of Law ]; Professor Catherine M. Hammack Aviran [ Belmont University College of Law ]; Professor Claire Andresen [ South Texas College of Law ]; Professor Zachary Cormier [ Mississippi College School of Law ]

Dean's Workshop
The Lonely Island: Maintaining Creativity, Wellness, and Relationships as a Law Dean

Being a law school dean can often feel like you’re on a lonely island, where the demands of leadership impede personal well-being and creativity. This session is designed to address the unique challenges faced by law school deans and provide strategies for maintaining a balanced and healthy personal and professional life. This panel will focus on fostering creativity, wellness strategies, building and sustaining relationships, and managing a healthy personal and professional life.

Moderator: Dean Joshua Fershee [ Creighton University School of Law ]

Discussants: Dean Melanie B. Jacobs [ University of Louisville Louis D. Brandeis School of Law ]

Aspiring Law Teachers Workshop
Designing Your Teaching Package

This panel offers advice on determining your areas of teaching and research interests. The panel explores the importance of connection to your research, passion, and expertise. Topics include how to articulate these connections and show flexibility. Discussants also weigh how aspirants might consider market demands and advise on how to research, compare, and adjust to varied institutional needs. Finally, the group suggests ways to communicate and develop individualized teaching approaches, including styles, methods, and tools.

Moderators: Professor Emilio Longoria [ South Texas College of Law Houston ]; Professor Daiquiri Steele [ The University of Alabama School of Law ]

Discussants: Professor Match Dawson [ St. Mary's University School of Law ]; Professor Ryan Stoa [ Louisiana State University Paul M. Hebert Law Center ]; Professor Lindsey Gustafson [ University of Arkansas at Little Rock, William H. Bowen School of Law ]; Professor Benjamin Cooper [ The University of Mississippi School of Law ]; Professor Emilio Longoria [ South Texas College of Law Houston ]; Professor Emilio Longoria [ South Texas College of Law Houston ]; Professor Emilio Longoria [ South Texas College of Law Houston ]; Professor Emilio Longoria [ South Texas College of Law Houston ]; Professor Rodney Chrisman [ Liberty University School of Law ]

New Scholars Workshop
Your Next Article

Is my next idea one that will become a good article? I’ve done some initial research, where do I go now? Should I take a different approach? These are common questions that new (and even experienced) scholars ask themselves as they progress with developing an idea into an article. The primary purpose of this panel is to provide participants in our New Scholars Workshop with input on direction and development of their scholarship. It offers New Scholars an opportunity to present a developing piece or a few ideas about potential projects in an informal setting and receive feedback on the idea. Additionally, this discussion group explores motivation, creativity, and the process for finding your next great idea.

Moderator: Professor Seema Mohapatra [ SMU Dedman School of Law ]

Discussants: Professor Amanda Stephens [ St. Mary's University School of Law ]; Professor Raquel Wilson [ University of Kentucky J. David Rosenberg College of Law ]; Professor Leigha C. Crout [ Syracuse University College of Law ]; Professor Jessica Tueller [ Tulane University Law School ]

New Scholars Workshop
Your Next Article

Is my next idea one that will become a good article? I’ve done some initial research, where do I go now? Should I take a different approach? These are common questions that new (and even experienced) scholars ask themselves as they progress with developing an idea into an article. The primary purpose of this panel is to provide participants in our New Scholars Workshop with input on direction and development of their scholarship. It offers New Scholars an opportunity to present a developing piece or a few ideas about potential projects in an informal setting and receive feedback on the idea. Additionally, this discussion group explores motivation, creativity, and the process for finding your next great idea.

Moderator: Professor Jonathan Shaub [ University of Kentucky J. David Rosenberg College of Law ]

Discussants: Professor Jennifer Cooper [ Louisiana State University Paul M. Hebert Law Center ]; Professor Meagan Hurley [ Mercer University School of Law ]; Professor Patrick Murphree [ Jacksonville University College of Law ]; Professor Tracy Norton [ Louisiana State University Paul M. Hebert Law Center ]

Break (sponsored by MF Digital Marketing)

The Future is Now: AI Tools, NextGen Bar Exam, and Legal Research Pedagogy

With the introduction of new AI based tools from the major legal research databases and inclusion of research on the NextGen Bar Exam, this discussion group will focus on how legal research courses can ensure that students learn effective legal research skills so that they can be successful on the NextGen Bar Exam and be prepared for practice at a time when legal research tools are quickly evolving.

Moderator: Professor Jane O'Connell [ University of Florida Fredric G. Levin College of Law ]

Discussants: Professor Michelle Cosby [ Washington and Lee University School of Law ]; Professor Caroline Osborne [ University of North Carolina School of Law ]; Professor Billie Jo Kaufman [ Mercer University School of Law ]; Professor Elizabeth Adelman [ University at Buffalo School of Law ]; Professor Leslie Street [ William & Mary Law School ]; Professor Katie Brown [ Charleston School of Law ]; Professor Kristina L Niedringhaus [ Georgia State University College of Law ]; Professor Elizabeth Hilkin [ University of Florida Fredric G. Levin College of Law ]; Professor Matthew Steinke [ University of Texas School of Law ]

Distance Education Workshop
From Standards to Practices—The Expectations for Online Courses and Programs

Law schools may grant a student up to 50 percent of the credit hours required for the J.D. degree through distance education courses and provide at least one-third of the residential courses through an online modality. Approximately ten percent of law schools have received a substantive change to allow the program to be online. The Council is looking at whether a building is even necessary or if other Standards might need to be updated for the modern, online law school. This discussion will review the state of the online delivery from a regulatory, and business, and impact perspective to address where legal education is today and where it might be in the next five to ten years.

Moderator: Professor Victoria VanZandt [ University of Dayton School of Law ]

Discussants: Dean Greg Brandes [ Monterey College of Law ]; Professor Michelle Zakarin [ Touro University, Jacob D. Fuchsberg Law Center ]; Professor Derek Fincham [ South Texas College of Law Houston ]; Professor Emily Grant [ Washburn University School of Law ]; Professor Colin Marks [ St. Mary's University School of Law ]; Professor Vickie Sutton [ Texas Tech University School of Law ]; Professor Jon Garon [ Nova Southeastern University Shepard Broad College of Law ]; Professor Conrad Sturm [ University of Detroit Mercy School of Law ]; Professor David Thomson [ University of Denver, Sturm College of Law ]; Ms. Pamela Siege Chandler [ West Academic ]; Professor Zoe Niesel [ St. Mary's University School of Law ]; Dean Patricia E. Roberts [ St. Mary's University School of Law ]; Professor Areto Imoukhuede [ Florida A&M University College of Law ]; Dean Donald Tobin [ University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law ]

Labor and Employment Workshop
Agency Enforcement in the Trump Administration after Loper Bright

The Supreme Court’s 2024 Loper Bright decision, among a few other decisions issued during that term, raises questions about the future efficacy of administrative agencies and their abilities to enforce workplace laws that Congress, employers and employees expect to cover their legal rights. This creates a unique moment in time for the National Labor Relations Board, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Department of Labor, the Office for Federal Contract Compliance and even the Federal Trade Commission who all currently face legal challenges that may take courts back to the time before the New Deal. This group will discuss workplace agency actions during interesting new times for agencies and how Trump workplace agencies will operate in 2025.

Moderator: Professor Michael Green [ Texas A&M University School of Law ]

Discussants: Professor Jason Bent [ Stetson University College of Law ]; Professor Richard Carlson [ South Texas College of Law Houston ]; Professor Robert Brain [ Loyola Law School, Los Angeles ]; Professor Jarod Gonzalez [ Texas Tech University School of Law ]; Professor Jeffrey Hirsch [ University of North Carolina School of Law ]; Professor Nicole Porter [ William & Mary Law School ]; Professor Joseph Seiner [ University of South Carolina Joseph F. Rice School of Law ]; Professor Ani Satz [ Emory University School of Law ]; Professor Jessica Roberts [ Emory University School of Law ]

Criminal Law and Procedure Workshop
Centering People, Producing Narratives, and Exposing Myths in Criminal Law and Procedure

Lawyers are in the business of producing narratives about people who experience criminal legal harm and people who are subjected to injustice in the criminal legal system. This Group addresses these questions: How have narratives been used to support the toleration of racial inequality, hypercriminalization, overpolicing, and mass incarceration? How can narratives promote public awareness of these and other wrongs embedded in the system? How do some simplified and popular narratives obscure more complicated truths? How can narratives expose myths? And most importantly, how can narratives create the momentum for legal change, by focusing on the lives of those who need defenders and need justice? The members of this Group are presenting reflections inspired by their works in progress.

Moderator: Professor Catherine Hancock [ Tulane University Law School ]

Discussants: Professor Neil Sobol [ Texas A&M University School of Law ]; Professor Omavi Shukur [ Columbia Law School ]; Professor Alex Kreit [ Northern Kentucky University, Salmon P. Chase College of Law ]; Professor Erin Fitzgerald [ Elon University School of Law ]; Professor J.D. King [ Washington and Lee University School of Law ]; Professor Cynthia Alkon [ Texas A&M University School of Law ]; Professor Jancy Hoeffel [ Tulane University Law School ]; Professor Rachel Wechsler [ University of Missouri School of Law ]; Professor Michael Vitiello [ University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law ]; Professor Anna VanCleave [ University of Connecticut School of Law ]; Professor Scott Sundby [ University of Miami School of Law ]; Professor Melanie Reid [ Lincoln Memorial University Duncan School of Law ]; Professor Tamika Moses [ North Carolina Central University School of Law ]; Professor Jenny Carroll [ Texas A&M University School of Law ]; Professor Brooks Holland [ Gonzaga University School of Law ]; Professor Carla Laroche [ Tulane University Law School ]; Professor Stephen Henderson [ The University of Oklahoma College of Law ]; Professor Stephen Galoob [ University of Tulsa College of Law ]; Professor Donald Tibbs [ St. Thomas University Benjamin L. Crump College of Law ]; Professor Amber Alexia Baylor [ Columbia Law School ]

Current Trends on Emerging Technologies and the Law from an International, Comparative and Domestic Perspective

This discussion group will explore “Current Trends on Emerging Technologies and the Law from an International, Comparative and Domestic Perspective”. As technologies like artificial intelligence, data privacy, cybersecurity, and blockchain evolve, the legal landscape must adapt. The group will examine how various jurisdictions are responding to these issues, drawing on international frameworks and comparing legal approaches in different countries. Emphasis will be placed on how these regulatory paradigms reflect local values, policy priorities, and their potential convergence on the global stage. The discussion will also explore the implications of emerging technologies for business, intellectual property, and corporate governance, considering how legal frameworks can evolve to balance innovation with safeguarding individual rights and public interests.

