Law School Academic Support Blog

Today is Law Student Mental Health Day!

To coincide with World Mental Health Day, observed annually on October 10, today also marks the ABA’s annual Law Student Mental Health Day. This day provides an opportunity to reflect on the well-being of law students and the mental health challenges they face. Law school can be, and often is, a demanding, high-stress environment. Self-care is essential.

If you know of or are a law student looking for Mental Health Resources related to law school, the American Bar Association’s Law Student Division is a great place to start. The ABA offers mental health-related articles, podcasts, and webinars, and provides links to additional programs and resources on their platform. Law Students can take advantage of these resources for free with a free student ABA membership.https://www.americanbar.org/groups/law_students/resources/mental-health/

Many law schools are following the ABA’s lead and are beginning observe Law Student Mental Health Day through thoughtful programming, wellness initiatives, and even scheduled days off. Whether it is an informational panel, a student organization hosting bracelet-making or pumpkin painting, yoga or meditation, if your law school is hosting a wellness event, encourage your peers and students to attend. On this Law Student Mental Health Day, let’s take a step beyond individual care and focus on how we, as peers and colleagues, can make a positive impact on each other's mental health and our law school community.

Be kind to yourself and others; today and every day.

(Erica Sylvia, UMass Law)

1L of a Blog Series: Preparing for Midterms

Welcome to law school! This is a biweekly series with tips and tricks for success in law school. We’ll cover things like time management, outlining, preparing for exams, and more! Although this series covers skills and tricks that might be new to 1Ls, I hope that every member of the law school community can find something helpful here.

You’ve made it about halfway through the semester, and it’s time to start taking midterm exams! Your first (and second, and third…) law school midterm can be intimidating since it’s new territory. This is likely your first opportunity to put it all together and demonstrate your knowledge. But, to demonstrate that knowledge, you need to put in the legwork to master the material. This blog provides some tips on how to structure your studying to help you be more confident taking your exam.

1. Understand Your Professor’s Expectations

The oft-forgotten step of studying is figuring out what your professor expects. As an initial matter, what format is your midterm? Will it be multiple choice, essay, short answer, a combination? Understanding the format of the exam will help you tailor your studying.

Further, do you get to bring anything into the exam? For instance, perhaps your professor allows a one-page outline, or maybe it’s entirely open book and note. On the other hand, perhaps it’s entirely closed book. While you should study for every exam as if it’s closed book, if you’re allowed to bring something in, you’ll have to allot time to prepare and organize that material.

The key takeaway here, though, is that there is a lot of non-law-related information you need to know before going into the exam. Search the professor’s syllabus, course policies, or ask if you’re unsure on these points.

2. Memorize and Understand the Material

This seems like an obvious tip, but it’s crucial to your success. Whether or not you’re allowed to bring material into the exam, you’ll need to have your rules of law committed to memory. Don’t rely on whatever you can bring into the exam to replace memorization because you’ll spend more time flipping through your notes than answering the questions. Plus, you also need to understand the law to be successful during your exam.

There’s a key difference between memorizing and understanding. [WARNING! Math example ahead!] Memorizing material is just being able to recite it. For example, you might have memorized a² + b² = c² in high school. But would you be able to readily apply it if you were given a math problem? That’s the distinction! You might dig that Pythagorean Theorem out of the recesses of your memory, but you may not understand how to apply it anymore. This same distinction applies to your midterm. For your exam, you need to have the rule statements committed to memory AND understand how they apply to different factual scenarios. So, while you study, make sure you’re devoting time to both.

This is where outlining comes into play. Your outline will help you understand the relationship between the different topics and see the “big picture” of the course. You can revisit hypotheticals in your notes as you outline, jot down key points on how each rule works, and note how the rules work together. You should also use your outline structure to identify an analytical structure you can use during the exam. Then, you can use memorization techniques (think flashcards, mnemonic devices, etc.) to commit the rules and structure to memory. Lean into your learning style to find the techniques that are most efficient and effective for you!

3. Practice!

As noted above, your professor likely won’t ask you to recite rules of law on your exam. Instead, you’ll be presented with a fact pattern and asked to draw a conclusion based on the rules of law you’ve learned so far this semester. You won’t know the exact fact pattern until you open your exam, but that doesn’t mean you should be resigned to winging it! You need to practice the types of questions you’ll see in advance of the exam.

There are many benefits to practicing before the exam. First, practice questions can help you fine tune your analytical approach. Using existing questions with sample answers can help you evaluate and streamline how you’re analyzing problems so you can be efficient during the exam. Next, practice helps you verify your understanding. If you’re consistently getting questions about a particular topic wrong, you need to go back to make sure you understand how that law works. Finally, there are only so many ways to test legal topics. By working on a variety of practice problems, you’re building a bank of factual triggers and their outcomes that’ll help you during the exam.

There are multiple ways to find practice material. The first is by using what your professor has already given you. If your professor poses hypotheticals, goes over multiple-choice questions, or provides a practice exam, use those questions while you study. They’re likely the closest analog to what you’ll see on the exam. Next, you should look to supplemental materials, such as books and online resources, for additional practice problems. There’s a lot of material out there, so ask your TAs and academic support professionals for advice. They may be able to recommend supplemental materials that correspond to your professor’s exam style so you don’t have to do a lot of trial and error.

With midterms around the corner, I hope these tips will help you build an effective study routine that will help you feel confident in your exam. Beyond these academic tips, don’t forget to eat well, get plenty of sleep, and take care of your physical, mental, and emotional health during this stressful time. You can do this!

 

(Dayna Smith)

Anxiety Before Autumn: Considering Why Law Students are Seemingly Stressed Much Earlier in the Semester

Before this academic year, fluctuations in law student anxiety (at least where I work) was seemingly in sync with the changing of the seasons. It was as if the turning of the New England foliage on the campus grounds marked the end of the "honeymoon period" and ushered with it the anxiety marathon which would linger through the finish line of finals. This year, though, feels different.

We all know that anxiety in law school is nothing new; but this semester, I've noticed outward signs of high anxiety much earlier than ever before. Indeed, this semester might set a new personal record with just how many students I have seen in tears by week two or three. Students who used to feel the weight of assignments and grades only later, now appear anxious within the first few weeks.

What is driving this shift, and how can we as academic support and bar professionals help?

Here, are just a few of the factors that I have personally observed this semester which are seemingly contributing to wide-spread anxiety:

1. The Myth of Immediate Competence
With the rise of social media, students are being bombarded with images of success from day one. Whether it is from their peers who are "crushing it" in their studies, or stories of 3Ls landing prestigious internships, this pressure can create unrealistic expectations of self. Many students feel they should hit the ground running and know everything right away. By comparing oneself to the perceived versions of others, self-doubt and anxiety is setting in much earlier.

2. The Proliferation of Smaller Assigned Tasks
The legal curriculum has also changed, with many professors pivoting from an “all or nothing” final exam and incorporating more formative assessments, early research assignments, or even practice exams within the first few weeks. While these are great tools for teaching and learning, and provide more opportunity for individualized feedback, reflection and growth, the proliferation of small assignments across several courses can feel overwhelming to students who are already anxious, have suboptimal organizational or time-management skills, or those who may feel unprepared or uneasy about their performance.

3. The Fear of Falling Behind

One of the oldest but still potent causes of anxiety in law school is the fear of falling behind and being spread too thin. I see many students, particularly 2Ls, who are juggling new responsibilities for the first time. This could be clinics, practice courses, externships, perhaps participation on a student journal, student organization leadership roles, and other extracurriculars on top of their coursework. Even the slightest sign that they might be falling behind academically can lead to disproportionate worry, especially so early in the semester.

