The Faculty Lounge

President Trump's latest Interview highlight fears over mail-in voting

In his latest interview on Axios for HBO, President Trump made a host of  politically charged and controversial statements concerning mail-in voting, and how it will undermine the integrity of the upcoming election. Some view these claims as nothing more than a ploy to delay the upcoming election, or  made to provide him with a basis to reject the results of the election. Perhaps election law,  constitutional law, or historians here could opine on mail-in voting, and the likelihood the upcoming election will be flawed. Empirical data as well as the history of mail-in voting strongly suggest it does not increase chances of fraud. Your views? 

https://www.axios.com/full-axios-hbo-interview-donald-trump-cd5a67e1-6ba1-46c8-bb3d-8717ab9f3cc5.html

 

Rene Knake in the New York Times

Renee Knake, who has blogged here about her new book Shortlisted: Women in the Shadows of the Supreme Court, was recently married to Wallace Jefferson, and their wedding was featured in the Vows section of the New York Times under the title "Their Very Own Loving Story." 

Coincidentally, Mr. Jefferson and Ms. Knake, who both had not dated outside their race before, share birthdays with Mildred Loving and Richard Loving. In 1967, the Lovings effectively challenged interracial marriage laws in the United States forever, resulting in the legalization of interracial marriage. It is because of their legacy that Mr. Jefferson and Ms. Knake walked down the aisle on July 4 to legally recognize their union.

You can read the entire piece here.

Hiring Announcement: Director of the Middleton Center for Children's Rights Clinic

POSITION ANNOUNCEMENT - DIRECTOR OF THE MIDDLETON CENTER FOR CHILDREN’S RIGHTS CLINIC AND ASSISTANT/ASSOCIATE/PROFESSOR OF LAW

DRAKE UNIVERSITY LAW SCHOOL invites applicants for the position of clinical faculty and Director of the Joan and Lyle Middleton Center for Children’s Rights. The position may begin as early as July 2021 and will be a twelve-month position. The faculty position will be annual or long-term contract or tenure-track, depending on the candidate’s qualifications and preferences.

The Middleton Center for Children’s Rights works to advance children's rights and improve the child welfare system.  The Center has played an important role in improving the quality of representation of children and parents, which has been made possible through close working relationships with the juvenile courts and community partners. At the core of the Center’s activities is the Children’s Rights Clinic, which provides an opportunity for students interested in juvenile law to engage in direct representation of children under the supervision of the clinical faculty member. In addition, the Center through its faculty and students, engages in children’s rights advocacy projects, including providing trainings to relevant stakeholders, disseminating information on best practices in children’s representation, and identifying, drafting, and advocating for progressive children’s rights legislation.   

The Director’s duties include case selection and clinic design, supervising direct representation and assessing Clinic students, teaching a weekly skills development seminar for Clinic students, engaging in community education, and directing system reform efforts. There may also be opportunities to teach non-clinical courses and engage in scholarship.

Hiring Announcement: Drake Law School (Entry Level and Lateral)

POSITION ANNOUNCEMENT – ASSISTANT/ASSOCIATE/PROFESSOR OF LAW

Drake University Law School invites applications from entry level and lateral candidates for a tenure-track or tenured Assistant/Associate/Professor of Law position beginning in the 2021-22 academic year.  We are especially interested in candidates with demonstrated interest or experience in Contracts, Sales, Tax, Intellectual Property, and Family Law. Applicants must hold a J.D. degree (or the equivalent) and should have a record of academic excellence, substantial academic or practice experience, and a passion for teaching. Appointment rank will be determined commensurate with the candidate’s qualifications and experience.

Drake University Law School sustains a vibrant intellectual culture, and Des Moines has been recognized as the Best Place to Live (US News), the Best Place for Young Professionals (Forbes), and as the #1 Best U.S. City for Business (MarketWatch). The Law School features innovative and nationally recognized programs in agricultural law, constitutional law, legal research and writing, and practical training.

Drake University is an equal opportunity employer and actively seeks applicants who reflect the nation’s diversity.  No applicant shall be discriminated against on the basis of race, color, national origin, creed, religion, age, disability, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, genetic information or veteran status. Diversity is one of Drake’s core values and applicants need to demonstrate an ability to work with individuals and groups of diverse socioeconomic, cultural, sexual orientation, disability, and/or ethnic backgrounds.

