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.
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.
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. _x000D_ 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?_x000D_
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
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
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
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
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.
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
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
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
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
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
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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
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
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
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.
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._x000D_ _x000D_
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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._x000D_ _x000D_
Technology has become a fixture of the modern law school classroom, yet fundamental questions about its effects on learning remain open. This panel brings together faculty and administrators to examine how in-class technology use intersects with teaching, student development, and law school governance. How does technology use affect student engagement and skill development in the classroom? How do faculty make and communicate technology policy choices, and on what basis? What role, if any, should institutions play in setting technology norms? And how do the answers look different depending on the subject matter? The panel aims to surface the range of views and tradeoffs that law schools are currently navigating.
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.
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.
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._x000D_ _x000D_ 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. _x000D_
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.
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.
This panel addresses the negative emotions and concerns that newer (and sometimes experienced) professors 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 how to navigate the less-than-perfect trajectories common in law professor careers and how to reach a place of confidence and success in the academy. In addition, they will address how transparency regarding vulnerability and failure can serve as assets in connecting with students. Their contributions draw on personal experience, neuroscience, and perspectives from the dean's suite.
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 the sealing of court records.
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.
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.
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 branch 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