Moderator: Professor Paolo Davide Farah [ West Virginia University Rockefeller School of Policy and Politics ]

Discussants: Professor Carrie Shang [ California State Polytechnic University (Pomona) ]; Professor Martin Svec [ Masaryk University (Czech Republic) ]; Professor Alessio Lo Giudice [ University of Messina Law School (Italy) ]; Professor Luigi Crema [ University of Milan Law School (Italy) ]; Professor Jennifer Williams Zwagerman [ Drake University Law School ]; Professor Milena Sterio [ Cleveland State University College of Law ]; Professor Becky L. Jacobs [ The University of Tennessee College of Law ]; Professor Benjamin Varadi [ Vermont Law School ]; Professor Vera Korzun [ University of Akron School of Law ]; Professor Amy Semet [ University at Buffalo School of Law ]; Professor Eric Chaffee [ Case Western Reserve University School of Law ]; Professor Ifeoma Ajunwa [ Emory University School of Law ]; Professor Joseph (Jody) Prestia [ Lincoln Memorial University Duncan School of Law ]; Professor Drew Simshaw [ Gonzaga University School of Law ]; Professor Seema Patel [ University of California College of Law, San Francisco ]; Professor Uche Ewelukwa Ofodile [ University of Arkansas School of Law ]; Professor Dana Jones [ North Carolina Central University School of Law ]; Professor David Sella-Villa [ University of South Carolina Joseph F. Rice School of Law ]; Professor Emile Loza de Siles [ University of Hawaii at Manoa, William S. Richardson School of Law ]; Professor Gary Myers [ University of Missouri School of Law ]; Professor Nicole G. Iannarone [ Drexel University Thomas R. Kline School of Law ]

Federalist Society Reception

Prospective Law Teachers Workshop
Mock Job Talks

As part of this workshop, participants have the opportunity to present a mock job talk and receive feedback. Note: Participants for this session were previously selected. If you are a faculty member looking to assist, please contact Shakira Pleasant and John Rice by filling out this form - https://forms.gle/vVKtq4EA2LyXygPu9

Prospective Law Teachers Workshop
Mock Job Talks

As part of this workshop, participants have the opportunity to present a mock job talk and receive feedback. Note: Participants for this session were previously selected. If you are a faculty member looking to assist, please contact Shakira Pleasant and John Rice by filling out this form - https://forms.gle/vVKtq4EA2LyXygPu9

Prospective Law Teachers Workshop
Mock Job Talks

As part of this workshop, participants have the opportunity to present a mock job talk and receive feedback. Note: Participants for this session were previously selected. If you are a faculty member looking to assist, please contact Shakira Pleasant and John Rice by filling out this form - https://forms.gle/vVKtq4EA2LyXygPu9

Prospective Law Teachers Workshop
Mock Job Talks

As part of this workshop, participants have the opportunity to present a mock job talk and receive feedback. Note: Participants for this session were previously selected. If you are a faculty member looking to assist, please contact Shakira Pleasant and John Rice by filling out this form - https://forms.gle/vVKtq4EA2LyXygPu9

Prospective Law Teachers Workshop
Mock Job Talks

As part of this workshop, participants have the opportunity to present a mock job talk and receive feedback. Note: Participants for this session were previously selected. If you are a faculty member looking to assist, please contact Shakira Pleasant and John Rice by filling out this form - https://forms.gle/vVKtq4EA2LyXygPu9

Prospective Law Teachers Workshop
Mock Job Talks

As part of this workshop, participants have the opportunity to present a mock job talk and receive feedback. Note: Participants for this session were previously selected. If you are a faculty member looking to assist, please contact Shakira Pleasant and John Rice by filling out this form - https://forms.gle/vVKtq4EA2LyXygPu9

Labor and Employment Workshop
The Future of Disability Law in the Workplace

There are numerous evolving issues related to disability law in the workplace. Given the change in administration, evolving health concerns, and court decisions this discussion group addresses the future of disability law in the employment context. A few specific points for discussion include the current status of the pandemic, the approach of the courts to disability law in the workplace, and possible regulatory and statutory changes, among others.

Moderator: Professor Joseph Seiner [ University of South Carolina Joseph F. Rice School of Law ]

Discussants: Professor Miriam Cherry [ St. John's University School of Law ]; Professor Jeffrey Hirsch [ University of North Carolina School of Law ]; Professor Ani Satz [ Emory University School of Law ]; Professor Nicole Porter [ William & Mary Law School ]; Professor Michael Green [ Texas A&M University School of Law ]; Professor Robert Brain [ Loyola Law School, Los Angeles ]; Professor Jessica Roberts [ Emory University School of Law ]; Professor Richard Carlson [ South Texas College of Law Houston ]; Professor Jarod Gonzalez [ Texas Tech University School of Law ]

Environmental Crimes in the Ukraine Conflict

The prosecution of environmental harm,and the perception of these harms have changed over time, as concepts developed within existing atrocity legal regimes (war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide) have shaped how these harms are viewed. The International Law Commission’s new principles clarify how International Humanitarian Law (the Law of Armed Conflict) applies to the environment during armed conflict. The conflict in Ukraine has proven to be an excellent case study for this legal development. This discussion group explores environmental crimes in Ukraine conflict and possible ways to address these harms.

Moderators: Professor Gregory Noone [ Roger Williams University School of Law ]; Dean Gregory Bowman [ Roger Williams University School of Law ]

Discussants: Professor Ewa Rott-Pietrzyk [ University of Warsaw Faculty of Law & Administration (Poland) ]; Professor Claas Friedrich Germelmann [ Leibniz University of Hannover Faculty of Law (Germany) ]; Professor Vasco Pereira da Silva [ University of Lisbon Faculty of Law (Portugal) ]; Professor Elvim Ervin Dalkthc [ Bilkent University Faculty of Law (Turkey) ]; Professor Milena Sterio [ Cleveland State University College of Law ]; Professor Paul Williams [ American University School of Public Affairs ]; Professor Laurie R. Blank [ Emory University School of Law ]; Professor Mark Sundahl [ Cleveland State University College of Law ]; Professor Els de Busser [ - ]; Professor Avidan Cover [ Case Western Reserve University School of Law ]; Professor Laura A. Dickinson [ The George Washington University Law School ]; Professor Amos Guiora [ - ]

The Future of Financial Regulation in the New Administrative State

The scope of independent agency authority has increasingly been challenged. The Supreme Court recently held that courts need not defer to agencies’ interpretations of ambiguous statutes and curtailed the power of agencies to impose penalties in administrative proceedings. Courts have also struck down various SEC rules and a challenge to the SEC’s climate disclosure rule is pending. In addition, the powers of SROs like FINRA have recently been challenged under the “non-delegation” doctrine. At the same time, the incoming administration has created a “Department of Government Efficiency” whose stated aim includes curtailing the powers of federal regulatory agencies. With this as background, this discussion group focuses on the legal and policy issues surrounding financial regulation in this new environment.

Moderator: Professor David Rosenfeld [ Northern Illinois University College of Law ]

Discussants: Professor Jill Fisch [ University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School ]; Professor George Georgiev [ Emory University School of Law ]; Professor Joan MacLeod Heminway [ The University of Tennessee College of Law ]; Professor Eric Chaffee [ Case Western Reserve University School of Law ]; Professor Gina-Gail Fletcher [ Duke University School of Law ]; Professor Veronica Root Martinez [ Duke University School of Law ]; Professor Nicole G. Iannarone [ Drexel University Thomas R. Kline School of Law ]; Professor Martin Edwards [ The University of Mississippi School of Law ]; Professor Jeremy Kidd [ Drake University Law School ]; Professor Greg Elinson [ Northern Illinois University College of Law ]; Professor John Anderson [ Mississippi College School of Law ]; Professor Colleen Baker [ University of Oklahoma Price College of Business ]; Professor Sergio Alberto Gramitto Ricci [ Hofstra University Maurice A. Deane School of Law ]; Professor Donna Nagy [ Indiana University Maurer School of Law ]

Break

West Academic Mimosa Break

National Conference of Bar Examiners
Background and Hoped-For Impact of the NextGen Bar Examination

This panel will examine the background of the NextGen bar examination. What was the perceived need that the exam was designed to address? How does the exam respond to that need?

Property Workshop
Normative Issues in Property Law

The panel explores normative tensions in property law. Discussion focuses on takings, equity, reparations, and accessibility. Panelists explore the ways in which property shapes a community and its values, and, in return, how communities participate in reshaping property law over time. Participants ask, are there limits to the normative grounds for property and if so what are they? By examining contemporary cases the panel will seek to provide guidance and reflection on such matters.

Moderator: Professor Emilio Longoria [ South Texas College of Law Houston ]

Panelists: Professor Robin P Malloy [ Syracuse University College of Law ]; Professor jim smith [ University of Georgia School of Law ]; Professor Dylan Malagrino [ Charleston School of Law ]; Professor Kara Consalo [ Florida A&M University College of Law ]

Family Law Workshop
Abortion Law and REgulation Post-Dobbs

This panel will explore the legal ramifications of the decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health, potential new avenues for arguments for abortion rights, and the on the ground effect of current regulations. Panelists will describe their current projects and explore avenues of overlap. They will also invite the audience to participate in a discussion on this timely issue.

Moderator: Professor Jenny Carroll [ The University of Alabama School of Law ]

Panelists: Professor Nancy Marcus [ California Western School of Law ]; Professor Yvonne (Yvette) Lindgren [ University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law ]; Professor Noya Rimalt [ University of Haifa Faculty of Law (Israel) ]; Professor Robin Fretwell Wilson [ University of Illinois College of Law ]; Professor Meredith Harbach [ University of Richmond School of Law ]

New and Established Voices in Criminal Procedure

This discussion group is a forum for new and established scholars to discuss their forthcoming articles, works in progress, and ideas for articles on constitutional criminal procedure.

Moderators: Professor Nicholas Kahn-Fogel [ Penn State Dickinson Law ]; Professor Brian Owsley [ University of North Texas Dallas College of Law ]

Discussants: Professor Michael Vitiello [ University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law ]; Professor Russell Gold [ The University of Alabama School of Law ]; Professor Brittany Deitch [ Capital University Law School ]; Professor Melanie Reid [ Lincoln Memorial University Duncan School of Law ]; Professor Brian Gallini [ Quinnipiac University School of Law ]; Professor Jessica Steinberg [ The George Washington University Law School ]; Professor Stephen Henderson [ The University of Oklahoma College of Law ]; Professor Russell Gold [ The University of Alabama School of Law ]; Professor Eang Ngov [ The University of Oklahoma College of Law ]; Professor Lauryn Gouldin [ Syracuse University College of Law ]

Lunch (on your own)

West Academic Luncheon

Dean's Workshop
Deans Luncheon (sponsored by the National Conference of Bar Examiners)

This luncheon is only for sitting deans, and does not include assistant deans, associate deans, or other deans. Advance RSVP is required.

National Conference of Bar Examiners
Writing and Developing the NextGen Bar Examination

This panel will discuss how NextGen bar examination questions are written and developed.

Prospective Law Teachers Workshop
FAR/NEAR/CV Review (Panel # 1)

In this event, prospective law teachers can get feedback on their CVs, NEAR and FAR forms. Note: Participants for this session were previously selected. If you are a faculty member looking to assist, please contact Shakira Pleasant and John Rice.

Prospective Law Teachers Workshop
FAR/NEAR/CV Review (Panel # 1)

In this event, prospective law teachers can get feedback on their CVs, NEAR and FAR forms. Note: Participants for this session were previously selected. If you are a faculty member looking to assist, please contact Shakira Pleasant and John Rice.

Publisher's Panel

Are you interested in writing a casebook, study aid, or other book? This panel will involve publishers talking about what they are seeking in book proposals.

Panelists: Mr. Joe Terry [ Aspen Publishing Co. ]; Mr. Scott Sipe [ Carolina Academic Press ]; Ms. Pamela Siege Chandler [ West Academic ]

Baby on Board: Navigating Law Professor Life with (Young) Kids

Teaching law is often called the best job in the world. And yet, for parents—especially parents of young children—life in academia is not always as easy as it’s assumed to be. This discussion group takes on the challenges parents face as they navigate the tenure track while raising small humans. Topics of discussion include, among others, writing amidst the chaos of home life, setting boundaries, relocating families, feeling like a failure on all fronts, and choosing priorities. Discussants include parents of young children and adult children who will share how they have managed to raise kids, teach, write, and contribute to their academic institutions, all while (mostly) managing to enjoy work and parenthood.

Moderator: Professor Lauren Newell [ Campbell University, Norman Adrian Wiggins School of Law ]

Discussants: Professor Erin Archerd [ University of Detroit Mercy School of Law ]; Professor Kelly Cline [ Campbell University, Norman Adrian Wiggins School of Law ]; Professor Nicole Ligon [ Campbell University, Norman Adrian Wiggins School of Law ]; Professor Daniel B. Rice [ University of Arkansas School of Law ]; Professor Sarah Cole [ The Ohio State University, Moritz College of Law ]; Professor Andrea Schneider [ Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law of Yeshiva University ]; Dean Charles H. Rose [ Ohio Northern University, Pettit College of Law ]; Professor Jody Madeira [ Indiana University Maurer School of Law ]; Professor Joan MacLeod Heminway [ The University of Tennessee College of Law ]

Distance Education Workshop
Online & Hybrid Learning Pedagogy Best Practices and Standards Development

This is an ongoing working group, open to all interested parties, in developing an update to the 2015 best practices and model recommendations. Online delivery is significantly different because online can be part of an existing course, a course that is part of a traditional curriculum, or a program operated under a variance. The participants will work on a forthcoming book project related to updating guidelines, recommendations, and good practices to help schools with their continuous improvement of online learning and pedagogy. This discussion is intended for anyone already working on the project or interested in joining this ongoing effort.

