Legal Writing Prof Blog

Scribes Webinar: Should Legal Writing Be "Woke"?

As our nation grapples with a reckoning on racial justice issues, our legal system faces the related question of how to address words and terms with racially-charged origins. From terms like “grandfather clause” to “illegal alien,” is it time for legal writing to undergo “linguistic updating?”

 

"Should Legal Writing Be Woke?" is the theme of a webinar being hosted on May 25, 2021 by Scribes--The American Society of Legal Writers.

The panelists are:

• Massachusetts Court of Appeals Justice James Milkey,
• University of Illinois Chicago School of Law Professor Teri McMurtry-Chubb,
• South Texas College of Law Professor Josh Blackman, and
• University of Tennessee-Knoxville Law School Professor Lucy Jewel

The panel will be moderated by Scribes Vice President John Browning.

(mew)

Five Quick Tips for Writing Better Appellate Briefs

We found this useful, short video on the webpage of the legal writing program at Elon University School of Law in North Carolina. If you're teaching appellate advocacy in the coming year, you can easily add this link << https://youtu.be/l5Nzh3DErKg >> to your syllabus for judicial reinforcement of what you're teaching your students in the classroom.

 

mew

 

Reminder: Orientation Webinar for the Law Library of Congress

On May 18th at 1pm EDT, the Law Library of Congress will provide an Orientation to Law Library Collections. This webinar is designed for patrons who are familiar with legal research, and would like an introduction to the collections and services specific to the Law Library of Congress.

This webinar is an online version of the one-hour onsite orientations taught by legal reference librarians from the Law Library of Congress, and will cover digital resources available through the Law Library’s website as well as those available onsite.

Please register here: https://www.prekindle.com/event/98634-orientation-to-law-library-collections-webinar

(mew)

Legal Writing Scholarship Grant Recipients Announced

The Legal Writing Institute (LWI), the Association of Legal Writing Directors (ALWD), and LexisNexis have announced the recipients of the 2021 Legal Writing Scholarship Grants for teachers of legal research and writing. 

Each year, LWI, ALWD, and LexisNexis award several research grants to legal research and writing teachers. These research grants enable gifted educators to spend their summers exploring scholarly ideas and producing scholarship that will assist others in the field of legal research and writing. While preference is given to proposals in the field of legal research and writing, consideration is given to all proposals from legal research and writing professionals if the proposals are related to legal research and writing or inform the teaching of legal research and writing. The grants provide evidence of the three organizations’ support for the scholarly pursuits of legal research and writing professionals. 

In 2021, LWI and ALWD cooperatively evaluated and awarded grants to three authors:

1. Michael Blasie (Penn State Dickinson), From Nice to Necessary: The Effects of Legal Writing Laws;
2. Dr. Almas Khan (Georgetown), Judicial Activism and Legal Education in the Black Lives Matter Era; and
3. Marissa Meredith (Duquesne), Reframing Persuasion Pedagogy to Create Social Engineers. 

Congratulations!

Hat tips to Sue Chesler, Jane Grise, and Sarah Morath, Co-chairs of the Joint Legal Writing Scholarship Grants Committee

(mew)

Penn State Dickinson Law is Hiring

Assistant/Associate Professor

JOB DESCRIPTION AND POSITION REQUIREMENTS:

Pennsylvania State University's Dickinson Law School invites applications for tenure-track faculty position expected to begin July 1, 2021. We welcome candidates with outstanding academic credentials, practice experience, and/or judicial clerkship experience. This position may be filled at the Associate Professor or Assistant Professor level. The appointment will be commensurate with the successful candidate’s current rank, title, education, and experience.

Dickinson Law strongly encourages applicants who would enrich the diversity of our academic community to apply. To learn more about our commitment to diversity and inclusion throughout the university, see: Penn State Statement on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at http://equity.psu.edu/psu-diversity-statement.

