SEALS Schedule :: 2026

SEALS Schedule :: 2026
SEALS 2026 Conference Schedule
FINAL SCHEDULE
. You may rely on dates and times for scheduling travel.
Sunday, July 26, 2026
Sunday, July 26, 2026
1:00 pm - 2:45 pm
"Of the Press"
In Europe, academics frequently talk about not only the "rights" of the press, but also its "responsibilities." There is a divide between the U.S. and Europe in that, while some U.S. commentators might talk about the "responsibilities" of the press, few would regard those responsibilities as "enforceable" in the sense that the press can be sanctioned by government or by some independent agency. Of course, the press might sometimes be held liable for defamatory statements. However, the burden of proof is daunting and libel actions are generally rare. This panel examines the role of the press in a democracy and discusses the rights and responsibilities of the press.
Moderators
: Professor Sarah Klim [ Mercer University School of Law ]; Professor Mitchell Longan [ Atlanta's John Marshall Law School ]
Panelists
: Professor Russell Weaver [ University of Louisville Louis D. Brandeis School of Law ]; Professor András Koltay [ Pázmány Péter Catholic University, Faculty of Law and Political Sciences (Hungary) ]; Professor Michael Epstein [ Southwestern University Law School ]
Sunday, July 26, 2026
1:00 pm - 2:45 pm
Works-in-Progress Workshop
New Voices in Experimental Jurisprudence
This panel highlights works-in-progress by junior scholars using experimental methods to investigate core questions in law. Experimental methods have become increasingly important for testing theoretical claims, uncovering implicit assumptions in legal doctrine, and assessing how legal rules are understood by diverse audiences, including judges, jurors, and members of the public. By drawing on experimental methods, scholars in this panel generate empirical evidence that informs normative debates and enriches our understanding of how the law operates in practice. This panel also provides an opportunity for attendees to engage with the methodological innovations of a new generation of scholars whose work is advancing the empirical foundations of jurisprudence.
Moderator
: Professor Marco Jimenez [ Stetson University College of Law ]
Panelists
: Professor Matthew Kim [ University of Florida Fredric G. Levin College of Law ]; Professor Hayley Stillwell [ The University of Oklahoma College of Law ]; Professor Yutian An [ University of California, Los Angeles, School of Law ]; Professor Chris Jaeger [ Baylor University Law School ]
Sunday, July 26, 2026
1:00 pm - 2:45 pm
Bridging the Generations: How Mid- and Senior-Level Faculty Can Support Newer Colleagues
This discussion group explores how mid- and senior-level faculty can effectively support their junior colleagues while respecting their autonomy and academic freedom. Discussants will share strategies for mentorship in teaching, scholarship, and service, as well as for guiding newer faculty through institutional norms and promotion and tenure expectations. The group will also discuss fostering collaboration and camaraderie across faculty cohorts – including tenured, pre-tenure, clinical, academic success, and legal writing faculty. In exchanging practical approaches to mentorship, discussants will consider how experienced faculty can help build a supportive academic culture that benefits everyone as we strive to achieve our common mission of educating our students to the best of our abilities.
Moderators
: Professor Bruce Connolly [ Ave Maria School of Law ]; Professor Brittany Deitch [ The University of Oklahoma College of Law ]
Discussants
: Professor Tony Kolenc [ Ave Maria School of Law ]; Professor Missy Lonegrass [ Louisiana State University Paul M. Hebert Law Center ]; Professor Michael Vitiello [ University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law ]; Professor Colin Marks [ University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law ]; Professor Ronald Rychlak [ The University of Mississippi School of Law ]; Professor Darren Bush [ University of Houston Law Center ]; Professor Charles (Rocky) Rhodes [ University of Missouri School of Law ]; Professor Victoria Haneman [ University of Georgia School of Law ]
Sunday, July 26, 2026
1:00 pm - 2:45 pm
Constitutional Law Workshop
Author-meets-Critics Panel on We the Voters: The Constitutional Choices that Shape America's Elections
Participants discuss a recently published book, We the Voters (Stanford University Press), with the author, Lori Ringhand. In this pragmatic, optimistic work, author Ringhand relies on constitutional text and encourages readers to question, debate, and improve our system of self-government. The discussion includes the substance of the book, the importance of sharing our expertise with a broader audience, and the panelists’ current projects involving election law and democracy.
Moderator
: Professor Atiba Ellis [ Case Western Reserve University School of Law ]
Panelists
: Professor Lori Ringhand [ University of Georgia School of Law ]; Professor Mark Graber [ University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law ]; Professor Tony Gaughan [ Drake University Law School ]; Professor Sanford Levinson [ University of Texas School of Law ]
Sunday, July 26, 2026
1:00 pm - 2:45 pm
Making Sense of the Second Amendment after Wolford and Hemani
For the first time in its history, the Supreme Court decided two Second Amendment cases in a single Term. These cases raise distinct challenges to the test Bruen articulated in 2022. One challenges a new state law that responds to changing social conditions and legal terrain (Wolford). May states change the default rules for gun carrying on private property? The other challenges a federal law that has been on the books for more than half a century (Hemani). May legislatures disarm those who abuse illegal drugs? This panel unpacks the decisions and their implications for Second Amendment doctrine and a issues the Court will soon confront like assault weapons, sensitive places, and disarmament for those with felony convictions.
Discussants
: Professor Jacob Charles [ Pepperdine University Caruso School of Law ]; Professor Laura Ginsberg Abelson [ SMU Dedman School of Law ]; Professor Jody Madeira [ Indiana University Maurer School of Law ]; Professor Kami Chavis [ William & Mary Law School ]; Professor Eric Ruben [ SMU Dedman School of Law ]; Professor Brannon Denning [ Samford University Cumberland School of Law ]; Professor Joseph Blocher [ Duke University School of Law ]; Professor Michael L. Smith [ The University of Oklahoma College of Law ]; Professor Natalie Nanasi [ SMU Dedman School of Law ]; Professor Kevin Schascheck [ Tulane University ]
Sunday, July 26, 2026
2:45 pm - 3:00 pm
Break (sponsored by emDigital)
Sunday, July 26, 2026
3:00 pm - 6:00 pm
SFFA Three Years Later: Navigating Law School Admissions and Legal Education in an Ever-Changing Environment
In the years since the Supreme Court decisions in Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard and Students for Fair Admissions v. University of North Carolina, law schools have experienced increased scrutiny of their admissions processes at both the federal and (particularly in the case of public institutions) state levels. This increased scrutiny seems to be part of a broader trend in which governments and private organizations have challenged previously accepted norms surrounding legal education and reignited debates about what faculty are allowed to do both inside and outside the classroom. This discussion group examines this trend and considers the impact that these decisions continue to have on the future of legal education.
Moderator
: Ms. Grace Soyon Lee [ The University of Alabama School of Law ]
Discussants
: Professor Ronald Krotoszynski [ The University of Alabama School of Law ]; Professor Mitchell Crusto [ Loyola University New Orleans College of Law ]; Professor Alena Allen [ Louisiana State University Paul M. Hebert Law Center ]; Professor Ray Diamond [ Louisiana State University Paul M. Hebert Law Center ]; Professor Sheldon Bernard Lyke [ Loyola University Chicago School of Law ]
Sunday, July 26, 2026
3:00 pm - 5:30 pm
Law Professors and Public Engagement: Duty or Distraction?
As law professors, we frequently encounter opportunities to spotlight our research and engage in public discourse via op-eds, testimony, amicus briefs, media commentary, podcasts, and more. Should legal academics engage more actively with the public, or does this detract from scholarly and pedagogical commitments? Drawing on their personal experiences, discussants will debate whether public engagement is a civic duty of the academy. The discussion will also consider institutional incentives, public trust in legal expertise, and the responsibilities of scholars in shaping legal narratives beyond the classroom. Academics of all levels of seniority and aspiring academics are welcome.
Moderator
: Professor Shweta Kumar [ University of Kentucky J. David Rosenberg College of Law ]
Discussants
: Professor Ronald Krotoszynski [ The University of Alabama School of Law ]; Professor Colin Marks [ University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law ]; Professor Jeremy Kidd [ Drake University Law School ]; Professor Robert Brain [ Loyola Law School, Los Angeles ]; Professor Nicole Dyszlewski [ Roger Williams University School of Law ]; Professor Monica Teixeira de Sousa [ Roger Williams University School of Law ]; Professor Marianne Cufone [ Loyola University New Orleans College of Law ]; Professor Kenya Smith [ Louisiana State University Paul M. Hebert Law Center ]; Professor Joan MacLeod Heminway [ The University of Tennessee Winston College of Law ]; Dean Joshua Fershee [ Creighton University School of Law ]
Sunday, July 26, 2026
3:00 pm - 6:00 pm
Being Friendly Without Being Friends: Navigating the Professor-Student Relationship
In recent years, law schools have placed greater emphasis on being student-centered than perhaps they traditionally had. Many view this as a positive development. Yet, professors must now navigate the expectation of caring for students while still upholding standards, maintaining balance between professional obligations and personal life, and establishing their own professional identities. This discussion group focuses on the new professor-student dynamic and its effect on a faculty member’s ability to accomplish their own personal and professional goals. Topics include: setting appropriate boundaries with students and colleagues; managing time to fulfill teaching, scholarship, and service obligations; remaining professional but approachable when working with different types of students in different capacities; and addressing the “student as consumer” culture.
Moderators
: Professor John Rice [ Lincoln Memorial University Duncan School of Law ]; Professor Brittany Deitch [ The University of Oklahoma College of Law ]
Discussants
: Professor Jean Steadman [ Charleston School of Law ]; Professor Vanessa Zboreak [ Jacksonville University College of Law ]; Professor Emilio Longoria [ South Texas College of Law Houston ]; Professor Hemanth Gundavaram [ Northeastern University School of Law ]; Professor Laken Albrink [ University of Kentucky J. David Rosenberg College of Law ]; Professor Bruce Connolly [ Ave Maria School of Law ]; Professor Heather Baxter [ Mercer University School of Law ]; Professor Adrian McKinney [ University of Toledo College of Law ]; Professor Amber Polk [ The University of Alabama School of Law ]; Professor Laura Mott [ Lincoln Memorial University Duncan School of Law ]; Professor John Cook [ University of Arkansas at Little Rock, William H. Bowen School of Law ]; Professor Evan Absher [ University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law ]
Sunday, July 26, 2026
3:00 pm - 6:00 pm
Remedies Law Workshop
Remedies Front and Center
Realization of substantive rights depends on remedies. Increasing use of emergency dockets places equitable remedies as pivotal from the start of the litigation. The nature and scope of remedies demonstrate what the law honors most from private law to public. Varied remedies are key to advance executive prerogatives or forestall overreaches. We discuss a host of areas, including intellectual property, unjust enrichment, contracts, torts, criminal law, constitutional law, and administrative law. Before equitable or legal remedies may flow, plaintiffs must meet demanding requirements. Judges may also need to consider federalism, separation-of-powers issues, sovereignty, choice of law, and reform statues. This discussion group explores strategies, obstacles, and unifying principles. Discussants ultimately suggest how remedies may best serve underlying rights at stake.
Moderator
: Dean Caprice Roberts [ Louisiana State University Paul M. Hebert Law Center ]
Discussants
: Professor Robert Brain [ Loyola Law School, Los Angeles ]; Professor Layne Keele [ Samford University Cumberland School of Law ]; Professor Nick Davrados [ Louisiana State University Paul M. Hebert Law Center ]; Professor Vanessa Zboreak [ Jacksonville University College of Law ]; Professor Cortney Lollar [ Georgia State University College of Law ]; Professor Keeshea Turner Roberts [ Widener University Delaware Law School ]; Dean Marc Roark [ University of Tulsa College of Law ]; Professor Russell Weaver [ University of Louisville Louis D. Brandeis School of Law ]; Professor Saurabh Vishnubhakat [ Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law of Yeshiva University ]
Sunday, July 26, 2026
3:00 pm - 5:30 pm
Aspiring Law Teachers Workshop / Prospective Law Teachers Workshop
What Is the Legal Academy and How Do I Fit in?
How can you find your place in the legal academy? Who can you talk to about your questions? This session provides aspiring law teachers an opportunity to gather information and ask questions of experienced law teachers regarding specific issues in entering the academy. This session explores how to research the legal academic job hiring market and position yourself for the job, including how to build experience and prepare your curriculum vita and academic record to compete in the academic market. This session also provides information regarding the core components of an academic’s life: teaching, scholarship, and service.
Moderators
: Professor Anna Scardulla [ University of North Carolina School of Law ]; Professor Latisha Nixon Jones [ University of Nevada, Las Vegas William S. Boyd School of Law ]; Professor Jack Harrison [ NKU Chase College of Law ]
Discussants
: Professor Darren Bush [ University of Houston Law Center ]; Professor Douglas Moll [ University of Houston Law Center ]; Professor Linda Jellum [ University of Idaho College of Law ]; Professor Colin Marks [ University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law ]; Professor Tracy Norton [ Louisiana State University Paul M. Hebert Law Center ]; Professor Kellyn McGee [ Widener University Commonwealth Law School ]; Professor Lucas Osborn [ Campbell University, Norman Adrian Wiggins School of Law ]; Professor Margaret Hu [ William & Mary Law School ]; Dean Marc Roark [ University of Tulsa College of Law ]; Professor Alex Kreit [ Northern Kentucky University, Salmon P. Chase College of Law ]
Sunday, July 26, 2026
3:00 pm - 5:30 pm
Regulating Sin: A thing of the past?
Over about the past 100 years, one can trace the criminalization of a host of activities that the Victoria era societies labelled as sin. Often, regulation was aimed at curtailing pleasure, including sexual pleasure, drug and alcohol use, access to exotic (and often serious) literature, and more.
For most of the 20th century, public demands and Supreme Court precedent expanded individual liberty interests. But in recent years, the hard turn to the right poses a challenge: which of our freedoms are now at risk?
Moderator
: Professor Michael Vitiello [ University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law ]
Panelists
: Professor Corinna Lain [ University of Richmond School of Law ]; Professor Rachel Wechsler [ University of Missouri School of Law ]; Professor Alex Kreit [ Northern Kentucky University, Salmon P. Chase College of Law ]; Professor Benjamin Varadi [ Vermont Law School ]
Monday, July 27, 2026
Monday, July 27, 2026
8:00 am - 10:00 am
Prospective Law Teachers Workshop
Navigating the Hiring Process
This panel is part of the Prospective Law Teachers Workshop but is open to all SEALS participants. Panelists discuss strategies to navigate the hiring market for law professors. Topics include the NEAR form; application methods, including the AALS Faculty Appointments Register form; the hiring process, including screening interviews and on-campus callbacks; the “job talk"; and post-offer negotiations. Workshop participants are encouraged to attend all the Aspiring Law Teachers Workshop programming to gain an overall insight into law teaching.
Moderators
: Professor John Rice [ Lincoln Memorial University Duncan School of Law ]; Professor Shakira Pleasant [ University of Illinois Chicago School of Law ]
Panelists
: Dean Michael Hunter Schwartz [ University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law ]; Professor Adrian McKinney [ University of Toledo College of Law ]; Professor Victoria Haneman [ University of Georgia School of Law ]; Professor Linda Jellum [ University of Idaho College of Law ]; Dean Brian Gallini [ Willamette University College of Law ]
Monday, July 27, 2026
8:00 am - 10:00 am
New Scholars Workshop
Civil Rights, Education Law, and Sports Law
This workshop gives New Scholars the opportunity to present a work-in-progress in a welcoming and supportive environment and to receive feedback on their presentation from more senior scholars in their fields. New Scholars are also assigned a mentor. The program is open to junior faculty at member schools. New Scholars are nominated to participate in the New Scholars Workshop by the deans of their respective law schools
Moderator
: Professor Daniel Correa [ South Texas College of Law Houston ]
Panelists
: Professor Stephanie R. Jackson:
Transgender Policy in Women's Sports
[ Mississippi College School of Law ]; Professor Christina Masso:
Easy on the Eyes: Considerations and Best Practices for Making Law School Course Materials More Legible and Readable for All Learners
[ University of North Texas Dallas College of Law ]; Professor Heather Trick:
Can NIL Deals Buy Due Process Rights?
[ St. Mary's University School of Law ]; Professor Christine Buamah:
Legal Pluralism and Children's Right to Education: Adapting the Cultural Pluralism Framework for Migrant Communities in the United States.
[ University of Arkansas at Little Rock, William H. Bowen School of Law ]
Monday, July 27, 2026
8:00 am - 10:00 am
New Scholars Workshop
Constitutional Law
This workshop gives New Scholars the opportunity to present a work-in-progress in a welcoming and supportive environment and to receive feedback on their presentation from more senior scholars in their fields. New Scholars are also assigned a mentor. The program is open to junior faculty at member schools. New Scholars are nominated to participate in the New Scholars Workshop by the deans of their respective law schools
Moderator
: Professor Luke Smith Morgan [ Campbell University, Norman Adrian Wiggins School of Law ]
Panelists
: Professor Bailey D. Barnes:
Bivens Juries
[ University of Missouri School of Law ]; Professor Joseph A. Figueroa:
Learning Resources for a Middle Ground: A New Limiting Principles for Major Questions
[ Lincoln Memorial University Duncan School of Law ]; Professor Timothy Harris:
Limiting the Takings Clause -- Even When Compensation is Due
[ University of Idaho College of Law ]; Professor D.S. Pensley [ Widener University Commonwealth Law School ]
Monday, July 27, 2026
8:00 am - 10:00 am
New Scholars Workshop
Corporate Law, Business Entities, Investor Protection, and Tax
This workshop gives New Scholars the opportunity to present a work-in-progress in a welcoming and supportive environment and to receive feedback on their presentation from more senior scholars in their fields. New Scholars are also assigned a mentor. The program is open to junior faculty at member schools. New Scholars are nominated to participate in the New Scholars Workshop by the deans of their respective law schools
Moderator
: Professor Nicholas Georgakopoulos [ Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law ]
Panelists
: Professor Randle Pollard:
Revocation of Tax Exemption--Harvard University's Constitutional Right to Due Process
[ Albany Law School ]; Professor Emilie Aguirre:
Global Corporate Duties
[ Duke University School of Law ]; Professor Jordan D. Engelhart:
Too Many States, Too Many Rules: The Case for Harmonizing Charitable Solicitation Registration
[ Louisiana State University Paul M. Hebert Law Center ]; Professor Emma Cohen:
Trade Allocations in the Age of Complex Funds: The Need for Enhanced SEC Guidance for a New Market Reality
[ Atlanta's John Marshall Law School ]
Monday, July 27, 2026
8:00 am - 10:00 am
New Scholars Workshop
Evidence and Discovery
This workshop gives New Scholars the opportunity to present a work-in-progress in a welcoming and supportive environment and to receive feedback on their presentation from more senior scholars in their fields. New Scholars are also assigned a mentor. The program is open to junior faculty at member schools. New Scholars are nominated to participate in the New Scholars Workshop by the deans of their respective law schools
Moderator
: Professor Allyson Haynes Stuart [ Charleston School of Law ]
Panelists
: Professor Tobie Smith:
Unwarranted Assumptions: Ensuring Candor in Warrant Applications Involving Complex Technology
[ The University of Alabama School of Law ]; Professor Brian R. Iverson:
Rethinking Discovery of Corporate Data on Employee-Owned Devices
[ Mercer University ]; Professor Alexa Perez:
Sexual Propensity at the Founding
[ Drake University Law School ]
Monday, July 27, 2026
9:00 am - 12:00 pm
Teaching Demonstrations at the Intersection of Professional Identity Formation and the Rule of Law
This Discussion Group features four professors demonstrating teaching exercises that engage the rule of law in the context of professional identity formation in a variety of contexts with constructive feedback from the other members of the Discussion Group. In the three-hour session, each of the four presenters has roughly 30 minutes to demonstrate their teaching exercise with discussants having 10-15 minutes to offer constructive feedback.