Moderator: Professor Rebecca Purdom [ University of New Hampshire School of Law ]

Discussants: Professor William Byrnes [ Texas A&M University School of Law ]; Professor Sara Berman [ University of Southern California Law School ]; Dean Greg Brandes [ Monterey College of Law ]; Professor Jon Garon [ Nova Southeastern University Shepard Broad College of Law ]; Professor Max Huffman [ Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law ]; Professor Andrea Funk [ The Colleges of Law ]; Professor Ellen Podgor [ Stetson University College of Law ]; Professor Lisa Smith-Butler [ Charleston School of Law ]; Professor Victoria VanZandt [ University of Dayton School of Law ]; Professor Ginger Hunt [ University of Arizona College of Law ]; Professor Marcia Narine Weldon [ University of Miami School of Law ]

Newer Law Teachers Workshop
Scholarship Fundamentals -- Becoming a Productive and Fulfilled Scholar

This group of experienced scholars considers what is, and how to develop, a “scholarly agenda,” the alternate routes to tenure and self-fulfillment, using colleagues and research assistants to help in the scholarly enterprise, the art or luck of publishing “well,” the importance of presenting at conferences, and how to enjoy, and not dread, the scholarly process. The discussion includes the “nuts and bolts” of writing – where, when, what, and more. The group may break into smaller groups to discuss these issues with participants in depth in a more directed dialogue.

Moderator: Professor allyson gold [ Wake Forest University School of Law ]

Panelists: Professor Russell Gold [ The University of Alabama School of Law ]; Professor Courtney Cross [ University of Nevada, Las Vegas William S. Boyd School of Law ]; Professor Daria Fisher Page [ University of Iowa College of Law ]; Professor Gillian Chadwick [ Washburn University School of Law ]

Break (sponsored by Aspen Publishing)

Cultivating a Culture of Peer Support for Pre-Tenure Faculty Members

This discussion group explores strategies for cultivating a robust culture of peer support among pre-tenure faculty members, emphasizing the role of mutual encouragement and collaboration beyond formal institutional frameworks. Participants engage in dialogue about fostering a positive and enduring network of support, rooted in shared experiences and aimed at sustaining professional growth throughout their careers. The group seeks to inspire lasting, meaningful connections that strengthen the academic community.

Moderator: Professor Margie Alsbrook [ Mercer University School of Law ]

Discussants: Professor Ashley Krenelka Chase [ Stetson University College of Law ]; Professor Carolyn Williams [ University of North Dakota School of Law ]; Professor Amelia McGowan [ University of Arkansas ]; Professor Bonnie Carlson [ Mercer University School of Law ]; Professor Kaleb Byars [ Mercer University School of Law ]; Professor Meagan Hurley [ Mercer University School of Law ]; Professor Lindsey Gustafson [ University of Arkansas at Little Rock, William H. Bowen School of Law ]; Professor Pam Wilkins [ Mercer University School of Law ]; Professor Scott Titshaw [ Mercer University School of Law ]

National Conference of Bar Examiners
NextGen Bar Examination: Grading and Rubrics

This panel will examine how the NextGen Bar Examination will be graded.

Labor and Employment Workshop
AI in the Workplace

AI is on the job. Employers use it to recruit candidates, screen resumes, and evaluate interviews. AI can manage projects, track productivity, and give feedback. Some employers even report using AI to make layoff decisions. And of course, looming ever in the background, is the anxiety that AI will eventually perform much of what currently constitutes paid labor, rendering human workers obsolete. This discussion group will consider the technologies that are currently available, their benefits, and their limitations. We will also interrogate how existing employment law statutes and doctrines fare in this brave new workplace. Can we rely on these legal tools to protect workers or does the law—like so much of our software—require an update?

Moderator: Professor Jessica Roberts [ Emory University School of Law ]

Discussants: Professor Llezlie Green [ Georgetown University Law Center ]; Professor Ani Satz [ Emory University School of Law ]; Professor Jeffrey Hirsch [ University of North Carolina School of Law ]; Professor Richard Carlson [ South Texas College of Law Houston ]; Professor Veronica Root Martinez [ Duke University School of Law ]; Professor Matthew Bodie [ Saint Louis University School of Law ]; Professor Nicole Buonocore Porter [ William & Mary Law School ]; Professor Michael Green [ Texas A&M University School of Law ]; Professor Joseph Seiner [ University of South Carolina Joseph F. Rice School of Law ]; Professor Robert Brain [ Loyola Law School, Los Angeles ]; Professor Miriam Cherry [ St. John's University School of Law ]; Professor Jarod Gonzalez [ Texas Tech University School of Law ]; Professor Jason Bent [ Stetson University College of Law ]

Enhancing Experiential Learning in Environmental, Energy, and Sustainability Law and Policy Education

The discussion group, "Enhancing Experiential Learning in Environmental, Energy, and Sustainability Law and Policy Education," explores innovative ways to integrate real-world experiences into legal education. Bringing together educators, practitioners, and policymakers, it highlights approaches to teaching environmental, energy, and climate law, focusing on legal clinics, simulations, fieldwork, and community projects addressing sustainability challenges. The group will also discuss the impact of the NextGen Bar Exam on doctrinal courses and the importance of collaboration among doctrinal, clinical, and legal writing faculty. Participants will share best practices, trends, and case studies demonstrating experiential learning’s effectiveness in preparing future lawyers to address complex global and domestic challenges, fostering a transformative shift in legal education for the 21st century.

Moderator: Professor Paolo Davide Farah [ West Virginia University Rockefeller School of Policy and Politics ]

Discussants: Professor Jennifer Williams Zwagerman [ Drake University Law School ]; Professor Laura Mott [ Lincoln Memorial University Duncan School of Law ]; Professor Luigi Crema [ University of Milan Law School (Italy) ]; Professor Martin Svec [ Masaryk University (Czech Republic) ]; Professor Matjaz Nahtigal [ University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Social Sciences (Slovenia) ]; Professor Alessio Lo Giudice [ University of Messina Law School (Italy) ]; Professor André Nollkaemper [ University of Amsterdam Law School (Netherlands) ]; Professor Chris Gassman [ University of Pittsburgh Center for Sustainable Business ]; Professor Jennifer Bass [ Lewis & Clark Law School ]; Professor Peter Norman [ University of Arkansas School of Law ]; Professor Benjamin Varadi [ Vermont Law School ]; Professor Milena Sterio [ Cleveland State University College of Law ]; Professor David Forman [ University of Hawaii at Manoa, William S. Richardson School of Law ]; Professor Becky L. Jacobs [ The University of Tennessee College of Law ]; Professor Daina Bray [ Yale Law School ]; Professor Margie Alsbrook [ Mercer University ]; Professor Laurie Beyranevand [ Vermont Law School ]; Professor Michael Lewyn [ Touro University, Jacob D. Fuchsberg Law Center ]

Family Law Workshop
Family Law Pedagogy

This group facilitates discussion among both doctrinal and clinical professors about the tools and strategies they use in their family law (and related) classrooms. Special focus is afforded to building students’ practical lawyering skills, drawing connections from family law to the broader law school curriculum, new approaches to teaching traditional family law topics, methods for incorporating non-traditional topics in family law courses, strategies for incorporating scholarly literature and other critical perspectives on family law, and approaches that bring into the classroom discussion issues that face families from diverse backgrounds.

Moderator: Professor Clare Ryan [ The University of Alabama School of Law ]

Discussants: Professor Heather Kolinsky [ University of Florida Fredric G. Levin College of Law ]; Professor Melissa Breger [ Albany Law School ]; Professor Julie McConnell [ University of Richmond School of Law ]; Professor Sarah Katz [ Temple University, James E. Beasley School of Law ]; Professor Stephanie Tang [ Baylor University Law School ]; Professor Meghan Boone [ Wake Forest University School of Law ]; Professor Laura Lane-Steele [ University of South Carolina Joseph F. Rice School of Law ]; Professor Meredith Harbach [ University of Richmond School of Law ]; Professor Seema Mohapatra [ SMU Dedman School of Law ]; Professor Jessica Tueller [ Tulane University Law School ]

Newer Law Teachers Workshop
Teaching Fundamentals -- Designing an Effective Core Law School Course

The participants, all experienced and excellent teachers, take attendees through many of the foundational stops on the teaching journey. Topics include preparing a course, preparing to teach, and the act of teaching. Sub-topics include syllabus formation, how to select course materials, how to determine what topics to cover, how to cover those topics, and how to approach teaching. Attendees can expect concrete, practical. and ready-to-use advice.

Panelists: Professor Howard E Katz [ Cleveland State University College of Law ]; Professor Patricia Perkins [ Elon University School of Law ]; Professor Nancy Soonpa [ Texas Tech University School of Law ]; Professor Anna Hemingway [ Widener University Commonwealth Law School ]

Professional Identity Development Among Faculty

A lot of emphasis has been placed in law schools on the new ABA standards requiring law students to develop their professional identity. Students are asked to reflect on their values, intentions, and personal motivations. But what about our professional identity? What internal and external factors motivate us as faculty? The science of human flourishing has identified several key factors for success: continued learning, connection, resilience, finding purpose, and play. The discussants will share how they arrived at their own extrinsic and intrinsic motivators, how these can be used to contribute to the betterment of the legal system and our students (purpose), and how we can build community among faculty (connection).

Discussants: Professor Joan MacLeod Heminway [ The University of Tennessee College of Law ]; Professor Steven Friedland [ Elon University School of Law ]; Professor Cynthia Alkon [ Texas A&M University School of Law ]; Professor Catherine Hancock [ Tulane University Law School ]; Professor Laura Mott [ Lincoln Memorial University Duncan School of Law ]; Professor Stephen Henderson [ The University of Oklahoma College of Law ]; Professor Rosa Kim [ Suffolk University School of Law ]; Professor Jill Gross [ Pace Law School ]; Professor Art Hinshaw [ Arizona State University Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law ]; Professor Kelly Browe Olson [ University of Arkansas at Little Rock, William H. Bowen School of Law ]; Professor Andrea Schneider [ Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law of Yeshiva University ]; Professor Brian Owsley [ University of North Texas Dallas College of Law ]; Professor Akram Faizer [ Lincoln Memorial University Duncan School of Law ]

West Academic Reception

Board of Trustees Breakfast

All members of SEALS' Board of Trustees are invited to attend this breakfast.

Works-in-Progress Workshop - Criminal Law 1

This workshop gives faculty the opportunity to present a work-in-progress and to receive substantive feedback on their work from scholars with varying degrees of experience in the academy who write in similar or related fields. Each participant both submits their own work and reviews that of their fellow participants in advance of the meeting, leading to a more interactive exchange of ideas. Unlike other works-in-progress programs, the participants in this session are chosen from a request for submissions.

Discussants: Professor Mark Pickering [ St. Thomas University Benjamin L. Crump College of Law ]; Professor Jennifer Brinkman [ Northern Kentucky University, Salmon P. Chase College of Law ]; Professor Marc Anthony Consalo [ Nova Southeastern University Shepard Broad College of Law ]; Professor Jordan Gross [ University of Idaho College of Law ]; Professor Zachary Kaufman [ University of Florida Fredric G. Levin College of Law ]

Works-in-Progress Workshop - LR&W Unending Conversations

This workshop gives faculty the opportunity to present a work-in-progress and to receive substantive feedback on their work from scholars with varying degrees of experience in the academy who write in similar or related fields. Each participant both submits their own work and reviews that of their fellow participants in advance of the meeting, leading to a more interactive exchange of ideas. Unlike other works-in-progress programs, the participants in this session are chosen from a request for submissions.

Works-in-Progress Workshop - Private Law

This workshop gives faculty the opportunity to present a work-in-progress and to receive substantive feedback on their work from scholars with varying degrees of experience in the academy who write in similar or related fields. Each participant both submits their own work and reviews that of their fellow participants in advance of the meeting, leading to a more interactive exchange of ideas. Unlike other works-in-progress programs, the participants in this session are chosen from a request for submissions.

Discussants: Professor Aman K. Gebru [ University of Houston Law Center ]; Professor David Fagundes [ University of Houston Law Center ]; Professor Brian Miller [ Thomas R. Kline School of Law of Duquesne University ]; Professor Natalia Ramirez Lee [ University of California College of the Law, San Francisco ]; Professor Evan Absher [ University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law ]

Works-in-Progress Workshop - Criminal Law 2

This workshop gives faculty the opportunity to present a work-in-progress and to receive substantive feedback on their work from scholars with varying degrees of experience in the academy who write in similar or related fields. Each participant both submits their own work and reviews that of their fellow participants in advance of the meeting, leading to a more interactive exchange of ideas. Unlike other works-in-progress programs, the participants in this session are chosen from a request for submissions.