The legal writing program at Penn State Dickinson Law is designed to help students develop essential lawyering skills. The program consists of a comprehensive two-semester sequence focused on building the legal research, analysis, and writing skills used in today's law practice. Classes meet in small sections led by experienced full-time faculty who are at the forefront of trends in legal writing and research. Responsibilities include:

• Teaching courses related to legal writing, reasoning, analysis, and critical thinking
• Providing service to the law school and the University
• Participating in the larger community for legal research and writing professionals by publishing scholarship, regularly attending and/or presenting at conferences, and pursuing other relevant endeavors to support the faculty member’s professional development

General Qualifications:

• A J.D. degree from an ABA-accredited law school
• License to practice law in any U.S. state or the District of Columbia is highly valued
• Prior legal practice experience, including judicial clerkships
• Law school achievements and accomplishments, including high academic achievement, law review, moot court, and/or mock trial
• Articulable commitment to the field of legal research and writing, including implementing the best models and practices to teach in this field and incorporating recent developments in legal pedagogy
• Demonstrable recent successful experience in teaching legal research and writing
• Experience with or interest in teaching using online platforms
• Excellent written and oral communication skills, including effective presentation skills
• Effective interpersonal communication skills with various constituencies
• Demonstrable successful experience working independently and collaboratively
• Demonstrable sensitivity to various student learning styles
• Demonstrable successful experience mentoring and working with students from diverse backgrounds

Applications may be submitted here: https://psu.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com/PSU_Academic/job/Dickinson-Law-Carlisle/Assistant-Associate-Professor_REQ_0000012497-2. Inquiries may be sent to the Chair of the Appointments Committee, Professor Medha Makhlouf, through Anne Porter at [email protected]. To apply, submit a letter and curriculum vitae.

Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled. 

Hat tip to Prof. Medha Makhlouf

(mew)

Orientation Webinar for the Law Library of Congress

On May 18th at 1pm EDT, the Law Library of Congress will provide an Orientation to Law Library Collections. This webinar is designed for patrons who are familiar with legal research, and would like an introduction to the collections and services specific to the Law Library of Congress.

This webinar is an online version of the one-hour onsite orientations taught by legal reference librarians from the Law Library of Congress, and will cover digital resources available through the Law Library’s website as well as those available onsite. 

To register click here: https://www.prekindle.com/event/98634-orientation-to-law-library-collections-webinar

(mew)

UCLA is Hiring

UCLA is hiring "Lecturers in Law" for their Legal Writing Program. The position advertised is for what most every other law school now calls a professor, like the other members of the faculty. We're mentioning that discrepancy in job title here to call attention to it. We hope that UCLA will get around to upgrading the status of its legal writing professors. In the meantime, some of you do need jobs and Los Angeles is a great place to live. Click here for details about the position.

This is probably a good time to remind everyone about Monday's AALS webinar on "Dismantling Caste" in the legal academy.

(mew)

Idaho is Hiring

The University of Idaho College of Law seeks two entry-level or experienced faculty members to serve as full-time, temporary faculty members for the 2021-2022 academic year. These faculty members will teach academic skills courses, develop and administer academic support and advising programs, and provide individualized academic counseling and advising. The positions are located in Boise.

The positions are open until filled, with a first consideration date of May 19, 2021. Click here to see the application.

Questions about the positions may be directed to Kristi Running, Associate Dean of Students-Moscow.

 

Hat tip to Prof. Jessica Gunder.

(mew)

Villanova is Hiring

Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law is hiring a visiting Assistant Professor for its Legal Research, Analysis, Writing, and Oral Communication program next year (2021-2022). The appointment is a full-time, ten-month contract to teach two sections of the law school's first-year course, with the potential for a second year appointment.

Hat tip to Associate Dean Candace Centeno of the Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law

(mew)

NYU is Hiring

TEACHING POSITION, GRADUATE LAWYERING PROGRAM

New York University School of Law, Academic Year 2021-2022.

NYU is seeking applicants for a full-time position to teach in its program for international LLMs. The position requires teaching a two-week introductory courses in the second half of August; four one-credit small sections of a legal research, writing, and reasoning course in the fall semester; and one one-credit small section of a legal advocacy course in the spring semester. The aim of these courses is to teach foreign-trained attorneys the real-world skills they need to practice effectively in the US and global legal environments.

Qualifications include a JD or LLM degree, excellent academic record, bar admission, practice experience (generally at least three years or two years plus a clerkship), and demonstrated ability in legal research, writing, analysis, and communication. Teaching experience is preferred as is experience working with foreign lawyers or law students, or in an international setting.

The position is classified as a Research Scholar and comes with salary of $80,000 and a generous array of benefits, which include medical, dental, and vision. Further information regarding benefits can be found here: https://www.nyu.edu/employees/benefit/full-time/professional-research-staff/benefits-guide-2021.html. The appointment is for one year with the possibility of renewal and the potential for multiple-year appointments.