Moderator
: Professor Jerome Organ [ University of St. Thomas School of Law ]
Discussants
: Professor Kendall Kerew [ Georgia State University College of Law ]; Professor Anna Vick [ Southern Illinois University School of Law ]; Professor Aric Short [ Texas A&M University School of Law ]; Professor Benjamin Rigney [ Wake Forest University School of Law ]; Professor Tanya Pierce [ Texas A&M University School of Law ]; Professor Patrick Murphree [ Jacksonville University College of Law ]; Professor David Grenardo [ University of St. Thomas School of Law ]; Professor Mary-Beth Moylan [ University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law ]; Professor Paul Koster [ Emory University School of Law ]; Professor Heather Ward [ University of New Hampshire School of Law ]
Monday, July 27, 2026
10:00 am - 10:15 am
Break (sponsored by Carolina Academic Press)
Monday, July 27, 2026
10:15 am - 12:00 pm
New Scholars Workshop
Generative AI and Synthetic Media
This workshop gives New Scholars the opportunity to present a work-in-progress in a welcoming and supportive environment and to receive feedback on their presentation from more senior scholars in their fields. New Scholars are also assigned a mentor. The program is open to junior faculty at member schools. New Scholars are nominated to participate in the New Scholars Workshop by the deans of their respective law schools
Moderator
: Professor Lauren Newell [ Campbell University, Norman Adrian Wiggins School of Law ]
Panelists
: Professor Mitchell Longan:
Forced Fun: A Compulsory License for Derivatives in Copyright Law
[ Atlanta's John Marshall Law School ]; Professor Laura Ginsberg Abelson:
AI Chatbots as Evidence in Criminal Cases
[ SMU Dedman School of Law ]; Professor Brian R. Downing:
Artificial Oral Arguments
[ The University of Mississippi School of Law ]; Professor Elissa Jacob:
Adjudicating Pro Se Litigation in the Era of Generative AI
[ South Texas College of Law Houston ]
Monday, July 27, 2026
10:15 am - 12:00 pm
New Scholars Workshop
Criminal Law and Procedure
This workshop gives New Scholars the opportunity to present a work-in-progress in a welcoming and supportive environment and to receive feedback on their presentation from more senior scholars in their fields. New Scholars are also assigned a mentor. The program is open to junior faculty at member schools. New Scholars are nominated to participate in the New Scholars Workshop by the deans of their respective law schools
Panelists
: Professor Shih-Chun Steven Chien:
Spatial Criminal Procedure
[ University of Nevada - La Boyd School of Law ]; Professor Cara Shaffer:
The Afterlife of Kent: Reasons, Retreat, & Reviewability
[ South Texas College of Law Houston ]; Professor Tiffani Hurst:
The Educational Needs of Exonerated Individuals
[ Drexel University Thomas R. Kline School of Law ]; Professor Joe Wesley Moore:
Judging Fast and Slow: Biases and Heuristics in the Supreme Court's Exclusionary Rule Jurisprudence
[ University of North Texas Dallas College of Law ]
Monday, July 27, 2026
10:15 am - 12:00 pm
New Scholars Workshop
International Law and Patent Law
This workshop gives New Scholars the opportunity to present a work-in-progress in a welcoming and supportive environment and to receive feedback on their presentation from more senior scholars in their fields. New Scholars are also assigned a mentor. The program is open to junior faculty at member schools. New Scholars are nominated to participate in the New Scholars Workshop by the deans of their respective law schools
Panelists
: Professor Jeffrey Brooks:
Statelessness, Diplomatic Protection, and the Limits of Collective Obligation
[ Louisiana State University Paul M. Hebert Law Center ]; Professor Fernando J. Loayza Jordán:
International Tax Peace
[ Drexel University Thomas R. Kline School of Law ]; Professor Tom Reichert:
Factors and Fictions: The Empirical Collapse of the Likelihood of Confusion Test Across the Federal Courts
[ Southern Illinois University School of Law ]
Monday, July 27, 2026
10:15 am - 12:00 pm
New Scholars Workshop
Criminal Liability and Culpability
This workshop gives New Scholars the opportunity to present a work-in-progress in a welcoming and supportive environment and to receive feedback on their presentation from more senior scholars in their fields. New Scholars are also assigned a mentor. The program is open to junior faculty at member schools. New Scholars are nominated to participate in the New Scholars Workshop by the deans of their respective law schools
Moderator
: Professor Bruce Connolly [ Ave Maria School of Law ]
Panelists
: Professor Adrian McKinney:
Culpability Collapsed: Revisiting Enmund and Tison in the Age of Broad Felony Murder Liability”
[ University of Toledo College of Law ]; Professor Dyllan Taxman:
Due Process and Vaccine Crimes
[ Baylor University Law School ]; Professor April Xiaoyi Xu:
How Should U.S. Criminal Law “Treat” Personality Disorders: Guilty Mind and Insanity Defense
[ Tulane University ]
Monday, July 27, 2026
10:15 am - 12:00 pm
Aspiring Law Teachers Workshop
Screening Interviews--How to Secure Them and What to Expect
This session exposes aspiring law teachers to ways an applicant can better increase their odds of securing a screening interview, along with the format and content of a typical screening interview for doctrinal, clinical, and legal writing positions. The group will engage in an in-depth discussion with aspiring law teachers about question content, interviewing styles, and common mistakes made by applicants during screening interviews. Experienced faculty will act as mock interviewers, while new members of the academy who have recently been through the rigors of the job hiring market will act as mock interviewees. This session will be helpful to those who are about to enter the job market and those still thinking about it.
Moderator
: Professor Annie Scardulla [ University of North Carolina School of Law ]
Discussants
: Professor Jeffrey A. Dodge [ Penn State Dickinson Law ]; Professor Jack Harrison [ NKU Chase College of Law ]; Professor Latisha Nixon-Jones [ University of Nevada, Las Vegas William S. Boyd School of Law ]; Professor Louis Virelli [ Stetson University College of Law ]; Professor Lisa Avalos [ Louisiana State University Paul M. Hebert Law Center ]; Professor Vanessa Zboreak [ Jacksonville University College of Law ]; Professor Noah Marks [ University of North Carolina School of Law ]; Professor Anthony Palermo [ University of North Carolina School of Law ]; Professor Kara Bruce [ University of North Carolina School of Law ]
Monday, July 27, 2026
12:00 pm - 1:30 pm
New Scholars/Prospective Law Teachers Luncheon
This luncheon is only for new scholars, their mentors, and Prospective Law Teachers. A ticket is required.
Monday, July 27, 2026
12:00 pm - 1:30 pm
AccessLex Institute and Helix Bar Review Luncheon
AccessLex Institute® and Helix Bar Review® invite you to join President and Chief Executive Officer, Chris Chapman, and AccessLex leaders for lunch and thoughtful conversation on the changes redefining legal education. From the rollout of the NextGen Uniform Bar Exam to AI in the classroom, student loan access, and accreditation challenges, this session will explore what law schools need to be thinking about now—and what’s coming next.ALL ATTENDEES ARE WELCOME TO ATTEND, BUT AN RSVP IS MANDATTORY
Monday, July 27, 2026
1:30 pm - 3:15 pm
New Scholars Workshop
Your Next Article
Is my next idea one that will become a good article? I’ve done some initial research where do I go now? Should I take a different approach? These are common questions that new (and even experienced) scholars ask themselves as they progress with developing an idea into an article. The primary purpose of this panel is to provide participants in our New Scholars Workshop with input on direction and development of their scholarship. It offers New Scholars an opportunity to present a developing piece or a few ideas about potential projects in an informal setting and receive feedback on the idea. Additionally, this discussion group explores motivation, creativity, and the process for finding your next great idea.
Moderator
: Professor Saurabh Vishnubhakat [ Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law of Yeshiva University ]
Discussants
: Professor Mitchell Longan [ Atlanta's John Marshall Law School ]; Professor Laura Ginsberg Abelson [ SMU Dedman School of Law ]; Professor Brian R. Downing [ The University of Mississippi School of Law ]; Professor Emilie Aguirre [ Duke University School of Law ]; Professor Jordan D. Engelhart [ Louisiana State University Paul M. Hebert Law Center ]; Professor Emma Cohen [ Atlanta's John Marshall Law School ]; Professor Randle Pollard [ Albany Law School ]; Professor Elissa Jacob [ South Texas College of Law Houston ]
Monday, July 27, 2026
1:30 pm - 3:15 pm
New Scholars Workshop
Your Next Article
Is my next idea one that will become a good article? I’ve done some initial research where do I go now? Should I take a different approach? These are common questions that new (and even experienced) scholars ask themselves as they progress with developing an idea into an article. The primary purpose of this panel is to provide participants in our New Scholars Workshop with input on direction and development of their scholarship. It offers New Scholars an opportunity to present a developing piece or a few ideas about potential projects in an informal setting and receive feedback on the idea. Additionally, this discussion group explores motivation, creativity, and the process for finding your next great idea.
Moderator
: Professor Atiba Ellis [ Case Western Reserve University School of Law ]
Discussants
: Professor Bailey D. Barnes [ University of Missouri School of Law ]; Professor Joseph A. Figueroa [ Lincoln Memorial University Duncan School of Law ]; Professor Timothy Harris [ University of Idaho College of Law ]; Professor Stephanie R. Jackson [ Mississippi College School of Law ]; Professor Christina Masso [ University of North Texas Dallas College of Law ]; Professor Heather Trick [ St. Mary's University School of Law ]; Professor Christine Buamah [ University of Arkansas at Little Rock, William H. Bowen School of Law ]; Professor D.S. Pensley [ Widener University Commonwealth Law School ]
Monday, July 27, 2026
1:30 pm - 3:15 pm
Supreme Court Update: Individual Rights
This panel examines U.S. Supreme Court decisions from the Court's most recent term on the subject ot individual constitutional rights..
Moderator
: Professor Constance Wagner [ Saint Louis University School of Law ]
Panelists
: Professor Michael Dimino [ Widener University Commonwealth Law School ]; Professor Ray Chao [ University of Louisville Louis D. Brandeis School of Law ]; Professor Joseph Blocher [ Duke University School of Law ]; Professor Judith Barger [ Atlanta's John Marshall Law School ]
Monday, July 27, 2026
1:30 pm - 3:15 pm
Aspiring Law Teachers Workshop
What's in a Job Talk?
Panelists offer advice on best practices for job talks. Job talks not only forecast the scholar you are and will become but also model the type of teacher you will be. The panelists will share the characteristics of an effective job talk, focusing on topic selection, authenticity, expertise, clarity, and delivery. They will also examine how to harness key points from your work into digestible, yet provocative, content that best showcases your ideas and what you bring to the intellectual discourse.  Panelists will provide tips on how to prepare and how to handle tough questions from the faculty during your talk.
Moderator
: Dean Karen Sneddon [ Mercer University School of Law ]
Discussants
: Professor Nicholas Kahn-Fogel [ Penn State Dickinson Law ]; Professor Meghan Boone [ Wake Forest University School of Law ]; Professor Jane Cross [ Nova Southeastern University Shepard Broad College of Law ]; Professor Scott Dodson [ University of California College of Law, San Francisco ]; Professor Atiba Ellis [ Case Western Reserve University School of Law ]; Professor Erin Fitzgerald [ Elon University School of Law ]; Professor Jack Harrison [ NKU Chase College of Law ]; Dean Lolita Buckner Inniss [ University of Colorado Law School ]; Professor Haley Palfreyman Jankowski [ South Texas College of Law Houston ]; Professor Ishaq Kundawala [ Mercer University School of Law ]; Dean Elizabeth Kronk Warner [ The University of Utah S.J. Quinney College of Law ]
Monday, July 27, 2026
1:30 pm - 3:15 pm
SEALS 2026 Call for Papers
Each year, SEALS issues a Call for Papers. This panel involves the presentation of the winning papers. This year's winner is: Bankrupt Crypto Organizations. The paper provides a comprehensive analysis of the intersection between decentralized autonomous organizations and American bankruptcy law
Moderator
: Professor Ronald Rychlak [ The University of Mississippi School of Law ]
Panelists
: Professor Christopher Odinet [ Texas A&M University School of Law ]; Professor Kara Bruce [ University of North Carolina School of Law ]; Professor Andrea Tosato [ SMU Dedman School of Law ]
Monday, July 27, 2026
1:30 pm - 3:15 pm
SEALS Faculty Recruitment Portal: Updates to the Faculty Recruitment Process
This panel explains the updated features of the SEALS Faculty Recruitment Portal. The Chair will introduce the platforms available on the portal—job announcements from law schools, the NEAR form for candidates seeking both visiting and permanent positions—and will demonstrate how each works. Law schools (including hiring chairs, deans, and associate deans) will learn how to effectively use the Portal to recruit new faculty as well as lateral. Professors and those seeking academic positions will learn how to use the visiting registry and NEAR form to arrange visits, pursue lateral moves, or secure a faculty position. The portal has a new landing page, and the visiting registry has been revamped to accommodate one-semester
Panelists
: Professor Linda Jellum [ University of Idaho College of Law ]
Monday, July 27, 2026
3:15 pm - 3:30 pm
Break (sponsored by Carolina Academic Press)
Monday, July 27, 2026
3:30 pm - 6:00 pm
New Scholars Workshop
Your Next Article
Is my next idea one that will become a good article? I’ve done some initial research where do I go now? Should I take a different approach? These are common questions that new (and even experienced) scholars ask themselves as they progress with developing an idea into an article. The primary purpose of this panel is to provide participants in our New Scholars Workshop with input on direction and development of their scholarship. It offers New Scholars an opportunity to present a developing piece or a few ideas about potential projects in an informal setting and receive feedback on the idea. Additionally, this discussion group explores motivation, creativity, and the process for finding your next great idea.
Moderator
: Professor Howard Wasserman [ Florida International University College of Law ]
Discussants
: Professor Adrian McKinney [ University of Toledo College of Law ]; Professor Dyllan Taxman [ Baylor University Law School ]; Professor April Xiaoyi Xu [ Tulane University ]; Professor Joe Wesley Moore [ University of North Texas Dallas College of Law ]; Professor Tobie Smith [ The University of Alabama School of Law ]; Professor Brian R. Iverson [ Mercer University ]; Professor Alexa Perez [ Drake University Law School ]; Professor Shih-Chun Steven Chien [ University of Nevada - La Boyd School of Law ]; Professor Cara Shaffer [ South Texas College of Law Houston ]; Professor Tiffani Hurst [ Drexel University Thomas R. Kline School of Law ]
Monday, July 27, 2026
3:30 pm - 5:30 pm
Supreme Court Update: Administrative Law, Securities, and Corporate Issues
This panel provides an update on recent U.S. Supreme Court decisions on administrative law, corporate law, and securities.
Moderator
: Professor Jesse Williams [ Campbell University, Norman Adrian Wiggins School of Law ]
Panelists
: Professor Eric Chaffee [ Case Western Reserve University School of Law ]; Professor Douglas Williams [ Saint Louis University School of Law ]; Professor Akram Faizer [ Lincoln Memorial University Duncan School of Law ]; Professor Linda Jellum [ University of Idaho College of Law ]
Monday, July 27, 2026
3:30 pm - 5:30 pm
Driving Law School Revenue Through Innovation: The Rise of Legal Master’s Programs
This panel explores how law schools drive sustainable revenue growth through innovative graduate legal programs, including the Master of Studies in Law (MSL), Master of Jurisprudence (MJ), and Juris Master (JM). Deans from diverse institutions share strategies for expanding access, diversifying student populations, and stabilizing budgets while staying true to mission. Panelists examine data-driven marketing, mission-aligned program design, and industry partnerships that elevate institutional reach and reputation. Attendees gain a practical framework for developing and positioning graduate programs that strengthen both non-JD and JD enrollment outcomes.
Moderator
: Mr. Michael Fogarty [ MF Digital Marketing, Inc. ]
Panelists
: Professor Colin Marks [ University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law ]; Professor Charlene Luke [ University of Florida Fredric G. Levin College of Law ]; Dean Patricia E. Roberts [ St. Mary's University School of Law ]; Dean Richard Bierschbach [ Wayne State University Law School ]
Monday, July 27, 2026
3:30 pm - 6:30 pm
Incorporating Faith into the Classroom
This discussion group focuses on different ways to integrate faith into the classroom. It addresses ways to analyze subjects through the lens of faith and difficulties in doing so when students or professors might be hesitant. The discussion group addresses courses where this may be more natural, such as Constitutional Law, and more challenging, such as statutory-based courses like Evidence and Commercial Law. It explores how professors can develop curriculum and teaching in ways that are consistent with a school’s mission or consistent with faith-based ideas that students want to explore. Finally, the group addresses ways that professors can choose texts and reading material that would assist in bringing this type of discussion into the classroom.
Moderator
: Professor Bruce Connolly [ Ave Maria School of Law ]
Discussants
: Professor Tony Kolenc [ Ave Maria School of Law ]; Professor Jeffrey Schmitt [ University of Dayton School of Law ]; Professor Ronald Rychlak [ The University of Mississippi School of Law ]; Professor Joanmarie Davoli [ Barry University, Dwayne O. Andreas School of Law ]; Professor Timothy Todd [ Liberty University School of Law ]; Professor Rodney Chrisman [ Liberty University School of Law ]; Professor Kelley Thompson [ Ave Maria School of Law ]; Professor Lynne Marie Kohm [ Regent University School of Law ]; Professor Jennifer Jenkins [ Ave Maria School of Law ]
Monday, July 27, 2026
3:30 pm - 5:30 pm
Medical-Legal Partnerships and Law Clinics
Medical-legal partnerships (MLPs) have existed for decades to address the social determinants of health. Less attention has been paid, however, to how they serve a preventative function. MLPs have the capacity to avoid unnecessary referrals to the child welfare system as well as reduce state Medicaid expenditures. This panel will discuss how MLPs operate, with a focus on two academically-based MLPs, one based out of the University of South Carolina and one that is starting in partnership with Loyola New Orleans, and how their models are being evaluated by the Access to Justice Lab at Harvard Law School to determine the extent to which they reduce child welfare referrals and reduce Medicaid expenditures.
Moderator
: Professor Cortney Lollar [ Georgia State University College of Law ]
Panelists
: Professor Davida Finger [ Loyola University New Orleans College of Law ]; Professor Emily Suski [ University of South Carolina Joseph F. Rice School of Law ]; Professor Kayla Phelps [ Louisiana State University Medical Center ]
Monday, July 27, 2026
3:30 pm - 6:00 pm
Distance Education Workshop
Focus on the Students
Online education, particularly asynchronous education, creates opportunities and challenges for students. This session explores the best practices to promote student engagement, learning, wellness, and connectedness. Well-designed courses and programs meet this need by providing the students structured and serendipitous opportunities to engage with each other, promote learning, and build community. This discussion group focuses on the methods to promote a robust, student-centered learning community.
Moderator
: Professor Sara Berman [ University of Southern California Law School ]
Discussants
: Dean Olympia Duhart [ Nova Southeastern University Shepard Broad College of Law ]; Professor Vonda Laughlin [ Lincoln Memorial University Duncan School of Law ]; Professor DeShayla Strachan [ Mitchell Hamline School of Law ]; Professor Areto Imoukhuede [ Florida A&M University College of Law ]; Professor Allison Mittendorf [ Ohio Northern University, Pettit College of Law ]; Dean Greg Brandes [ Monterey College of Law ]; Professor Michele Pistone [ Villanova University School of Law ]; Professor Seth Oranburg [ University of New Hampshire School of Law ]; Professor Paolo Davide Farah [ University of Tulsa College of Law ]
Monday, July 27, 2026
3:30 pm - 5:30 pm
Aspiring Law Teachers Workshop
Crafting Your Scholarship Goals
This discussion group addresses the value of scholarship. Topics include how to develop best writing practices and balance commitments. Speakers explore various types of writing (from opinion-editorials and blogs to journal articles and manuscripts) and examine benchmarks for quality and quantity (including length, type of research, and placements). Speakers also offer advice on how to create a thoughtful, clear research agenda; consider how to evaluate different publication opportunities; and offer advice on how to maintain your voice as you seek to meet institutional and editorial norms.