What Can We Do? As academic support and bar professionals, we have the unique opportunity to help students manage this early-onset academic anxiety and develop healthy, sustainable strategies to handle the pressure. I do not pretend to be a medical professional (nor do I play one on TV), but here are some effective strategies that I have used to help ease my anxious students.

1. Humanize the Law School Experience

Law school is a marathon, not a sprint; and the first few “miles” may start off a little shaky. After all, thinking “like a lawyer” and understanding why law school operates the way it does takes time to develop. I find sharing stories of your own personal early law school days and overcoming adversity (even if that adversity was trying to make sense of the Rule Against Perpetuities) can give students a healthier perspective and something with which to relate.

2. Emphasize Process Over Perfection

Remind students that the goal of assignments and assessments is not perfection but progress. Encouraging them to focus on learning from feedback rather than simply chasing grades or hyper-fixating on the number on the page can take some of the weight off their shoulders.

3. Teach and Encourage Time Management Early

Introducing students to time management tools and strategies early in the semester can help them avoid the dreaded feeling of being overwhelmed by the variety of tasks. By creating study schedules, setting realistic goals, and breaking down larger tasks into manageable pieces, students can regain a sense of control.

4. Promote Mental Health Resources

As ASP’ers (and often those on the faculty/staff with whom emotional or vulnerable students feel most comfortable reaching out), we mean well; but sometimes, I know I am not professionally equipped to help my students in the way they need it most. It is helpful to remind students about the mental health resources available to them. Whether it is a campus counseling center, mindfulness workshops, or other local support groups, giving students access to these resources early in the semester can help them address anxiety before it snowballs.

(Erica Sylvia, UMass Law)

Academic and Bar Support Scholarship Spotlight

Little, Camesha (Detroit Mercy), Think, Reflect, Refine: Shaping The Modern Lawyer (SSRN, September 13, 2024).

From the abstract:

Legal education must undergo a substantive transformation to adequately equip future lawyers for an increasingly complex, technology-driven legal landscape. This article critically examines the limitations of current pedagogical practices, particularly the persistent reliance on traditional methodologies such as the case method, which can engender a hostile and exclusionary learning environment—especially for students from historically underrepresented identities. It contends that the prevailing focus on doctrinal instruction often comes at the expense of cultivating essential humanistic competencies, including emotional intelligence and self-awareness. These attributes are indispensable for promoting professional well-being, sound judgment, and the development of a robust professional identity. The article advocates for the integration of reflective thinking and writing as pedagogical strategies to assist law students in navigating complex emotional landscapes, enhancing critical reasoning skills, and fostering professional growth. Embedding these reflective practices within doctrinal courses is imperative to creating a more inclusive, empathetic, and supportive academic environment, thus preparing students to emerge as competent, emotionally intelligent legal professionals capable of thriving in the modern era.

2.  Chilton, Adam (Chicago), Goldin, Jacob (Stanford), Rozema, Kyle (Northwestern), and Sanga, Sarath (Yale), Occupational Licensing and Labor Market Mobility: Evidence from the Legal Profession, Yale Law & Economics Research Paper (September 20, 2024).

From the abstract:

We study how state occupational licensing requirements shape labor mobility across U.S. legal markets. Drawing on newly collected data, we link variation in state bar exam waiver policies to lawyers’ license acquisitions, professional disciplinary records, and educational histories. We find that bar exam waivers increase the number of experienced lawyers obtaining a new license by 38 percent, but that the additional lawyers are subject to more professional discipline and tend to have graduated from less selective law schools. Our results suggest that state-level occupational licensing regimes can create a trade-off between the supply and quality of professionals in an industry.

3.    Conklin, Michael (Angelo State), Zoom to the Bar: How Remote Instruction Affected Bar Exam Performance (SSRN, September 01, 2024).

From the abstract:

The Covid-19 pandemic had a profound effect on nearly every aspect of life starting in 2020. Existing research measuring the relationship between covid restrictions and academic performance has found significant harm across numerous settings. This first-of-its-kind study is designed to measure if a similar phenomenon is present with performance on state bar exams taken by law school graduates. The counterintuitive results from this study—that more restrictive covid lockdowns correlated with improved bar examination performance—spark discussion regarding lockdowns, legal education, remote learning pedagogy, and the bar exam. Furthermore, the findings of this study will hopefully serve as a powerful catalyst to spark productive debate regarding the inherent tradeoffs involved in pandemic policies. This comes at an opportune time as we are currently at a critical juncture of relevant events. These include rising online teaching modalities in the twenty-first century, a growing movement to abolish the bar exam, the threat of artificial intelligence replacing some aspects of the practice of law, increasing salience regarding race and educational outcomes, and a movement to diminish the importance of higher education.

4.  de Perio Wittman, Jessica (Connecticut) and Brown, Kathleen (Katie) (Charleston), Next-Gen Bar Exam That Truly Tests Daily Practice Skills Must Include Technology (SSRN, September 20, 2024).

From the abstract:

The article "Next-Gen Bar Exam That Truly Tests Daily Practice Skills Must Include Technology" by Jessica de Perio Wittman and Kathleen (Katie) Brown discusses the urgent need to integrate technology competency into the upcoming bar exam, set to debut in 2026. The authors advocate for bar examiners to include assessments of basic technology tasks, such as document creation and electronic communication, to ensure newly licensed lawyers possess the necessary skills for effective practice.   The authors argue that incorporating these competencies into the bar exam is essential for aligning legal education with the realities of legal practice, thereby enhancing the readiness of new attorneys in a rapidly advancing technological landscape. 

[Posted by Louis Schulze, FIU Law].

Renovations

Our house is about half-functional these days as we are finally doing some very needed repairs to a really old house. It is expensive, loud, and dusty. The main contractor and my dog have the same name which is confusing-- and sometimes entertaining. They have taken our kitchen and a bathroom down to the studs (I have learned that beams are entirely different things). They’ve shown me the horsehair drywall that lives behind painted walls.  I’ve dealt with the strange optical illusion that rooms that are emptied and without walls somehow look smaller than the rooms did when they were full of furniture and appliances. Is it the light or lack of it? Who knows-but it was a little mind-blowing. It was really disconcerting for me to see an empty room as less space than a full one.

This illusion is something I think about when talking to first year students about the exponential increase in reading and other expectations this time of year. If you do nothing but being a law student-bring it down to the studs of reading, briefing, and outlining, then there is the chance your capacity may seem smaller than it did when you had other activities in your life. However, maybe the expectations and challenges seem smaller when that is all there is to work on.  

I have written before about how the run up to Halloween is spooky season for 1L students. The honeymoon that follows orientation is over and their ghoulish spouse (law school) is eating their brain. One thing we can in ASP is (after meeting with a student) to figure out if they need a bare, empty room type of strategy or a space with full context type of strategy-or both depending on the class. We do have to remind them to keep their whole household running in the background, for example: a legal writing assignment should not be the only thing that gets attention at the expense of other obligations.

Our 1L’s are undergoing renovation. It will be a semester long project where they continuously make good changes but will also likely make mistakes and have to rework things. I think letting them know we are here and that we see them working on it is most of what we need to do to help.  We can also acknowledge that there will be dusty boot prints on the stairs at times and remind them that this is the price of improvement. All of us are works in progress which is why we practice-rather than perfect-law.

(Liz Stillman)

1L of a Blog Series: Outlining for Success

Welcome to law school! This is a biweekly series with tips and tricks for success in law school. We’ll cover things like time management, outlining, preparing for exams, and more! Although this series covers skills and tricks that might be new to 1Ls, I hope that every member of the law school community can find something helpful here.