All applications must include resume, law school transcript (an unofficial copy is fine), one writing sample, three references (letters are preferred, but names and current e-mail or telephone contact information are acceptable), and cover letter. Applications are accepted exclusively through Interfolio. Please visit https://apply.interfolio.com/87352. Incomplete applications will not be considered. Applications will be accepted until all positions are filled; however, candidates are strongly encouraged to apply before May 26, 2021.

New York University is an Equal Opportunity Employer. New York University is committed to a policy of equal treatment and opportunity in every aspect of its hiring and promotion process without regard to race, color, creed, religion, sex, pregnancy or childbirth (or related medical condition), sexual orientation, partnership status, gender and/or gender identity or expression, marital, parental or familial status, caregiver status, national origin, ethnicity, alienage or citizenship status, veteran or military status, age, disability, predisposing genetic characteristics, domestic violence victim status, unemployment status, or any other legally protected basis. Women, racial and ethnic minorities, persons of minority sexual orientation or gender identity, individuals with disabilities, and veterans are encouraged to apply for vacant positions at all levels.

Hat tip to Alice Burke

(mew)

Loyola New Orleans is Hiring

Loyola New Orleans is hiring a Westerfield Fellow to begin in fall 2021.  Since 2004, the Westerfield Fellowship Program has helped to launch the careers of some super star law professors.  Fellows will work alongside tenured professors and professors with 405(c) status to teach LRW and learn the ropes of teaching and scholarship.  The atmosphere is collegial and supportive.  This is a great opportunity for colleagues and former students who are looking to break into law teaching. And they'll be in New Orleans, so what's not to love about that?

 

Position:  Westerfield Fellow. Loyola University New Orleans College of Law;start date: August 2021. Classes will be held on campus in New Orleans.

 

Dean Louis Westerfield was the first African-American Dean of the College of Law.  Heis remembered for promoting diversity and excellence in legal education. 

 

Description: This position is designed for individuals pursuing a career in law teaching and seeking to gain law teaching experience, while being afforded time to devote to scholarship.  Applicants should have strong academic credentials and excellent written and oral communication skills. The Fellow will be responsible for teaching two sections of first-year law students in a three-credit-hour course each semester. These courses collectively focus on legal reasoning, legal research, legal writing, and oral advocacy skills.  The Fellow will teach his or her own classes with the support of an experienced director and professors in a program in which the director and the professors teaching the courses coordinate the content and pace of the courses.  The Fellow will also have student teaching assistants to aid with courses.  The Fellow will have a faculty mentor in addition to the other professors teaching in the program.  One-year contracts may be renewed.  The typical fellowship tenure is two years. Salary is competitive with fellowships of a similar nature.  Westerfield Fellows have successfully obtained tenure-track positions at ABA accredited law schools.

 

If you are interested in applying, please send your curriculum vitae and cover letter to [email protected]. Inquiries may be sent to the Chair of the Appointments Committee, Professor Bobby Harges at [email protected].  Review of applications will continue until the position is filled. We especially welcome applications from candidates who will add to the diversity of our educational community and who have demonstrated expertise in working with a diverse population.

 

About the School: The College of Law is located in a largely residential area of New Orleans, one of the most culturally diverse cities in the United States,with unique cuisine, numerous museums and historical sites, and a flourishing arts community.  New Orleans is also the seat of the United States Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, the Federal District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana, the Louisiana Supreme Court, and the Louisiana Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals, as well as other lower courts.   The College of Law has a student population of approximately 500 students, over forty faculty members, active clinics that have spearheaded numerous social justice reform efforts, and summer programs in Europe and Central America.  Its location in Louisiana, one of the world’s best known “mixed jurisdictions,” provides unique opportunities for comparative and international law scholarship.

 

Loyola University New Orleans is an educational institution dedicated to fostering intellectual achievement, personal development, and social responsibility, and it is committed to the human dignity and worth of every person.  Loyola University New Orleans strives to create and maintain a working and learning environment in which individuals are treated with dignity, decency, and respect. The University acknowledges and values individual differences,including, but not limited to, the dimensions of race; color; sex; national origin; age; religion; gender identity; transgender status; sexual orientation;ethnicity; disability status; and marital status and citizenship status.