Moderators
: Professor Nicholas Kahn-Fogel [ Penn State Dickinson Law ]; Professor Brian Owsley [ University of North Texas Dallas College of Law ]
Discussants
: Professor Louis Virelli [ Stetson University College of Law ]; Professor Jordan Wallace-Wolf [ University of Arkansas at Little Rock, William H. Bowen School of Law ]; Professor Layne Keele [ Samford University Cumberland School of Law ]; Professor Mike Vitiello [ University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law ]; Dean Karen Sneddon [ Mercer University School of Law ]; Professor Scott Dodson [ University of California College of Law, San Francisco ]; Professor Margie Alsbrook [ Mercer University School of Law ]; Professor Lauryn Gouldin [ Syracuse University College of Law ]; Professor Robert Steinbuch [ University of Arkansas at Little Rock, William H. Bowen School of Law ]; Professor Andrea Martin [ Penn State Dickinson Law ]; Professor Almas Khan [ The University of Mississippi School of Law ]; Dean Caprice Roberts [ Louisiana State University Paul M. Hebert Law Center ]
Monday, July 27, 2026
3:30 pm - 6:30 pm
Bar Reform Gains Momentum: Lessons from Leading Jurisdictions and Strategies for Reform in Your State
This panel examines the growing momentum of bar reform across the United States and its implications for legal education and attorney licensure. Once isolated, reform efforts now spread across jurisdictions experimenting with new pathways to licensure and improved methods of assessing minimum competence. The panel identifies key lessons from leading jurisdictions and highlights emerging models. It also offers practical strategies for law faculty and other stakeholders seeking to advance meaningful reform in their own states.
Moderator
: Dean Brian Gallini [ Quinnipiac University School of Law ]
Panelists
: Professor Catherine Bramble [ Brigham Young University, J. Reuben Clark Law School ]; Professor John Cook [ University of Arkansas School of Law ]; Professor Nachman N. Gutowski [ University of Nevada Law Boyd School of Law ]; Professor Mary C Szto [ Syracuse University College of Law ]
Monday, July 27, 2026
3:30 pm - 6:30 pm
Teaching Exercises at the Intersection of Professional Identity Formation and the Rule of Law
This Discussion Group features four professors demonstrating teaching exercises that engage the rule of law in the context of professional identity formation in a variety of contexts with constructive feedback from the other members of the Discussion Group. In the three-hour session, each of the four presenters has roughly 30 minutes to demonstrate their teaching exercise with discussants having 10-15 minutes to offer constructive feedback.
Moderator
: Professor Jerome Organ [ University of St. Thomas School of Law ]
Discussants
: Professor Kendall Kerew [ Georgia State University College of Law ]; Professor Anna Vick [ Southern Illinois University School of Law ]; Professor patrick Murphree [ Jacksonville University College of Law ]; Professor Benjamin Rigney [ Wake Forest University School of Law ]; Professor Aric Short [ Texas A&M University School of Law ]; Professor Tanya Pierce [ Texas A&M University School of Law ]; Professor Heather Ward [ University of New Hampshire School of Law ]; Professor David Grenardo [ University of St. Thomas School of Law ]; Professor Paul Koster [ Emory University School of Law ]; Professor Mary-Beth Moylan [ University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law ]
Monday, July 27, 2026
6:30 pm - 7:30 pm
McGeorge School of Law, University of the Pacific Reception
Monday, July 27, 2026
6:30 pm - 7:30 pm
New Scholars Workshop
New Scholars Happy Hour (sponsored by Themis)
This reception is ONLY for New Scholars and their mentors.
Tuesday, July 28, 2026
Tuesday, July 28, 2026
8:00 am - 12:00 pm
BARBRI | West Academic Golf Tournament
Tuesday, July 28, 2026
8:00 am - 10:00 am
SEALS Pickleball Tournament (sponsored by ABA Publishing)
Tuesday, July 28, 2026
8:00 am - 11:00 am
SEALS Tennis Tournament (sponsored by Aspen Publishing Co.)
Tuesday, July 28, 2026
8:00 am - 10:00 am
Prospective Law Teachers Workshop
Mock Job Interviews
As part of this workshop, participants have the opportunity to engage in mock interviews and receive feedback. Note: Participants for this session were previously selected.
Tuesday, July 28, 2026
8:00 am - 10:00 am
Prospective Law Teachers Workshop
Mock Job Interviews
As part of this workshop, participants have the opportunity to engage in mock interviews and receive feedback. Note: Participants for this session were previously selected.
Tuesday, July 28, 2026
8:00 am - 10:00 am
Prospective Law Teachers Workshop
Mock Job Interviews
As part of this workshop, participants have the opportunity to engage in mock interviews and receive feedback. Note: Participants for this session were previously selected.
Tuesday, July 28, 2026
8:00 am - 10:00 am
Prospective Law Teachers Workshop
Mock Job Interviews
As part of this workshop, participants have the opportunity to engage in mock interviews and receive feedback. Note: Participants for this session were previously selected.
Tuesday, July 28, 2026
8:00 am - 10:00 am
Prospective Law Teachers Workshop
Mock Job Interviews
As part of this workshop, participants have the opportunity to engage in mock interviews and receive feedback. Note: Participants for this session were previously selected.
Tuesday, July 28, 2026
8:00 am - 10:00 am
Prospective Law Teachers Workshop
Mock Job Interviews
As part of this workshop, participants have the opportunity to engage in mock interviews and receive feedback. Note: Participants for this session were previously selected.
Tuesday, July 28, 2026
8:00 am - 10:00 am
Prospective Law Teachers Workshop
Mock Job Interviews
As part of this workshop, participants have the opportunity to engage in mock interviews and receive feedback. Note: Participants for this session were previously selected.
Tuesday, July 28, 2026
8:00 am - 10:00 am
Prospective Law Teachers Workshop
Mock Job Interviews
As part of this workshop, participants have the opportunity to engage in mock interviews and receive feedback. Note: Participants for this session were previously selected.
Tuesday, July 28, 2026
8:00 am - 10:00 am
Prospective Law Teachers Workshop
Mock Job Interviews
As part of this workshop, participants have the opportunity to engage in mock interviews and receive feedback. Note: Participants for this session were previously selected.
Tuesday, July 28, 2026
8:00 am - 10:00 am
Prospective Law Teachers Workshop
Mock Job Interviews
As part of this workshop, participants have the opportunity to engage in mock interviews and receive feedback. Note: Participants for this session were previously selected.
Tuesday, July 28, 2026
8:00 am - 10:00 am
Prospective Law Teachers Workshop
Mock Job Interviews
As part of this workshop, participants have the opportunity to engage in mock interviews and receive feedback. Note: Participants for this session were previously selected.
Tuesday, July 28, 2026
9:00 am - 11:30 am
Deans Workshop
Rise of the Interims
Sometimes a call to service is hard to ignore. The group discusses the catalysts that led to their decision to accept interim dean posts. Interim dean terms of service are indefinite and may lead to a future deanship or a return to the faculty. Discussants explore the motivations for service and the skills developed in serving through crises. Such positions are filled with such challenges as budgetary issues, student concerns, and human resources matters. Through the experience, there are still rewards. This discussion engages in a candid conversation about leadership and pitfalls in responding to a call to serve. This program is open to all who are interested.
Moderators
: Dean Caprice Roberts [ Louisiana State University Paul M. Hebert Law Center ]; Dean Marc Roark [ University of Tulsa College of Law ]
Discussants
: Dean Joseph Grant [ Capital University Law School ]; Dean Joshua Fershee [ Creighton University School of Law ]; Dean Jon Marcantel [ Charleston School of Law ]; Dean Andy Hessick [ University of North Carolina School of Law ]; Dean Christopher Roederer [ University of Dayton School of Law ]; Dean Karen Sneddon [ Mercer University School of Law ]
Tuesday, July 28, 2026
10:00 am - 10:15 am
Break (sponsored by th National Conference of Bar Examiners)
Tuesday, July 28, 2026
10:15 am - 12:00 pm
New Scholars Workshop
Digital Platforms and Algorithmic Tracking
This workshop gives New Scholars the opportunity to present a work-in-progress in a welcoming and supportive environment and to receive feedback on their presentation from more senior scholars in their fields. New Scholars are also assigned a mentor. The program is open to junior faculty at member schools. New Scholars are nominated to participate in the New Scholars Workshop by the deans of their respective law schools
Moderator
: Professor Ashley Krenelka Chase [ Stetson University College of Law ]
Panelists
: Professor Mason R. Clark:
Digital Dram Shops and Intoxicating Algorithms
[ St. Mary's University School of Law ]; Professor Sarah Klim:
A Moderate Approach to Content Moderation for Very Large Online Platforms
[ Mercer University School of Law ]; Professor Renee Henson:
The Algorithmic Playground and the Jurisprudence of Irresistibility
[ University of Missouri School of Law ]
Tuesday, July 28, 2026
10:15 am - 12:00 pm
New Scholars Workshop
Health Policy, Law, and Medical Standards
This workshop gives New Scholars the opportunity to present a work-in-progress in a welcoming and supportive environment and to receive feedback on their presentation from more senior scholars in their fields. New Scholars are also assigned a mentor. The program is open to junior faculty at member schools. New Scholars are nominated to participate in the New Scholars Workshop by the deans of their respective law schools
Moderator
: Professor Ellen Farwell [ Roger Williams University School of Law ]
Panelists
: Professor Daniel G. Aaron:
Innovation Governance at the FDA
[ The University of Utah S.J. Quinney College of Law ]; Professor Chryssa Deliganis:
No Surprise: Regulatory and Judicial Challenges Stymie the No Surprises Act
[ Seattle University School of Law ]; Professor Shweta Kumar:
Infectious Retractions
[ University of Kentucky J. David Rosenberg College of Law ]; Professor John Parsi:
Doctor Work it Out
[ Louisiana State University Paul M. Hebert Law Center ]
Tuesday, July 28, 2026
10:15 am - 12:00 pm
New Scholars Workshop
Procedural Standards and Systemic Inequality
This workshop gives New Scholars the opportunity to present a work-in-progress in a welcoming and supportive environment and to receive feedback on their presentation from more senior scholars in their fields. New Scholars are also assigned a mentor. The program is open to junior faculty at member schools. New Scholars are nominated to participate in the New Scholars Workshop by the deans of their respective law schools
Moderator
: Professor Nicole Dyszlewski [ Roger Williams University School of Law ]
Panelists
: Professor Theodosia Stavroulaki:
Keep Calm: How Private Equity Worsens the U.S. Mental Health Care Crisis
[ Saint Louis University School of Law ]; Professor Danya Reda:
Putting the Global in the LPE of Civil Procedure
[ Wayne State University Law School ]; Professor Chester Fernandez:
Balancing the Scales: Elevating Community Rights Alongside Victims' Rights
[ Quinnipiac University School of Law ]; Professor Citlalli Ochoa:
Relational Movements
[ UNLV William S. Boyd School of Law ]
Tuesday, July 28, 2026
10:15 am - 12:00 pm
New Scholars Workshop
Policing, Prosecutorial Discretion, and Sentencing
This workshop gives New Scholars the opportunity to present a work-in-progress in a welcoming and supportive environment and to receive feedback on their presentation from more senior scholars in their fields. New Scholars are also assigned a mentor. The program is open to junior faculty at member schools. New Scholars are nominated to participate in the New Scholars Workshop by the deans of their respective law schools
Moderator
: Professor Meagan Hurley [ Mercer University School of Law ]
Panelists
: Professor Jonathan Kerr:
Citizen Complaints and the Carceral System
[ Widener University Delaware Law School ]; Professor Alison Prout:
Criminalizing Dishonesty: How Kousisis Unlocks a New Level of Prosecutorial Discretion at a Dangerous Time
[ Atlanta's John Marshall Law School ]; Professor Vanessa Miller:
Federalizing the Campus Police
[ Florida International University College of Law ]; Professor John B Meixner Jr.:
Defense Prosecutors
[ University of Georgia School of Law ]
Tuesday, July 28, 2026
10:15 am - 12:00 pm
Aspiring Law Teachers Workshop, Prospective Law Teachers Workshop
The Art of Self-Promotion
This panel explores packaging, marketing, and promotion strategies for your academic reputation and your scholarly ideas. Speakers discuss conventional and controversial methods of enhancing your academic brand. They also address potential pitfalls, including consequences of public ideological battles. Should professors stay in their lane of expertise and maintain professional etiquette? Can professors afford to stay silent? Last, panelists offer tips on how to balance personal and professional interests in social media dissemination.
Moderator
: Professor Meghan Boone [ Wake Forest University School of Law ]
Panelists
: Professor Laura Lane-Steele [ University of South Carolina Joseph F. Rice School of Law ]; Professor Tiffany Atkins [ University of Kentucky J. David Rosenberg College of Law ]; Professor Lucas Osborn [ Campbell University, Norman Adrian Wiggins School of Law ]; Professor Victoria Haneman [ University of Georgia School of Law ]
Tuesday, July 28, 2026
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
Lunch (on your own)
Tuesday, July 28, 2026
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
Carolina Academic Press Luncheon
Tuesday, July 28, 2026
1:00 pm - 2:45 pm
The Future of Law School Accreditation
The ABA Council of the Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar serves as the nationally recognized accrediting body for U.S. law schools, and in most states only graduates of Council-accredited law schools may sit for the bar examination. Recently the Council’s accreditation standards have come under increased scrutiny from critics within legal education and from some state Supreme Courts. This panel examines the critiques of the accreditation project and considers the best path forward.
Moderator
: Professor David Yellen [ University of Miami School of Law ]
Panelists
: Professor Daniel Rodriguez [ Northwestern Pritzker School of Law ]; Professor Carla Pratt [ The University of Oklahoma College of Law ]; Dean Erin O'Connor [ Florida State University College of Law ]
Tuesday, July 28, 2026
1:00 pm - 2:45 pm
New Scholars Workshop
Your Next Article
Is my next idea one that will become a good article? I’ve done some initial research where do I go now? Should I take a different approach? These are common questions that new (and even experienced) scholars ask themselves as they progress with developing an idea into an article. The primary purpose of this panel is to provide participants in our New Scholars Workshop with input on direction and development of their scholarship. It offers New Scholars an opportunity to present a developing piece or a few ideas about potential projects in an informal setting and receive feedback on the idea. Additionally, this discussion group explores motivation, creativity, and the process for finding your next great idea.
Moderator
: Professor Kenya Smith [ Louisiana State University Paul M. Hebert Law Center ]
Discussants
: Professor Jessica McKinlay [ University of Idaho College of Law ]; Professor Annie Bright [ St. Mary's University School of Law ]; Professor Mason R. Clark [ St. Mary's University School of Law ]; Professor Sarah Klim [ Mercer University School of Law ]; Professor Renee Henson [ University of Missouri School of Law ]; Professor Laura Ford [ Faulkner University, Thomas Goode Jones School of Law ]
Tuesday, July 28, 2026
1:00 pm - 2:45 pm
New Scholars Workshop
Your Next Article
Is my next idea one that will become a good article? I’ve done some initial research where do I go now? Should I take a different approach? These are common questions that new (and even experienced) scholars ask themselves as they progress with developing an idea into an article. The primary purpose of this panel is to provide participants in our New Scholars Workshop with input on direction and development of their scholarship. It offers New Scholars an opportunity to present a developing piece or a few ideas about potential projects in an informal setting and receive feedback on the idea. Additionally, this discussion group explores motivation, creativity, and the process for finding your next great idea.
Moderator
: Dean Marc Roark [ University of Tulsa College of Law ]
Discussants
: Professor Daniel G. Aaron [ The University of Utah S.J. Quinney College of Law ]; Professor Chryssa Deliganis [ Seattle University School of Law ]; Professor Shweta Kumar [ University of Kentucky J. David Rosenberg College of Law ]; Professor John Parsi [ Louisiana State University Paul M. Hebert Law Center ]; Professor Tom Reichert [ Southern Illinois University School of Law ]; Professor Jeffrey Brooks [ Louisiana State University Paul M. Hebert Law Center ]; Professor Fernando J. Loayza Jordán [ Drexel University Thomas R. Kline School of Law ]
Tuesday, July 28, 2026
1:00 pm - 2:45 pm
New Scholars Workshop
Your Next Article
Is my next idea one that will become a good article? I’ve done some initial research where do I go now? Should I take a different approach? These are common questions that new (and even experienced) scholars ask themselves as they progress with developing an idea into an article. The primary purpose of this panel is to provide participants in our New Scholars Workshop with input on direction and development of their scholarship. It offers New Scholars an opportunity to present a developing piece or a few ideas about potential projects in an informal setting and receive feedback on the idea. Additionally, this discussion group explores motivation, creativity, and the process for finding your next great idea.
Moderator
: Professor Russell Gold [ The University of Alabama School of Law ]
Discussants
: Professor Danya Reda [ Wayne State University Law School ]; Professor Chester Fernandez [ Quinnipiac University School of Law ]; Professor Citlalli Ochoa [ UNLV William S. Boyd School of Law ]; Professor Jonathan Kerr [ Widener University Delaware Law School ]; Professor Alison Prout [ Atlanta's John Marshall Law School ]; Professor Vanessa Miller [ Florida International University College of Law ]; Professor Theodosia Stavroulaki [ Saint Louis University School of Law ]; Professor John B Meixner Jr. [ University of Georgia School of Law ]
Tuesday, July 28, 2026
1:00 pm - 2:45 pm
Works-in-Progress Series - Writing Connections
This workshop gives faculty the opportunity to present a work-in-progress and to receive substantive feedback on their work from scholars with varying degrees of experience in the academy who write in similar or related fields. Each participant both submits their own work and reviews that of their fellow participants in advance of the meeting, leading to a more interactive exchange of ideas. Unlike other works-in-progress programs, the participants in this session are chosen from a request for submissions.
Moderators
: Professor Emily Grant [ Washburn University School of Law ]; Professor Lindsey Gustafson [ University of Arkansas at Little Rock, William H. Bowen School of Law ]
Tuesday, July 28, 2026
1:00 pm - 2:45 pm
Discussions with Publishers
Are you interested in writing a casebook, study aid, or other book? A panel of publishers will discuss what they are seeking in book proposals.
Moderator
: Professor Jennifer North [ Charleston School of Law ]
Panelists
: Mr. Joe Terry [ Aspen Publishing Co. ]; Mr. Scott Sipe [ Carolina Academic Press ]; Ms. Pamela Siege Chandler [ West Academic ]
Tuesday, July 28, 2026
2:45 pm - 3:00 pm
Break(sponsored by emDigital)
Tuesday, July 28, 2026
3:00 pm - 5:30 pm
Teaching and Researching in Civil and Comparative Law
This discussion group explores innovative approaches to teaching and researching civil and comparative law. Discussants examine curricular integration, pedagogical strategies, and scholarly trends, with attention to the unique insights that civilian and comparative forms of legal analysis may provide to teachers and scholars at institutions where civil law is part of the curriculum and at institutions where it is not. The session aims to foster collaboration, share best practices, and highlight the value of comparative perspectives in legal education and scholarship.