You’re starting to get the hang of this law school thing! You’ve gotten into a good routine, you’re reading and briefing your cases, and you’re acing your cold calls. Not to throw you off, but you need to add something else: outlining! This blog will address some commonly asked questions about outlining so you can create your outlines with confidence.

What is an outline?

An outline is a study guide you make for each class. Outlines help you understand the overall structure of a course, visualize connections between concepts, and memorize legal rules for your exams. Unless your professor has said otherwise, your primary takeaway from class should be the rules of law. So, your outline should be focused on the rules and how to apply them.

Even though the term “outline” probably brings to mind a lot of Roman numerals, letters, and numbers arranged hierarchically, your class outline can be in any form. Your outline should fit your learning style, and it may be a different format for each of your classes. Sure, some students will use a more “traditional” outline with Roman numerals, but others will use flow charts and mind maps to better visualize the material. Every student’s outline is personalized to their learning style and preferences, so don’t be afraid to get creative.

You may also hear 2Ls and 3Ls talking about attack outlines. As exciting as they sound (outline battles, anyone?), an attack outline simply shows how you will attack exam questions. These may capture how you’ll walk through a giant issue-spotter essay, or they may be for distinct sub-topics. They help organize the steps of analysis for you to memorize then apply during an exam so you do not miss any key points.  

How do I get started?

If you haven’t started outlining yet, it’s time to get on it! The easiest way to start outlining for a class is to look at the syllabus. From the syllabus, you can usually get a sense of the big topics within the course, if not a more detailed look as subtopics within each major heading. Your professor organized the course the way they did for a reason, so start your outline by following their lead!

Then, you should look to your case briefs and class notes to fill in the rules for each topic. Generally speaking, you won’t need to memorize the details of each case you read (defer to your professor on this one!), so you should isolate the rules from each case for your outline. That being said, the cases are valuable for understanding how the rule works, so if examples help you understand, you may want a few memory-jogging facts from each case in your outline. You may also want to include a few key hypotheticals your professor posed in class for the same reason.

Often, the hardest part of outlining is getting started because it can feel overwhelming. Keep in mind that you can (and should) adjust your outlines over time, so if you’re not happy with the structure you chose last week, you can just change it. An outline is a living document that tracks your understanding of the material, so it’s always evolving. If you need advice for getting started, or if you suddenly realize you’re not on the right track, you should reach out to your TA, academic success program, and/or professor for additional guidance.

When do I add material?

Regularly! You should add to your outline for each class at least every other week. You can put your subjects on a rotation so you only have to work on a couple subjects each week. But I would also recommend having some flexibility. It’s helpful to add material once you finish a topic. For instance, when your torts class transitions from battery to negligence, it’s time to add battery to your outline and adding it right away will help you identify and resolve any gaps in understanding.

How do I use my outline?

Your outline is primarily a way to organize the material so you can get a better understanding of the key takeaways of each class. However, your outline is not something you make and set aside. Instead, it evolves as you get a better understanding of the material. So, as you add new material to your outline, you’re also reviewing and refining the stuff that’s already in there. You’ll benefit from your outline by creating it, reviewing it, revising it, memorizing it, and using it to answer practice questions. Ultimately, your outline should become your constant companion for each class.

Use Commercial Outlines with Caution!

I would be remiss if I didn’t at least mention commercially available outlines. As you hopefully gathered from above, outlining is as much about the process as it is the final product. Additionally, commercial outlines aren’t tailored to the class your professor is teaching. They aren’t going to emphasize the same things or phrase rules the same way. Thus, they won’t be as helpful for the exam. So, the takeaway is: You really have to make your own outline.

However, I still find commercial outlines helpful if used effectively. They’re a great place to look to for an alternate explanation of a particularly sticky topic or for clarification of how topics relate. So, your rule of thumb: the commercial outline is a supplement, not a substitute. You must still create your own outlines if you want to fully understand the material for the exam.

 

That’s the scoop on outlining! Hopefully these explanations and tips will help you get started and keep going throughout the semester. Remember, outlining is a personal, ongoing process, so don’t be nervous if your outline isn’t exactly like your classmate’s, as long as you’re keeping up with the material. The only completely incorrect way to outline is not to outline at all!

(Dayna Smith)

(ASSOCIATE) PROFESSOR OF PRACTICE- OFFICE FOR ACADEMIC SKILLS INSTRUCTION AND SUPPORT - University of California Law, San Francisco

University of California College of the Law, San Francisco (“UC Law SF,” formerly, “UC Hastings”), located in downtown San Francisco, seeks applicants for a contract (non-tenure track) faculty role. This full-time faculty position is situated within the law school’s innovative, faculty-led Office for Academic Skills Instruction and Support (OASIS) and provides dedicated academic and bar skills instruction and support to students in the Legal Education Opportunity Program (LEOP). LEOP was created by the UC Law SF faculty in 1969 to make legal education accessible to students who have overcome adversity. This acclaimed program, which is unique among University of California-affiliated law schools, supports about 20 percent of our JD students.

This position reports to the Associate Dean for OASIS on co-curricular and academic skills and programming matters. The faculty member in this role coordinates closely with the Assistant Dean for LEOP and the Director of Bar Passage Support, as well. The role includes oversight and administration of co-curricular academic skills and bar support programming for LEOP students and teaching. The position is full-time. Contract lengths for Professors of Practice are 1-5 years and may be renewed. The faculty rank is Lecturer, with a Professor of Practice working title (or Associate Professor of Practice for persons with fewer than five years of full-time teaching experience). The start date is July 1, 2025, or sooner, depending on the chosen candidate’s availability.

This is a year-round position. The Professor of Practice is obligated to teach for-credit classes only during the fall and spring but is responsible for working on LEOP skills support program development, bar support for recent LEOP graduates, and other non-teaching matters year-round, including the summer months.

Interested candidates must have the following qualifications:

JD degree.

Bar membership.

At least 3 years of practice or teaching experience.

Capacity to implement academic support programming, train and manage teaching assistants and provide feedback on written legal analysis and other skills tested in law school classes and on the bar exam.

Demonstrated ability to support students who have overcome disadvantage.

Cross cultural competency, including the ability to connect with diverse and first generation students.

 Ability to work collaboratively in a team setting.

Prior teaching experience is strongly preferred.

 

The anticipated starting base compensation range is $99,275 - $109,725, depending on prior teaching experience. The role also includes a faculty development account. This position qualifies for the Full UC Benefits Package, which includes primary retirement benefits, comprehensive medical, dental and vision coverage, and a variety of voluntary supplemental benefit plans to meet the incumbents individual needs.

Applications will be considered on a rolling basis until the position is filled.

Each applicant must submit the following materials:
o Cover letter summarizing reasons for seeking this position.
o Resume or CV.
o Teaching reviews, if any.
o Three professional or academic references.

Please forward these materials to Provost & Academic Dean Morris Ratner ([email protected]). 

Director of Academic Success / Assistant Professor of Law - University of Pacific - McGeorge School of Law

Primary Purpose and Essential Functions

The University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law (McGeorge), an ABA- accredited law school in Sacramento, California, is seeking applicants for the position of Director of Academic Success (“Director”). The Director of Academic Success enjoys faculty status and will hold the title of Professor of Law, Legal Practice, with a rank of assistant, associate, or full professor commensurate with experience. Professors of Law, Legal practice, of all ranks, have voting rights, faculty governance responsibilities, and sabbatical opportunities. Although not a tenure-track position, it is designed to lead to a long-term contract that, if successfully completed, culminates in an indefinite contract with no term limits and with job security similar to a tenured position.

