Legal Writing Prof Blog

Registration Open for the New England Consortium of Legal Writing Teachers

Here's a reminder that registration is now open for the New England Consortium of Legal Writing Teachers Annual Conference. The Conference will be held on Friday, October 27, 2017 from 8:30-4:30, at the University of Connecticut School of Law. Registration is free.

To register, please follow this link: https://www.law.uconn.edu/events/neclwt-conf-2017/new-england-consortium-legal-writing-teachers-annual-conference-2017

Hat tip to Jessica Rubin, Director of Legal Practice and Assistant Clinical Professor of Law at the University of Connecticut School of Law.

(mew)

Suzanne Ehrenberg has Died

We share today the sad news of the passing of Suzanne Ehrenberg, a Professor of Legal Research and Writing q5 IIT Chicago-Kent College of Law.

Professor Ehrenberg received her B.A. (magna cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa) from Williams College and her J.D. from the University of Chicago Law School. She practiced law for four years with the Chicago firm of Mayer, Brown & Platt and served as a staff attorney with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit.

She joined the IIT Chicago-Kent faculty in 1985 and became associate director of the Legal Writing Program in 1988. In 1998, she was a visiting fellow at the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia. In 2001, she took a position with Northwestern University School of Law as a clinical associate professor. She returned to Chicago-Kent in 2004.

Professor Ehrenberg taught a broad range of courses, including legal research and writing, remedies, law and literature, corporations, communication and legal reasoning, and appellate procedure. She was married to Steven Greenberger, a law professor at DePaul University College of Law.

We extend our deepest sympathy to her family, friends, colleagues, and students.

(mew)

Vermont is Hiring . . . Again!

In addition to an earlier post about a legal writing position at Vermont Law School, the school also has an opening for its Assistant Director of theAcademic Success Program.  This is a 12-month faculty position.  A full description and required qualifications are posted on the Vermont Law School website. All applications should be submitted through the link on the website. 

 

Hat tip to Beth McCormack.

 

(mew).

 

Loyola-Chicago is Hiring

Loyola University Chicago School of Law is hiring for a newly created position: Director of Bar Success and Academic Support.  The job posting, which includes a detailed position description, qualifications for the position, and information about the application process, can be found at:  http://www.careers.luc.edu/postings/5768. 

The Director of Bar Success and Academic Support will be responsible for developing and executing comprehensive programming to support student success throughout law school and the bar exam.  This position includes teaching classes and workshops, meeting individually with students, administering academic support programming, and tracking student performance and bar exam data to continually reassess the program and student needs. 

Loyola University Chicago School of Law is a student-focused law center inspired by the Jesuit tradition of academic excellence, intellectual openness, and service to others.  The Director of Bar Success and Academic Support will be a vital part of the School of Law's curriculum and mission.

Loyola University Chicago is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer with a strong commitment to hiring for our mission and diversifying our faculty and staff.  All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion (except where religion is a bona fide occupational qualification for the job), national origin, sex, age, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, protected veteran status or any other factor protected by law.

 

The position is not tenure-track and may lead only to successive short-term contracts of one to four years.  Additionally the person hired will not be permitted to vote in faculty meetings.

Hat tip to Mary Ann Becker.

(mew)

 

Congratulations to the Central States Legal Writing Conference

Congratulations to the Central States Legal Writing Conference Planning Committee (Debby McGregor, Cynthia Adams, Jim Dimitri, Allison Martin, and Joel Schumm) and to the host law school Indiana McKinney for a successful regional conference this past weekend. The reviews have been great!

 

Hat tip to Kim Chanbonpin, Director of the Lawyering Skills Program at The John Marshall Law School in Chicago.

(mew)

Carol Didget at Suffolk University

Suffolk University Law School announced that it will have a Visiting Professor of Legal Writing for the 2017-2018 academic year, Carol Didget. Carol is teaching Legal Practice Skills I and II this year. She received her B.A. with honors in International Relations from Amherst College and graduated with her J.D. from Cornell Law School. She clerked for the Honorable Alvin Thompson of the District Court of Connecticut and then moved to practice litigation with the law firms Hinkley Allen and, later, Testa, Hurwitz & Thibeault. She taught in New Zealand and South Africa before joining the Legal Practice Skills faculty at Suffolk from 2000 to 2003. She also served as an Adjunct at Suffolk in fall 2016 and now as a Visitor for the current academic year.

Hat tip to Kathleen Elliott Vinson, Professor of Legal Writing and Director of Legal Writing, Research, and Written Advocacy at Suffolk University Law School.