Discussants: Professor Naomi Goodno [ Pepperdine University Caruso School of Law ]; Professor Lauryn P. Gouldin [ Syracuse University College of Law ]; Professor Anna Roberts [ Brooklyn Law School ]; Professor Keesha Turner Roberts [ Widener University Delaware Law School ]

Examining the Global Law Classroom Model

This discussion group will focus on a SEALS and ELPIS collaboration called the Global Law Classroom. Global learning encourages awareness and critical thinking about issues such as law and politics, economy, finance and trade, wealth and poverty, cultural similarities and differences. This discussion group will examine the successes and failures of creating a virtual classroom experience for law students from several different countries and the effectiveness of placing students on teams and having them examine various global issues facing the world today. Participants will share their thoughts on how we can inspire students to be global citizens, respect cultural diversity, human rights, and the rule of law, and allow them to actively engage with other future lawyers/global leaders.

Moderator: Professor Melanie Reid [ Lincoln Memorial University Duncan School of Law ]

Discussants: Professor Rosa Kim [ Suffolk University School of Law ]; Professor Richard Peltz-Steele [ University of Massachusetts School of Law ]; Professor Katerina Lewinbuk [ South Texas College of Law Houston ]; Professor Rafal Blicharz [ University of Silesia Faculty of Law (Poland) ]; Professor Ewa Rott-Pietrzyk [ University of Warsaw Faculty of Law & Administration (Poland) ]; Professor Vasco Pereira da Silva [ University of Lisbon Faculty of Law (Portugal) ]; Professor Marine Toullier [ University of Rouen Faculty of Law (France) ]; Professor Dimitrios Parashu [ Leibniz University of Hannover Faculty of Law (Germany) ]; Professor Claas Friedrich Germelmann [ Leibniz University of Hannover Faculty of Law (Germany) ]; Professor Chad Austin [ U.S. Air Force Academy ]; Professor Andrzej Krasuski [ Dlugosz University (Poland) ]; Mr. Mikołaj Pietrzyk [ University of Silesia Faculty of Law (Poland) ]

Reimagining Attorney Competency and Changing Curriculum and Assessments: Exploring the Next Generation Bar Exam

Ready or not, here comes the NextGen Bar Exam! The NextGen Bar Exam shifts the focus of bar assessment from memorizing black letter law to a more practice-oriented approach, which aligns with law school trends toward producing practice-ready lawyers. Should law schools make additional changes in response to the Nextgen Bar? What changes have you made, or do you plan to implement, in your doctrinal or skills courses to prepare students for success on the NextGen Bar? What administrative decisions do you foresee being impacted? Panelists will explore how law schools should respond to the new exam and offer insight into how legal educators can align our goals to support student success, both on the bar exam and in practice.

Moderator: Professor Krista Bordatto [ Campbell University, Norman Adrian Wiggins School of Law ]

Panelists: Professor John Cook [ University of Arkansas ]; Professor Donna L Eng [ University of Florida Fredric G. Levin College of Law ]; Professor Erin Dewalt [ The University of Oklahoma College of Law ]; Professor Margie Alsbrook [ Mercer University School of Law ]

Transforming Global Agriculture: Farmers' Rights, Animal Law, Trade, Sovereignty, Ethics, Innovation for Sustainable Progress

The discussion group, "Transforming Global Agriculture and Cultivating Tomorrow: Farmers' Rights, Animal Law, Trade, Sovereignty, Ethics, and Innovation for Sustainable Progress," unites diverse perspectives to explore challenges and opportunities in agriculture. By integrating disciplines like law, trade, ethics, and innovation, the panel addresses critical issues such as protecting farmers' rights, evolving animal law, the effects of international trade, and food sovereignty's role in sustainable development. Topics include ethical considerations, technological advancements, and policy frameworks essential for navigating transformation. Panelists will offer insights into fostering global and domestic collaboration to build equitable, sustainable agricultural systems while tackling climate change, biodiversity loss, and food security challenges, driving meaningful progress for a sustainable future.

Moderator: Professor Paolo Davide Farah [ West Virginia University Rockefeller School of Policy and Politics ]

Discussants: Professor Chris Gassman [ University of Pittsburgh Center for Sustainable Business ]; Professor Jennifer Bass [ Lewis & Clark Law School ]; Professor Scott Schang [ Wake Forest University School of Law ]; Professor Matjaz Nahtigal [ University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Social Sciences (Slovenia) ]; Professor Chamu Kuppuswamy [ Hertfordshire Law School (United Kingdom) ]; Professor Luigi Crema [ University of Milan Law School (Italy) ]; Professor Alessio Lo Giudice [ University of Messina Law School (Italy) ]; Professor Alessandra Guida [ Queen's University Belfast (Northern Ireland) ]; Professor Francesco Celentano [ University of Bari Law School (Italy) ]; Professor André Nollkaemper [ University of Amsterdam Law School (Netherlands) ]; Professor Uche Ewelukwa Ofodile [ University of Arkansas School of Law ]; Professor Becky L. Jacobs [ The University of Tennessee College of Law ]; Professor Jennifer Williams Zwagerman [ Drake University Law School ]; Professor Karen Lundquist [ University of Minnesota Law School ]; Professor Daina Bray [ Yale Law School ]; Professor Milena Sterio [ Cleveland State University College of Law ]; Professor David Forman [ University of Hawaii at Manoa, William S. Richardson School of Law ]; Professor Delcianna J. Winders [ Vermont Law School ]; Professor Margie Alsbrook [ Mercer University School of Law ]

Labor and Employment Workshop
Pedagogy: Future Themes for Employment & Employment Discrimination Courses

This panel will discuss new, emerging, expanding, or changing topics for employment law and employment discrimination courses. Potential topics include the rise of AI in the workplace, new issues in the promotion of diversity, the search for accommodations for disabled workers, protection for mental and emotional disabilities, the clash between employment rights and restrictive abortion laws, the debate over raising the minimum wage and the minimum salary, and restrictions against non-compete agreements.

Moderator: Professor Richard Carlson [ South Texas College of Law ]

Discussants: Professor Miriam Cherry [ St. John's University School of Law ]; Professor Jeffrey Hirsch [ University of North Carolina School of Law ]; Professor Ani Satz [ Emory University School of Law ]; Professor Nicole Porter [ William & Mary Law School ]; Professor Michael Green [ Texas A&M University School of Law ]; Professor Joseph Seiner [ University of South Carolina Joseph F. Rice School of Law ]; Professor Robert Brain [ Loyola Law School, Los Angeles ]; Professor Jessica Roberts [ Emory University School of Law ]; Professor Jarod Gonzalez [ Texas Tech University School of Law ]; Professor Jason Bent [ Stetson University College of Law ]

Newer Law Professors Workshop
Demonstrating How to Engage and Motivate Students

This workshop revolves around demonstrations of teaching by excellent, award-winning teachers who have thought long and hard about their craft and their role. With studies showing that engagement and motivation are important factors in learning, these teachers illustrate how their teaching promotes engaged and motivated students. This is a particularly useful session for those wondering how to minimize distractions, use collaboration, interact with students, and promote long-term learning.

Panelists: Professor Olympia Duhart [ Nova Southeastern University Shepard Broad College of Law ]; Professor Dustin Benham [ Texas Tech University School of Law ]; Professor Susan Kuo [ University of South Carolina Joseph F. Rice School of Law ]; Professor Steve Friedland [ Elon University School of Law ]

Distance Education Workshop
Building Community and Inclusion Using Online Legal Education

Online education, particularly asynchronous education, creates challenges for students who do not see each other through and may not connect with each other on their own. Well-designed courses and programs meet this need by providing the students structured and serendipitous opportunities to engage with each other and build community. Such programs must also include both institutional academic support and peer engagement. This discussion group focuses on the methods to promote a robust community, with particular attention given to ABA Standards 303 designed to enhance intercultural competencies with an emphasis on the need to address gender, race, LGBTQ status, and intersectionality in the experiences of students, staff, faculty, and clients.

Moderator: Professor Sara Berman [ University of Southern California Law School ]

Discussants: Professor Vonda Laughlin [ Lincoln Memorial University Duncan School of Law ]; Professor DeShayla Strachan [ Mitchell Hamline School of Law ]; Professor Areto Imoukhuede [ Florida A&M University College of Law ]; Professor Allison Mittendorf [ Ohio Northern University, Pettit College of Law ]; Dean Greg Brandes [ Monterey College of Law ]; Professor Michele Pistone [ Villanova University School of Law ]; Professor Seth Oranburg [ University of New Hampshire School of Law ]; Professor Paolo Davide Farah [ West Virginia University Rockefeller School of Policy and Politics ]; Professor Zoe Niesel [ St. Mary's University School of Law ]; Professor Andrea Funk [ The Colleges of Law ]; Professor Max Huffman [ Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law ]; Professor Gail E. Mullins [ The University of Oklahoma College of Law ]

Break (sponsored by Carolina Academic Press)

Resonating Feminism: How Feminist Themes in the Music Industry Resonate in the Legal Academy

Our panel, "Resonating Feminism: How Feminist Themes in the Music Industry Resonate in the Legal Academy," will explore the intersection of feminist expression in music and its implications within the legal academic environment. From the empowering lyrics of iconic female artists to the evolution of feminist ideals in popular culture, music offers a rich tapestry of themes that reflect societal struggles and triumphs for women. This session invites attendees to join us as we examine how these themes mirror—or challenge—the lived experiences of female law professors. Our conversation will bridge scholarship on feminism in music with legal academia, inviting a thought-provoking dialogue on advocacy, representation, and gender equality in law schools and beyond.

Moderator: Professor Haley Palfreyman Jankowski [ South Texas College of Law Houston ]

Panelists: Professor Melissa L. Kidder [ Ohio Northern University, Pettit College of Law ]; Professor Tanya Pierce [ Texas A&M University School of Law ]; Professor Keesha Turner Roberts [ Widener University Delaware Law School ]

Family Law Workshop
New Frontiers in Reproductive Rights & Justice

Reproductive law and policy can cover a large swath of issues outside of abortion. This panel will explore some of these less-explored reproductive rights topics, from advanced directives to surrogacy, birth to health privacy. Participants on the panel will cover health care privacy, birth justice, commericail surrogay outside of the US, advanced directives and pregnancy, and the Pregnant Workers Firness Act's coverage of menstruators.

Moderator: Dean Melanie B. Jacobs [ University of Louisville Louis D. Brandeis School of Law ]

Panelists: Professor Stacey Tovino [ The University of Oklahoma College of Law ]; Professor Meghan Boone [ Wake Forest University School of Law ]; Professor David Smolin [ Samford University Cumberland School of Law ]; Professor Jamille Fields Allsbrook [ Saint Louis University School of Law ]; Professor Deborah Widiss [ Indiana University Maurer School of Law ]

Beyond NextGen: Working Together to Improve Student Flourishing

The Nextgen Bar Exam’s increased emphasis on skills makes it more important than ever that faculty work together to reach students who struggle to acquire foundational skills and are at risk of not passing the bar exam. But law school hierarchies and limited job security make it hard for many skills professors to be heard. This is a missed opportunity. Panelists, all skills professors, will share valuable expertise in teaching and learning, focusing on how to reach struggling students. What can we learn from one another to position students for success not only on the bar exam, but also in law school and in practice?

Moderator: Professor Irene Ten Cate [ Brooklyn Law School ]

Panelists: Professor Cherie McPherson [ New York Law School ]; Professor Megan Davis [ University of Houston Law Center ]; Professor Paige Snelgro [ University of Florida Fredric G. Levin College of Law ]

Dean's Workshop
What’s New with the ABA and the Department of Education (or whatever replaces it)

This session is designed to keep law school deans informed about the latest developments and regulatory changes from the American Bar Association (ABA) and the U.S. Department of Education. We will discuss updates and proposed changse to accreditation standards, compliance requirements, and policy changes from the ABA, the current and potential future landscape of the Department of Education, including any new regulations or structural changes, and strategies for adapting to and navigating this potentially volatile landscape.

Discussants: Professor Benjamin Barros [ Stetson University College of Law ]

Business Law Workshop
The Current State of Corporate Purpose Discourse

This panel on "The Current State of 'Corporate Purpose' Discourse" explores the evolving discourse surrounding corporate purpose, particularly in light of key developments in recent years. The 2019 Business Roundtable statement reignited discussions on corporate purpose within both legal scholarship and practice. In 2020, numerous corporations pledged ambitious goals related to ESG and DEI initiatives, yet many of these commitments have since been scaled back. This session invites scholars to examine the implications of these shifts and assess what they reveal about the current state of corporate purpose debates.