The Director is responsible for running the comprehensive academic success program offered to J.D. students in their first and second years at McGeorge. Depending on the availability of support from other faculty, the Director also may teach a course in our Global Lawyering Skills program and/or a doctrinal course with an academic support focus. All 1L students are required to take a one (1) unit course in the fall semester dedicated to learning foundational law school skills. This course is created and taught by the Director in connection with a substantive course (such as Torts or Criminal Law) and in collaboration with other 1L faculty. The Director creates curriculum for a required 1L study group program and hires and supervises the upper division students who work with the 1Ls in the program. In addition, the Director teaches follow-up skills sessions and provides one-on-one counseling to 1L and 2L students who are identified to be at risk of academic disqualification.

Other responsibilities include:

• Tracking academic performance of at-risk students and other students in academic difficulty.
• Communicating regularly with the Dean of Students and Dean of Academic Affairs regarding at-risk students and their progress.
• Developing and teaching skills sessions for Orientation and Pre- Orientation programs.
• Teaching or co-teaching a summer skills seminar for incoming students.
• Striving continuously to find ways to improve the academic support program.
• Researching and implementing the most current best practices for academic support.
• Collaborating with faculty and staff in programming and analysis of pilot programs for 1L students.
• Working collaboratively with the Director of Bar Support to ensure consistent messaging and strategies across a student’s law school career.

University of the Pacific recognizes that diversity, equity, and inclusion is foundational to the success of our valued students and employees. We prioritize policy and decision-making that demonstrates awareness of, and responsiveness to, the ways socio-cultural forces related to race, gender, ability, sexuality, socio-economic status, etc. impede or propel students, faculty, and staff.

 

Minimum Qualifications

• Juris-Doctor (J.D.) degree.
• Three (3) years of post-J.D. legal experience.
• Two (2) years of experience teaching, providing academic support, or in similar role in a law school.
• Holds membership in a state bar association.

Preferred Qualifications

• Prior experience directing an academic support program at a U.S. law school.
• Possesses extraordinary interpersonal skills. Communicates effectively.
• Maintains professional composure and demeanor at all times.
• Promotes vision, mission, and core values of McGeorge School of Law.
• Experience and sensitivity in working with people of diverse backgrounds and cultures.
• Demonstrated experience in advancing social justice, equity, and inclusion in a university setting.
• Ability to engage and integrate culturally responsive practices and knowledge in their work.

Hiring Range

$110,000.00 - $130,000.00 per year. We consider factors such as, but not limited to, scope and responsibilities of the position, candidate’s qualifications, internal equity, as well as market and organizational considerations when extending an offer.

 

 You may submit your application here.

Academic and Bar Support Scholarship Spotlight

Erica Lux (Texas Tech), Put Me in Coach: Enhancing Foundational Skills Across the Curriculum with Neurodivergent Law Students in Mind Ahead of the NextGen Bar Exam (forthcoming 2024).

From the abstract:

As more adults discover that they are neurodivergent, the law student population is likely to be no different, and legal education must adapt to support the support the skill development needs of these students as they seek to enter the profession. Neurodivergence is a non-medical term that refers to a variety of conditions resulting from changes to a person’s brain structure and function. More commonly, academic discussions around law student neurodivergence focus on autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)—both of which have not been properly diagnosed over the past several decades. However, neurodivergence also incorporates anxiety disorders, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), and learning disabilities (each of which are often co-morbid with other neurodivergent conditions)—and several of which will also be discussed in this Article. Neurodivergent law students process, synthesize, and impact the legal world differently from their neurotypical peers. This in turn influences neurodivergent law students’ foundational skills in studying, testing, and professional interactions, including those with peers, professors, clients, and colleagues in law school and in practice. Further, now that the bar exam is changing to incorporate assessment of several foundational lawyering skills, neurodivergent law students will likely need additional support in developing relevant skills to meet their needs in testing and in practice. This Article identifies educational, communication, professional, and interrelationship skills and support mechanisms that law schools can implement to help neurodivergent law students develop skills they may struggle to develop through traditional law school pedagogy and curriculum. This Article further proposes ways that legal education can adapt current curriculum with neurodivergent law students in mind in a way that helps all law students develop and improve their foundational skills for the NextGen bar exam and future practice.

Campbell, Donald E. (Mississippi College), Get Your Head in the Game:  Gamifying the Bar Examination, 40 Miss. College L. Rev. 223 (2022).

From the abstract:

During a recent administration of the bar examination, I observed the following: a student who had a child ten days before the exam passed; a student on law review failed; a student whose predictors indicated he should fail the bar exam passed; two students who were in the library every day studying failed. Even though these folks were all taking the same exam, their outcomes varied dramatically, and there did not seem to be a common variable that predicted whether they would pass or fail. My first inclination was to throw up my hands in frustration and chalk it up to the fact that every student’s situation is unique.

I was satisfied to shrug and mutter, “what can you do?,” until I came across a podcast on Coach Nick Saban. Saban is a successful college football coach at the University of Alabama. As I listened to the podcast, I realized that the bar exam experience is very similar to a football team’s preparation for a championship game. The stakes are high, the preparation is intense and condensed, each individual bar taker will either win (pass) or lose (fail), and there are points assigned based on how well the performer does.

[Posted by Louis Schulze, FIU Law]

The Terrific Twelfth

 

Happy Monday AASE!

As you know, AASE has an amazing annual conference. Last May, we were in Boise for a wonderful week of presentations, events, camaraderie, and genuine learning (shout out to U. of Idaho for hosting a great one!).

As you may know, this year's conference will be in Boston at Suffolk University Law School. And while the official theme will be released soon, we are already starting to plan what we hope will be a fabulous twelfth AASE national conference. I know you all want to come to Boston and see the Old North Church, Sam Adams' grave, the Freedom Trail, and, of course, all the Dunkins!!!! I am actually writing this blog entry in the shadow of Fenway Park. We are looking into historical walking tours, a baseball game (the Red Sox are playing the Mets that week in inter-league play), and of course more of everything we love about AASE conferences. 

To that end, we are seeking AASE members who would like to join our Programming Committee to help plan, shape, and organize this conference. It is not a tiny ask, but it is a fun one.

Please join us so this conference can be everything you want and need in these crazy times. 

Please use the linked form to express your interest in joining the AASE Programming/Planning Committee for the 2024-2025 academic year:

AASE Programming Committee Interest Form 

 

(Liz Stillman, Sarah Schendel, and Kirsha Trychta)

Assistant/Associate Dean - Lawyering Excellence and Bar Success and Lecturer - University of Miami School of Law

REPORTING RELATIONSHIP: Reports to the Dean of the School of Law.

RESPONSIBILITIES: The Associate/Assistant Dean will lead the Bar Success program, and will work closely with faculty, other administrators and students. Job duties include the following:

• Working with Faculty, Assistant Dean of Belonging & Inclusion, the Associate Dean of Pedagogical Innovation, and other key stakeholders to develop a holistic approach to academic and lawyering excellence
• Coordinate and align priorities with the Faculty, the Office of Career and Professional Development, and law school leadership to promote professional development and success on the bar exam.
• Teaching and developing courses, as needed, related to bar success.
• Providing support and programming for graduates during bar review periods (summer and winter), in the form of workshops, exam simulations, and individual advising.
• Analyzing bar passage trends and outcomes; tracking completion rates provided by bar preparation companies; and liaising with students and faculty as data becomes available.
• Collect and analyze data related to student populations and the bar exam, to improve program efficacy, and in connection with reporting obligations for the ABA and U.S. News & World Report.
• Additional related duties as assigned.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:

Mandatory Qualifications:

• J.D. degree with a record of high academic achievement from an ABA-accredited law school.
• Admission to the bar in at least one U.S. jurisdiction.
• Experience in the field of student support, academic support, or bar preparation.
• At least 2-3 years of experience teaching in a classroom setting at a law school or other institution of higher education.  Title of Assistant Dean or Associate Dean is determined from candidates experience level.
• Excellent oral/written communication, presentation, and interpersonal skills.
• Skilled at collecting and analyzing data.
• Knowledge of best practices and developments in the field of law school bar preparation.
• Comfortable in a multicultural and diverse student body, with a demonstrated commitment to diversity and inclusion.
• Strong understanding of the challenges facing the current generation of law students and a viable, thoughtful strategy for addressing them.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with both academic support and bar exam preparation.