 

Hat tip to Prof. Mary Garvey Algero.

 

(mew)

The University of Washington is Hiring

The University of Washington is hiring a visitor for its Legal Analysis, Research, and Writing (“LARW”) program next year (2021-2022). The appointment is a nine-month contract to teach two sections of the school's first-year LARW course. The average class size is 17-22 students, and the course itself spans three quarters (fall, winter, spring). We're told that the University of Washington School of Law has a wonderful group of supportive colleagues and they're excited to welcome a visitor next year. To apply, please see the posting and submission requirements here.

 

Hat tip to Prof. Lauren E. Sancken at the University of Washington School of Law

 

(mew)

 

AALS Webinar: Ensuring Equality in Legal Academia: Strategies to Dismantle Caste

The Diversity Committee of the Association of American Law Schools Section on Legal Writing, Reasoning, and Research, together with the AALS Section on Academic Support, will host a webinar next week on May 10, 2021 on the important topic of “Ensuring Equality in Legal Academia: Strategies to Dismantle Caste.” This webinar will examine the caste system in legal education recently highlighted by Dean Darby Dickerson (UIC John Marshall School of Law) during her tenure as AALS President and memorialized in her article, “Abolish the Academic Caste System.” 

Deans Michael Barry (South Texas College of Law Houston), Danielle Conway (Penn State Dickinson Law), Larry Cunningham (Charleston School of Law), Susan Duncan (Mississippi School of Law), and Michael Hunter Schwartz (McGeorge School of Law, University of the Pacific) will join moderator Dean Dickerson to discuss the detrimental impacts of such a caste system and potential solutions to the problem. 

When: May 10, 2021, from 2:00 to 3:30 PM ET

The program is free, but advance registration is required. Click here to register.

Hat tip to Prof. Adam Eckart of the Suffolk University Law School

(mew)

Elon is Hiring

Elon University School of Law in North Carolina is hiring an Academic Support Skills Instructor.

Elon Law School’s Office of Academic Success programming is premised on the idea that instruction in the basic skills needed to navigate law school, coupled with individualized feedback and support, can significantly enhance students’ academic and life-long success. The Academic Support Skills Instructor reports directly to the Director of Academic Success. The Instructor works with students seeking to improve academic performance and supports the administrative components of the program. The Instructor also performs other functions essential to promoting student success in law school and furthering the success and growth of the institution.

Click here for more information.

Hat tip to Sue Liemer.

(mew)

Win a Chance to Hang Out With Mel Weresh: Drake is Looking for a Visitor for Spring 2022

Drake University Law School invites applications for a temporary appointment as Visiting Assistant/Associate/Professor of Law, to teach Legal Writing II in Spring Semester 2022. Currently, the Law School plans for these classes to be offered in-person rather than remotely, subject to health and safety considerations, and candidates should be willing to teach in-person and qualified to teach in either format. Drake is an equal opportunity employer dedicated to workforce diversity. The school encourages women, people of color, and others who would enrich the diversity of our academic community to apply. For more information on the law school and its programs, see www.drake.edu/law. Interested candidates should submit a letter of interest, CV, and a list of at least three references via email to Associate Dean Andrew W. Jurs, [email protected]. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, with a priority deadline of May 7, 2021.

Hat tip to John Edwards, Associate Dean for Information Resources and Technology and Professor of Law at Drake University Law School.

(mew)

The Legal Scholar's Guidebook

Congratulations to Elizabeth Berenguer on the publication of her new book, The Legal Scholar’s Guidebook, published by Wolters Kluwer.  You can read more about her book by clicking here, and if you're a professor you can use that link to request an electronic review copy.

Professor Berenguer joined the faculty at Stetson Law School in August 2020 as an associate professor of law. She began teaching law in 2008 and has taught a variety of courses including legal research and writing, advanced legal writing, pretrial litigation, transactional drafting, appellate advocacy, criminal law, and foundations of legal scholarship. She has designed the curriculum for legal writing programs at two different law schools and has collaborated on developing prerequisite courses for an LL.M. in international legal studies program at Nottingham Law School in the United Kingdom.

Her work on the LL.M program led her to publish The Legal Scholar’s Guidebook. This text promises to be a valuable resource for students and nascent legal scholars who are working on scholarly projects for seminars, law review articles, or other publications.

Hat tip to Kirsten K. Davis.

(mew)