Moderators: Professor Emilie Aguirre [ Duke University School of Law ]; Professor Veronica Root Martinez [ Duke University School of Law ]

Discussants: Professor Nicole G. Iannarone [ Drexel University Thomas R. Kline School of Law ]; Professor Colleen Baker [ University of Oklahoma Price College of Business ]; Professor Eric Chaffee [ Case Western Reserve University School of Law ]; Professor Matthew Bodie [ Saint Louis University School of Law ]; Professor Joan MacLeod Heminway [ The University of Tennessee College of Law ]; Professor James Nelson [ University of Houston Law Center ]; Professor Jill Fisch [ University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School ]; Professor Gina-Gail Fletcher [ Duke University School of Law ]; Professor Miriam Baer [ Brooklyn Law School ]; Professor Ann Lipton [ Tulane University ]

Lunch (on your own)

Steering Committee Luncheon

Each member and affiliate school is invited to send one representative to this luncheon.

Newer Law Teachers Workshop
Constructing and Grading Exams to Enhance Assessment and Learning

Constructing exams that are valid and reliable is one of the most important and challenging tasks we have as professors. Grading in a fair and efficient manner requires careful thought and planning. A panel of experienced professors address topics such as: generating ideas, different question types and formats (including multiple choice questions), drafting the exam, fairness issues, grading, and giving feedback.

Panelists: Professor Lindsey Gustafson [ University of Arkansas at Little Rock, William H. Bowen School of Law ]; Professor Howard E Katz [ Cleveland State University College of Law ]; Professor Brannon Denning [ Samford University Cumberland School of Law ]; Professor Emilio Longoria [ South Texas College of Law Houston ]

Family Law Workshop
Parentage, Identity, and Family Formation

This panel discusses how normative legal rules shape and constrain choices around family and identity in a range of different contexts. Participants will explore a variety of legal issues involving parent-child relationships in immigration and prison, sex-based status hierarchies, formal adoption of Black children, and individuals who share a common child. The scope and substance of various normative legal rules have been consistent points of discussion among leading family law scholars

Moderator: Professor Danielle Wingfield [ University of Richmond School of Law ]

Panelists: Professor Laura Lane-Steele [ University of South Carolina Joseph F. Rice School of Law ]; Professor Elizabeth Katz [ Washington University School of Law ]; Professor Jessica Feinberg [ University of Maine School of Law ]; Professor Jamie Cooper [ University of Nebraska College of Law ]; Professor Susan Hazeldean [ Brooklyn Law School ]

Reimagining Attorney Competency: Exploring the NextGen Bar Exam’s Vision of Competency and Our Own

Discussants will examine the NextGen Bar Exam’s shift from assessing recall of black-letter law to assessing a test taker’s use of knowledge in context. This shift aligns with the legal academy’s effort to produce practice-ready lawyers. Are the changes that legal educators have made in recent years enough to meet the demands of the exam and modern practice? What changes have you made in your courses in response to the new exam and to modern practice? What administrative decisions do you foresee being impacted? Discussants will explore how law schools can best support students facing a new bar exam and the rapidly evolving demands of modern practice.

Moderator: Professor Lisa De Sanctis [ University of Florida Fredric G. Levin College of Law ]

Discussants: Professor Yordanka Delionado [ Florida International University College of Law ]; Professor Ben Fernandez [ University of Florida Fredric G. Levin College of Law ]; Professor Amy R. Stein [ Hofstra University Maurice A. Deane School of Law ]; Professor Erin Dewalt [ The University of Oklahoma College of Law ]; Professor Megan Davis [ University of Houston Law Center ]; Professor John Cook [ University of Arkansas School of Law ]; Professor Donna L. Eng [ University of Florida Fredric G. Levin College of Law ]; Professor Jane O'Connell [ University of Florida Fredric G. Levin College of Law ]; Professor Paige Kohn [ Capital University Law School ]; Professor Irene Ten Cate [ Brooklyn Law School ]; Professor Cherie McPherson [ New York Law School ]; Professor Meg Holzer [ Brooklyn Law School ]; Professor Joy Kanwar [ Brooklyn Law School ]; Professor Paige Snelgro [ University of Florida Fredric G. Levin College of Law ]

Dean's Workshop
Ideology, Religion, Race, Gender, and Sexuality: Working Constructively within a Diverse Community

In today's increasingly diverse academic environment, law school deans must navigate complex issues related to ideology, religion, race, gender, and sexuality. This panel will explore strategies for fostering an inclusive and respectful community that respects the dignity and autonomy of our diverse communities. The discussants will share ways to promote open dialogue, address biases and assumptions, and develop policies and responses that support a community where all feel heard and valued.

Discussants: Professor Aviva Abramovsky [ University of Idaho College of Law ]

Online Education Workshop
Building Successful Online Law Programs

As the digital world evolves, online legal education is no longer optional—it is essential. Online courses and programs require strategic foundations and an understanding of how online education varies from in-person education. This panel offers insights and analysis about creating quality online education programs. The session dives into the critical questions every institution must address. Hear from legal educators, administrators, and instructional design experts as they share ways to innovate curriculum design, build programs that stand out, and overcome technological and logistical issues.

Moderator: Professor Steven Friedland [ Elon University School of Law ]

Panelists: Professor Vonda Laughlin [ Lincoln Memorial University Duncan School of Law ]; Ms. Krystal Norton [ - ]; Professor Linda Anderson [ Stetson University College of Law ]

Business Law Workshop
Business Compliance and White Collar Crime

White collar crime often occurs at the intersection of business and crime. As a result, both business and criminal law analyses may be relevant. This discussion group includes both business and criminal law scholars and explores subject matter at the intersection of business compliance and white collar crime (including securities fraud and insider trading). The discussion is designed to address a broad variety of substantive legal, business governance, and enforcement topics.

Moderator: Professor Joan MacLeod Heminway [ The University of Tennessee College of Law ]

Discussants: Professor Colleen Baker [ University of Oklahoma Price College of Business ]; Professor Kaleb Byars [ Mercer University School of Law ]; Professor Eric Chaffee [ Case Western Reserve University School of Law ]; Professor Lucian Dervan [ Belmont University College of Law ]; Professor Martin Edwards [ The University of Mississippi School of Law ]; Professor Jill Fisch [ University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School ]; Professor Gina-Gail Fletcher [ Duke University School of Law ]; Professor Todd Haugh [ Indiana University Kelley School of Business ]; Professor David Kwok [ University of Houston Law Center ]; Professor Veronica Root Martinez [ Duke University School of Law ]; Professor Ellen Podgor [ Stetson University College of Law ]; Professor David Rosenfeld [ Northern Illinois University College of Law ]; Professor Donna Nagy [ Indiana University Maurer School of Law ]

Break (sponsored by Carolina Academic Press)

The Demise of College Sports: Threatening the Financial Integrity of the Education Enterprise

In case you haven’t noticed, many of our universities now spend proportionally more time and money on pursuing sports' revenues than on many educational divisions. This discussion group will discuss how the “professionalization” of college sports and recent legal decisions, including NCAA v Alston and House v. NCAA, could "bankrupt" universities, decimating “downstream” disciples including law schools. Two university presidents have recently sounded a less dire alarm in the Chronicle of High Education. https://www.chronicle.com/article/the-demise-of-college-sports-as-we-know-them.

Moderator: Professor Mitchell F Crusto [ Loyola University New Orleans College of Law ]

Discussants: Professor Ronald Rychlak [ The University of Mississippi School of Law ]; Professor Gary Myers [ University of Missouri School of Law ]; Professor Kevin Govern [ Ave Maria School of Law ]; Professor Jon Garon [ Nova Southeastern University Shepard Broad College of Law ]; Professor Del Wright [ Louisiana State University Paul M. Hebert Law Center ]; Professor Jelani Jefferson Exum [ University of Detroit Mercy School of Law ]; Professor Jalila Jefferson-Bullock [ Arizona Summit Law School ]; Dean Jamila Jefferson-Jones [ University of Kansas School of Law ]; Professor Christopher Mathis [ University of Iowa College of Law ]; Dean ándre douglas pond cummings [ Widener University Commonwealth Law School ]; Mr. Mit Winter [ Kennyherst Perry LLC ]

Collections, Collaboration, and Construction

After years of shrinking or stable budgets with increasing subscription costs and ABA Standard 604 no longer requiring a physical collection, this discussion group focuses on how to ensure our collections support our current and future users, how academic libraries can collaborate to ensure long term access to legal materials, and what the future of library print collections and physical spaces will look like.

Moderator: Professor Jane O'Connell [ University of Florida Fredric G. Levin College of Law ]

Discussants: Professor Caroline Osborne [ University of North Carolina School of Law ]; Professor Billie Jo Kaufman [ Mercer University School of Law ]; Professor Elizabeth Adelman [ University at Buffalo School of Law ]; Professor Leslie Street [ William & Mary Law School ]; Professor Kristina L Niedringhaus [ Georgia State University College of Law ]; Professor Katie Brown [ Charleston School of Law ]; Professor Michelle Cosby [ Washington and Lee University School of Law ]; Professor Elizabeth Hilkin [ University of Florida Fredric G. Levin College of Law ]; Professor Matthew Steinke [ University of Texas School of Law ]

Distance Education Workshop
Now that AI is Here: Lessons in legal education and the practice of law

There has been a rapid transformation in the legal profession’s approach to artificial intelligence. Initially seen as a threat, it then created possibilities, and now the realities are taking shape. AI technologies are impacting the practice of law and that has implications for student learning and training. The discussion group focuses on the use of these tools in law school pedagogy, the importance of technological competence as a lawyer’s ethical obligations, and how best to explore these tools in legal education.

Moderator: Professor Jon Garon [ Nova Southeastern University Shepard Broad College of Law ]

Discussants: Professor Jane Cross [ Nova Southeastern University Shepard Broad College of Law ]; Professor April G. Dawson [ North Carolina Central University School of Law ]; Professor Kirsten K. Davis [ Stetson University College of Law ]; Ms. Pamela Siege Chandler [ West Academic ]; Professor Matthew Dietz [ Nova Southeastern University Shepard Broad College of Law ]; Professor Lisa Smith-Butler [ Charleston School of Law ]; Professor Marcia Narine Weldon [ University of Miami School of Law ]; Professor Brian Sites [ University of Miami School of Law ]; Mr. Michael Gregory [ emDigital ]; Mr. Stephen Burnett [ Carolina Academic Press ]; Professor Gabriel H. Teninbaum [ Suffolk University School of Law ]; Professor Rachelle Holmes Perkins [ George Mason University Antonin Scalia Law School ]; Professor Nick Datzov [ University of North Dakota School of Law ]; Professor Victoria VanZandt [ University of Dayton School of Law ]; Dean Donald Tobin [ University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law ]

Family Law Workshop
New Developments in Reproductive Rights and Justice

Even before the reversal of Roe v. Wade, the law governing reproductive rights and justice was in a period of flux and change. The Dobbs opinion poured gasoline on a fire – and the legal regimes that govern human reproduction are changing quickly and in real time. Legal issues that arise out of the reproductive process can include elements of constitutional law, family law, civil rights law, and health law, among others. Participants in this discussion group will discuss the myriad ways that the law in this area has – and continues – to change.

Moderator: Professor Meghan Boone [ Wake Forest University School of Law ]

Discussants: Professor Jenny Carroll [ The University of Alabama School of Law ]; Professor Robyn Powell [ The University of Oklahoma College of Law ]; Dean Melanie B. Jacobs [ University of Louisville Louis D. Brandeis School of Law ]; Professor Clare Ryan [ The University of Alabama School of Law ]; Professor Stephanie Tang [ Baylor University Law School ]; Professor Nancy Marcus [ California Western School of Law ]; Professor Yvette Lindgren [ University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law ]; Professor Jill Engle [ Penn State Law ]; Professor Noya Rimalt [ University of Haifa Faculty of Law (Israel) ]; Professor Robin Fretwell Wilson [ University of Illinois College of Law ]; Professor Stacey Tovino [ The University of Oklahoma College of Law ]; Professor Jamille Fields Allsbrook [ Saint Louis University School of Law ]; Professor Deborah Widiss [ Indiana University Maurer School of Law ]

Civil Procedure Workshop
Tag! The Jurisdiction Game

This is a demonstration of Tag! The Jurisdiction Game, a board game for law students about Civil Procedure. The rules for Tag! incorporate the doctrines governing federal jurisdiction and venue, so players review the subject matter while they have fun trying to build valid cases against each other. The session will include a brief presentation of the pedagogical benefits of the game and of the process of working with students to design it. But mostly it will be a chance to play the game and see it in action.