(mew)

The University of Arkansas at Little Rock Bowen School of Law is Hiring

THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS AT LITTLE ROCK, WILLIAM H. BOWEN SCHOOL OF LAW seeks applicants for a full-time, tenure-track position to teach in our autonomous Research, Writing and Analysis (RWA) program. The position is available beginning in August 2018. The successful candidate will teach two sections of first-year RWA (a six-credit, two-semester course sequence) and regularly may teach another course with a reduced RWA teaching load. Salary and rank are commensurate with experience. Minimum qualifications are a J.D. from an accredited law school and strong writing and interpersonal skills. Preferred qualifications include outstanding academic credentials, prior teaching experience, and law review or moot court service. Applications for lateral hires are welcome.

 

Little Rock is the capital city and largest metropolitan area in Arkansas, boasting extremely affordable housing, cultural attractions, and close proximity to extensive recreational areas. The Bowen School of Law is located in revitalized downtown Little Rock, less than two miles from the state capitol, the federal, state, and county courthouses, the largest law firms in the state, and the Clinton Presidential Library. Housed in a spacious 150,000 square foot, completely renovated building, the law school is situated within the historic Quapaw Quarter, next to MacArthur Park and the Arkansas Arts Center. 

 

Applicants should send a Curriculum Vitae, together with a cover letter indicating teaching and scholarly interests and three references, to Professor Michael T. Flannery, Chair, Faculty Appointments Committee, UALR William H. Bowen School of Law, 1201 McMath Avenue, Little Rock, Arkansas 72202-5142, or to Mxflannery@ualr.edu.  Applications will be considered until the position is filled. The University of Arkansas at Little Rock, an Equal Opportunity Employer, affirms the values and goals of diversity and strongly encourages the applications of all candidates, including women and candidates from historically under-represented groups. 

• The position advertised is a tenure-track appointment.
• The professor hired will be permitted to vote in faculty meetings.
• The school anticipates paying an annual academic year base salary in the range checked Salary will be between $85,000 and $90,000, based on experience.
• The number of students enrolled in each semester of the courses taught by the legal research and writing professor will be 36-40.

Hat tip to Lindsey P. Gustafson of the UALR William H. Bowen School of Law.

(mew)

Registration Open for the New England Consortium of Legal Writing Teachers

Registration is now open for the New England Consortium of Legal Writing Teachers Annual Conference. The Conference will be held on Friday, October 27, 2017 from 8:30-4:30, at the University of Connecticut School of Law. Registration is free.

To register, please follow this link: https://www.law.uconn.edu/events/neclwt-conf-2017/new-england-consortium-legal-writing-teachers-annual-conference-2017

Hat tip to Jessica Rubin, Director of Legal Practice and Assistant Clinical Professor of Law at the University of Connecticut School of Law.

(mew)

Northwestern is Hiring

Northwestern Pritzker School of Law in Chicago invites applications for the position of Clinical Assistant Professor of Law in its Communication and Legal Reasoning (CLR) program. Faculty in CLR generally teach Communication and Legal Reasoning, the first-year legal analysis, writing, and research course for JD students. On occasion, faculty members teach Common Law Reasoning, a required legal analysis and writing course for international LL.M. students, and other writing courses in the upper division of the JD program and in the Master of Science in Law program. Faculty members teaching CLR in the JD program teach approximately 30 students in one section for a full academic year.

 

The school seek applications from candidates with excellent academic records, outstanding writing and editing skills, and experiences that demonstrate their potential for excellence in classroom teaching. A successful applicant must have a JD degree and strong experience as an attorney; we prefer those applicants who have at least three years of practice experience, as well as those who have prior teaching experience. They welcome applications from those who would add to the diversity of our faculty.

 

The initial appointment is for a one-year contract beginning in August 2018, with the potential for renewal to successive three-year contract terms that become renewable upon promotion to Clinical Associate Professor of Law. The search committee will begin reviewing applications immediately and will continue to consider them through November 1 or until the position is filled. Applicants should submit a cover letter and resume or CV via the link below.

 

Please read ALL instructions and make preparations before proceeding to the application page:

• Applications will only be accepted via online submission (see link below).
• Please prepare all documents in advance as Adobe PDF files, and please be sure all information is entered correctly and accurately (especially names and email addresses), as there will be no opportunity for online revision after your application has been submitted.
• All required fields in the application form are marked with an asterisk and must be filled before clicking the “Submit” button.
• Incomplete applications cannot be saved.

 

Applications accepted here: https://facultyrecruiting.northwestern.edu/apply/NDE=

Northwestern University is an Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action Employer of all protected classes, including veterans and individuals with disabilities. Women, racial and ethnic minorities, individuals with disabilities, and veterans are encouraged to apply. Hiring is contingent upon eligibility to work in the United States.

The position advertised may lead only to successive short-term contracts of one to four years. The professor hired will not be permitted to vote in faculty meetings. The school anticipates paying an annual academic year base salary in the range of $70,000 to $89,999, depending on experience. Benefits are competitive and include funds for travel to conferences. The number of students enrolled in each semester of the courses taught by the legal research and writing professor will be:

30 or fewer. There are opportunities for overload teaching as well.