Moderator
: Professor Patrick Murphree [ Jacksonville University College of Law ]
Discussants
: Professor Trace Maddox [ Louisiana State University Paul M. Hebert Law Center ]; Professor Summer Chandler [ Louisiana State University Paul M. Hebert Law Center ]; Professor Paolo Davide Farah [ University of Tulsa College of Law ]; Professor Courtney Turkington [ Loyola University New Orleans College of Law ]; Professor Phillip L. McIntosh [ Mississippi College School of Law ]; Professor Ryan Stoa [ Louisiana State University Paul M. Hebert Law Center ]; Professor Martha Thibaut [ Loyola University New Orleans College of Law ]; Professor Amanda Stephens [ St. Mary's University School of Law ]; Professor Milena Sterio [ Cleveland State University College of Law ]; Professor Meera Sossamon [ Loyola University New Orleans College of Law ]; Professor Kenya Smith [ Louisiana State University Paul M. Hebert Law Center ]; Professor Missy Lonegrass [ Louisiana State University Paul M. Hebert Law Center ]; Professor John Parsi [ Louisiana State University Paul M. Hebert Law Center ]; Professor Joseph (Jody) Prestia [ Lincoln Memorial University Duncan School of Law ]; Professor Donna Schwab [ Southern University Law Center ]; Professor John Lovett [ Louisiana State University Paul M. Hebert Law Center ]; Professor MJ Hernandez [ Mississippi College School of Law ]; Professor Nick Davrados [ Louisiana State University Paul M. Hebert Law Center ]; Professor Mitchell Crusto [ Loyola University New Orleans College of Law ]
Tuesday, July 28, 2026
3:00 pm - 6:00 pm
New and Established Voices in Criminal Procedure
This discussion group is a forum for new and established scholars to discuss their forthcoming articles, works in progress, and ideas for articles on constitutional criminal procedure.
Moderators
: Professor Nicholas Kahn-Fogel [ Penn State Dickinson Law ]; Professor Brian Owsley [ University of North Texas Dallas College of Law ]
Discussants
: Professor Ronald Coleman [ University of Kentucky J. David Rosenberg College of Law ]; Professor Brittany Deitch [ The University of Oklahoma College of Law ]; Professor Russell Gold [ The University of Alabama School of Law ]; Professor Tobie Smith [ The University of Alabama School of Law ]; Professor Corinna Lain [ University of Richmond School of Law ]; Professor Mike Vitiello [ University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law ]; Professor Andrew Kerr [ South Texas College of Law Houston ]; Professor Rachel Van Cleave [ University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law ]; Professor Stephen Henderson [ The University of Oklahoma College of Law ]; Professor Jordan Wallace-Wolf [ University of Arkansas at Little Rock, William H. Bowen School of Law ]; Dean Brian Gallini [ Quinnipiac University School of Law ]; Professor Eric Hintz [ University of Missouri School of Law ]; Professor Lauryn P. Gouldin [ Syracuse University College of Law ]
Tuesday, July 28, 2026
3:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Aspiring Law Teachers Workshop
Designing Your Teaching Package
This panel offers advice on determining your areas of teaching and research interests. The panel will explore the importance of connection to your research, passion, and expertise. Topics include how to articulate these connections and show flexibility. Discussants also weigh how aspirants might consider market demands and advise on how to research, compare, and adjust to varied institutional needs. Finally, the group suggests ways to communicate and develop individualized teaching approaches, including styles, methods, and tools.
Moderator
: Professor Emilio Longoria [ South Texas College of Law Houston ]
Discussants
: Professor Match Dawson [ St. Mary's University School of Law ]; Dean Lindsey Gustafson [ University of Arkansas at Little Rock, William H. Bowen School of Law ]; Professor Benjamin Cooper [ The University of Mississippi School of Law ]; Professor Howard Katz [ Cleveland State University College of Law ]; Professor Fernando J. Loayza Jordán [ Drexel University Thomas R. Kline School of Law ]; Professor Jeffrey A. Dodge [ Penn State Dickinson Law ]
Tuesday, July 28, 2026
3:00 pm - 6:00 pm
Deans Workshop
Embracing Efficiency, Ethics, and Equity Using AI in Law School Leadership
There has not been enough discussion about how law school deans can leverage artificial intelligence to streamline administrative tasks, such as drafting thank-you notes, supporting business planning, and assisting with staff and faculty evaluations. Panelists will discuss practical applications that save time and enhance efficiency, while also addressing critical considerations like confidentiality, data security, and the risk of bias in AI-generated outputs. The discussion will emphasize the importance of transparency and disclosure when AI tools are used in decision-making or communications, ensuring stakeholders understand when technology is involved. Attendees will gain insights into balancing innovation with ethical and legal responsibilities, avoiding pitfalls that could compromise trust or institutional integrity.
Tuesday, July 28, 2026
3:30 pm - 6:00 pm
Distance Education Workshop
Focus on Teachers, Pedagogy, and Evaluation
This discussion group builds on years of tips, tricks, and best practices designed to address the opportunities and challenges of online pedagogy with additional considerations of how pedagogies must evolve in response to student use of AI. The discussion will feature how to design a course, uses of synchronous and asynchronous instruction, learning management systems, videoconference tricks, how to use online techniques in in-person classes, and much more.
Moderator
: Professor Marcia Narine Weldon [ University of Miami School of Law ]
Discussants
: Professor William Byrnes [ Texas A&M University School of Law ]; Professor Zoe Niesel [ St. Mary's University School of Law ]; Professor Jane Cross [ Nova Southeastern University Shepard Broad College of Law ]; Professor Max Huffman [ Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law ]; Professor Allison Mittendorf [ Ohio Northern University, Pettit College of Law ]; Professor Gordon Russell [ Lincoln Memorial University Duncan School of Law ]; Professor Steven Friedland [ Elon University School of Law ]; Professor Jon Garon [ Nova Southeastern University Shepard Broad College of Law ]; Professor Derek Fincham [ South Texas College of Law Houston ]; Professor Lisa Smith-Butler [ Charleston School of Law ]; Dean James McGrath [ Cooley Law School ]; Professor Brian Owsley [ University of North Texas Dallas College of Law ]
Tuesday, July 28, 2026
6:00 pm - 7:00 pm
BARBRI | West Academic Reception
Tuesday, July 28, 2026
6:30 pm - 7:30 pm
Prospective Law Teacher Happy Hour
This reception is ONLY for Prospectives Alumni and 2026 Workshop Participants. Contact Shakira Pleasant and John Rice for details.
Wednesday, July 29, 2026
Wednesday, July 29, 2026
8:00 am - 10:00 am
Prospective Law Teachers Workshop
Mock Job Talks
As part of this workshop, participants have the opportunity to present a mock job talk and receive feedback. Note: Participants for this session were previously selected.
Wednesday, July 29, 2026
8:00 am - 10:00 am
Prospective Law Teachers Workshop
Mock Job Talks
As part of this workshop, participants have the opportunity to present a mock job talk and receive feedback. Note: Participants for this session were previously selected.
Wednesday, July 29, 2026
8:00 am - 10:00 am
Prospective Law Teachers Workshop
Mock Job Talks
As part of this workshop, participants have the opportunity to present a mock job talk and receive feedback. Note: Participants for this session were previously selected.
Wednesday, July 29, 2026
8:00 am - 10:00 am
Prospective Law Teachers Workshop
Mock Job Talks
As part of this workshop, participants have the opportunity to present a mock job talk and receive feedback. Note: Participants for this session were previously selected.
Wednesday, July 29, 2026
8:00 am - 10:00 am
Prospective Law Teachers Workshop
Mock Job Talks
As part of this workshop, participants have the opportunity to present a mock job talk and receive feedback. Note: Participants for this session were previously selected.
Wednesday, July 29, 2026
8:00 am - 10:00 am
Prospective Law Teachers Workshop
Mock Job Talks
As part of this workshop, participants have the opportunity to present a mock job talk and receive feedback. Note: Participants for this session were previously selected.
Wednesday, July 29, 2026
8:00 am - 10:00 am
Prospective Law Teachers Workshop
Mock Job Talks
As part of this workshop, participants have the opportunity to present a mock job talk and receive feedback. Note: Participants for this session were previously selected.
Wednesday, July 29, 2026
9:00 am - 12:00 pm
Constitutional Law Workshop
The Constitution and Assaults on the Federal Judiciary
This discussion group focuses on attacks on the federal judiciary in our current political climate. District judges enjoining the administration's constitutionally suspect policies have witnessed the Supreme Court staying the injunctions on the emergency or shadow docket. This has raised a new phenomenon—open conflicts between the Supreme Court and lower courts, as the former complain about “defiance” of their interim orders and the latter complain about lack of guidance and clarity in those orders. That phenomenon enables and worsens long-standing divisions and conflicts with the other branches of the federal government.
Moderators
: Professor Thomas Metzloff [ Duke University School of Law ]; Professor Howard Wasserman [ Florida International University College of Law ]
Discussants
: Professor Scott Dodson [ University of California College of the Law, San Francisco ]; Professor Rachel Koehn Breland [ South Texas College of Law Houston ]; Professor Daniel Croxall [ University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law ]; Professor Patrick Murphree [ Jacksonville University College of Law ]; Professor Zoe Niesel [ University of South Carolina Joseph F. Rice School of Law ]; Professor Philip Pucillo [ Michigan State University College of Law ]; Dean Caprice Roberts [ Louisiana State University Paul M. Hebert Law Center ]; Professor Charles (Rocky) Rhodes [ University of Missouri School of Law ]; Professor Ryan Stoa [ Louisiana State University Paul M. Hebert Law Center ]; Professor Margaret Tarkington [ Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law ]; Professor Michael Vitiello [ University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law ]; Professor Trace Maddox [ Louisiana State University Paul M. Hebert Law Center ]; Professor Samuel Jordan [ Saint Louis University School of Law ]
Wednesday, July 29, 2026
9:00 am - 12:00 pm
Business Law Workshop
Corporate Purpose and Misconduct
This session examines the relationship between corporate purpose and corporate misconduct amid shifting regulatory, political, and institutional conditions. The 2019 Business Roundtable statement reignited debate over corporate ends and spurred corporate commitments to ESG and DEI—many since narrowed, rebranded, or abandoned. Corporate misconduct remains a feature of the modern economy, even as enforcement regimes appear unsettled, with changes in regulatory priorities and political leadership reshaping identification and punishment of misconduct. We explore how corporate purpose concepts intersect with patterns of misconduct. How do claims about purpose shape corporate behavior? Do broader conceptions of purpose meaningfully constrain misconduct or risk functioning as symbolic compliance lacking robust enforcement? How should corporate law and governance respond when normative expectations and enforcement regimes fluctuate?
Moderators
: Professor Emilie Aguirre [ Duke University School of Law ]; Professor Veronica Root Martinez [ Duke University School of Law ]
Discussants
: Professor Matthew Bodie [ University of Minnesota Law School ]; Professor Will Thomas [ University of Michigan Law School ]; Professor Joan MacLeod Heminway [ The University of Tennessee Winston College of Law ]; Professor Todd Haugh [ Indiana University Kelley School of Business ]; Professor Colin Marks [ University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law ]; Professor Daisy Lovelace [ Duke University Fuqua School of Business ]; Professor F. Christopher Eaglin [ Duke University Fuqua School of Business ]; Professor Nicole G. Iannarone [ Drexel University Thomas R. Kline School of Law ]; Professor Gina-Gail Fletcher [ Duke University School of Law ]; Professor Kaleb Byars [ University of South Carolina Joseph F. Rice School of Law ]; Professor Judd F. Sneirson [ Southern University Law Center ]
Wednesday, July 29, 2026
9:00 am - 12:00 pm
Current Trends in Emerging Technologies and the Law: International, Comparative, and Domestic Perspectives
As technologies like artificial intelligence, data privacy, cybersecurity, and blockchain evolve, the legal landscape must adapt. The group examines how various jurisdictions are responding to these issues, drawing on international frameworks and comparing legal approaches in different countries. Emphasis will be placed on how these regulatory paradigms reflect local values, policy priorities, and their potential convergence on the global stage. This discussion group also explores the implications of emerging technologies for business, intellectual property, and corporate governance, considering how legal frameworks can evolve to balance innovation with safeguarding individual rights and public interests.
Moderator
: Professor Paolo Davide Farah [ University of Tulsa College of Law ]
Discussants
: Professor Robert Rhee [ University of Florida Fredric G. Levin College of Law ]; Professor Mary Szto [ Syracuse University College of Law ]; Professor Nicole Iannarone [ Drexel University Thomas R. Kline School of Law ]; Professor Ifeoma Ajunwa [ Emory University School of Law ]; Professor Emile Loza de Siles [ University of Hawaii at Manoa, William S. Richardson School of Law ]; Professor Chris Gassman [ University of Pittsburgh Center for Sustainable Business ]; Professor Carla Reyes [ SMU Dedman School of Law ]; Professor Jide James-Eluyode [ Texas Southern University, Thurgood Marshall School of Law ]; Professor Andrew C. Michaels [ University of Houston Law Center ]; Professor Monica Llorente [ Northwestern Pritzker School of Law ]; Professor Eric Chaffee [ Case Western Reserve University School of Law ]; Professor Chenglin Liu [ St. Mary's University School of Law ]; Professor Milena Sterio [ Cleveland State University College of Law ]; Dr. Elia Cerrato [ Universidad Carlos III de Madrid (Spain) ]; Professor Robin Boyle Laisure [ St. John's University School of Law ]; Professor Noah Chauvin [ The University of Oklahoma College of Law ]; Professor Brian R. Downing [ The University of Mississippi School of Law ]; Professor Jon Garon [ Nova Southeastern University Shepard Broad College of Law ]; Professor Darren Bush [ University of Houston Law Center ]; Professor Veronica Root Martinez [ Duke University School of Law ]; Professor Emilio Longoria [ South Texas College of Law Houston ]; Professor Del Wright [ Louisiana State University Paul M. Hebert Law Center ]; Professor Dana Jones [ North Carolina Central University School of Law ]; Professor Zaneta Robinson [ Wake Forest University School of Law ]; Professor Uche Ewelukwa Ofodile [ University of Arkansas School of Law ]; Professor Srividhya Ragavan [ Texas A&M University School of Law ]; Professor Kevin Lee [ North Carolina Central University School of Law ]; Professor Daniel Mandell [ Chicago-Kent College of Law at Illinois Institute of Technology ]; Professor Joseph A. Figueroa [ Lincoln Memorial University Duncan School of Law ]; Professor Joseph (Jody) Prestia [ Lincoln Memorial University Duncan School of Law ]; Professor Lee Petherbridge [ Loyola Law School, Los Angeles ]; Professor Charles Trumbull [ University of South Carolina Joseph F. Rice School of Law ]; Professor David Sella-Villa [ University of South Carolina Joseph F. Rice School of Law ]; Professor Jennifer Kenter [ Quinnipiac University School of Law ]; Professor Martin Svec [ Masaryk University (Czech Republic) ]; Professor Maya Watson [ Wayne State University Law School ]; Professor Laura Mott [ Lincoln Memorial University Duncan School of Law ]; Professor Adriannette Wlliams [ Lincoln Memorial University Duncan School of Law ]; Professor Benjamin Varadi [ Vermont Law School ]
Wednesday, July 29, 2026
9:30 am - 12:00 pm
Distance Education Workshop
Focus on AI and Other Educational Technologies
There has been a rapid transformation in the legal profession’s approach to artificial intelligence, LMS platforms, and more. Initially seen as a threat, AI has unleashed potential for new self-directed learning as well as for easy student shortcuts. The discussion group focuses on the use of these tools in law school pedagogy, the importance of technological competence as a lawyer’s ethical obligation, and how best to explore these tools in legal education.
Moderator
: Professor Jon Garon [ Nova Southeastern University Shepard Broad College of Law ]
Discussants
: Professor Jane Cross [ Nova Southeastern University Shepard Broad College of Law ]; Professor April G. Dawson [ North Carolina Central University School of Law ]; Professor Kirsten K. Davis [ Stetson University College of Law ]; Ms. Pamela Siege Chandler [ West Academic ]; Professor Matthew Dietz [ Nova Southeastern University Shepard Broad College of Law ]; Professor Lisa Smith-Butler [ Charleston School of Law ]; Professor Marcia Narine Weldon [ University of Miami School of Law ]; Dean James McGrath [ Cooley Law School ]; Mr. Michael Gregory [ emDigital ]; Professor Gabriel H. Teninbaum [ Suffolk University School of Law ]; Professor Rachelle Holmes Perkins [ George Mason University Antonin Scalia Law School ]; Professor Rebecca Purdom [ University of New Hampshire School of Law ]; Professor Nick Datzov [ University of North Dakota School of Law ]; Professor Victoria VanZandt [ University of Dayton School of Law ]; Professor Anthony Niedwiecki [ Mitchell Hamline School of Law ]
Wednesday, July 29, 2026
10:00 am - 10:15 am
BARBRI | West Academic Mimosa Break
Wednesday, July 29, 2026
10:15 am - 12:00 pm
New Scholars Workshop
Bankruptcy, Contract, and Commercial Law
This workshop gives New Scholars the opportunity to present a work-in-progress in a welcoming and supportive environment and to receive feedback on their presentation from more senior scholars in their fields. New Scholars are also assigned a mentor. The program is open to junior faculty at member schools. New Scholars are nominated to participate in the New Scholars Workshop by the deans of their respective law schools
Moderator
: Professor Ishaq Kundawala [ Mercer University School of Law ]
Panelists
: Professor Jessica McKinlay:
Opting In or Opting Out, Third Party Releases in Bankruptcy
[ University of Idaho College of Law ]; Professor Abigail Bright Willie:
Saying the Quiet Bankruptcy Thing Out Loud: The Bankruptcy Court May Not be a "Court of Equity" - And What that Might Mean
[ St. Mary's University School of Law ]; Professor Laura Ford:
The Forms of Action Yet Live: Assumpsit for Money Had and Received
[ Faulkner University, Thomas Goode Jones School of Law ]
Wednesday, July 29, 2026
10:15 am - 12:00 pm
Digital Tax Law
Strategies and Impacts: Evaluating Digital Taxes Among Saudi Arabia, the USA, and the UK
The digital economy has become intricately interconnected with our physical world, influencing our interactions, shopping habits, and our trading and investment practices. Historically, international tax regulations have allocated tax authority based on the requirement of being physically present. Nevertheless, in the last ten years or so, the process of converting economies into digital form has significantly disturbed this structure. This is due to the advantages and possibilities it offers for firms to conduct transactions across different countries and boundaries, while just needing a physical presence in a single country.
Moderator
: Professor Orly Mazur [ SMU Dedman School of Law ]
Panelists
: Professor Nawaf Alswaiman [ The University of Alabama School of Law ]; Professor Abdulmosin Alkatlan [ University of Adger (Norway) School of Business & Law ]; Professor Ameer Alotaibi [ Stanford Law School ]
Wednesday, July 29, 2026
10:15 am - 12:00 pm
Newer Law Teachers Workshop
Scholarship Fundamentals: Becoming a Productive and Fulfilled Scholar
This group of experienced scholars considers what is a “scholarly agenda," and then explores how to develop one. The panelists also examine: alternative routes to tenure and self-fulfillment; using colleagues and research assistants to help in the scholarly enterprise; the art or luck of publishing “well;” the importance of presenting at conferences; and how to enjoy, and not dread, the scholarly process. The discussion includes the “nuts and bolts” of writing – where, when, what, how, and more. The group may break into smaller groups to discuss these issues with participants in depth in a more directed dialogue.