Confidential review of applications will begin immediately. Applications (including a letter of interest, a complete CV, teaching evaluations (if available), a diversity statement, and the names and addresses of at least three references) should be sent to Professor Ellen Yee, Chair, Faculty Appointments Committee, Drake University Law School, 2507 University Ave., Des Moines, IA 50311 or e-mail: ellen.yee@drake.edu

Hiring Announcement: Drake Law School (Technology Law)

POSITION ANNOUNCEMENT – ASSISTANT/ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF LAW

 

Drake University invites applications from entry level and lateral candidates for a tenure-track Assistant/Associate Professor of Law position beginning in the 2021-22 academic year.  We are interested in candidates with demonstrated interest or experience in Technology Law. Applicants must hold a J.D. degree (or the equivalent) and should have a record of academic excellence, substantial academic or practice experience, and a passion for teaching. Appointment rank will be determined commensurate with the candidate’s qualifications and experience.

In addition to service and scholarship, this position involves teaching courses such as Legal/Ethical Issues in Technology, Technology Law, Privacy Law, and related areas in both the Law School and the College of Arts & Sciences as well as advising law and undergraduate students and serving as a University resource on technology legal issues.

Judge Esther Salas

 

Beto Juárez Named Dean of Nova Southeastern Law

Nova Southeastern University announced that its new law school dean will be José Roberto Juárez. He is currently on the faculty of the University of Denver law school where he served as dean from 2006 to 2009. Juárez, who holds a JD from the University of Texas, starts the new position this week.

I'd Rather Go Blind

"I'd Rather Go Blind" was coauthored by Ellington Jordan and Etta James, and released by her in 1968 on the Cadet label, which was a subsidiary of Chicago-based Chess Records. The film Cadillac Records intimated that James (played by Beyonce Knowles) had a love affair with Leonard Chess (Adrien Brody), but that appears to have been a pure cinematic invention.

Trump Announces Supreme Court gave him great power over DACA, but then..

In an interview on July 10, exclusively for Telemundo, President Trump stated the U.S. Supreme Court ruling on DACA, Department of Homeland Security v. Regents of the University of California, "gave the president tremendous powers when they said you can take-in seven hundred or so thousand people...Based on the power that they gave, I am going to be doing an immigration bill." While the high court did not actually give the president any powers, and as I have written previously, the DACA decision was a procedural one based on the Administrative Procedure Act. Nonetheless, during the interview, President Trump promised to propose an immigration bill that would include DACA and a "road to citizenship." Today, roughly two weeks after his Telemundo interview, the Trump Administration announced it would reject DACA applications during its "comprehensive review" of the program. These two stances in an extremely short period of time is nothing short of perplexing. Let's look at a timeline:

1) The Trump Administration moves to end DACA by administrative action, but its efforts fail before the Supreme Court.

2) Then a few weeks later, he anounces he is going to submit a bill to Congress that includes a path to citizenship for Dreamers.

3) Then today, his administration announces Dreamers can  no longer apply for DACA.

So, which one is it? If the Trump Administration opposed DACA, but he likes Dreamers, where is his bill providing a "path to citizenship," we have been promised? And if he supports Dreamers, why not give them the protection of DACA until his so-called bill passes Congress? Finally, will the American public, especially Latin voters, believe Trump actually intends to give Dreamers a path to citizenship? If you believe that, I have a bridge to sell you.

 

Donley Receives Haub Law Emerging Scholar Award in Women, Gender & Law

Professor Greer Donley of the University of Pittsburgh School of Law has been selected as the winner of 2019-2020 Haub Law Emerging Scholar Award in Women, Gender & Law for her paper Contraceptive Equity: Curing the Sex Discrimination in the ACA’s Mandate, 71 Ala. L. Rev. 499 (2019). Professor Donley is an Assistant Professor and the Director of the joint degree program in law and bioethics at the University of Pittsburgh School of Law. She teaches Legislation and Regulation, Bioethics and FDA Law. 

The prize is awarded by the Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University in recognition of excellent legal scholarship related to women, gender and the law published by a full-time law professor with five or fewer years of full-time teaching experience.

The full announcement is here.

Hiring Announcement: University of Arkansas at Little Rock

From an email message that I received in recent days:

The University of Arkansas at Little Rock, William H. Bowen School of Law seeks two Assistant Professors to teach in our autonomous Research, Writing and Analysis (RWA) program.  We encourage applications from entry-level candidates.  This is a full-time, tenure-track position. Each successful candidate will teach two sections of first-year RWA, which is a six-credit, two-semester course sequence. The positions are available beginning August 2021. 

The University of Arkansas at Little Rock is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer and actively seeks the candidacy of minorities, women, veterans, and persons with disabilities. Under Arkansas law, all applications are subject to disclosure.  Persons hired must have proof of legal authority to work in the United States.  For more information about Bowen, visit https://ualr.edu/law/.

Additional information about this position and application requirements are available at https://ualr.peopleadmin.com/postings/9534, or at the Jobs link on the UA Little Rock Human Resources website at http://ualr.edu/humanresources/.  The Law School cannot consider incomplete applications.