Moderator: Professor Richard Heppner [ Thomas R. Kline School of Law of Duquesne University ]

Recalibrating Faculty Equilibrium: The Impact of ABA Standard 405 Revisions

How will the anticipated 2024 revisions to ABA Standard 405 reshape the dynamics of law school faculties and institutional governance? As these changes elevate the status of legal writing professors and academic support administrators, a critical need emerges to examine their far-reaching implications for all faculty members and the broader law school ecosystem. This discussion group will explore the multifaceted impact of the revised Standard 405 on faculty relationships, resource allocation, and institutional decision-making processes. The group will also examine strategies for fostering a more integrated and equitable faculty structure and explore how these status changes could transform law school operations, faculty governance, and, ultimately, the preparation of future legal professionals.

Moderator: Professor Jane Cross [ Nova Southeastern University Shepard Broad College of Law ]

Discussants: Professor Lindsey Gustafson [ University of Arkansas at Little Rock, William H. Bowen School of Law ]; Professor Bob Brain [ Loyola Law School, Los Angeles ]; Professor Irene Ten Cate [ Brooklyn Law School ]; Professor John Cook [ University of Arkansas at Little Rock, William H. Bowen School of Law ]; Professor Laken Albrink [ University of Kentucky J. David Rosenberg College of Law ]; Professor Krista Bordatto [ Campbell University, Norman Adrian Wiggins School of Law ]; Professor Conrad Sturm [ University of Detroit Mercy School of Law ]; Professor Margie Alsbrook [ University of Detroit Mercy School of Law ]; Professor Margaret Lawton [ Charleston School of Law ]

Licensure Reform

The bar exam is changing. Whether through the NCBE's launch of the NextGen exam or the double-digit number of states considering the adoption of non-bar exam pathways to licensure, the world of attorney licensure is experiencing a significant reform period. This discussion brings together licensure experts from all corners of the country for a critical discussion about the need and effectiveness of that reform.

Moderator: Dean Brian Gallini [ Quinnipiac University School of Law ]

Discussants: Professor Nachman N. Gutowski [ UNLV William S. Boyd School of Law ]; Professor Marsha Griggs [ Saint Louis University School of Law ]; Professor Antonia Miceli [ Saint Louis University School of Law ]; Professor Mary Szto [ Syracuse University College of Law ]; Professor Ashley London [ - ]; Professor Catherine Bramble [ Brigham Young University, J. Reuben Clark Law School ]; Professor Sarah Garrison [ University of Detroit Mercy School of Law ]; Dean Jeffrey Dobbins [ Willamette University College of Law ]; Dean Neal Fulton [ University of South Dakota School of Law ]

Aspen Publishing Co. Reception

Works-in-Progress Workshop - Civil Procedure and Federal Courts

This workshop gives faculty the opportunity to present a work-in-progress and to receive substantive feedback on their work from scholars with varying degrees of experience in the academy who write in similar or related fields. Each participant both submits their own work and reviews that of their fellow participants in advance of the meeting, leading to a more interactive exchange of ideas. Unlike other works-in-progress programs, the participants in this session are chosen from a request for submissions.

Discussants: Professor Susan Provenzano [ Georgia State University College of Law ]; Professor Sarah Parks [ Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law ]; Professor Amanda Sholtis [ Widener University Commonwealth Law School ]

Works-in-Progress Workshop - Writing Connections

This workshop gives faculty the opportunity to present a work-in-progress and to receive substantive feedback on their work from scholars with varying degrees of experience in the academy who write in similar or related fields. Each participant both submits their own work and reviews that of their fellow participants in advance of the meeting, leading to a more interactive exchange of ideas. Unlike other works-in-progress programs, the participants in this session are chosen from a request for submissions.

Works-in-Progress Workshop - Constitutional Law

This workshop gives faculty the opportunity to present a work-in-progress and to receive substantive feedback on their work from scholars with varying degrees of experience in the academy who write in similar or related fields. Each participant both submits their own work and reviews that of their fellow participants in advance of the meeting, leading to a more interactive exchange of ideas. Unlike other works-in-progress programs, the participants in this session are chosen from a request for submissions.

Discussants: Professor Charlton Copeland [ University of Miami School of Law ]; Professor Lauren Gailey [ Thomas R. Kline School of Law of Duquesne University ]; Professor Christopher Lund [ Wayne State University Law School ]; Professor Lawrence Rosenthal [ Chapman University Dale E. Fowler School of Law ]; Professor Jonathan Shaub [ University of Kentucky J. David Rosenberg College of Law ]; Professor Michael Smith [ St. Mary's University School of Law ]; Professor Howard M. Wasserman [ Florida International University College of Law ]; Professor Srikanth Reddy [ Elon University School of Law ]

Surveying the Impact of A.I. on the Legal Profession

This discussion group will continue the conversation from previous years on how Artificial Intelligence is impacting the legal profession. Last year, we asked if A.I. will redefine the profession. Has it? If so, how has the profession changed? How has teaching the law and/or legal skills changed? Are there new A.I. technologies that have been created in the past year that will have a great impact? Should we be concerned about what is on the A.I. horizon? This group will take stock of recent developments and consider whether A.I. has had the impact we expected or whether major developments are still yet to come.

Moderator: Professor Conrad Sturm [ University of Detroit Mercy School of Law ]

Discussants: Professor April Dawson [ North Carolina Central University School of Law ]; Professor Michael Murray [ University of Kentucky J. David Rosenberg College of Law ]; Professor Carolyn Williams [ University of North Dakota School of Law ]; Professor Suzanne Rowe [ University of Oregon School of Law ]; Professor Kirsten Davis [ Stetson University College of Law ]; Professor Sabrina Lopez [ University of Florida Fredric G. Levin College of Law ]; Professor Bruce Connolly [ Ave Maria School of Law ]; Professor Heather Baxter [ Nova Southeastern University Shepard Broad College of Law ]; Professor David Lourie [ University of Detroit Mercy School of Law ]; Professor Marcia Narine Weldon [ University of Miami School of Law ]; Professor Yordanka Delionado [ Florida International University College of Law ]; Professor John Cook [ University of Arkansas at Little Rock, William H. Bowen School of Law ]; Professor Bob Brain [ Loyola Law School, Los Angeles ]; Professor Renee Henson [ University of Missouri School of Law ]

Works-in-Progress Workshop - Administrative Law

This workshop gives faculty the opportunity to present a work-in-progress and to receive substantive feedback on their work from scholars with varying degrees of experience in the academy who write in similar or related fields. Each participant both submits their own work and reviews that of their fellow participants in advance of the meeting, leading to a more interactive exchange of ideas. Unlike other works-in-progress programs, the participants in this session are chosen from a request for submissions.

Discussants: Professor Kara Consalo [ Florida A&M University College of Law ]; Professor Ellen Farwell [ Roger Williams University School of Law ]; Professor Fernando Loayza Jordán [ Yale Law School ]; Professor Linda Jellum [ University of Idaho College of Law ]; Professor Bijal Shah [ Boston College Law School ]; Professor Jarron Wheeler [ University of Florida Fredric G. Levin College of Law ]

Civil Procedure Roundtable: Twenty-First Century Procedure after Two Decades of the Roberts Court

This group gathers on the twentieth anniversary of the Roberts Court to discuss cutting-edge scholarship and to reflect on the transformation of access to justice and the adjudication process in the twenty-first century's first quarter. We consider personal jurisdiction, including Ford Motor Co.'s empirical impact and "consent" jurisdiction's role after Mallory v. Southern Norfolk and Fuld v. PLO; subject-matter jurisdiction limitations after the anticipated decision in Royal Canin U.S.A. v. Wullschleger; horizontal and vertical choice-of-law issues continuing to arise in complex litigation; and the landscape for arbitration, aggregate litigation, discovery, and other procedural issues after rule revisions and doctrinal changes over the last two decades.

Moderators: Professor Charles (Rocky) Rhodes [ South Texas College of Law Houston ]; Professor Thomas Metzloff [ Duke University School of Law ]

Discussants: Professor Scott Dodson [ University of California College of the Law, San Francisco ]; Professor Daniel Croxall [ University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law ]; Professor Michael Vitiello [ University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law ]; Professor Zoe Niesel [ St. Mary's University School of Law ]; Professor Ryan Stoa [ Louisiana State University Paul M. Hebert Law Center ]; Professor Howard Wasserman [ Florida International University College of Law ]; Professor Richard Heppner [ Thomas R. Kline School of Law of Duquesne University ]; Professor Paul Lund [ Charleston School of Law ]; Professor Patrick Murphree [ Jacksonville University College of Law ]; Professor Jill Fisch [ University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School ]; Professor Susan Provenzano [ Georgia State University College of Law ]; Professor Philip Pucillo [ Michigan State University College of Law ]; Professor Judy Cornett [ The University of Tennessee College of Law ]; Dean Richard Freer [ Emory University School of Law ]

Family Law Workshop
The Scholarship and Impact of Dorothy Roberts

Professor Dorothy Roberts’s legacy is enormous and far-reaching – as a teacher, scholar, and colleague as well as an advocate for justice over a period of many years. This discussion group will focus on the impact of Professor Roberts on the legal academy and on individual participants' own teaching and individual scholarship in numerous different aspects of family law and other fields.

Moderator: Professor Sarah Katz [ Temple University, James E. Beasley School of Law ]

Discussants: Professor Melissa Breger [ Albany Law School ]; Professor Robyn Powell [ The University of Oklahoma College of Law ]; Professor Julie McConnell [ University of Richmond School of Law ]; Professor Malinda Seymore [ Texas A&M University School of Law ]; Professor Jill Engle [ Penn State Law ]; Professor Stephanie Tang [ Baylor University Law School ]; Professor Carla Laroche [ Tulane University Law School ]; Professor Danielle Wingfield [ University of Richmond School of Law ]; Professor Tiffany Atkins [ Elon University School of Law ]

Consumer Law, Commercial Law, and Bankruptcy Workshop
Consumer Law, Commercial Law, and Bankruptcy Roundtable

This discussion group offers a forum for consumer law, commercial law, and bankruptcy scholars to workshop a work-in-progress or emerging idea for a future project. The scope of this discussion group encompasses any contract, consumer, commercial and/or bankruptcy law-related theme and is intentionally broad. Discussants briefly present an idea for an early-stage project (5-10 minutes) and receive feedback from other discussants.

Moderator: Professor B. Summer Chandler [ Louisiana State University Paul M. Hebert Law Center ]

Discussants: Professor Christopher D. Hampson [ University of Florida Fredric G. Levin College of Law ]; Professor Robert Brain [ Loyola Law School, Los Angeles ]; Professor Marc Roark [ University of Tulsa College of Law ]; Professor Kara Bruce [ University of Toledo College of Law ]; Professor Daniel M. Tavera [ Mississippi College School of Law ]; Professor Brook Gotberg [ Brigham Young University, J. Reuben Clark Law School ]; Professor Missy Lonegrass [ Louisiana State University Paul M. Hebert Law Center ]; Professor Martha Thibaut [ Loyola University New Orleans College of Law ]; Professor Del Wright [ Louisiana State University Paul M. Hebert Law Center ]

Newer Law Teachers Workshop
Professional Identity Formation and ABA Standard 303: Where Are We Now?

This discussion addresses the current status of implementing the language of ABA Standard 303 (b) (3), requiring law schools to provide substantial opportunities for students to develop professional identity. the discussion uses the lens of "where we are now" in the curriculum. Panelists will discuss a range of doctrinal and experiential classes in the first year and upper-level curriculum, learning modules, and strategies that provide a learning platform for and about Professional Identity Formation. This panel is helpful and current because it continues earlier discussions about how law schools could approach ABA Standard 303(b)(3) before formally incorporating this requirement.

Moderator: Professor Natt Gantt [ High Point University School of Law ]

Discussants: Professor Benjamin Madison [ Regent University School of Law ]; Professor Kathy Conner [ Elon University School of Law ]; Professor Joel Mintz [ Nova Southeastern University Shepard Broad College of Law ]; Professor Nancy Soonpa [ Texas Tech University School of Law ]; Professor Steven Friedland [ Elon University School of Law ]; Professor Scott Dodson [ University of California College of the Law, San Francisco ]; Professor Olympia Duhart [ Nova Southeastern University Shepard Broad College of Law ]; Professor Erin Fitzgerald [ Elon University School of Law ]; Professor Vanessa Zboreak [ Jacksonville University College of Law ]

Break (sponsored by Aspen Publishing)

Constitutional Law Workshop
Constitutional Technocracy: Author Meets Critics

This panel engages Professor Abigail R. Moncrieff's forthcoming book, Constitutional Technocracy (Cambridge 2026(ish)). Moncrieff's book is an ambitious reimagining of human governance and the American constitutional order. The book's core argument has three components. First, technocratic governance is inescapable. All positive laws are means to ends, and as such, they must work, empirically, to achieve their purposes. Second, because society is always changing, the technocratic calibration of laws to their purposes requires perpetual experimentation. Experimentation, in turn, requires diffuse sovereignty and dialectical democracy. Third, power in the American constitutional order is already far more diffuse and dialectical -- far less hierarchical or hegemonic -- than the scholarship recognizes. On this panel, Moncrieff engages with some early critics of her theory.