Moderator
: Professor Brian R. Iverson [ Mercer University ]
Panelists
: Professor Joel Mintz [ Nova Southeastern University Shepard Broad College of Law ]; Professor Brannon Denning [ Samford University Cumberland School of Law ]; Professor Russell Gold [ The University of Alabama School of Law ]; Professor Russell Weaver [ University of Louisville Louis D. Brandeis School of Law ]
Wednesday, July 29, 2026
10:15 am - 12:00 pm
One Size Does Not Fit All: Onboarding, Supporting, and Mentoring Newer Faculty
Introducing faculty to an institution is often treated as a single event with a single audience. In reality, faculty arrive through many pathways and experience institutions differently. Adjuncts, visitors, pre-tenure faculty, clinical instructors, online teachers, and lateral hires all face distinct challenges and expectations. Faculty come with differing identities, abilities, familiarity with academia, and networks. Relying on uniform models of orientation and support can lead to confusion, isolation, and uneven success. This discussion session invites all attendees to rethink faculty acculturation as an ongoing, differentiated process rather than a one size fits all experience. This session explores how institutions can create support structures with intentional inclusion for role-specific and diverse realities while still fostering shared culture and connection.
Moderators
: Professor Ellen E. Farwell [ Roger Williams University School of Law ]; Professor Nicole Dyszlewski [ Roger Williams University School of Law ]
Discussants
: Professor Jennifer Cooper [ Louisiana State University Paul M. Hebert Law Center ]; Professor Adrian McKinney [ University of Toledo College of Law ]; Dean Karen Sneddon [ Mercer University School of Law ]; Professor Mitchell Crusto [ Loyola University New Orleans College of Law ]; Professor Jamie Abrams [ American University, Washington College of Law ]; Professor Fernando Loayza Jordán [ Drexel University Thomas R. Kline School of Law ]; Professor Ashley Krenelka Chase [ Stetson University College of Law ]; Professor Alireza Nourani-Dargiri [ Case Western Reserve University School of Law ]
Wednesday, July 29, 2026
10:15 am - 12:00 pm
National Conference of Bar Examiners
Developing NextGen UBE Style Integrated Question Sets
This hands-on session provides an inside view of how integrated sets are conceived, constructed, and validated to measure doctrine and lawyering skills within a single, cohesive assessment experience. Participants will work through a sample set, examine the alignment of competencies and scoring architecture, and see how integrated design strengthens rigor, coherence, and defensibility. The session translates exam-level methodology into actionable models for doctrinal skills and bar preparation curricula, offering a clear blueprint for modern, integrated assessment design.
Panelists
: Dr. Susan Landrum [ Fordham University School of Law ]; Professor Jon Lee [ The University of Oklahoma College of Law ]; Ms. Hannah Scoville [ National Conference of Bar Examiners ]
Wednesday, July 29, 2026
12:00 pm - 1:30 pm
Deans Workshop
Deans Luncheon
This luncheon is for sitting deans (or acting deans or interim deans). It does not include assistant or associate deans.
Wednesday, July 29, 2026
12:00 pm - 1:30 pm
BARBRI | West Academic Luncheon
Wednesday, July 29, 2026
1:30 pm - 3:15 pm
Deans Workshop
Working Together: Building Strong Connections Across Campus and Beyond
Being a law school dean requires managing the expectations of many different groups, including those beyond the core constituencies of students, faculty, and staff. Success often depends on how well you work with other key partners like the provost, other college deans, advisory boards, and alumni. This panel will discuss practical ways to strengthen those relationships, align priorities, and create successful collaborations. We’ll discuss how to navigate university politics, make the most of advisory boards, and turn alumni into champions for you and your school. Expect real-world examples of successes and failures, candid advice, and (hopefully) ideas you can put to work right away.
Wednesday, July 29, 2026
1:30 pm - 3:15 pm
Working Papers on Criminal Procedure and Criminal Justice Policy
In this workshop, panelists will present works in progress at various stages development that address current topics in Criminal Procedure, the design of criminal justice institutions, and/or criminal justice policy. The session is intended facilitate dialogue among scholars with diverse but overlapping interdisciplinary research interests in the administration and regulation of American criminal justice actors. Additionally, the goal of the session shall be to solicit critical feedback that improves the pieces presented.
Moderator
: Professor Heather Baxter [ Mercer University School of Law ]
Panelists
: Professor Nirej Sekhon [ Georgia State University College of Law ]; Professor Russell Gold [ The University of Alabama School of Law ]; Professor Eileen Prescott [ University of Georgia School of Law ]; Professor Lauryn Gouldin [ Syracuse University College of Law ]; Professor Frank Rudy Cooper [ UNLV William S. Boyd School of Law ]
Wednesday, July 29, 2026
3:15 pm - 3:30 pm
Break (sponsored by MF Digital Marketing)
Wednesday, July 29, 2026
3:30 pm - 6:00 pm
AI and Syllabi, Exercises, Rubrics, and Your Content
This discussion group addresses the interesting and timely questions related to integrating AI into your pedagogy and classroom. Among the questions considered are: (1) Should students be permitted to “opt out” of using AI; (2) Is unauthorized use of AI a syllabus infraction, policy infraction, or unauthorized use of assistance; (3) Are all or any of these cheating or violations of academic integrity; (4) Do I need to protect my intellectual property and, if so, how; (5) Is AI citable; (6) How do my rubrics need to evolve to meet AI; (7) How do I assess when using AI tools?
Moderator
: Professor Caroline Osborne [ University of North Carolina School of Law ]
Discussants
: Professor Jane O'Connell [ University of Florida Fredric G. Levin College of Law ]; Professor Marie Hamm [ Regent University School of Law ]; Professor Katie Brown [ Charleston School of Law ]; Professor Elizabeth Hilkin [ University of Florida Fredric G. Levin College of Law ]; Professor Korin Munsterman [ - ]; Professor Jenny Wondracek [ SMU Dedman School of Law ]; Professor Hunter Whaley [ Hofstra University Maurice A. Deane School of Law ]; Professor Faye Jones [ University of Illinois College of Law ]; Professor Michelle Cosby [ Washington and Lee University ]; Professor Kristina Niedringhaus [ University of South Carolina Joseph F. Rice School of Law ]
Wednesday, July 29, 2026
3:30 pm - 6:00 pm
Distance Education Workshop
Focus on Institutional Needs, Co-Curricular Support, and Accreditation Standards
Law schools may grant a student up to 50 percent of the JD credit hours through distance education courses and provide one-third of the residential courses online. Roughly ten percent of law schools have received a substantive change under Standard 105 and Rule 24 to allow all or almost all of the program to be online. The Council is looking at whether a building is even necessary or if other Standards might need to be updated for the modern, online law school. This discussion will review the state of online delivery from a regulatory, and business, and impact perspective to address where legal education is today and where it might be in the next five to ten years.
Moderator
: Professor Victoria VanZandt [ University of Dayton School of Law ]
Discussants
: Ms. Jennifer L. Rosato Perea [ American Bar Association ]; Dean Greg Brandes [ Monterey College of Law ]; Professor Michelle Zakarin [ Touro University, Jacob D. Fuchsberg Law Center ]; Professor Derek Fincham [ South Texas College of Law Houston ]; Professor Emily Grant [ Washburn University School of Law ]; Professor Colin Marks [ University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law ]; Professor Vickie Sutton [ Texas Tech University School of Law ]; Professor Jon Garon [ Nova Southeastern University Shepard Broad College of Law ]; Professor Conrad Sturm [ Gonzaga University School of Law ]; Professor David Thomson [ University of Denver, Sturm College of Law ]; Ms. Pamela Siege Chandler [ West Academic ]; Professor Rebecca Purdom [ University of New Hampshire School of Law ]; Professor Zoe E. Niesel [ St. Mary's University School of Law ]; Professor Areto Imoukhuede [ Florida A&M University College of Law ]; Dean Patricia E. Roberts [ St. Mary's University School of Law ]
Wednesday, July 29, 2026
3:30 pm - 5:30 pm
Newer Law Teachers Workshop
Teaching Fundamentals: Designing an Effective Core Law School Course
The participants, all experienced and excellent teachers, take attendees through many of the foundational stops on the teaching journey. Topics include preparing a course, preparing to teach, and the act of teaching. Sub-topics include syllabus formation, how to select course materials, how to determine what topics to cover, how to cover those topics, and how to approach teaching. Attendees can expect concrete, practical, and ready-to-use advice.
Moderator
: Professor Cindy Aribisala [ Texas Southern University, Thurgood Marshall School of Law ]
Panelists
: Professor Howard Katz [ Cleveland State University College of Law ]; Professor Patricia Perkins [ Elon University School of Law ]; Professor Nancy Soonpaa [ Texas Tech University School of Law ]; Professor Anna Hemingway [ Widener University Commonwealth Law School ]
Wednesday, July 29, 2026
3:30 pm - 6:00 pm
Deans Workshop
Safeguarding Self-Regulation: Accountability from Classroom to Courtroom
This discussion group will explore the critical role law school leaders play in preserving the integrity of a self-regulated legal profession. We will examine three interconnected responsibilities: ensuring lawyers are held accountable for unethical conduct under professional reporting rules; addressing concerning student behavior that may impact Character and Fitness (even when it falls short of academic discipline); and maintaining meaningful engagement from tenured faculty to ensure that a few bad actors do not threaten an important system of protection. We will discuss how to balance candor, compassion, and accountability while upholding the values that will help maintain (and rebuild) public trust in legal education and the profession.
Wednesday, July 29, 2026
3:30 pm - 6:30 pm
Dispossessed!
Throughout our Nation's history, the rich and powerful have exploited land opportunities for their benefit and at the expense of small land and property owners. These legal takings include eminent domain, the partition of heirs property, and tax and blight lien foreclosures. The result has been dispossession of the average American.

This discussion group will explore ways by which the consolidation of real property in the super rich can be redressed, mainly via litigation; will discuss the case of Youngblood v. ConocoPhillips; and will focus on successful lawsuits where the dispossessed have become the repossessed. Ultimately, the discussion group will share their knowledge of and thoughts on how litigation is a viable vehicle to achieve long due justice.
Moderator
: Professor Mitchell Crusto [ Loyola University New Orleans College of Law ]
Discussants
: Professor Jade Alexander Craig [ The University of Mississippi School of Law ]; Dean ándre douglas pond cummings [ Widener University Commonwealth Law School ]; Professor Ray Diamond [ Louisiana State University Paul M. Hebert Law Center ]; Professor Charlton Copeland [ University of Miami School of Law ]; Professor Brandon Honore [ Santa Clara University School of Law ]; Professor Jamila Jefferson-Jones [ University of Kansas School of Law ]; Professor Carlton Waterhouse [ Howard University School of Law ]; Professor Rosa Newman-Ruffin [ Elon University School of Law ]; Professor Ericka Kelsaw [ Texas Southern University, Thurgood Marshall School of Law ]; Professor Jesse Williams [ Campbell University, Norman Adrian Wiggins School of Law ]
Wednesday, July 29, 2026
3:30 pm - 6:30 pm
Current Trends--Corporate Democracy, Business and Human Rights, Sustainability, Labor Issues, Technology Governance, and ESG
The discussion group analyzes how international, transnational, and domestic legal systems address challenges posed by multinational corporations and global value chains. Key topics include the EU’s Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive, the U.S. legacy of the Alien Tort Claims Act, ESG due diligence, materiality assessment, duty to report, rating agencies, the experience from other countries, U.N. Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, and assessing their impact on the evolving regulatory landscape. Through case studies and practical insights, the group emphasizes reconciling corporate interests with human rights and sustainable development globally.
Moderator
: Professor Paolo Davide Farah [ University of Tulsa College of Law ]
Discussants
: Professor Naveen Thomas [ Brooklyn Law School ]; Professor Rosemary Queenan [ Albany Law School ]; Professor Kevin Lee [ North Carolina Central University School of Law ]; Professor Kern Alexander [ University of Zurich (Switzerland) ]; Professor Emile Loza de Siles [ University of Hawaii at Manoa, William S. Richardson School of Law ]; Professor Milena Sterio [ Cleveland State University College of Law ]; Professor Ifeoma Ajunwa [ Emory University School of Law ]; Professor Nicole Iannarone [ Drexel University Thomas R. Kline School of Law ]; Professor Carla Reyes [ SMU Dedman School of Law ]; Professor Jide James-Eluyode [ Texas Southern University, Thurgood Marshall School of Law ]; Professor Maya Watson [ Wayne State University Law School ]; Professor Andrew C. Michaels [ University of Houston Law Center ]; Professor Robert Rhee [ University of Florida Fredric G. Levin College of Law ]; Professor Chenglin Liu [ St. Mary's University School of Law ]; Professor Monica Llorente [ Northwestern Pritzker School of Law ]; Professor Robin Boyle Laisure [ St. John's University School of Law ]; Professor Noah Chauvin [ The University of Oklahoma College of Law ]; Professor Tom Kelley [ University of North Carolina School of Law ]; Professor Heather Elliott [ The University of Alabama School of Law ]; Professor Darren Bush [ University of Houston Law Center ]; Professor Veronica Root Martinez [ Duke University School of Law ]; Professor Bruce Connolly [ Ave Maria School of Law ]; Professor Rose Rameau [ Albany Law School ]; Professor Joan MacLeod Heminway [ The University of Tennessee Winston College of Law ]; Professor Kaleb Byars [ University of South Carolina Joseph F. Rice School of Law ]; Professor Dana Jones [ North Carolina Central University School of Law ]; Professor Martin Svec [ Masaryk University (Czech Republic) ]; Dr. Elia Cerrato [ Universidad Carlos III de Madrid (Spain) ]; Professor David Rosenfeld [ Northern Illinois University College of Law ]; Professor Itai Fiegenbaum [ St. Thomas University Benjamin L. Crump College of Law ]; Professor Eric Chaffee [ Case Western Reserve University School of Law ]; Professor Laura Mott [ Lincoln Memorial University Duncan School of Law ]; Professor Geovanny E. Martinez [ Duke University School of Law ]; Professor Uche Ewelukwa Ofodile [ University of Arkansas School of Law ]; Professor Benjamin Means [ University of South Carolina Joseph F. Rice School of Law ]; Professor David Sella-Villa [ University of South Carolina Joseph F. Rice School of Law ]; Professor Ajay Mehrotra [ Northwestern Pritzker School of Law ]; Professor Marcia Narine Weldon [ University of Miami School of Law ]; Professor Chris Gassman [ University of Pittsburgh Center for Sustainable Business ]; Professor Kayla Landeros [ Baylor University Law School ]; Professor Constance Wagner [ Saint Louis University School of Law ]
Wednesday, July 29, 2026
3:30 pm - 6:30 pm
Criminal Law & Criminal Procedure Workshop
Old Harms, New Urgency: Reimagining Justice in a Time of Reckoning
This Group explores the ways in which the current moment has laid bare the deeply rooted problems in the criminal legal system. These problems are not new. But our political climate has intensified them, so that promising paths for reform face strong rhetorical and institutional pushback. In order to address these problems, community driven efforts may offer meaningful hope. Criminal law and procedure scholars are taking note of innovative proposals by advocates who support reforms that are rooted in care, accountability, and safety. Group members plan to share their work in progress on a wide variety of subjects — and to share ideas about how to support strategies that can build a sustainable and fair justice system.
Moderator
: Professor Catherine Hancock [ Tulane University Law School ]
Discussants
: Professor Cynthia Alkon [ Texas A&M University School of Law ]; Professor Zamir Ben-Dan [ Temple University, James E. Beasley School of Law ]; Professor Sanjay Chhablani [ Syracuse University College of Law ]; Professor Erin Fitzgerald [ Elon University School of Law ]; Professor Jancy Hoeffel [ Tulane University Law School ]; Professor alex klein [ Washington and Lee University School of Law ]; Professor April Xiaoyi Xu [ Tulane University ]; Professor Rachel Wechsler [ University of Missouri School of Law ]; Professor Mike Vitiello [ University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law ]; Professor Rachel Van Cleave [ University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law ]; Professor Maybell Romero [ Tulane University Law School ]; Professor Carla Laroche [ Tulane University Law School ]; Professor Alex Kreit [ Northern Kentucky University, Salmon P. Chase College of Law ]
Wednesday, July 29, 2026
6:30 pm - 7:30 pm
Federalist Society Reception
Thursday, July 30, 2026
Thursday, July 30, 2026
8:00 am - 10:00 am
Innovation and Impact in Legal Research Pedagogy
This discussion group explores emerging trends and challenges in teaching legal research to first-year and upper-level law students. Participants examine strategies for integrating AI-powered research tools, developing new or revised courses aligned with evolving professional competencies, and preparing students for the research components of the NextGen Bar Exam. The session provides opportunities to share innovative teaching approaches, discuss assessment methods, and consider how legal research instruction can best support future-ready law graduates.
Moderator
: Professor Jane O'Connell [ University of Florida Fredric G. Levin College of Law ]
Discussants
: Professor Elizabeth Hilkin [ University of Florida Fredric G. Levin College of Law ]; Professor Katie Brown [ Charleston School of Law ]; Professor Caroline Osborne [ University of North Carolina School of Law ]; Professor Kristina Niedringhaus [ University of South Carolina Joseph F. Rice School of Law ]; Professor Michelle Cosby [ Washington and Lee University School of Law ]; Professor Jenny Wondracek [ SMU Dedman School of Law ]; Professor Ashley Krenelka Chase [ Stetson University College of Law ]; Professor Brittany Persson [ Brooklyn Law School ]; Professor Hunter Whaley [ Hofstra University Maurice A. Deane School of Law ]; Professor Monique Gonzalez [ Louisiana State University Paul M. Hebert Law Center ]
Thursday, July 30, 2026
8:00 am - 10:00 am
Distance Education Workshop
The Book Projects Update
This is an ongoing working group, open to all interested parties, developing an update to the 2015 best practices and model recommendations. Online delivery is significantly different because online can be part of an existing course, a course that is part of a traditional curriculum, or an program operated under a variance. The participants will work on a forthcoming book project related to updating guidelines, recommendations, and good practices to help schools with their continuous improvement of online learning and pedagogy. This discussion is intended for anyone already working on the project or interested in joining this ongoing effort.
Moderator
: Professor Rebecca Purdom [ University of New Hampshire School of Law ]
Discussants
: Professor Sara Berman [ University of Southern California Law School ]; Dean Greg Brandes [ Monterey College of Law ]; Professor Jon Garon [ Nova Southeastern University Shepard Broad College of Law ]; Professor Max Huffman [ Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law ]; Professor Andrea Funk [ The Colleges of Law ]; Professor Ellen Podgor [ Stetson University College of Law ]; Professor Victoria VanZandt [ University of Dayton School of Law ]; Professor Ginger Hunt [ University of Arizona College of Law ]; Professor Marcia Narine Weldon [ University of Miami School of Law ]; Professor Anthony Niedwiecki [ Mitchell Hamline School of Law ]; Professor Lisa Smith-Butler [ Charleston School of Law ]
Thursday, July 30, 2026
8:00 am - 10:00 am
Anchored in Authority: Teaching Legal Research and Citation Fundamentals in an AI-Driven Age
As the tools available for legal research and citation evolve, so must our teaching. This panel explores how law professors can effectively teach foundational research and citation skills while also preparing students to navigate—and critically assess—emerging technologies.

Panelists will discuss ways to balance traditional strategies with the realities of modern practice, where legal research platforms and generative AI tools are rapidly changing lawyers’ everyday tasks.