Univeristy of Iowa Hiring Announcement

The University of Iowa College of Law

Faculty Hiring Announcement

The University of Iowa College of Law anticipates hiring one to two entry-level or lateral faculty members in the following areas: Constitutional Law, Criminal Law & Procedure, and Environmental Law & Natural Resources. Secondarily, we are also interested in outstanding candidates in a variety of other areas.

QUALIFICATIONS: Consistent with the mission and responsibilities of a top-tier public research university, we are interested in candidates who are (or have the potential to become) recognized scholars and teachers and who will participate actively in the life of the College of Law.

APPLICATION PROCEDURE: To apply, candidates should apply either through the AALS Faculty Recruitment Services or submit a letter of interest, CV, a list of three references, and a law school transcript through Jobs@UIOWA, https://jobs.uiowa.edu, refer to Requisition #73983.  The University of Iowa College of Law is deeply committed to a community of excellence, equity, and diversity and welcomes applications from women, underrepresented minorities, persons with disabilities, LGBTQI+ individuals, and other candidates who will contribute to the diversification and enrichment of ideas and perspectives. Candidates who can contribute to these goals are encouraged to apply and to identify their strengths in this area.

The University of Iowa is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply and will receive consideration for employment free from discrimination on the basis of race, creed, color, national origin, age, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, religion, associational preference, status as a qualified individual with a disability, or status as a protected veteran.

For questions, please contact Faculty Appointments Committee at: LawMail-FAC@iowa.uiowa.edu.

Two Upcoming Events on Professional Responsibility Scholarship and Teaching

Two terrific virtual events are taking place over the next couple of weeks related to Professional Responsibility scholarship and teaching. All are welcome!

July 30, AALS Section on Professional Responsibility Virtual Workshop Conference

Session 1: Too Cerebral? High-Achieving Women in the Legal Profession

Presenter: Milan Markovic (Professor of Law – Texas A&M University School of Law)

Commentator: Atinuke (Tinu) Adediran ( Assistant Professor of Law – Boston College Law School)

Time: Jul 30, 2020 09:00 AM PDT (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86274468670

Session 2: Ethics in Pandemics: The Lawyer for the (Crisis) Situation

Presenter: Raymond H. Brescia (Professor of Law – Albany Law School)

Commentator: Leslie Levin (UConn School of Law)

Time: Jul 30, 2020 10:00 AM PDT (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83257373923

Session 3: Unnatural Law: AI, Consciousness, Ethics, and Law

Presenter: Joshua Davis (Professor of Law – University of San Francisco School of Law) 

Commentator: Elysa Dishman, (Associate Professor of Law—Bingham Young University)

Time: Jul 30, 2020 11:00 AM PDT (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83013099983

Session 4: Conditioning Settlement Offers on Waiver or Non-Payment of Contractual Attorney’s Fees 

Presenter: Russell Christopher (Professor of Law – University of Tulsa) 

Commentator: Seth Katsuya Endo (Assistant Professor of Law – University of Florida Levin School of Law)

Time: Jul 30, 2020 12:00 PDT (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81419702558 

August 4, Webinar on Excellence in Teaching Professional Responsibility Online

The Program for the Advancement of Legal Ethics at Texas A&M University School of Law is hosting a webinar from 3-4PM Central to help you plan and consider best practices for teaching Professional Responsibility courses in the virtual environment. Presenters include:

• Alberto Bernabe, Professor of Law, University of Illinois at Chicago, John Marshall Law School

• Susan Carle, Professor and Vice Dean, Washington College of Law at American University

• Ellen Murphy, Professor of Practice; Associate Dean for Strategic Initiatives, Wake Forest School of Law

• Margaret Tarkington, Professor of Law, Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law

• Susan Saab Fortney, Professor of Law and Director, Program for the Advancement of Legal Ethics, Texas A&M School of Law

The Law School Industry - Law and Technology @ US Law Schools

Digital technologies are an increasingly important phenomena in higher education and professional industries. Law schools have started to participate in rethinking how to train the next generation workforce/citizens at the interface of governance/technology. This post includes links to quantitative data for folks interested to learn more about the current law/tech situation in US legal higher education, and provides a few initial thoughts about the data. 

Here is an excel sheet formatted study with a wide range of data on current US law school efforts around 'Law and Technology': Download US Law and Technology Higher Education Law Schools - Haskell:Fish In addition, for an alternative visualisation for some of the information, see: https://app.flourish.studio/visualisation/2736840 

Note: The study was developed along with a PhD student, Jessica L. Fish, and funded by the University of Manchester Law School and its Law and Technology Initiative. Scholarship based partly on this data will be rolled out in the coming year, but the information provided is meant to be open sources/common for any colleagues however useful. 

A Few Thoughts... (see below)