Panelists: Professor Abigail R. Moncrieff [ Cleveland State University College of Law ]; Professor Gary Lawson [ University of Florida Fredric G. Levin College of Law ]; Professor Michael Smith [ St. Mary's University School of Law ]; Professor Mark Graber [ University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law ]

Tort Law Workshop
Torts: The Shifting Sands of Large-Scale Litigation

Large-scale tort litigation has developed not only as a tool to remedy mass, often small-scale injustices, but also as a forum for social change. The tool is currently buffeted by strong winds blowing in a variety of directions, however. The Supreme Court's limitations on class actions, looming proposals to limit consolidated litigation, the sometimes-distorting effects and ethical quandaries of litigation financing, and the law-shaping results of forum shopping are but a few examples. This discussion group will address these topics and more by workshopping a series of short submissions by panelists. We also welcome the contributions of folks who have not submitted a paper--so come one, come all!

Moderator: Professor Jonathan Cardi [ Wake Forest University School of Law ]

Discussants: Professor Vince Cardi [ West Virginia University College of Law ]; Professor Nia Johnson [ Wake Forest University School of Law ]; Professor Brett Green [ Washington University School of Business ]; Dr. Abby Green [ Washington University School of Medicine ]; Mr. Ross Green [ - ]; Professor Cristina Tilley [ University of Iowa College of Law ]; Professor Enrique Armijo [ Elon University School of Law ]; Professor Elizabeth Weeks Leonard [ University of Georgia School of Law ]; Mr. Michael Cardi [ Bowles Rice LLP ]; Professor Albert Yoon [ University of Toronto Faculty of Law (Canada) ]; Mr. Andy Wright [ K&L Gates ]; Professor Mike Green [ Washington University School of Law ]; Professor Adam Zimmerman [ University of Southern California Law School ]; Professor Matteo Godi [ University of Southern California Law School ]; Professor Alexi Lahav [ Cornell Law School ]; Professor Samir Parikh [ Wake Forest University School of Law ]

Executive Branch Accountability: Impeachment, Special Counsels, Congressional Oversight, Immunity, and Criminal Liability

This panel considers the efficacy and validity of the various existing mechanisms for holding presidents and their appointees accountable. In addition to the Supreme Court's grant of presidential immunity in Trump v. United States, the past several years have brought (1) two presidential impeachments; (2) a third, contested presidential impeachment investigation ; (3) the first impeachment of a cabinet secretary in a century; (4) the appointment of five special counsels to investigate matters related to Trump and Biden; and (5) numerous oversight and impeachment disputes between the House and White House over access to information. This panel considers lessons to be learned and potential reforms in light of this constellation of events.

Moderator: Professor Jonathan Shaub [ University of Kentucky J. David Rosenberg College of Law ]

Panelists: Professor Michael Gerhardt [ University of North Carolina School of Law ]; Mr. Andy Wright [ K&L Gates ]; Professor Emily Berman [ University of Houston Law Center ]; Professor Michael Vitiello [ University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law ]; Mr. Donald Sherman [ - ]

Lunch (on your own)

Consumer Law, Commercial Law, and Bankruptcy Workshop
Current Issues in Bankruptcy Law

This panel explores emerging trends and new developments in bankruptcy law. The panelists present works-in-progress on a range of issues arising in the context of bankruptcy proceedings. The topics addressed include the roles of legal actors in complex Chapter 11 cases, bankruptcy courts' decisions to abstain from or dismiss cases falling outside of the realm of bankruptcy law, bankruptcy proceedings in times of urgency and significant economic peril, and the enforcement of arbitration agreements in bankruptcy proceedings.

Moderator: Professor Ishaq Kundawala [ Mercer University School of Law ]

Panelists: Professor Laura Napoli Coordes [ Arizona State University Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law ]; Professor B. Summer Chandler [ Louisiana State University Paul M. Hebert Law Center ]; Professor Christopher D. Hampson [ University of Florida Fredric G. Levin College of Law ]; Professor Stephen Ware [ University of Kansas School of Law ]

Health Law Workshop
The Future of Health Care Reform

As we recognize the fifteen year anniversary of the Affordable Care Act, we note that conceptions of the goals, methods, and measurements of healthcare reform have changed dramatically in the time since the law was first enacted. This panel will explore what has happened with health care reform in the last fifteen years and look forward to what is likely to come as a new administration takes over. The panel will discuss all of those changes and, in particular, how to best describe the more modern ideas of healthcare reform.

Moderator: Professor Deborah Farringer [ Belmont University College of Law ]

Panelists: Professor Jacqueline Fox [ University of South Carolina Joseph F. Rice School of Law ]; Professor Jessica Mantel [ University of Houston Law Center ]; Professor John Cogan [ University of Connecticut School of Law ]

Family Law Workshop
Children's Rights & Parental Rights

The rights of parents and children are unique but related. This panel invites a diverse group of scholarly perspectives to explore and discuss the legal frameworks that govern both the rights and duties of children and parents. Panelists will discuss issues ranging from third-party gamete conception to adoption to immigration and incarceration to trans rights to technology to school shootings and beyond.

Moderator: Professor Melissa Breger [ Albany Law School ]

Panelists: Professor Malinda Seymore [ Texas A&M University School of Law ]; Professor Chrystal Clodomir [ Elon University School of Law ]; Professor Clare Ryan [ The University of Alabama School of Law ]

Newer Law Teachers Workshop
Training Session on Mentoring Law Students

More than ever, law professors are called on to mentor law students. This highly interactive program addresses effective mentoring, including how to establish a relationship with a student while maintaining appropriate boundaries, addressing issues common to modern law students (e.g., managing time, learning to be a self-regulated learner), handling stress (and knowing one's limits and to refer students for professional help), encouraging students to maintain perspective, exploring areas of law in which the student's talents would best fit and in which the student would have a sense of purpose. The presenters will work in small groups with the audience, perhaps role-play, and provide hands-on guidance on being an effective mentor.

Moderator: Professor L. O. Natt Gantt [ High Point University School of Law ]

Panelists: Professor Benjamin Madison [ Regent University School of Law ]; Professor Kendall Kerew [ Georgia State University College of Law ]; Professor Jerry Organ [ University of St. Thomas School of Law ]

Break

T&E Pedagogy Discussion: Suggestions for effective teaching and learning in the T&E classroom

Discussants will share examples of teaching ideas and exercises in their T&E classes that accomplished a particular teaching goal, explained a difficult concept, or otherwise engaged students to better learn the material. If possible, discussants will bring handouts or other sample material to share with the group. The workshop will allow a time of question-and-answer brainstorming to better develop teaching ideas mentioned.

Discussants: Professor Eric Chaffee [ Case Western Reserve University School of Law ]; Professor Karen Sneddon [ Mercer University School of Law ]; Professor Reid Weisbord [ Rutgers Law School (Newark) ]; Professor Tim Todd [ Liberty University School of Law ]; Professor Donald E. Campbell [ Mississippi College School of Law ]; Professor Lee Petherbridge [ Loyola Law School, Los Angeles ]; Professor Tabrez Ebrahim [ Lewis & Clark Law School ]; Professor Grace Orsatti [ Thomas R. Kline School of Law of Duquesne University ]; Professor Victoria Haneman [ Creighton University School of Law ]; Professor Emily Grant [ Washburn University School of Law ]; Professor Gail Richmond [ Nova Southeastern University Shepard Broad College of Law ]; Professor Patrick Tolan [ Western Michigan University Cooley Law School ]; Professor Patricia Cain [ Santa Clara University School of Law ]; Professor Phyllis Taite [ The University of Oklahoma College of Law ]; Professor Michael Higdon [ The University of Tennessee College of Law ]; Professor Carla Spivack [ Albany Law School ]; Professor Randy Beck [ University of Georgia School of Law ]

Health Law Workshop
Hot Topics in Bioethics and Public Health

This discussion group will explore a variety of legal topics addressing current hot topics in bioethics, disability, and public health, including public health issues beyond COVID-19, disability and disability access to health care, Health AI and its impact on disability and health disparities, AMA Codes of Ethics as compared to ABA Model Rules of Professional Conduct, a reconsideration of disability laws in the context of mental health and general emotional wellbeing, religious exemptions for vaccines, and bolstering trust in the health sector through improved implementation of health laws.

Moderator: Professor Deborah Farringer [ Belmont University College of Law ]

Discussants: Professor Joanna Sax [ California Western School of Law ]; Professor Nicole Porter [ William & Mary Law School ]; Professor Chris Ogolla [ Barry University, Dwayne O. Andreas School of Law ]; Professor Debra Strauss [ Fairfield University Charles F. Dolan School of Business ]; Professor John Cook [ University of Arkansas at Little Rock, William H. Bowen School of Law ]; Professor Julie Agris [ Nova Southeastern University Shepard Broad College of Law ]; Professor Barbara Pfeffer Billauer [ University of Porto Faculty of Law (Portugal) ]; Professor Jessica Roberts [ Emory University School of Law ]; Professor Amy Campbell [ University of Illinois Chicago School of Law ]; Professor Alex Kreit [ Northern Kentucky University, Salmon P. Chase College of Law ]; Professor Valarie Blake [ The University of Tennessee College of Law ]

Newer Law Teachers Workshop
Women in Legal Education: Early Career Issues

For many decades, law school faculties were populated primarily by men. However, just as the law school student population has changed, so has the composition of law school faculties. Law professors who identify as female face unique situations and challenges within the historically male dominated profession. This session offers an opportunity to discuss and explore the common and uncommon issues those who identify as female face within the academy, as well as an opportunity to explore ways to navigate them.

Moderator: Professor Erin Fitzgerald [ Elon University School of Law ]

Discussants: Professor Tiffany Adkins [ University of Kentucky J. David Rosenberg College of Law ]; Professor Allyson Gold [ Wake Forest University School of Law ]; Professor Victoria J. Haneman [ Creighton University School of Law ]; Professor Katherine Macfarlane [ Syracuse University College of Law ]; Professor Gillian Chadwick [ Washburn University School of Law ]; Professor Daria Fisher Page [ University of Iowa College of Law ]; Professor Courtney Cross [ University of Nevada, Las Vegas William S. Boyd School of Law ]; Professor Sandi Varnado [ Loyola University New Orleans College of Law ]; Professor Anna Hemingway [ Widener University Commonwealth Law School ]; Professor Nancy Soonpa [ Texas Tech University School of Law ]; Professor Rosario Lozada [ Florida International University College of Law ]

Business Law Workshop
Teaching the Basic Business Law Course(s)

Whether a law school uses the label “Business Associations,” “Business Organizations,” “Corporations,” or something else, every law school has one or more courses addressing the foundation and basics of business law—e.g., the law of agency relationships, partnerships, limited partnerships, limited liability companies, and other entities. Yet, the valid ways these basic course offerings are taught vary widely. This discussion session aspires to inspect similarities and differences in basic business law course design (including credit hours and class length), teaching (including assessment) methods, teaching tools (including the use of statutory supplements), learning objectives, and more. Topics for further discussion include, among others, the precise laws being taught and the level of attention given to non-bar topics.

Moderator: Professor Joan MacLeod Heminway [ The University of Tennessee College of Law ]

Discussants: Professor David Nows [ Thomas R. Kline School of Law of Duquesne University ]; Professor Sergio Alberto Gramitto Ricci [ Hofstra University Maurice A. Deane School of Law ]; Professor Judd F. Sneirson [ Southern University Law Center ]; Professor Marjorie White [ University of North Carolina School of Law ]; Professor Marcia Narine Weldon [ University of Miami School of Law ]; Professor Christina Sautter [ SMU Dedman School of Law ]; Professor John Rice [ Lincoln Memorial University Duncan School of Law ]; Professor Samantha Prince [ Penn State Dickinson Law ]; Professor Colleen Baker [ University of Oklahoma Price College of Business ]; Professor Douglas Moll [ University of Houston Law Center ]; Professor David Lourie [ University of Detroit Mercy School of Law ]; Professor George Georgiev [ Emory University School of Law ]; Professor Jill Fisch [ University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School ]; Professor Itai Fiegenbaum [ St. Thomas University Benjamin L. Crump College of Law ]; Professor Martin Edwards [ The University of Mississippi School of Law ]; Professor Eric Chaffee [ Case Western Reserve University School of Law ]

Non-AI Issues in IP Law

AI has received remarkable scholarly attention in the IP space, as it has in many other areas of the law. Has the focus on AI minimized or obscured other issues in IP law and policy? This discussion group gives space for discussants each to spend a few minutes to introduce their recent or forthcoming scholarly project (as long as it is not focused on AI!), with time at the end for general group discussion.