Moderator
: Professor Jane Cross [ Nova Southeastern University Shepard Broad College of Law ]
Panelists
: Professor Donna Eng [ University of Florida Fredric G. Levin College of Law ]; Professor Margie Alsbrook [ Mercer University School of Law ]; Professor Tara Mospan [ Arizona State University Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law ]; Professor Caitlin Swift [ Campbell University, Norman Adrian Wiggins School of Law ]
Thursday, July 30, 2026
8:00 am - 10:00 am
Labor and Employment Workshop
Administrative Upheaval: Challenges and Changes for Federal Labor and Employment Agencies
This panel discusses the numerous changes and challenges facing federal labor and employment agencies. Potential issues include executive orders’ impact on the EEOC’s priorities; the Supreme Court’s pending ruling on the firing of political appointees with just-cause protection; constitutional challenges to the NLRB; and disruptions in the ability of the MSPB, FLRA, and Office of Special Counsel to enforce federal employee protections. The panel also explores how these changes and challenges may impact employers and employees.
Moderator
: Professor Jeffrey Hirsch [ University of North Carolina School of Law ]
Discussants
: Professor Robert Brain [ Loyola Law School, Los Angeles ]; Professor Richard Carlson [ South Texas College of Law Houston ]; Professor Jessica Roberts [ Emory University School of Law ]; Professor Miriam Cherry [ St. John's University School of Law ]; Professor Veronica Root Martinez [ Duke University School of Law ]; Professor Michael Green [ Texas A&M University School of Law ]; Professor Llezlie Green [ Georgetown University Law Center ]; Professor Nicole Porter [ William & Mary Law School ]; Professor Jarod Gonzalez [ Texas Tech University School of Law ]; Professor Matthew Bodie [ University of Minnesota Law School ]
Thursday, July 30, 2026
8:00 am - 10:00 am
Works-in-Progress Series - Business Law
This workshop gives faculty the opportunity to present a work-in-progress and to receive substantive feedback on their work from scholars with varying degrees of experience in the academy who write in similar or related fields. Each participant both submits their own work and reviews that of their fellow participants in advance of the meeting, leading to a more interactive exchange of ideas. Unlike other works-in-progress programs, the participants in this session are chosen from a request for submissions.
Moderator
: Professor Theresa Pulley Radwan [ Stetson University College of Law ]
Discussants
: Professor Kaleb Byers [ Mercer University School of Law ]; Professor Chenglin Liu [ St. Mary's University School of Law ]; Professor Jena Martin [ St. Mary's University School of Law ]; Professor David Sella-Villa [ University of South Carolina Joseph F. Rice School of Law ]; Professor Martha Thibaut [ Loyola University New Orleans College of Law ]; Professor Monica Llorente [ Northwestern Pritzker School of Law ]
Thursday, July 30, 2026
8:00 am - 10:00 am
Works-in-Progress Series - Criminal Law
This workshop gives faculty the opportunity to present a work-in-progress and to receive substantive feedback on their work from scholars with varying degrees of experience in the academy who write in similar or related fields. Each participant both submits their own work and reviews that of their fellow participants in advance of the meeting, leading to a more interactive exchange of ideas. Unlike other works-in-progress programs, the participants in this session are chosen from a request for submissions.
Moderator
: Professor Reem Haikal [ Texas Southern University, Thurgood Marshall School of Law ]
Discussants
: Professor Shih-Chun Steven Chien [ University of Nevada - La Boyd School of Law ]; Professor Rodger Citron [ Touro University, Jacob D. Fuchsberg Law Center ]; Professor Jordan Gross [ University of Idaho College of Law ]; Professor Eric Hintz [ University of Missouri School of Law ]; Professor Corinna Lain [ University of Richmond School of Law ]; Professor Jane Mitchell [ Brigham Young University, J. Reuben Clark Law School ]
Thursday, July 30, 2026
9:00 am - 12:00 pm
Constitutional Law Workshop
Constitution and Assault on Institutions: Universities and Academic Freedom
This discussion will focus on the Trump Administration’s efforts to strip universities (and law schools, to the extent some have been swept up in those efforts) of federal funds for reasons ranging from failure to control antisemitic harassment on campus to efforts to seize control of university hiring, admissions, and education. It will focus on the (likely ongoing) litigation involving Harvard, as well as the many universities that have settled in ways that surrender control over how the university functions. This will explore issues of academic freedom for students, faculty, and the university as a whole.
Moderator
: Professor Thomas Metzloff [ Duke University School of Law ]
Discussants
: Professor Howard Wasserman [ Florida International University College of Law ]; Professor Paul Gowder [ Northwestern Pritzker School of Law ]; Professor Vanessa Miller [ Florida International University College of Law ]; Professor Nathan Fleming [ Wake Forest University School of Law ]; Professor M. Isabel Medina [ Loyola University New Orleans College of Law ]; Professor Akram Faizer [ Lincoln Memorial University Duncan School of Law ]; Professor Paolo Davide Farah [ University of Tulsa College of Law ]; Professor Joseph Blocher [ Duke University School of Law ]; Professor Charles (Rocky) Rhodes [ University of Missouri School of Law ]
Thursday, July 30, 2026
9:30 am - 12:00 pm
(Re)Making Tax: Addressing Tax Policy Challenges from Multiple Angles
Tax faces both new challenges and the ongoing impacts of perennial problems. This panel addresses both from a productive range of approaches. Panel members bring comprehensive expertise on both state and federal tax law and policy. The panel addresses questions of access to justice in tax, tax administration, state tax policy, tax as a check on accumulated power, and more.
Moderator
: Professor Ted Afield [ Stetson University College of Law ]
Panelists
: Professor Tessa Davis [ University of South Carolina Joseph F. Rice School of Law ]; Professor Noah Hertz [ University of North Carolina School of Law ]; Professor Andrew Appleby [ The University of Tennessee Winston College of Law ]; Professor Victoria Haneman [ University of Georgia School of Law ]; Professor Jennifer Bird-Pollan [ Wayne State University Law School ]; Professor David Gamage [ University of Missouri School of Law ]
Thursday, July 30, 2026
10:00 am - 10:15 am
Break (sponsored by Complete Equity Markets)
Thursday, July 30, 2026
10:15 am - 12:00 pm
Newer Law Professors Workshop
Demonstrating How to Engage and Motivate Students
This workshop revolves around demonstrations of teaching by award-winning professors who have thought long and hard about their craft and their role. With studies showing that engagement and motivation are important factors in learning, these teachers illustrate how their teaching promotes engaged and motivated students. This is a particularly useful session for those wondering how to minimize distractions, use collaboration, interact with students, and promote long-term learning.
Moderator
: Professor Jean Steadman [ Charleston School of Law ]
Panelists
: Dean Olympia Duhart [ Nova Southeastern University Shepard Broad College of Law ]; Professor Susan Kuo [ University of South Carolina Joseph F. Rice School of Law ]; Professor Steven Friedland [ Elon University School of Law ]; Professor Dustin Benham [ Texas Tech University School of Law ]
Thursday, July 30, 2026
10:15 am - 12:00 pm
Failure, Fear, and Self-Doubt: The Emotions We (as Professors) Dare Not Name
This panel addresses the negative emotions and concerns that newer (and sometimes, experienced) professors sometimes face: Am I good enough? Did I make a mistake in class? Did I make a mistake with my colleagues? Did I damage my career? What will people-who-matter think of me? The panelists will discuss dealing with the less-than-perfect trajectory of many law-professor careers and how to come to a comfortable place and successful place in the academy. In addition, they will address transparency regarding vulnerability and failure as assets to connecting with students. Their contributions are based in personal experience, neuroscience, and the perspective from the deans' suite.
Moderator
: Professor Nancy Soonpaa [ Texas Tech University School of Law ]
Panelists
: Professor Scott Dodson [ University of California College of the Law, San Francisco ]; Professor Maggie Vath [ Georgia State University College of Law ]; Professor Robert Brain [ Loyola Law School, Los Angeles ]; Professor Afton Cavanaugh [ University of Baltimore School of Law ]; Professor Patricia Newell [ University at Buffalo School of Law ]
Thursday, July 30, 2026
10:15 am - 12:00 pm
Family Law Workshop
Family Law in Courts
Families find themselves in court for many reasons and the standards and procedures that apply are often shifting and opaque. This panel explores how courts and court systems evaluate and adjudicate issues within the family unit. Panelists and their papers address a series of issues that might arise, ranging from domestic violence to evidentiary issues to custody disputes involving transgender parents to sealing of court records.
Moderator
: Professor Elizabeth Berenguer [ Stetson University College of Law ]
Panelists
: Professor Cassie Chambers Armstrong [ University of Louisville Louis D. Brandeis School of Law ]; Professor Julia Steggerda-Corey [ University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law ]; Professor Salihah Denman [ Pace Law School ]; Professor Ariel Decoster [ Florida State University College of Law ]
Thursday, July 30, 2026
10:15 am - 12:00 pm
Legal Mentoring
This panel addresses issues related to legal mentoring. While many surveys of new lawyers show that they want mentors, little research has been conducted about best practices in legal mentoring. This panel joins legal scholars and lawyers to discuss what good legal mentoring might entail, potential characteristics of good legal mentors, and what mentees gain from mentoring opportunities. The hope is that this discussion will lead to additional research and thinking on legal mentoring.
Moderator
: Professor Theresa Beiner [ University of Arkansas at Little Rock, William H. Bowen School of Law ]
Discussants
: Professor Michael Hunter Schwartz [ University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law ]; Professor Mary-Beth Moylan [ University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law ]; Professor Nancy Levit [ University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law ]; Professor Anastasia Boles [ University of Arkansas at Little Rock, William H. Bowen School of Law ]; Professor Laura Graham [ Wake Forest University School of Law ]; Dean Carin Crain [ University of Iowa College of Law ]; Dean Roscoe Jones [ Drake University Law School ]; Professor Ellen Podgor [ Stetson University College of Law ]; Ms. Deborah Challener [ Butler Snow ]; Professor Cindy Thomas Archer [ University of California, Irvine, School of Law ]
Thursday, July 30, 2026
12:00 pm - 1:30 pm
Lunch (on your own)
Thursday, July 30, 2026
12:00 pm - 1:30 pm
Steering Committee Luncheon (sponsored by BARBRI | West Academic)
Every member and affiliate school is invited to send a representative to this luncheon.
Thursday, July 30, 2026
1:30 pm - 3:15 pm
Consumer Law, Commercial Law, and Bankruptcy Workshop
Contemporary Challenges in Business Bankruptcy
This panel brings together a diverse group of scholars who are currently examining several significant and emerging issues shaping modern business and mass-tort restructuring. The presentations will explore the evolution and increasing use of liability-management exercises (“LMEs”) in both the U.S. and Europe, as well as the scope, application, and potential limits of the bankruptcy court’s injunctive powers in complex cases. Panelists will also address developing questions involving the treatment of future claims in mass-tort bankruptcies and the interpretation of the absolute priority rule in Subchapter V proceedings.
Moderator
: Professor Aleatra Alexander [ Charleston School of Law ]
Panelists
: Professor Robert Miller [ University of South Dakota Knudson School of Law ]; Professor Daniel M. Tavera [ Mississippi College School of Law ]; Professor Rodney Chrisman [ Liberty University School of Law ]
Thursday, July 30, 2026
1:30 pm - 3:15 pm
Newer Law Teachers Workshop
Constructing and Grading Exams to Enhance Assessment and Learning
Constructing exams that are valid and reliable is one of the most important and challenging tasks we have as professors. Grading in a fair and efficient manner requires careful thought and planning. A panel of experienced professors addresses topics such as generating ideas, different question types and formats (including multiple choice questions), drafting the exam, fairness issues, grading, and giving feedback.
Moderator
: Professor Erica McElreath [ Charleston School of Law ]
Panelists
: Professor Howard Katz [ Cleveland State University College of Law ]; Professor Lindsey Gustafson [ University of Arkansas at Little Rock, William H. Bowen School of Law ]; Professor Brannon Denning [ Samford University Cumberland School of Law ]; Professor Emilio Longoria [ South Texas College of Law Houston ]
Thursday, July 30, 2026
1:30 pm - 3:15 pm
International and Constitutional Law Workshop
Revisiting the Trump Administration's Use of Force: International and Constitutional Law Issues
The Trump Administration has demonstrated its willingness to use force against other states, such as Venezuela and Iran, as well as against non-state actors, such as suspected drug traffickers in the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea. Such uses of force by the executive are subject to both international law and constitutional law limitations. This panel will examine whether the Trump Administration’s uses of force can be justified under international law, and in particular under the law of self-defense in light of its imminence requirement. This panel will also examine whether the Trump Administration’s uses of force amount to constitutionally authorized unilateral executive action, or if the president is required to obtain congressional approval.
Moderator
: Professor Milena Sterio [ Cleveland State University College of Law ]
Panelists
: Professor Michael Kelly [ Creighton University School of Law ]; Professor Meghan Knapp [ Rutgers Law School ]; Professor John Thorlin [ University of Arkansas School of Law ]; Professor Klara P Van der Ploeg [ Stetson University College of Law ]; Professor Gregory Noone [ Roger Williams University School of Law ]; Professor Margaret deGuzman [ Temple University, James E. Beasley School of Law ]; Professor Joseph (Jody) Prestia [ Lincoln Memorial University Duncan School of Law ]; Professor Dyllan Taxman [ Baylor University Law School ]; Professor Heidi Gilchrist [ Brooklyn Law School ]; Professor Shruti Rana [ University of Missouri School of Law ]
Thursday, July 30, 2026
3:15 pm - 3:30 pm
Break (sponsored by All Campus)
Thursday, July 30, 2026
3:30 pm - 6:30 pm
Innovating as an Associate Dean for Faculty Research
Associate deans for research discuss how they use innovative methods to promote faculty scholarship and raise the profiles of individual faculty members and their institutions. Discussants share ideas about ways they have introduced new programming, changed existing processes, implemented new incentive programs, maximized efficiency, encouraged and incorporated the use of AI into the development and promotion of faculty scholarship, and creatively problem-solved in their roles.
Moderator
: Professor Amanda Peters [ South Texas College of Law Houston ]
Discussants
: Professor Ronald Krotoszynski [ The University of Alabama School of Law ]; Professor Kate Norton [ Thomas R. Kline School of Law of Duquesne University ]; Professor Missy Lonegrass [ Louisiana State University Paul M. Hebert Law Center ]; Professor Jennifer Bird-Pollan [ Wayne State University Law School ]; Professor Ray Bresica [ Albany Law School ]; Professor Molly Wilson [ Saint Louis University School of Law ]; Professor Linda Jellum [ University of Idaho College of Law ]; Professor Teneille Brown [ The University of Utah S.J. Quinney College of Law ]; Professor Hemanth Gundavaram [ Northeastern University School of Law ]; Professor Joshua Douglas [ University of Kentucky J. David Rosenberg College of Law ]; Professor Steve Leben [ University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law ]
Thursday, July 30, 2026
3:30 pm - 6:30 pm
Consumer Law, Commercial Law, and Bankruptcy Workshop
Consumer Law, Commercial Law, and Bankruptcy Roundtable
This discussion group offers a forum for consumer law, commercial law, and bankruptcy scholars to workshop a work-in-progress or emerging idea for a future project. The scope of this discussion group encompasses any contract, consumer, commercial and/or bankruptcy law-related theme and is intentionally broad. Discussants briefly present an idea for an early-stage project (5-10 minutes) and receive feedback from other discussants.
Moderator
: Professor Summer Chandler [ Louisiana State University Paul M. Hebert Law Center ]
Discussants
: Professor Missy Lonegrass [ Louisiana State University Paul M. Hebert Law Center ]; Professor Robert Miller [ University of South Dakota Knudson School of Law ]; Professor Robert Brain [ Loyola Law School, Los Angeles ]; Professor Catherine Wilson [ University of Nebraska College of Law ]; Professor Garrett Pratt [ University of Missouri School of Law ]; Professor Christopher D. Hampson [ University of Florida Fredric G. Levin College of Law ]; Professor Daniel M. Tavera [ Mississippi College School of Law ]; Professor Rodney Chrisman [ Liberty University School of Law ]
Thursday, July 30, 2026
3:30 pm - 6:30 pm
Family Law Workshop
Child Welfare & Family Policing
The state’s power to separate children from their parents is wielded in a variety of ways, including through the child protection system. This panel uses a critical lens to examine how the state polices families and how decisions about child welfare are made in a wide range of contexts. Participants will provide perspectives on religion and child custody as well as international frameworks, kinship care, and abolition of the family policing system.
Moderator
: Professor Clare Ryan [ The University of Alabama School of Law ]
Panelists
: Professor Elizabeth Katz [ University of Florida Fredric G. Levin College of Law ]; Professor Naoka Carey [ New York University ]; Professor Sarah Katz [ Temple University, James E. Beasley School of Law ]; Professor Tiffany Atkins [ University of Kentucky J. David Rosenberg College of Law ]
Thursday, July 30, 2026
3:30 pm - 6:00 pm
Labor and Employment Workshop
AI and Emerging Technologies in the Workplace
Employers have long used emerging technology to improve their businesses. Currently, these technologies, especially AI, are being used in numerous ways including screening and evaluating job applicants, monitoring work, tracking productivity, interacting with and managing workers, scheduling, and replacing human workers. This discussion group considers the impact of these technologies on the workplace and their interaction with current and possibly new labor and employment laws. We will also discuss how workers can shape the use of AI and other technologies, such as through unions.
Moderator
: Professor Jeffrey Hirsch [ University of North Carolina School of Law ]
Discussants
: Professor Robert Brain [ Loyola Law School, Los Angeles ]; Professor Richard Carlson [ South Texas College of Law Houston ]; Professor Miriam Cherry [ St. John's University School of Law ]; Professor Jessica Roberts [ Emory University School of Law ]; Professor Veronica Root Martinez [ Duke University School of Law ]; Professor Ani Satz [ Emory University School of Law ]; Professor Michael Green [ Texas A&M University School of Law ]; Professor Llezlie Green [ Georgetown University Law Center ]; Professor Nicole Porter [ William & Mary Law School ]; Professor Jarod Gonzalez [ Texas Tech University School of Law ]; Professor Matthew Bodie [ University of Minnesota Law School ]
Thursday, July 30, 2026
6:30 pm - 7:30 pm
Aspen Publishing Reception
Friday, July 31, 2026
Friday, July 31, 2026
8:00 am - 10:00 am
Leadership and Professional Identity Formation in the 1L Year
This session examines how law schools integrate leadership development and professional identity formation into the first-year curriculum. The discussion explores why the 1L year is uniquely formative for students' values, habits, and sense of professional purpose, and how faculty can engage this work within the constraints of a traditionally structured and carefully guarded 1L curriculum. The session offers practical insights for faculty and administrators seeking to strengthen leadership and professional identity outcomes in the foundational year of legal education.
Moderator
: Professor Benjamin Rigney [ Wake Forest University School of Law ]
Panelists
: Professor Joan MacLeod Heminway [ The University of Tennessee Winston College of Law ]; Professor Jane Mitchell [ Brigham Young University, J. Reuben Clark Law School ]; Professor Janice Craft [ University of Richmond School of Law ]; Professor Kendall Kerew [ Georgia State University College of Law ]; Professor David Grenardo [ University of St. Thomas School of Law ]; Professor Kenneth Townsend [ Wake Forest University School of Law ]; Professor Aric Short [ Texas A&M University School of Law ]; Professor Timothy Floyd [ Mercer University School of Law ]; Professor Daisy Floyd [ Mercer University School of Law ]
Friday, July 31, 2026
8:00 am - 10:00 am
Global Climate Change and the Trump Administration
This discussion group addresses the Trump administration's policies on global climate change. It considers how those policies are affecting a wide range of regulatory and nonregulatory programs, including environmental regulation, securities laws, energy law, public land management, international agreements, grant funding, and research. Participants present short works in progress or summaries of current issues in each of the many areas impacted by the dramatic changes in policy adopted by the Trump administration and participate in a comprehensive discussion of these changes.