Job Status:

Full time

Employee Type:

Faculty

 

1L of a Blog Series: Three Tips for Reading & Briefing Cases

Welcome to law school! This is a biweekly series with tips and tricks for success in law school. It’ll cover things like time management, outlining, preparing for exams, and more! Although this series covers skills and tricks that might be new to 1Ls, I hope that every member of the law school community can find something helpful here.

You’re a week or two into your law school classes, so you’ve started digging into your casebooks. From your first reading, you probably noticed two things: the takeaways aren’t super obvious and you’re going way slower than you expected.

Both of these are totally normal! Learning from cases means that you’re learning from primary sources. Unfortunately, this means that the cases weren’t written for you to learn from. Instead, the opinions you’re reading were written to solve real-life problems. That doesn’t mean they aren’t great learning tools. It just means you need to learn how to dissect them.

Before your first class, you were likely introduced to the parts of a case brief. You know to identify relevant facts, tease out legal rules, and dissect dissents. However, you are also realizing that you’ll need to become more efficient to keep your nightly reading assignments under control. The following tips will help you streamline your process to get the most out of your briefs.

1. Read and re-read

For most cases, I recommend reading them twice. This tip seems counterintuitive to saving time but hear me out. The first time you read the case, put your pen down. Just read the case for the story. Get a feel for what’s happening. Then, pick up your pen and do a second, closer reading. This is when you’re digging out the parts of your brief and analyzing the rule of law.

Why is this approach helpful? The first reading helps you understand where the case is going and what might be relevant. It gives you the big picture without the stress of trying to figure out whether that one line is the court’s reasoning or the holding. Then, when you return a second time, you have a better understanding of the broader picture so you can make more informed decisions about what needs to go in your brief. If you skip the first read-through, you’ll often find yourself deleting portions of your brief that you spent precious time fine-tuning because you come to realize they weren't relevant. By building two passes through each case into your reading schedule, you will often save time while being more confident in your case brief for class. I caution against reading each case more than twice, though. Oftentimes, the diminishing returns in a third read weighed against your valuable time means that a third, fourth, or fifth read-through is not worth it.

2. Tailor your brief to your professor

When you first start a semester, you should go all-out on your briefs. Put every (relevant!) detail in. Give equal weight to each component.

However, a few classes into the semester, you should start to get a better sense of what your professor wants to talk about. Some professors may be wild about knowing every factual detail of each case. Others may not care about what happened and just want to talk about the rule of law. You’ll find professors at each end of this case briefing spectrum, as well as at every point in between. To be the most efficient and effective student in each class, you should tailor your brief to your professors’ preferences.

This process is not difficult, but you need to be a keen observer while also participating in each lecture. Besides noting the rules of law you’ll need for your outline, you should also be paying attention to what types of questions your professor asks. Do they ask for full case recitations? Are they interested in the one-sentence takeaway of each case? How do they prompt you and your colleagues to use the cases? By questioning what the professor is looking for, you are helping your future self save time on case briefs and ace the next cold call.

3. Self-assess

They say practice makes perfect, and case briefing is no exception. However, you’re likely not being asked to turn in your case briefs, so how do you know if you’re doing them correctly?

Self-assessment! Every class is an opportunity to assess how you’re doing with reading and briefing the cases. Even if you’re not on-call that day, use your case briefs to play along. Constantly ask yourself if you could have answered the professor’s question. Analyze what you missed from your brief that your professor or colleagues discussed in class. You can note things you missed directly on your case briefs, which you can then analyze for trends.  If you find you’re consistently missing key portions of the cases in your briefs, it’s time to re-evaluate your technique.

If you’re having a hard time with your readings, you’re not alone! Reading primary sources like cases is a difficult process that you likely haven’t had to do before. Trust that you’re getting more efficient as you practice and, before you know it, you’ll be briefing cases like a pro. And, of course, if you’d like additional guidance, go see your TA, academic success professionals, and/or your professor. Don’t waste your precious time because you’re nervous to ask for support! Everyone was new to case briefing once, and everyone has their own tips to share. 

For now, it’s time to get back to your reading!

 

(Dayna Smith)

Words Matter

When I was in law school, I took a criminal trial practice class where the "final" was a trial. The case I had to try (as a prosecutor) for that assessment was a rape case (it was a different time) and the issue was whether there was consent (maybe not that different....). I made my opening argument, prepped, examined, and cross-examined witnesses, had evidence admitted, and then did my closing argument. After all the work that went into the trial, the jury (composed of undergraduates) decided in my favor and convicted the defendant. Was it the evidence or the skillful examination of witnesses that persuaded them? Nope. It was one line in my closing argument where I speculated that no one would chose a romantic moment in a car with the engine off on a cold February night. I hadn't even practiced that bit, it was impromptu, but the jury agreed that consent didn't seem likely under those circumstances. And that is when I learned that, in law, words really matter. An unscripted sentence could have changed things against me just as easily. 

Late last week I got an email from a frantic 1L. At their first TA "law school bootcamp" session, the teaching assistant had told an entire section of property about the "real reason behind the grading curve" and how it is requires that professors fail some students. They also explained the academic standards that lead to being put on probation.  I suppose if any of what the TA had said had been truthful, I would have been frightened too. Telling students that the curve is intended to prevent them from being able to transfer to another school because of a perceived low GPA was creative-- but entirely made up. Further admonishing them that the curve required professors to issue unsatisfactory and even failing grades was utterly false. And advising students that if their GPA was below a 3.0, they would be put on academic probation was just fake news. 

I cannot imagine why a TA would do this. Were they engaging in the ultimate flex by trying to make 1Ls impressed that they, the TA, had not fallen into any of these traps? Were they gatekeeping by making it seem as if 2L was only available to a chosen few? Were they trying to emulate a 'scared straight' session for 1Ls? Again, I will never know. But I do know that there are over 100 students in that class and certainly more than the four or five I heard from attended that session. If more students were frightened by this misinformation, I hope they are friends with the students I spoke to and were able to hear the truth. I did report this to our TA coordinator who in turn also gave our Dean of Students a heads up in case frightened students went there. 

It made me really look back at what I have said in orientation lectures and other classes. If you know me, you know I talk a mile a minute and attempt to be funny, but you never know what will actually come out of my mouth. I tend to avoid scripting my lectures and sometimes go rogue with improvisation. What if I inadvertently started a group scare? I hope I didn't and haven't heard that I did-but I am comforted to know that the students certainly received the message that I was someone who could speak truth to flexing in a pinch. 

In ASP, we sometimes deal with the most vulnerable students in law school. And while a glib turn of phrase can make all the difference in a mock trial, it won't always hit right.

Words matter.

(Liz Stillman)

Associate Director- Academic Support- Texas A&M University School of Law

Job Description

Who we are

At Texas A&M University School of Law (in Fort Worth, Texas) we instill in our graduates a knowledge of the law, key professional skills and core values that set the Aggie Lawyer apart. Texas A&M University School of Law is an integral part of Texas A&M University, one of a select few institutions nationwide to hold land grant, sea grant and space grant designations. As Texas' first public institution, Texas A&M offers 101 doctoral programs and 151 master’s programs, in addition to the J.D. law degree. Many of these programs have attained top rankings and national recognition for quality by the National Research Council (NRC).