 

Hat tip to Michelle Falkoff, Director, Communication and Legal Reasoning at Northwestern University School of Law.

 

(mew)

 

Latest Update to the ALWD Guide to Legal Citation

For the latest update to the ALWD Guide to Legal Citation, effective September 12, 2017, visit the citation manual page on ALWD's website. The link to the downloadable PDF is in the upper-right-hand corner. Updates are also maintained at the Wolters Kluwer Webpage for the book, under the "Professor View" link in the upper right.

 

Hat tip to Coleen M. Barger, Professor Emeritus of Law, University of Arkansas Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law

 

(mew)

The 2018 Jessup Compromis Has Been Released: The Case Concerning the Egart and the Ibra

The compromis for the 2018 Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition has been released and is now available on the website of the International Law Students Association (ILSA). The 2018 problem presents a hypothetical dispute before the International Court of Justice between Government of the People’s Democratic Republic of Anduchenca (“Anduchenca,” the Applicant) instituted proceedings against the Federal Republic of Rukaruku (“Rukaruku,” the Respondent).

The 2017-2018 season marks the 59th year of the Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition. Jessup is the world's largest moot court competition, with participants from over 645 law schools in 95 countries. The Competition is a simulation of a fictional dispute between countries before the International Court of Justice, the judicial organ of the United Nations. One team is allowed to participate from every eligible school. Teams prepare oral and written pleadings arguing both the applicant and respondent positions of the case.

The Jessup season officially begins in September and ends in April after the completion of the White & Case International Rounds. The Qualifying Rounds, internationally and in the US, take place between January and March. The 2018 International Rounds take place on 1-7 April 2018 in Washington, D.C. and will conclude with the Jessup Cup World Championship Round.

Students competing in the Jessup should visit the research resources page of the International Law Students Association website, which includes links to tips on international legal research, competition strategies, and even videos of  past competitions.

Many readers of this blog are past participants in the Jessup Competition. We urge you to make a financial contribution to ILSA to enable students from around the world to continue to participate in the Jessup Competition.

(mew)

Texas A&M is Hiring

Texas A&M in Fort Worth, Texas, is looking for an Assistant Director of Academic Support to assist in developing and managing the first-year, peer mentoring and upper-level academic support program. The person hired will work in conjunction with the Associate Dean of Academic Support and the other Assistant Director of Academic Support, DeShun Harris. The incoming Assistant Director will also contribute to developing and managing the “Preparing for Bar” Course, our Bar Mentoring Program, and other Bar Exam preparation materials and services.

Candidates must have a J.D. and preferably some experience in legal education. Texas A&M University welcomes applications from a broad spectrum of qualified individuals who will enhance the rich diversity of the law school’s academic community. Applicants can apply directly online at: https://jobpath.tamu.edu/postings/113980. Please also send your résumé or cv directly to Professor James McGrath, Professor of Law and Associate Dean of Academic Support - jmcgrath@law.tamu.edu.  Alternatively, résumés can be mailed to Professor McGrath at Texas A&M University School of Law, 1515 Commerce Street, Fort Worth, Texas 76102-6509.  Please respond by October 15, 2017.

Hat tip to Neil Sobol.

(mew)

Mel Weresh named as the Opperman Distinguished Professor of Law at Drake University

Professor Mel Weresh of Drake Law School has been named as the Dwight D. Opperman Distinguished Professor of Law.  Mel was selected based upon her high-quality scholarship, her leadership and service within our law school and the legal writing community, her cutting-edge teaching methods, and most likely her overall fabulousness.

Mel is a Past President of the Legal Writing Institute, a Past Chair of the Association of American Law Schools Section on Teaching Methods, and a co-author of Iowa Legal Research (Carolina Academic Press 2d ed. 2016).

Congratulations, Distinguished Professor Mel!

Hat tip to Danielle M. Shelton

(mew)

 

Hurricane Irma

As Hurricane Irma continues its path of destruction, we send our best wishes to colleagues and blog readers in Florida, other Southeastern states, and other places affected by this hurricane.

(mew)

Reminder: Central States Area Legal Writing Conference

The Central States Regional Writing Conference will be held on Friday, September 15, and Saturday, September 16, at the Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law in Indianapolis.  There are 45 individual and panel presentations scheduled over the day and a half on a variety of topics. 

The law school is located in downtown Indianapolis only a short walk from the conference hotel, the JW Marriott.  Both the law school and the hotel are within walking distance of all downtown locations, including the Indianapolis Zoo, the NCAA Headquarters and Hall of Champions, the Eiteljorg Native American Museum, the beautiful AAA baseball park, the Circle Center Shopping Mall, and a wide variety of restaurants.

To access the conference website and register, please go to  https://mckinneylaw.iu.edu/LWIconference/. 

Hat tips to Joel Schumm, Debby McGregor, Allison Martin, Jim Dimitri, and Cynthia Adams.

(mew)