Moderator
: Professor Klara Van der Ploeg [ Stetson University College of Law ]
Panelists
: Professor Douglas Williams [ Saint Louis University School of Law ]; Professor Laura Mott [ Lincoln Memorial University Duncan School of Law ]; Professor Barbara Ballan [ Florida International University College of Law ]; Professor Brad Finney [ The University of Tennessee Winston College of Law ]; Professor Chinonoso Anoozie [ University of Houston Law Center ]
Friday, July 31, 2026
8:00 am - 10:00 am
Anchored in Authority: Strategies for Teaching Legal Research and Citation in an AI-Driven Age
As artificial intelligence, generative search tools, and advanced legal databases reshape how lawyers find and analyze legal authority, law professors face a critical pedagogical challenge: how do we teach students the enduring fundamentals of legal research and citation while preparing them for a technology-driven profession? This group will explore topics such as integrating technology without eroding critical thinking, maintaining academic integrity in the AI era, designing assessments that measure both process and accuracy, and updating citation pedagogy for digital workflows.

Attendees will gain practical ideas for classroom exercises and ethical discussions that help students master both the “how” and the “why” of research and citation in a changing profession.
Moderator
: Professor Donna Eng [ University of Florida Fredric G. Levin College of Law ]
Discussants
: Professor Patrick Murphree [ Jacksonville University College of Law ]; Professor Suzanne Rowe [ University of Oregon School of Law ]; Professor Tara Mospan [ Arizona State University Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law ]; Professor Em Wright [ Stetson University College of Law ]; Professor Margie Alsbrook [ Mercer University School of Law ]; Professor John Cook [ University of Arkansas at Little Rock, William H. Bowen School of Law ]; Professor Frank Ulmer [ Charleston School of Law ]; Professor Caitlin Swift [ Campbell University, Norman Adrian Wiggins School of Law ]; Professor Krista Bordatto [ Campbell University, Norman Adrian Wiggins School of Law ]; Professor Katie Brown [ Charleston School of Law ]; Professor Jane O'Connell [ University of Florida Fredric G. Levin College of Law ]; Professor Elizabeth Hilkin [ University of Florida Fredric G. Levin College of Law ]
Friday, July 31, 2026
9:00 am - 12:00 pm
Constitutional Law Workshop
Constitution and Assault on Law Firms and the Legal Profession
This discussion focuses on two pieces of the Administration’s efforts against the legal profession. First is the executive orders targeting various law firms, the effects on those firms that settled, and the status of litigation involving those firms that challenged the orders. We sought to include an attorney from one of the firms that has challenged the orders. Second is efforts to target attorneys who litigate against the government, from a DOJ policy to pursue Rule 11 sanctions against plaintiffs’ lawyers to a federal perjury indictment against a plaintiffs’ lawyer for allegedly lying during a sanctions investigation. This group explores how these efforts affect the legal profession, particularly those who pursue constitutional and civil rights litigation.
Moderators
: Professor Thomas Metzloff [ Duke University School of Law ]; Professor Howard Wasserman [ Florida International University College of Law ]
Discussants
: Professor Renee Knake Jefferson [ University of Houston Law Center ]; Professor Benjamin Barton [ The University of Tennessee Winston College of Law ]; Professor Alex Long [ The University of Tennessee Winston College of Law ]; Professor John Cook [ University of Arkansas at Little Rock, William H. Bowen School of Law ]; Professor Margaret Tarkington [ Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law ]; Professor Meagan Hurley [ Mercer University School of Law ]; Professor Carol Needham [ Saint Louis University School of Law ]; Professor Benjamin Cooper [ The University of Mississippi School of Law ]; Professor John Rice [ Lincoln Memorial University Duncan School of Law ]; Professor Veronica Root Martinez [ Duke University School of Law ]; Professor Geovanny E. Martinez [ Duke University School of Law ]
Friday, July 31, 2026
9:00 am - 12:00 pm
Consumer Law, Commercial Law, and Bankruptcy Workshop
Pedagogy and Assessments in Consumer Law, Commercial Law, and Bankruptcy Courses
This discussion group aims to bring together professors who teach in the fields of consumer law, commercial law, and/or bankruptcy to share best practices for teaching and assessing our students. Topics include: final exams, midterms, and other assessments; written projects; simulations; drafting exercises; and other modes of teaching and assessing students. Professors of all levels of experience are encouraged to share their experiences and expertise. The scope of this discussion group is intentionally broad and participants may touch upon any matter related to teaching and assessing consumer law, commercial law, and bankruptcy.
Moderator
: Professor Ishaq Kundawala [ Mercer University School of Law ]
Discussants
: Professor Missy Lonegrass [ Louisiana State University Paul M. Hebert Law Center ]; Professor Summer Chandler [ Louisiana State University Paul M. Hebert Law Center ]; Professor Raluca Papadima [ Campbell University, Norman Adrian Wiggins School of Law ]; Professor Robert Miller [ University of South Dakota Knudson School of Law ]; Professor Robert Brain [ Loyola Law School, Los Angeles ]; Professor Catherine Wilson [ University of Nebraska College of Law ]; Professor Garrett Pratt [ University of Missouri School of Law ]; Professor Christopher D. Hampson [ University of Florida Fredric G. Levin College of Law ]; Professor Daniel M. Tavera [ Mississippi College School of Law ]; Professor Rodney Chrisman [ Liberty University School of Law ]; Professor Mark Burge [ Texas A&M University School of Law ]; Professor Laura Ford [ Faulkner University, Thomas Goode Jones School of Law ]
Friday, July 31, 2026
9:00 am - 12:00 pm
Family Law Workshop
New Developments in Reproductive Rights and Justice Discussion Group
Even before the reversal of Roe v. Wade, the law governing reproductive rights and justice was in a period of flux and change. The Dobbs opinion poured gasoline on a fire – and the legal regimes that govern human reproduction are changing quickly and in real time. Legal issues that arise out of the reproductive process can include elements of constitutional law, family law, civil rights law, and health law, among others. Participants in this discussion group will discuss the myriad ways that the law in this area has – and continues – to change.
Moderator
: Professor Meghan Boone [ Wake Forest University School of Law ]
Discussants
: Professor Richard Carlson [ South Texas College of Law Houston ]; Professor Lynne Marie Kohm [ Regent University School of Law ]; Professor Cassie Chambers Armstrong [ University of Louisville Louis D. Brandeis School of Law ]; Professor Sarah Katz [ Temple University, James E. Beasley School of Law ]; Professor Laura Lane-Steele [ University of South Carolina Joseph F. Rice School of Law ]; Professor Valarie Blake [ The University of Tennessee Winston College of Law ]; Professor Robyn Powell [ Stetson University College of Law ]; Professor Jill Engle [ Penn State Law ]; Professor Myrisha Lewis [ Howard University School of Law ]; Professor Ariana Meyers [ University of North Dakota School of Law ]; Professor Cortney Lollar [ Georgia State University College of Law ]; Professor Ariel Decoster [ Florida State University College of Law ]
Friday, July 31, 2026
9:00 am - 12:00 pm
Transforming Global Agriculture: Farmers' Rights, Animal Law, Trade, Sovereignty, Ethics, and Innovation for Sustainable Future
This discussion group unites diverse perspectives to explore challenges and opportunities in agriculture. By integrating disciplines like law, trade, ethics, and innovation, the panel addresses critical issues such as protecting farmers’ rights, evolving animal law, the effects of international trade, and food sovereignty’s role in sustainable development. Topics include ethical considerations, technological advancements, and policy frameworks essential for navigating transformation. Panelists will offer insights into fostering global and domestic collaboration to build equitable, sustainable agricultural systems while tackling climate change, biodiversity loss, and food security challenges, driving meaningful progress for a sustainable future.
Moderator
: Professor Paolo Davide Farah [ University of Tulsa College of Law ]
Discussants
: Professor Lee Petherbridge [ Loyola Law School, Los Angeles ]; Professor Darren Bush [ University of Houston Law Center ]; Professor Heather Elliott [ The University of Alabama School of Law ]; Professor Tom Kelley [ University of North Carolina School of Law ]; Professor Laura Mott [ Lincoln Memorial University Duncan School of Law ]; Professor Amber Pork [ The University of Alabama School of Law ]; Professor Joseph (Jody) Prestia [ Lincoln Memorial University Duncan School of Law ]; Professor Tammi S. Etheridge [ Washington and Lee University School of Law ]; Professor Jami Becnel [ Loyola University New Orleans College of Law ]; Professor Sherrie Hines [ University of Georgia School of Law ]; Professor Jennifer Bass [ Lewis & Clark Law School ]; Professor Alois Mugadza [ University of West Indies Faculty of Law (Barbados) ]; Professor Martin Svec [ Masaryk University (Czech Republic) ]; Professor Jide James-Eluyode [ Texas Southern University, Thurgood Marshall School of Law ]; Professor Constance Wagner [ Saint Louis University School of Law ]; Professor Douglas Williams [ Saint Louis University School of Law ]; Professor Chris Gassman [ University of Pittsburgh Center for Sustainable Business ]; Professor Becky Jacobs [ The University of Tennessee Winston College of Law ]; Professor Daina Bray [ Yale Law School ]; Professor David Forman [ University of Hawaii at Manoa, William S. Richardson School of Law ]; Professor Delcianna J. Winders [ Vermont Law School ]; Professor Margie Alsbrook [ Mercer University School of Law ]; Professor Abigail R. Moncrieff [ Cleveland State University College of Law ]; Professor Uche Ewelukwa Ofodile [ University of Arkansas School of Law ]; Professor Warigia Bowman [ University of New Mexico School of Law ]; Professor Martha Thibaut [ Loyola University New Orleans College of Law ]
Friday, July 31, 2026
9:30 am - 12:00 pm
Labor and Employment Workshop
Pedagogy: Future Themes for Employment and Employment Discrimination Courses
This panel will discuss new, emerging, expanding, or changing topics for employment law and employment discrimination courses. Potential topics include dealing with challenges to employee free speech; attacks against diversity initiatives; changes in federal labor and employment agencies; potential changes to the McDonnell Douglas framework and disparate impact claims; developments in pregnancy and disability accommodation law; the impact on employment of the current immigration crackdown; and restrictions against non-compete and retraining agreements.
Moderator
: Professor Jeffrey Hirsch [ University of North Carolina School of Law ]
Discussants
: Professor Robert Brain [ Loyola Law School, Los Angeles ]; Professor Richard Carlson [ South Texas College of Law Houston ]; Professor Miriam Cherry [ St. John's University School of Law ]; Professor Jessica Roberts [ Emory University School of Law ]; Professor Veronica Root Martinez [ Duke University School of Law ]; Professor Ani Satz [ Emory University School of Law ]; Professor Michael Green [ Texas A&M University School of Law ]; Professor Llezlie Green [ Georgetown University Law Center ]; Professor Nicole Porter [ William & Mary Law School ]; Professor Jarod Gonzalez [ Texas Tech University School of Law ]; Professor Matthew Bodie [ University of Minnesota Law School ]
Friday, July 31, 2026
10:00 am - 10:15 am
Break (sponsored by Carolina Academic Press)
Friday, July 31, 2026
10:15 am - 12:00 pm
Health Equity Under the Trump Administration
This panel addresses current challenges and struggles for health equity under the Trump Administration. The panelists explore various aspects of health equity and the difficulties in achieving equitable aims in light of recent legislative and regulatory decisions. More specifically, panelists examine how health inequities have been exacerbated by cuts to biomedical research, mechanisms for addressing and responding to health inequities through medical-legal partnerships, and health inequities as it relates to the migrant population.
Moderator
: Professor Deborah Farringer [ Belmont University College of Law ]
Panelists
: Professor Jessica Roberts [ Emory University School of Law ]; Professor Danielle Pelfrey Duryea [ Saint Louis University School of Law ]; Professor Joanna Sax [ California Western School of Law ]
Friday, July 31, 2026
12:00 pm - 2:45 pm
White Collar versus Street Crime: Weighing the Relative Moral and Economic Costs
Ordinarily, criminal conduct that causes more harm should be punished more harshly, whether for reasons of retribution or deterrence. According to some recent estimates, the annual economic loss attributable to white collar crime is at least 20 times greater than the economic loss attributable to every other sort of crime. Yet despite the outsized economic effects of white collar misconduct, many commentators question whether it has victims, or whether it should count as a crime at all. This discussion group will weigh the relative moral, economic, and social impact of "White Collar" versus "Street" or violent crime, while addressing questions like: Are there victimless crimes? Is violent crime worse than financial crime? How should scarce law-enforcement resources be allocated?
Moderator
: Dean John Anderson [ Mississippi College School of Law ]
Discussants
: Professor David Kwok [ University of Houston Law Center ]; Professor Ellen Podgor [ Stetson University College of Law ]; Professor David Rosenfeld [ Northern Illinois University College of Law ]; Professor Jeremy Kidd [ Drake University Law School ]; Professor Joan MacLeod Heminway [ The University of Tennessee Winston College of Law ]; Professor Kevin Douglas [ Michigan State University College of Law ]; Professor John Hasnas [ Georgetown University Law Center ]; Professor Karen Woody [ Washington and Lee University School of Law ]; Professor Todd Haugh [ Indiana University Kelley School of Business ]; Professor Will Thomas [ University of Michigan Law School ]
Friday, July 31, 2026
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
Lunch (on your own)
Friday, July 31, 2026
1:00 pm - 2:45 pm
Consumer Law, Commercial Law, and Bankruptcy Workshop
Duties, Enforcement, and Accountability in Bankruptcy
This panel examines the ways in which bankruptcy law employs, recognizes, and sometimes reshapes enforcement mechanisms, fiduciary obligations, and doctrinal limits to influence the conduct of parties across a wide range of contexts. Panelists will consider the function and implications of contempt of court as a tool for ensuring compliance with court orders; the evolving fiduciary duties of nonprofit directors and officers navigating Chapter 11 proceedings; and the continued relevance of charitable-immunity and public-trust doctrines and how they intersect with modern bankruptcy practice.
Moderator
: Professor Ishaq Kundawala [ Mercer University School of Law ]
Panelists
: Professor Christopher D. Hampson [ University of Florida Fredric G. Levin College of Law ]; Professor Garrett Pratt [ University of Missouri School of Law ]; Professor Summer Chandler [ Louisiana State University Paul M. Hebert Law Center ]
Friday, July 31, 2026
1:00 pm - 2:45 pm
The Human Factor: Legal Thinking and Identity in an Algorithmic Age
With artificial intelligence driving change across the legal profession, this panel invites a return to the bedrock of legal practice: rigorous analysis, ethical authorship, and the irreplaceable human judgment that defines lawyering. Under the theme “The Time-Tested Lawyer: Tradition Meets Technology,” we explore how foundational skills in legal analysis are being reimagined—not replaced—in a digital age and how it relates to professional identity formation. Panelists will reflect on how technology can enhance—but never replace—the lawyer’s role as interpreter, advocate, and ethical actor. Expect a lively conversation that bridges tradition and innovation, reminding us that the future of law still depends on the wisdom, values, and discernment of its practitioners.
Moderator
: Professor Erica McElreath [ Charleston School of Law ]
Panelists
: Professor Patrick Murphree [ Jacksonville University College of Law ]; Professor Lindsey Gustafson [ University of Arkansas at Little Rock, William H. Bowen School of Law ]; Professor Em Wright [ Stetson University College of Law ]; Professor Shannon P. Smith [ West Virginia University College of Law ]
Friday, July 31, 2026
1:00 pm - 2:45 pm
Family Law Workshop
Sex, Sexuality & Marriage
The participants on this panel explore conflicts between traditional notions of sex and marriage and the diverse lived experiences of people navigating partnership, sex, and sexuality. It brings together scholars authoring papers with differing views on these issues. Participants explore both domestic and international approaches to a range of topics within this sphere, including--and going beyond--marriage, marriage promotion, and divorce.
Moderator
: Professor Laura Lane-Steele [ University of South Carolina Joseph F. Rice School of Law ]
Panelists
: Professor Jessica Feinberg [ University of Maine School of Law ]; Professor Jessica Tueller [ The University of Oklahoma College of Law ]; Professor Meghan Boone [ Wake Forest University School of Law ]
Friday, July 31, 2026
1:00 pm - 2:45 pm
The Somewhat-Settled Cannabis Law
This fourth annual SEALS cannabis law discussion shifts focus from speculating on uncertainty to identifying signs of maturation. After more than a decade of state-level adult-use legalization, some doctrines and administrative practices have achieved relative stability, even as the future of federal prohibition remains ambiguous. The session considers which aspects of cannabis law might be called “settled”; identifies accepted practices in licensing, compliance, and enforcement; and explores whether these lines reflect true success or uncomfortable compromise. Invited discussants include cannabis industry and drug policy scholars as well as those working in overlapping areas of administrative, constitutional, criminal, and agricultural law. All participants and perspectives are welcome as we collectively synthesize insights on the transition from responsive to established law.
Moderator
: Professor Benjamin Varadi [ Vermont Law School ]
Discussants
: Professor Desiree Slaybaugh [ University of North Texas Dallas College of Law ]; Professor Ryan Stoa [ Louisiana State University Paul M. Hebert Law Center ]; Professor Alex Kreit [ Northern Kentucky University, Salmon P. Chase College of Law ]; Professor Michael Vitiello [ University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law ]; Professor John Cook [ University of Arkansas at Little Rock, William H. Bowen School of Law ]; Professor Robert Mikos [ Vanderbilt Law School ]; Professor Mitchell Crusto [ Loyola University New Orleans College of Law ]; Professor Lauren Newell [ Campbell University, Norman Adrian Wiggins School of Law ]; Professor Margie Alsbrook [ Mercer University School of Law ]
Friday, July 31, 2026
1:00 pm - 2:45 pm
Works-in-Progress Series - Administrative Law
This workshop gives faculty the opportunity to present a work-in-progress and to receive substantive feedback on their work from scholars with varying degrees of experience in the academy who write in similar or related fields. Each participant both submits their own work and reviews that of their fellow participants in advance of the meeting, leading to a more interactive exchange of ideas. Unlike other works-in-progress programs, the participants in this session are chosen from a request for submissions.
Moderator
: Professor Ericka Kelsaw [ Texas Southern University, Thurgood Marshall School of Law ]
Discussants
: Professor Paolo Davide Farah [ University of Tulsa College of Law ]; Professor Elissa Gentry [ Arizona State University Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law ]; Professor Nicholas Georgakopoulos [ Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law ]; Professor Margaret Tarkington [ Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law ]; Professor Akira Mizobuchi [ Kagawa University Law School ]
Friday, July 31, 2026
1:00 pm - 2:45 pm
Works-in-Progress Series - Constitutional Law
This workshop gives faculty the opportunity to present a work-in-progress and to receive substantive feedback on their work from scholars with varying degrees of experience in the academy who write in similar or related fields. Each participant both submits their own work and reviews that of their fellow participants in advance of the meeting, leading to a more interactive exchange of ideas. Unlike other works-in-progress programs, the participants in this session are chosen from a request for submissions.
Moderator
: Professor Daniel Dye [ Texas Southern University, Thurgood Marshall School of Law ]
Discussants
: Professor William Araiza [ Brooklyn Law School ]; Professor Tiffany Atkins [ University of Kentucky J. David Rosenberg College of Law ]; Professor Vinay Harpalani [ University of New Mexico School of Law ]; Professor Bradley Baranowski [ SMU Dedman School of Law ]; Professor Amanda Stephens [ St. Mary's University School of Law ]
Friday, July 31, 2026
2:45 pm - 3:00 pm
Break (sponsored by Carolina Academic Press)
Friday, July 31, 2026
3:00 pm - 6:00 pm
The Best Interest of the Athlete
Name, image, and likeness (NIL) law has transformed college sports from an amateur activity to a professional moneymaker for college (and high school) athletes. Consequently, along with tremendous financial opportunities comes important legal challenges that students, their families, their colleges, and society must understand and negotiate through. The recently ABA publication, Game Changer$, provides a case study of many of these legal challenges. This discussion group will explore the many legal challenges that college athletes face in contracting NIL deals. It will suggest the role legal counsel can and should play in NIL dealmaking. Ultimately, it will develop several recommended changes to NIL laws that will protect college athletes against exploitation in executing NIL contracts.