What we want

We are looking for an individual to fill the role of Associate Director of Academic Support. The ideal candidate will contribute to the development and management of the JD and foreign-trained LLM academic-support and bar-pass programs, with an emphasis on the foreign-trained LLM programs.

What you need to know

Salary: $88,000. Compensation will be commensurate to selected hire’s experience.

Special Instructions: A cover letter and resume are required. You may upload these in the CV/Resume section.

Required Education and Experience:

• Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree or equivalent.

• 2 years of related experience in legal practice.

Required Licenses and Certifications:

• Law license in any US jurisdiction.

• Score of 290 or higher on the Uniform Bar Exam (equivalent scores on other U.S.-jurisdiction bar exams will be considered.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Graduate-level teaching experience.

• Experience in a higher education setting and/or with foreign-trained or ESL students.

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Knowledge of word processing and spreadsheet applications.

• Knowledge of legal research systems.

• Ability to multitask and work cooperatively with others.

• Strong verbal and written communication skills.

• Ability to work with sensitive information and maintain confidentiality.

• Ability to supervise law students and assign and review their work.

• Ability to teach in classroom and one-on-one. 

Essential Duties/Tasks:

• LLM & JD Academic Support - Lead weekly Academic Support sessions for the foreign-trained LLM students. Hold weekly outlining or essay-writing sessions throughout the semester. Facilitate Academic Support section the LLM Orientation in both the fall and spring semesters. Be available for consultations with the LLMs. Administer Academic Support practice exams for the LLMs in the 1L doctrinal classes. Assist the Director in formulating and implementing policies and procedures for the LLM Academic Support program.

• LLM & JD Bar Exam Support - Mentor LLM and JD graduates who are preparing for the bar exam. Conduct various bar preparation workshops for the LLMs who are studying for the bar exam. Assist with the JD early bar-prep course, including providing feedback on JD practice exams, meeting with individual JD students, and leading class sessions.

• LLM Academic Support Administration - Oversees the coordination of program. Maintains appropriate program materials, administrative records, and attendance reports for the LLM Academic Support sessions and the Academic Support practice exams. Assist with budget preparation to support the LLM Academic Support program. Work with the Director of Academic Support on strategic planning for the department. Serves as part of departmental leadership team.

• Training and managing LLM Bar Support mentors - Hiring, training, and supervising mentors for the LLMs. Lead weekly meetings with LLM mentors. stablishes goals for the team.

• LLM Bar Exam Support Administration - Communicate with commercial bar preparation course providers. Maintains appropriate program materials, administrative records, and attendance reports for any bar prep workshops. Assist the Director with budget preparation to support the LLM Bar Exam Mentoring program.

Instructions to Applicants: Applications received by Texas A&M University must either have all job application data entered or a resume attached. Failure to provide all job application data or a complete resume could result in an invalid submission and a rejected application. We encourage all applicants to upload a resume or use a LinkedIn profile to pre-populate the online application.

All positions are security-sensitive. Applicants are subject to a criminal history investigation, and employment is contingent upon the institution’s verification of credentials and/or other information required by the institution’s procedures, including the completion of the criminal history check.

Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action/Veterans/Disability Employer.

Academic and Bar Support Scholarship Spotlight

This week in ASP/ Bar Support scholarship:

1.  Lux, Erica (Texas Tech), Put Me in Coach: Enhancing Foundational Lawyering Skills Across the Curriculum with Neurodivergent Law Students in Mind Ahead of the NextGen Bar Exam (forthcoming, 2024).

From the abstract:

As more adults discover that they are neurodivergent, the law student population is likely to be no different, and legal education must adapt to support the support the skill development needs of these students as they seek to enter the profession. Neurodivergence is a non-medical term that refers to a variety of conditions resulting from changes to a person’s brain structure and function. More commonly, academic discussions around law student neurodivergence focus on autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)—both of which have not been properly diagnosed over the past several decades. However, neurodivergence also incorporates anxiety disorders, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), and learning disabilities (each of which are often co-morbid with other neurodivergent conditions)—and several of which will also be discussed in this Article. Neurodivergent law students process, synthesize, and impact the legal world differently from their neurotypical peers. This in turn influences neurodivergent law students’ foundational skills in studying, testing, and professional interactions, including those with peers, professors, clients, and colleagues in law school and in practice. Further, now that the bar exam is changing to incorporate assessment of several foundational lawyering skills, neurodivergent law students will likely need additional support in developing relevant skills to meet their needs in testing and in practice. This Article identifies educational, communication, professional, and interrelationship skills and support mechanisms that law schools can implement to help neurodivergent law students develop skills they may struggle to develop through traditional law school pedagogy and curriculum. This Article further proposes ways that legal education can adapt current curriculum with neurodivergent law students in mind in a way that helps all law students develop and improve their foundational skills for the NextGen bar exam and future practice.

2. Koso, Lindsay (Roger Williams), Findings of Research Studies on Reading Comprehension Between Digital and Print Formats: Implications for the NextGen Bar Exam (forthcoming, 2024).

From the abstract:

This paper explores the comparative effects of reading comprehension between digital and print formats, particularly in the context of the upcoming NextGen Bar Exam, which is expected to be administered in an electronic format only. Through an extensive review of meta-analyses and primary research studies, this work highlights that print-based reading generally leads to superior comprehension compared to digital reading. Key findings include the persistence of "screen inferiority," especially under time constraints, and the advantages of print in areas such as recall, deep understanding, and metacognitive awareness. Additionally, the paper addresses the impact of digital reading on individuals with ADHD, who tend to struggle more with comprehension when reading from screens. The implications of these findings suggest a need to reconsider the shift towards digital-only formats in high-stakes testing environments, such as the Bar Exam, as the research strongly suggests that the switch to digital-only testing will hinder overall comprehension and performance.

3. Parness, Jeffrey A. (Northern Illinois), State Law Tests and Apprenticeships With the New Uniform Bar Exam?, 58 Creighton L. Rev. (forthcoming, 2024). 

From the abstract:

A new approach to the Uniform Bar Exam (UBE), propounded by the National Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE), will be available in July 2026. The current approach to UBE testing will no longer be available from the NCBE in a few years. Over one third of the states have already signed on to be the new UBE.

All indications are that the revised UBE will reflect a seismic shift in how bar applicants are assessed. It will likely also prompt at least some changes in how and what students are taught in law schools. The stated goal of the NCBE in pursuing a revised UBE is for the “next generation of the bar exam” to focus on “topics and tasks . . . that are most essential for newly licensed lawyers.”

In undertaking assessments of bar applicants differently, the new UBE will not have, as it has now, separate essay, performance, and multiple-choice components. Further, it is scheduled to run a day and a half, not two days. This allows states to test local subjects more easily. The new exam will contain, unlike now, “integrated” exam questions that use “scenarios that are representative of real-world types of legal problems” that newly-licensed lawyers encounter.

To date, there are no indications that state and local bar associations, the judiciaries, interested private groups or individuals in the states committed to, or interested in, the new UBE have examined significantly the possibility of a half day state law testing component that would supplement the UBE. Alternative methods of examining state law subjects, as is often done with separate testing of professional responsibility issues, have also not been significantly explored. Explorations are needed. 2026 is fast approaching. The experience in New York with its New York Law Examination, that supplements the MPRE and the UBE, should be helpful in the explorations.

