TJSL Makes Strong Showing at AALS Annual Meeting
January 10, 2011
Hundreds of deans, professors, and senior administrators from law schools across the nation, including Thomas Jefferson School of Law, headed to San Francisco from January 5 – 8 for the 2011 Annual Meeting of the Association of American Law Schools (AALS). This year’s theme was “Core Educational Values: Guideposts for the Pursuit of Excellence in Challenging Times.”
During the four days, TJSL attendees had the opportunity to participate in numerous professional development events, ranging from panel presentations in their subject areas to roundtable discussions and workshops to networking and social activities. TJSL is a member of AALS, a non-profit educational association of 171 law schools representing more than 10,000 law faculty in the United States. The goal of AALS is “the improvement of the legal profession through legal education.”
Along with Dean Rudy Hasl, at least 16 TJSL faculty members attended this year’s AALS meeting, including: Marjorie Cohn, Meera Deo, A. Thomas Golden, Julie Greenberg, K.J. Greene, Marybeth Herald, Luz Herrera, Madeline Kass, Alex Kreit, Rebecca Lee, Sandra Rierson, Jeff Slattery, Ben Templin, Ellen Waldman, Kaimipono Wenger and Julie Young. Several TJSL professors had their recent books on exhibit by their publishers, including West, Oxford University Press and NYU Press, among others.
Assistant Deans Arnold Rosenberg and Lori Wulfemeyer also attended the annual meeting as did Associate Director of Admissions Michelle Allison. Allison was one of the featured speakers at a well-attended panel on Saturday afternoon sponsored by the Section on PreLegal Education and Admission to Law School that discussed how admissions, student services, and other service-oriented offices can work together to better manage needs of “Millennial” students. At the end of the session, Allison was selected as 2013 Chair-elect for the section.
In addition, Professor Greenberg was selected as Secretary of the Section on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Issues after serving as its Treasurer in 2010. Professors Julie Young and Eniola Akindemowo were named to the Executive Committee of the Section on Internet and Computer Law. Professor Kass was appointed to the Executive Committee of the Section on Natural Resources Law. Professor Deo was voted Chair-elect for 2012 of the Section on Law & the Social Sciences and is currently Member at Large of the Executive Committee for the Education Section. Assistant Dean Rosenberg was selected as the 2012 incoming Chair of the Section on Post-Graduate Legal Education. Associate Dean William Byrnes has just finished serving his term as 2010 Chair of the Section on Graduate Programs for Foreign Lawyers.
The big social event of the annual meeting was an AALS Gala Reception held at San Francisco City Hall, referred to as the “Crown Jewel” of the city. Designed by well known architect Arthur Brown, Jr., and originally opened in 1915, the famed building has been destroyed by fire three times. Reopened in 1999, the building’s beautiful 24-carat gold dome soars 306 feet from the ground for the entire city to see.
While in San Francisco, Professor Herrera presented at the annual SALT (Society of American Law Teachers) Robert Cover Workshop hosted by Golden Gate University on Jan. 5. The theme of the workshop was “CIVIL GIDEON: An Idea Whose Time is Now.” Visit www.facebook.com/SALTLAWORG for photos of the event.