Moderator
: Professor Mitchell F Crusto [ Loyola University New Orleans College of Law ]
Discussants
: Professor Kenneth Ferguson [ University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law ]; Professor Tan Boston [ University of Dayton School of Law ]; Professor Del Wright [ Louisiana State University Paul M. Hebert Law Center ]; Dean ándre douglas pond cummings [ Widener University Commonwealth Law School ]; Professor Sandi Varnado [ Loyola University New Orleans College of Law ]; Professor Jade Alexander Craig [ The University of Mississippi School of Law ]; Professor Jamila Jefferson-Jones [ University of Kansas School of Law ]; Professor Robert Garda [ Loyola University New Orleans College of Law ]; Professor Kenya Smith [ Louisiana State University Paul M. Hebert Law Center ]
Friday, July 31, 2026
3:00 pm - 5:30 pm
U.S. Domestic Tax Policy, 1981–2025: The Beatings Will Continue Until Morale Improves
In broad terms, U.S. domestic tax policy since 1981 has reflected an effort to reduce the federal tax burden, especially on capital. Taking a long view, resulting reductions in funding for many public and quasi-public goods have reduced total social wealth, which in turn has contributed to a smaller tax base and larger federal deficits. In response, Congress has continued to cut spending in an effort to manage the deficits, apparently unconcerned about the relationship between funding these goods and maintaining the tax base over the long term. The discussion focuses both on specific areas in which the trend is significant and on whether and how the trend can be reversed in the foreseeable future.
Moderator
: Professor David Hasen [ University of Florida Fredric G. Levin College of Law ]
Discussants
: Professor Andrew Appleby [ University of Kentucky J. David Rosenberg College of Law ]; Professor Eric Chaffee [ Case Western Reserve University School of Law ]; Professor Tessa R. Davis [ University of South Carolina Joseph F. Rice School of Law ]; Professor David Gamage [ University of Missouri School of Law ]; Professor Samuel Kan [ Barry University, Dwayne O. Andreas School of Law ]; Professor Ray Madoff [ Boston University School of Law ]; Professor Ajay Mehrotra [ Northwestern Pritzker School of Law ]; Professor Katherine Pratt [ Loyola Law School, Los Angeles ]; Professor Tracey Roberts [ Samford University Cumberland School of Law ]; Professor Richard Schmalbeck [ Duke University School of Law ]; Professor Donald Tobin [ University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law ]
Friday, July 31, 2026
3:00 pm - 6:00 pm
Current Events in Health Law and Bioethics
This discussion group explores a variety of legal topics addressing current hot topics in health law, bioethics, disability, and public health law, including tort reform at the state level, funding of biomedical research, scope of practice issues, health technology, health insurance coverage and benefits, GMOs and bioengineered foods, Medicare Advantage and the state of managed care models, social drivers of health disparities, vaccine policy, Medicaid buy-ins, and regulation of drugs such as cannabis and psychedelics as therapeutics.
Moderator
: Professor Deborah Farringer [ Belmont University College of Law ]
Discussants
: Professor Barbara Pfeffer Billauer [ University of Porto Faculty of Law (Portugal) ]; Professor Shavonnie Carthens [ University of Kentucky J. David Rosenberg College of Law ]; Professor Grace Orsatti [ Thomas R. Kline School of Law of Duquesne University ]; Professor Chryssa Deliganis [ Seattle University School of Law ]; Professor Ellen Black [ Belmont University College of Law ]; Professor Jessica Mantel [ University of Houston Law Center ]; Professor Erica Patterson [ University of Houston Law Center ]; Professor Valarie Blake [ The University of Tennessee Winston College of Law ]; Professor Ani Satz [ Emory University School of Law ]; Professor Danielle Pelfrey Duryea [ Saint Louis University School of Law ]; Professor Kelly Gillespie [ Saint Louis University School of Law ]; Professor Dana Jones [ North Carolina Central University School of Law ]; Professor Debra Strauss [ Fairfield University Charles F. Dolan School of Business ]; Professor Jessica Roberts [ Emory University School of Law ]; Professor Stacey Tovino [ The University of Oklahoma College of Law ]; Professor Joanna Sax [ California Western School of Law ]; Professor Chris Ogolla [ Barry University, Dwayne O. Andreas School of Law ]
Friday, July 31, 2026
3:00 pm - 6:00 pm
The Human Factor: Legal Scholarship in an Algorithmic Age
As artificial intelligence tools become increasingly sophisticated, legal education faces fundamental questions about the nature and purpose of scholarly writing. This discussion group will explore how law schools can preserve the pedagogical value of student and faculty scholarship in an algorithmic age, addressing concerns about authorship attribution, academic integrity, and the ethical use of AI in legal research and writing. Participants will examine how faculty can meaningfully evaluate student work when AI assistance is prevalent, consider whether traditional scholarship requirements still serve their intended learning outcomes, and discuss how both students and faculty can generate and recognize authentic intellectual contribution.
Moderator
: Professor Krista Bordatto [ Campbell University, Norman Adrian Wiggins School of Law ]
Discussants
: Professor John Cook [ University of Arkansas at Little Rock, William H. Bowen School of Law ]; Professor Ashley Krenelka Chase [ Stetson University College of Law ]; Professor Em Wright [ Stetson University College of Law ]; Professor Jamie Abrams [ American University, Washington College of Law ]; Professor W Keith Robinson [ Wake Forest University School of Law ]; Professor Jordan Wallace-Wolf [ University of Arkansas at Little Rock, William H. Bowen School of Law ]; Professor Jane Cross [ Nova Southeastern University Shepard Broad College of Law ]; Professor Donna Eng [ University of Florida Fredric G. Levin College of Law ]; Professor Lucas Osborn [ Campbell University, Norman Adrian Wiggins School of Law ]; Professor Christopher D. Hampson [ University of Florida Fredric G. Levin College of Law ]; Professor Zachary Kaufman [ University of Florida Fredric G. Levin College of Law ]; Professor Sarah Cansler [ Campbell University, Norman Adrian Wiggins School of Law ]; Professor Lindsey Gustafson [ University of Arkansas at Little Rock, William H. Bowen School of Law ]
Friday, July 31, 2026
3:00 pm - 6:00 pm
Family Law Workshop
Family Law Pedagogy Discussion Group
This group facilitates discussion among doctrinal and clinical professors about the tools and strategies they use in their family law (and related) classrooms. Special focus is afforded to building students’ practical lawyering skills, drawing connections from family law to the broader law school curriculum, new approaches to teaching traditional family law topics, methods for incorporating non-traditional topics in family law courses, strategies for incorporating scholarly literature and other critical perspectives on family law, and approaches that bring into the classroom discussion issues faced by families from diverse backgrounds.
Moderator
: Professor Clare Ryan [ The University of Alabama School of Law ]
Discussants
: Professor Salihah Denman [ Pace Law School ]; Professor Danielle Wingfield [ University of Richmond School of Law ]; Professor Naoka Carey [ New York University ]; Professor Julia Steggerda-Corey [ University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law ]; Professor Laura Lane-Steele [ University of South Carolina Joseph F. Rice School of Law ]; Professor Sarah Katz [ Temple University, James E. Beasley School of Law ]; Professor Cassie Chambers Armstrong [ University of Louisville Louis D. Brandeis School of Law ]; Professor Lynne Marie Kohm [ Regent University School of Law ]; Professor Richard Carlson [ South Texas College of Law Houston ]; Professor Jessica Tueller [ The University of Oklahoma College of Law ]; Professor Elizabeth Katz [ University of Florida Fredric G. Levin College of Law ]; Professor Tiffany Atkins [ University of Kentucky J. David Rosenberg College of Law ]; Professor Cyra Akila Choudhury [ Florida International University College of Law ]; Professor Kate Norton [ Thomas R. Kline School of Law of Duquesne University ]; Professor Keeshea Turner Roberts [ Widener University Delaware Law School ]; Professor Brad Colbert [ Mitchell Hamline School of Law ]; Professor Laurie Kohn [ The George Washington University Law School ]
Friday, July 31, 2026
3:00 pm - 5:30 pm
Labor and Employment Workshop
Freedom of Speech in the Workplace
This past year has seen a significant increase in threats to workers’ ability to speak, both while at work and off-the-clock. Workers, including university professors, have been disciplined or fired for engaging in speech—particularly related to current events—that their employers don’t like. This discussion group explores the legality of some of these cases, the legal protections that exist for private and public-sector workers, and what the future may hold for workers’ right to speak without losing their job.
Discussants
: Professor Jeffrey Hirsch [ University of North Carolina School of Law ]; Professor Robert Brain [ Loyola Law School, Los Angeles ]; Professor Richard Carlson [ South Texas College of Law Houston ]; Professor Miriam Cherry [ St. John's University School of Law ]; Professor Jessica Roberts [ Emory University School of Law ]; Professor Veronica Root Martinez [ Duke University School of Law ]; Professor Michael Green [ Texas A&M University School of Law ]; Professor Llezlie Green [ Georgetown University Law Center ]; Professor Nicole Porter [ William & Mary Law School ]; Professor Jarod Gonzalez [ Texas Tech University School of Law ]; Professor Matthew Bodie [ University of Minnesota Law School ]
Friday, July 31, 2026
6:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Carolina Academic Press Closing Reception
Saturday, August 1, 2026
Saturday, August 1, 2026
8:00 am - 10:00 am
Consumer Law, Commercial Law, and Bankruptcy Workshop
Current Issues in Commercial and Consumer Law
This panel explores emerging trends and new developments in commercial and consumer law. Panelists present works-in-progress exploring a range of issues in the context of commercial and consumer transactions and litigation. Topics include the regulation of the sharing economy, the enforcement of non-alienation clauses in contracts, and uniform and new state legislation on commercial contracts.
Moderator
: Professor Anthony Palermo [ Stetson University College of Law ]
Panelists
: Professor Missy Lonegrass [ Louisiana State University Paul M. Hebert Law Center ]; Professor Robert Brain [ Loyola Law School, Los Angeles ]; Professor Mark Burge [ Texas A&M University School of Law ]; Professor Meera Sossamon [ Loyola University New Orleans College of Law ]
Saturday, August 1, 2026
8:00 am - 10:30 am
Family Law Workshop
Reproductive Rights & Justice
As the landscape for reproductive policy and law shifts as a result of both emerging reproductive technologies and the Supreme Court’s opinion in Dobbs, old frameworks are becoming irrelevant. This panel explores the new frontiers in reproductive rights and justice, while discussing strategies for legal advocates to meet the current moment. Participants reflect a range of issues within the reproductive law and policy space.
Moderator
: Professor Richard Carlson [ South Texas College of Law Houston ]
Panelists
: Professor Ariana Meyers [ University of North Dakota School of Law ]; Professor Cortney Lollar [ Georgia State University College of Law ]; Professor Cyra Akila Choudhury [ Florida International University College of Law ]; Professor Lynne Marie Kohm [ Regent University School of Law ]; Professor Valarie Blake [ The University of Tennessee Winston College of Law ]
Saturday, August 1, 2026
8:00 am - 10:00 am
Business Law Workshop
The Evolution of the SEC as Regulator
This discussion group examines the evolution of the SEC as a market regulator and how these changes fit within the agency’s tripartite mission: ensuring investor protection, creating fair and orderly markets, and enhancing market efficiency. In the name of making the markets more attractive to public companies, the SEC has altered key long-standing rules or policies, such as its approach to shareholder proposals, mandatory shareholder arbitration, and corporate disclosures. This discussion group explores questions, such as: Are the agency’s new regulatory priorities a reflection of its need to evolve alongside market changes? Do these changes conflict with or support the agency’s mission? Who do these changes benefit: the markets, investors, public companies, or the agency?
Moderators
: Professor Joan MacLeod Heminway [ The University of Tennessee Winston College of Law ]; Professor Gina-Gail Fletcher [ Duke University School of Law ]
Discussants
: Professor Nicole G. Iannarone [ Drexel University Thomas R. Kline School of Law ]; Professor Veronica Root Martinez [ Duke University School of Law ]; Professor Emilie Aguirre [ Duke University School of Law ]; Professor Constance Wagner [ Saint Louis University School of Law ]; Professor John Rice [ Lincoln Memorial University Duncan School of Law ]; Professor Jena Martin [ St. Mary's University School of Law ]; Professor David Rosenfeld [ Northern Illinois University College of Law ]; Professor Eric Chaffee [ Case Western Reserve University School of Law ]
Saturday, August 1, 2026
9:00 am - 11:00 am
Measuring the Impact of AI on Legal Writing, Assessment, and Feedback
This discussion group will continue the conversation from previous years on how AI is impacting the legal profession. More specifically, this year, we will focus on how AI is impacting the law school classroom. Are students using AI to draft submissions for law school classes? If so, how, and are we able to accurately detect it? How are professors using AI? Is it a reliable tool we can use to create assessments? Is it a reliable tool we can use to review student submissions and generate feedback? This group will survey how far AI has come on these topics and will aim to offer guidance to professors on how they can use AI in their courses.
Moderator
: Professor Conrad Sturm [ Gonzaga University School of Law ]
Discussants
: Professor Samantha Moppett [ Suffolk University School of Law ]; Professor Danielle Tully [ Brooklyn Law School ]; Professor Renee Henson [ University of Missouri School of Law ]; Professor Carolyn Williams [ University of North Dakota School of Law ]; Professor Sabrina Lopez [ University of Florida Fredric G. Levin College of Law ]; Professor Oscar Fernandez [ Nova Southeastern University Shepard Broad College of Law ]; Professor Richard Waugaman [ Campbell University, Norman Adrian Wiggins School of Law ]; Professor John Cook [ University of Arkansas at Little Rock, William H. Bowen School of Law ]; Professor Jessica Webb [ Villanova University School of Law ]; Professor Ben Fernandez [ University of Florida Fredric G. Levin College of Law ]; Professor Erin DeBoer [ Regent University School of Law ]; Professor Allison Mittendorf [ Ohio Northern University, Pettit College of Law ]; Professor Suzanne Rowe [ University of Oregon School of Law ]; Professor Lisa DeSanctis [ University of Florida Fredric G. Levin College of Law ]; Professor Sherri Keene [ Georgetown University Law Center ]; Professor Robert Brain [ Loyola Law School, Los Angeles ]
Saturday, August 1, 2026
9:00 am - 12:00 pm
Civil Procedure Workshop
Federal Courts/State Courts
The academy typically focuses on federal civil procedure and the federal court system. But state courts and state court procedure are also crucial to access to justice in the American dual court system, a significance that has been increasingly recognized in the scholarly literature. This discussion group addresses noteworthy aspects of the dual American judicial system, first considering federal-court procedural developments, then addressing state courts and state civil procedure (what issues have come up, why they are important, what it means going forward), and finally contemplating the intersection of the two systems: what does federal procedure tell us about state procedure, and vice versa?
Moderators
: Professor Scott Dodson [ University of California College of the Law, San Francisco ]; Professor Charles (Rocky) Rhodes [ University of Missouri School of Law ]
Discussants
: Professor Rachel Koehn Breland [ South Texas College of Law Houston ]; Professor Daniel Croxall [ University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law ]; Dean Richard Freer [ Emory University School of Law ]; Dean Stefanie Lindquist [ Washington University School of Law ]; Professor Thomas Metzloff [ Duke University School of Law ]; Professor Patrick Murphree [ Jacksonville University College of Law ]; Professor Zoe Niesel [ University of South Carolina Joseph F. Rice School of Law ]; Professor Philip Pucillo [ Michigan State University College of Law ]; Professor Ryan Stoa [ Louisiana State University Paul M. Hebert Law Center ]; Professor Michael Vitiello [ University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law ]; Professor Howard Wasserman [ Florida International University College of Law ]
Saturday, August 1, 2026
9:00 am - 12:00 pm
Enhancing Experiential Learning in Environmental, Energy, and Sustainability Law and Policy Education
The discussion group explores innovative ways to integrate real-world experiences into legal education. Bringing together educators, practitioners, and policymakers, it highlights approaches to teaching environmental, energy, and climate law, focusing on legal clinics, simulations, fieldwork, and community projects addressing sustainability challenges. The group also discusses the impact of the NextGen Bar Exam on doctrinal courses and the importance of collaboration among doctrinal, clinical, and legal writing faculty. Participants share best practices, trends, and case studies demonstrating experiential learning’s effectiveness in preparing future lawyers to address complex global and domestic challenges, fostering a transformative shift in legal education for the 21st century.
Moderator
: Professor Paolo Davide Farah [ University of Tulsa College of Law ]
Discussants
: Professor Amber Pork [ The University of Alabama School of Law ]; Professor Darren Bush [ University of Houston Law Center ]; Professor Heather Elliott [ The University of Alabama School of Law ]; Professor Tom Kelley [ University of North Carolina School of Law ]; Professor Warigia Bowman [ University of New Mexico School of Law ]; Professor Martha Thibaut [ Loyola University New Orleans College of Law ]; Professor Jide James-Eluyode [ Texas Southern University, Thurgood Marshall School of Law ]; Professor Rebecca Purdom [ University of New Hampshire School of Law ]; Professor Joseph (Jody) Prestia [ Lincoln Memorial University Duncan School of Law ]; Professor Benjamin Varadi [ Vermont Law School ]; Professor Erika Scuderi [ University of Florida Fredric G. Levin College of Law ]; Professor Laura Mott [ Lincoln Memorial University Duncan School of Law ]; Professor Margie Alsbrook [ Mercer University School of Law ]; Professor Jennifer Bass [ Lewis & Clark Law School ]; Professor Peter Norman [ University of Arkansas School of Law ]; Professor David Forman [ University of Hawaii at Manoa, William S. Richardson School of Law ]; Professor Daina Bray [ Yale Law School ]; Professor Laurie Beyranevand [ Vermont Law School ]; Professor Chris Gassman [ University of Pittsburgh Center for Sustainable Business ]; Professor Martin Svec [ Masaryk University (Czech Republic) ]; Professor Becky Jacobs [ The University of Tennessee Winston College of Law ]
Saturday, August 1, 2026
10:00 am - 12:00 pm
Business Law Workshop
Developments in Corporate and White-Collar Crime
This discussion group brings together business and criminal law scholars to discuss developments, noteworthy cases, and new ideas in corporate and white collar crime. Topics of discussion may relate to bribery and extortion, corporate compliance, corporate deferred prosecution agreements and non-prosecution agreements, the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, healthcare fraud, mail fraud and wire fraud, money laundering, obstruction of justice, organizational sentencing, and securities fraud and insider trading. Discussants will leave the session with an understanding of recent developments in white-collar crime and approaches for addressing these topics in their teaching and scholarship.
Moderator
: Professor Kaleb Byars [ University of South Carolina Joseph F. Rice School of Law ]
Discussants
: Dean Miriam Baer [ California Western School of Law ]; Professor Veronica Root Martinez [ Duke University School of Law ]; Professor Ellen Podgor [ Stetson University College of Law ]; Professor Adam Wright [ University of Detroit Mercy School of Law ]; Professor Joan MacLeod Heminway [ The University of Tennessee Winston College of Law ]; Professor Eric Chaffee [ Case Western Reserve University School of Law ]; Professor Mihailis Diamantis [ University of Iowa College of Law ]; Professor Jennifer Taub [ Wayne State University Law School ]; Professor David Rosenfeld [ Northern Illinois University College of Law ]