There are also no indications that apprenticeship requirements have been considered when pondering the adoption of the UBE. Yet several states have pursued apprenticeships and the like as alternatives to UBE testing. Where apprenticeships are deemed useful even with UBE testing, apprenticeships could also be required of bar applicants, with opportunities for pre or post law school satisfaction made easily available. When mandated, public/community service could be a component.

The time is ripe for dialogue on state law tests and apprenticeships that would supplement the use of the new UBE.

[Posted by Louis Schulze, FIU Law]

 

Faculty - Skills Academic Support Program - CUNY School of Law

FACULTY VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT

The City University of New York (CUNY) School of Law seeks several qualified (unitary) tenure track candidates across a broad curricular spectrum, including one faculty position to teach Torts and other core doctrinal courses, one faculty position in CUNY Law’s vaunted Skills (academic success) program, and up to three faculty positions in CUNY Law’s nationally ranked clinical program, in areas including Health Law, Environmental Justice, Civil Rights, Immigration Law, National Security, and Workers’ Rights. Clinic faculty appointments will be in one of CUNY Law’s existing clinics: https://www.law.cuny.edu/academics/clinical-programs/. The Committee will consider lateral appointments at all levels for qualified candidates. Appointments are to begin no later than Fall 2025.

CUNY School of Law is a national leader in progressive legal education, being top-ranked for public interest law and for clinical programs. CUNY is also the most diverse law school in the nation and has both a three-year full-time day program and a four-year part-time evening program.

CUNY School of Law’s mission is two-fold: training public interest attorneys to practice law in the service of human needs, and providing access to the profession for members of historically underrepresented communities. The Law School advances that dual mission through an innovative curriculum bringing together the highest caliber of clinical training with traditional and experiential doctrinal legal education to train lawyers prepared to serve the public interest. The basic premise of the Law School's program is that theory and abstract knowledge cannot be separated from practice, practical skill, professional experience and the social, cultural, and economic context of law. The curriculum, therefore, integrates practical experience, professional responsibility, theoretical perspective, and lawyering skills with doctrinal study at every level. The Law School faculty and administration are committed to providing academic and bar support to all students. They also perform teaching, research, and guidance duties at the CUNY School of Law in their areas of expertise. Responsibilities include supervising students in legal practice or related activities, and sharing responsibility for committee and department assignments as well as administrative, supervisory, and other functions.

 

The primary responsibility of each hire will be to teach law students in the courses and clinics stated above, along with other courses as part of a course package. For candidates in doctrinal areas, they must have backgrounds representing, or scholarship related to, the topics in which they seek to teach. Candidates for faculty positions in Skills and Clinic should be prepared to discuss their scholarly interests. All individuals hired for these positions must address through their teaching an approach that integrates anti-oppression, liberation-oriented pedagogy to develop social justice lawyers capable of defending the lives of historically vulnerable populations, as well as inculcating in students the values of professionalism, civil discourse, strategic and zealous advocacy, and ethics and integrity. In dialogue with the Academic Dean, all faculty at CUNY School of Law are expected to teach other subjects as needed, including required first-year Lawyering Seminars on a rotating basis, and are expected to teach in both the day and evening programs on a rotating basis.

QUALIFICATIONS

J.D., L.L.B., or Ph.D. in a law-related discipline. Also required are demonstrated or promised evidence of
significant success as a faculty member; interest in productive scholarship or law-related work; ability to teach
successfully; and ability to cooperate with others for the good of the institution.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

In addition, the following qualifications are preferred relating to CUNY School of Law’s two-fold mission described above:
a. At least five (5) years of practice experience in the relevant subject areas;
b. (For applicants seeking to teach in a clinic or in the Skills area) at least three (3) years of clinical or skills teaching or related practice
experience;
c. Admission to a bar of one or more of the states or territories of the United States;
d. Social justice lawyering experience and an ability to bring this experience to their teaching;
e. Candidates should also demonstrate promise of success in faculty governance, and in other ways that build
and strengthen the institution.

HOW TO APPLY
From our job posting system, select "Apply Now", create or log in to a user account, and provide the requested
information. If you are viewing this posting from outside our system, access the employment page on our web
site and search for this vacancy using the Job ID or Title.

Candidates should provide a CV/resume and statement of scholarly interests and indicate which of the three
focus areas (Torts, Skills, or Clinic) they are most interested in.

CLOSING DATE
Applications will be accepted through October 4, 2024.

Academic and Bar Support Scholarship Spotlight

Welcome to the Fall 2024 semester, and a special shoutout to new Blog editor, Professor Goldie Pritchard.  Our community is lucky to have yet another ASP/ bar prep superstar at the helm of the Blog.  And, I would be remiss if I failed to thank Blog Editor Emeritus Steven Foster for all his work furthering the Blog's success.  

This week, the Academic and Bar Support Scholarship spotlight brings you the following:

1.  Franklin, Kris (NYLS) and Christopher, Catherine Martin (Texas Tech), Defining the Discipline: Six Pillars of Academic Success Programming in Law Schools, __ J. Legal Educ. __ (forthcoming, 2024).

From the abstract:

This Article describes six "pillars" of programming that each law school must have in place in order to ensure the academic success of its students and graduates. No one person or program need provide all six, but law schools can use this Article to self-assess their strengths and identify areas where additional resources should be added. Likewise, academic success professors can use this Article to self-assess and design a plan for professional development. The pillars are: expertise in the fundamentals of learning theory and pedagogy, possessing fluency with core law school doctrine, understanding marginalization in order to mitigate, assisting students in crisis, operating effectively within the law school's institutional structures, and promoting professional longevity through development and self-care. While squarely aimed at promoting the academic success of law students, the pillars also implicate issues of employment status and pay equity for ASP professors.

2.  Gutowski, Nachman (UNLV), London, Ashley (Duquesne), Foster, Steven (Oklahoma City) and Israel, Taylor (Thoms Jefferson), Questioning the Inevitability of the NextGen Bar Examination (White Paper, 2024).

From the introduction:

The National Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE) is actively promoting the NextGen Bar Exam (NextGen) as an inevitable and necessary replacement for the current Uniform Bar Examination (UBE). This new exam has been advertised as a modern solution to legal licensure, with the NCBE publicizing commitments from a growing list of jurisdictions as what can only be described as an inference of evidence to its inevitable nationwide adoption. However, a closer examination reveals a more complex and nuanced picture, raising questions about the true inevitability of NextGen and highlighting the significant remaining hurdles. The article delves into these complexities, challenging the narrative of widespread acceptance and emphasizing the need for a more thoughtful and inclusive approach.  

[Posted by Louis Schulze, FIU Law]

 

 

 

 

 

Gearing Up-A checklist for starting a new academic year....

Welcome back ASP’ers!! I know a lot of us have already started teaching either at orientation or our regular full blown classes. To make your transition from "summer you" to "law school you" easier, here is a brief checklist to help you prepare:

1. Prepare your family. My ADULT children have felt no shame in calling and asking me to do them favors all summer (they have been home between their school years). Practice with me: Can you bring me a jacket? No. Can you make my lunch? No. I am locked out of the house, where are you? No. Should I walk the dog? Yes. This leads nicely to the next item on our list.

2. Prepare your pets for your absence during the day. They will miss you (dogs) or your laptop (cats), so they need to make alternate plans for the days you are at school. Also, if Zoom is coming back into your day-to-day, they will need grooming and voice lessons.