Moderators: Professor Lucas Osborn [ Campbell University, Norman Adrian Wiggins School of Law ]; Professor W. Keith Robinson [ Wake Forest University School of Law ]

Discussants: Professor Justin Koo [ The University of the West Indies Faculty of Law (St. Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago) ]; Professor Tim McFarlin [ Samford University Cumberland School of Law ]; Professor June Tai [ University of Iowa College of Law ]; Professor Andrew C. Michaels [ University of Houston Law Center ]; Professor J. Janewa Osei-Tutu [ Florida International University College of Law ]; Professor Saurabh Vishnubhakat [ Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law of Yeshiva University ]; Professor Dustin Marlan [ University of North Carolina School of Law ]; Professor Emma Perot [ The University of the West Indies Faculty of Law (St. Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago) ]

Civil Law in the Americas: Past, Present, and Future

This year marks the Bicentennial of the Louisiana Civil Code of 1825. Originally enacted in 1808 as the “Digest of the Civil Laws of the Territory of Orleans,” the 1825 Louisiana Civil Code is the oldest civil code in the Americas, having influenced all others. This discussion group examines the historical development of civil law while addressing current issues and the future trajectory of civil law systems across the Americas and globally. By exploring the past, present, and future of this legal tradition, we gain insight into its enduring legacy and dynamic potential.

Moderators: Professor Olivier Moreteau [ Louisiana State University Paul M. Hebert Law Center ]; Professor Nick Davrados [ Louisiana State University Paul M. Hebert Law Center ]

Discussants: Professor Mitchell Crusto [ Loyola University New Orleans College of Law ]; Professor Patrick Murphree [ Jacksonville University College of Law ]; Professor Marc Roark [ University of Tulsa College of Law ]; Professor Milton J. Hernandez [ Mississippi College School of Law ]; Professor Martha Thibaut [ Loyola University New Orleans College of Law ]; Professor John Lovett [ Louisiana State University Paul M. Hebert Law Center ]; Professor Meera Sossamon [ Loyola University New Orleans College of Law ]; Professor Kenya Smith [ Louisiana State University Paul M. Hebert Law Center ]; Professor Caprice Roberts [ Louisiana State University Paul M. Hebert Law Center ]; Professor Ray Diamond [ Louisiana State University Paul M. Hebert Law Center ]; Professor Desiree Slaybaugh [ University of North Texas Dallas College of Law ]; Professor Donna Schwab [ Southern University Law Center ]

Carolina Academic Press Closing Reception

Business Law Workshop
Fireworks Over Delaware

This discussion group addresses the Summer 2024 debate over S.B. 313, a revision to the Delaware General Corporation Law. The Delaware Legislature passed S.B. 313 in apparent response to judicial decisions involving shareholder agreements and statutory formalities. The group also evaluates similar Delaware cases that illustrate evolving doctrine and practice involving controlling shareholders, independent negotiating committees, non-ratable benefits, and redomestication. These cases and statutory amendments are just the latest examples of the chronic tension in corporate law between private ordering and mandatory rules.

Moderators: Professor Joan MacLeod Heminway [ The University of Tennessee College of Law ]; Professor Martin Edwards [ The University of Mississippi School of Law ]

Discussants: Professor Eric Chaffee [ Case Western Reserve University School of Law ]; Professor Geeta Tewari [ Widener University Delaware Law School ]; Professor Veronica Root Martinez [ Duke University School of Law ]; Professor Jill Fisch [ University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School ]; Professor Colleen Baker [ University of Oklahoma Price College of Business ]; Professor Jeremy Kidd [ Drake University Law School ]; Professor John Rice [ Lincoln Memorial University Duncan School of Law ]; Professor George Georgiev [ Emory University School of Law ]; Professor Kevin R. Douglas [ Michigan State University College of Law ]; Professor David Rosenfeld [ Northern Illinois University College of Law ]; Professor Michael Guttentag [ Loyola Law School, Los Angeles ]; Professor Matthew Baker [ The University of Mississippi School of Law ]; Professor Christina Sautter [ SMU Dedman School of Law ]; Professor Judd F. Sneirson [ Southern University Law Center ]

T&E Scholarship Discussion Group - Current and Evolving Trusts & Estates Scholarship

Scholarship in the Trusts & Estates field is dynamic and expanding. Until recently, trusts and estates law primarily concerned mechanisms for the effective transfer of wealth and it was the province of dry formalities. There was widespread consensus over a series of core principles and concepts basic to the field. New scholarship, however, seeks to challenge this traditional approach and to bring alternative perspectives to the core meanings and concepts of trusts and estates. The scholarship today uses a variety of methodologies and lenses. In this discussion group, participants have an opportunity to present their current research and explore symmetries and differences between their various scholarly projects.

Discussants: Professor Gail Richmond [ Nova Southeastern University Shepard Broad College of Law ]; Professor Emily Grant [ Washburn University School of Law ]; Professor Tabrez Y. Ebrahim [ Lewis & Clark Law School ]; Professor Grace Orsatti [ Thomas R. Kline School of Law of Duquesne University ]; Professor Randy Beck [ University of Georgia School of Law ]; Professor Donald E. Campbell [ Mississippi College School of Law ]; Professor Lee Petherbridge [ Loyola Law School, Los Angeles ]; Professor Eric Chaffee [ Case Western Reserve University School of Law ]; Professor Tim Todd [ Liberty University School of Law ]; Professor Carla Spivack [ Albany Law School ]; Professor Michael Higdon [ The University of Tennessee College of Law ]; Professor Phyllis Taite [ The University of Oklahoma College of Law ]; Professor Reid Weisbord [ Rutgers Law School (Newark) ]; Professor Patricia Cain [ Santa Clara University School of Law ]; Professor Patrick Tolan [ Western Michigan University Cooley Law School ]; Dean Karen Sneddon [ Mercer University School of Law ]; Professor Victoria J. Haneman [ Creighton University School of Law ]

Health Law Workshop
Current Topics in Health Care Operations and Regulatory Matters

This discussion group explores various topics regarding the operations and regulatory landscape in the health care industry, including the following topics: corporate influence on health care, state telemedicine laws impacting telemedicine induction of buprenorphine, health equity after SFFA v. Harvard, FDA law hot topics, cannabis decriminalization, AI and payor systems, reform in a post-ACA environment, and ongoing cybersecurity threats to the healthcare industry. Discussants will have the opportunity to engage in questions and explore these topics and others.

Moderator: Professor Deborah Farringer [ Belmont University College of Law ]

Discussants: Professor Ani Satz [ Emory University School of Law ]; Professor Stacey Tovino [ The University of Oklahoma College of Law ]; Professor Jennifer Oliva [ Indiana University Maurer School of Law ]; Professor Dana Jones [ North Carolina Central University School of Law ]; Professor Wendy Epstein [ DePaul University College of Law ]; Professor John Cogan [ University of Connecticut School of Law ]; Professor Jamille Fields Allsbrook [ Saint Louis University School of Law ]; Professor Jessica Mantel [ University of Houston Law Center ]; Professor Jacqueline Fox [ University of South Carolina Joseph F. Rice School of Law ]

Consumer Law, Commercial Law, and Bankruptcy Workshop
Pedagogy and Assessments in Consumer Law, Commercial Law, and Bankruptcy Courses

This discussion group aims to bring together professors who teach in the fields of consumer law, commercial law, and/or bankruptcy to share best practices for teaching and assessing our students. Topics include: final exams, midterms, and other assessments; written projects; simulations; drafting exercises; and other modes of teaching and assessing students. Professors of all levels of experience are encouraged to share their experiences and expertise. The scope of this discussion group is intentionally broad and participants may touch upon any matter related to teaching and assessing consumer law, commercial law, and bankruptcy.

Moderator: Professor Summer B. Chandler [ Louisiana State University Paul M. Hebert Law Center ]

Discussants: Professor Peter Marchetti [ Texas Southern University, Thurgood Marshall School of Law ]; Professor Christopher D. Hampson [ University of Florida Fredric G. Levin College of Law ]; Professor Marc Roark [ University of Tulsa College of Law ]; Professor Robert Brain [ Loyola Law School, Los Angeles ]; Professor Colin Marks [ St. Mary's University School of Law ]; Professor Ishaq Kundawala [ Mercer University School of Law ]; Professor Martha Thibaut [ Loyola University New Orleans College of Law ]; Professor Daniel M. Tavera [ Mississippi College School of Law ]; Professor Stacy Biggart [ University of Florida Fredric G. Levin College of Law ]; Professor Laura Napoli Coordes [ Arizona State University Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law ]; Professor Stephen Ware [ University of Kansas School of Law ]; Professor Kara Bruce [ University of Toledo College of Law ]; Professor Brook Gotberg [ Brigham Young University, J. Reuben Clark Law School ]; Professor Rodney Chrisman [ Liberty University School of Law ]

Professional responsibility/legal ethics workshop
Legal Ethics and AI

This is an annual discussion among legal ethics/professional responsibility teachers and scholars and anyone else interested in meeting with us. This year we will be hosting a broad discussion of the ramifications of AI in our area, including ways AI is affecting the legal profession as a whole, how layer regulators are (and mostly are not) regulating AI as a provider of legal services/advice, how AI is affecting the teaching of PR/legal ethics (including a frank discussion of students using AI to complete coursework, i.e. cheating), and how AI is popping up before courts and bar regulatory authorities. On a related topic, AI played no part in drafting this description.

Discussants: Professor Benjamin Varadi [ Vermont Law School ]; Professor Benjamin Barton [ The University of Tennessee College of Law ]; Professor Kate Kruse [ Mitchell Hamline School of Law ]; Professor Ryan Stoa [ Louisiana State University Paul M. Hebert Law Center ]; Professor John Cook [ University of Arkansas at Little Rock, William H. Bowen School of Law ]; Professor Veronica Root Martinez [ Duke University School of Law ]; Professor Patrick Murphree [ Jacksonville University College of Law ]; Professor John Rice [ Lincoln Memorial University Duncan School of Law ]; Professor Alex Long [ The University of Tennessee College of Law ]; Professor Paula Schaefer [ The University of Tennessee College of Law ]; Professor Kirsten K. Davis [ Stetson University College of Law ]; Professor Ericka Kelsaw [ Texas Southern University, Thurgood Marshall School of Law ]; Professor Benjamin Cooper [ The University of Mississippi School of Law ]

The Geneva Conventions: 75 Years Later

With a total of 196 state parties, there are no other international treaties as widely ratified as the four 1949 Geneva Conventions on the Laws of War. But these important treaties are showing their age. The rules and principles they established for the conduct of war were created before the advent of the computer, space flight, the Internet, artificial intelligence, autonomous weapons, and other modern technologies that have transformed the ways in which contemporary wars are fought. This discussion group focuses on approaches for amending and modernizing these critically important international conventions.

Moderators: Professor Gregory Noone [ Roger Williams University School of Law ]; Dean Gregory W Bowman [ Roger Williams University School of Law ]

Discussants: Dr. Mariette Jones [ Middlesex University Faculty of Law (UK) ]; Dr. Dimitrios Parashu [ Leibiniz University (Hannover, Germany) ]; Professor Nuno Cunha Rodrigues [ University of Lisbon Faculty of Law (Portugal) ]; Professor Rafael Bilcharz [ University of Silesia Faculty of Law (Poland) ]; Professor Elvin Evrim Dalkthc [ Bilkent University Faculty of Law (Turkey) ]; Professor Paul Williams [ American University School of Public Affairs ]; Professor Milena Sterio [ Cleveland State University College of Law ]; Professor Mark Sundahl [ Cleveland State University College of Law ]; Professor Laurie Blank [ Emory University School of Law ]; Professor Avidan Cover [ Case Western Reserve University School of Law ]; Professor Laura A. Dickinson [ The George Washington University Law School ]