3. Prepare your wardrobe. You are going to need work appropriate attire (sigh) and big person pants for the semester ahead. Have a pile of dry cleaning that you meant to drop off in May? Have a bunch of dry cleaning you did drop off in May? Drop it off, pick it up…. now.[1]

4. Prepare your transportation. I don’t drive to work here in Boston because it would literally (seriously, not in the purely embellishing sense) take me longer than the train --and parking here is insane.[2] For me this means that I need to make sure my monthly subway pass is set to refill for the semester. It also means I need to get ready to have the beginning of my semester coincide with baseball season because I live on the train line that goes to Fenway Park. Bracing myself for the onslaught is a time honored tradition here. Did I mention I am a Yankees fan? Sigh. The good news is that the Red Sox do not seem to be in a position to ruin my commute past September this year, but we never assume anything here. If you do drive, make sure your vehicle is inspected, clean (ish-sand never comes out), filled with gas (or electrons) and stocked with healthy snacks and extra outerwear.

5. Prepare and shore up your boundaries. We are givers-it is hard for us not to give as ASP’ers. Carve out your time now. Set up your calendaring app to keep some of your time (for exercise, scholarship, lunch etc.) sacred. And really keep it sacred.[3] As a corollary, go to your bathroom mirror and practice saying, “no” until it genuinely rolls off the tongue. It takes time, be patient with yourself.

6. Prepare to enjoy the energy of a new year. We are academics because we love this stuff. Revel in it. Open a new box of binder clips, or pens. Fill your stapler. Get ready to learn something new, because if we aren’t learning, we aren’t teaching.

Have a great year everyone!

(Liz Stillman)

 

[1] That always reminds me of the theme song of the TV show Rawhide as made famous in The Blues Brothers, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rtP7yH7l87w. Pick ‘em up, drop ‘em off…Rawhide. Yes, this is how my mind works….

[2] Even Harvard faculty cannot park in Harvard Yard because it is not a parking lot and it is actually in Cambridge, not Boston. Oh, and I don’t teach there. So many reasons….

[3] I am, admittedly, not good at this.

Lincoln Memorial University Duncan School of Law - Director of Bar Success

Lincoln Memorial University Duncan School of Law in Knoxville, TN, seeks candidates for a Director of Bar Success starting July 2025. This is a non-tenure-track faculty appointment with a presumptively renewable twelve-month contract. The position includes future eligibility to apply for a long-term contract and governance rights as to all matters except hiring and promotion of tenured and tenure-track faculty. For a lateral candidate who has already established a strong record of scholarship, a tenure-track appointment may be an option.

The Director oversees the law school’s bar success program, developing and implementing strategies to enhance student success on the bar exam through scheduled classes, workshops, individualized support, and curriculum integration. The Director also collaborates with faculty to ensure best practices in academic and bar success are incorporated school-wide. The Director coordinates LMU Law’s supplemental bar success program for each July bar exam and receives course release in the fall semester (either one course each year or full course release every other year).

LMU Law focuses on providing practice-oriented legal education to students from underserved populations and regions. The goal is to produce graduates who will pass the bar and serve their communities, addressing the legal needs of Appalachia and other underserved areas. Our faculty members are committed to supporting students in their academic, professional, and personal development, and our campus design ensures faculty accessibility and active engagement in law school life. We work collaboratively to provide innovative legal education, incorporating skill-based and experiential learning and best practices from academic and bar success. We seek candidates who share this ethos and are excited to contribute.

Requirements for the position include a J.D. degree; bar membership in any U.S. jurisdiction (can be inactive); experience teaching in a law school bar preparation program or working with law school graduates to improve bar skills; experience working with, and demonstrated commitment to supporting, diverse populations; and commitment to LMU Law’s mission. The preferred candidate will have prior experience coordinating a law school’s bar preparation program; practical legal experience; and a personal record of strong academic achievement.

We are committed to diversity and actively seek applications from underrepresented groups, including people of color, women, individuals with disabilities, LGBTQ+ individuals, and veterans. We value candidates who can enrich our community, program, and mission through their diverse life experiences, perspectives, and philosophies.

Our law school is located in downtown Knoxville, which has been recognized as one of the top 25 places to live in the United States.

Inquiries may be directed to Sydney Beckman, Chair of the Faculty Appointments Committee, at [email protected]. Applications can be submitted here and must include a cover letter detailing your interest in LMU Law, a CV, and a list of three professional references. Candidates are welcome, but not required, to provide a statement of teaching philosophy, research agenda, or diversity statement. Candidates invited for campus visits will be requested to provide teaching evaluations from the past three years, if available. The committee anticipates beginning application review and extending invitations for screening interviews as quickly as possible.

Assistant or Associate Professor of Law - Lawyering Skills/Legal Writing - University of North Dakota

Purpose of Position

The University of North Dakota School of Law invites applications for an Assistant Professor of Law or Associate Professor of Law, depending on experience, to commence in Fall 2025. This is a full-time, tenure-track or tenured faculty position with the primary responsibility of scholarship, service, and effective teaching in the curricular area of Lawyering skills/Legal writing. The successful candidate may also contribute to the School of Law's curriculum and student success through additional teaching responsibilities; these additional responsibilities will be determined based on the School of Law's curricular needs and the successful candidate's interests and skills. In addition to experience teaching legal research and writing, the School of Law is particularly interested in those with interest or experience in teaching Civil Procedure, Criminal Law, Contracts, or Property.

This will be a 9-month position and may be tenure-track or an offer of tenure may be made based on a candidate’s documented record of achievement and subject to approval from the Department, College, University, and the North Dakota State Board of Higher Education. This position is contingent upon the availability of funding.  The successful candidate will be eligible for financial support for expenses related to professional development efforts. This position will be primarily on campus (not remote).

Assistant/Associate candidates must meet the school/university standards for appointment to the rank, including significant experience/accomplishments in the candidate’s area of expertise. An offer of Associate Professor must also meet State Board of Higher Education guidelines for consideration of tenure.

The University of North Dakota School of Law seeks (1) to educate students for professional service in the law and law-related professions, (2) to explore legal issues of special significance to North Dakota and the region, (3) to attract a well-qualified and diverse student body and to assist students in making career decisions, (4) to promote improvements in the law and legal systems, the legal profession, and the administration of justice, and (5) to further the overall goals and objectives of the University of North Dakota.

Duties & Responsibilities

• Teaching several content courses per academic year
• Other teaching that may include individualized courses, course development, or student advising/mentorship
• Scholarly research and writing
• Service and other activities which may include serving on law school and/or university committees and professional service 

Required Competencies

• Ability to work collaboratively with faculty and staff colleagues
• Eagerness to work closely with law students
• Ability to teach in the curricular areas of interest
• Ability to work and collaborate in a diverse, multicultural, and inclusive setting

Minimum Requirements

• J.D. degree from a law school in the United States or an equivalent degree from a non-U.S. school
• Three years of work experience (which may include judicial clerkships) after obtaining a J.D. or equivalent degree
• Successful completion of a Criminal History Background Check

In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the US and to complete the required employment eligibility verification form upon hire. This position does not support visa sponsorship for continued employment.

Preferred Qualifications

• At least one year of experience teaching legal research or legal writing in a law school setting;
• At least one year of experience acting as a teaching assistant or equivalent for a legal writing or research course during law school;
• Demonstrated record of excellent teaching or an ability to become an excellent teacher;
• Evidence of scholarly research demonstrating potential for scholarly excellence;
• Evidence of service engagement within a law school and to local, state, or national legal or educational organizations; and
• Strong academic record, as signified by success in law school courses, class rankings, extra-curricular activities, scholarly awards (such as a CALI), or other similar evidence.

To Apply

To assure full consideration, applications must be received by August 29, 2024, and include the following materials:

• Cover letter
• Current C.V.
• Law School transcripts (unofficial are fine; finalists will be asked to supply official transcripts)

Interested candidates may contact our Faculty Selection Committee chair, Carolyn Williams at [email protected]