The Faculty Lounge

Meet the Romans

Professor Mary Beard’s book, SPQR: A History of Ancient Rome, is one of the best books I’ve read in the last couple of years. It’s a tour de force of historical synthesis, covering 1,000 years of Roman history in a deeply engaging and informative fashion. I was very sorry to reach the end of the book, and after finishing it, I became fascinated with all things Beard. She is a highly distinguished classics professor at Cambridge University and has been a prominent public intellectual in Britain for years. In January the Guardian did a great profile of her titled, “The cult of Mary Beard: How a late-blossoming classics don became Britain’s most beloved intellectual.” As the Guardian article makes clear, Prof. Beard’s life story is quite interesting in its own right, especially for anyone who has spent their own career in academia.

For an introduction to Beard’s work, you can’t do better than her BBC series Meet the Romans, which is now available on YouTube. The first episode is available here. What makes the series so great is that Prof. Beard focuses on ordinary Romans, from slaves to breadmakers to soldiers. She tells the story of what it was like to live in the most powerful, diverse, and interesting empire of the ancient world. In the process, she truly brings Rome to life. If you watch the first episode, I predict you won’t be able to stop. And in that case, I've got good news: episode 2 is available here, and episode 3 is available here.  

Jacob Rooksby Named Dean of Gonzaga Law School

Hot off the presses: Jacob Rooksby from Duquesne has just been named the new dean of Gonzaga Law School. Press release here.

Vis Moot Opening Ceremony 2018

I've never had the privilege of attending a Vis Moot competition, although many of my colleagues have coached teams. So for everyone who has never been, and even those who have, you might enjoy this video with a musical tribute to the Vis Moot 25th anniversary by Pitt law Prof Harry Flechtner: available here.

And for those who've ever taught international sales law, just watch the first three minutes for the CISG song!

Chris Pietruszkiewicz Named President of Evansville

Stetson Law Dean Christopher M. Pietruszkiewicz has been named the new President of Evansville University.  He has served as Stetson's dean for six years.

Iowa Law Dean Finalists

The Iowa law dean finalists are: 

Anita Krug, Washington

Christopher Pietruszkiewicz, Stetson

Jonathan Cardi, Wake Forest

Lincoln Davies, Utah

Kevin Washburn, New Mexico

 

Details here: https://uiowa.edu/law-dean-search/candidate-visits

 

Guest Post by Tobias Barrington Wolff: The Provocateur's Toolbox

The following is a guest post by Tobias Barrington Wolff, Professor of Law, University of Pennsylvania Law School:

If there is one person who embodies the figure of the provocateur in American popular culture today, it is Ann Coulter. Ms. Coulter has hit on a winning formula: First, say something inflammatory with mocking, gleeful enthusiasm that is designed to provoke an emotional reaction. Second, accuse critics of having poor character when they take offense, saying they are unwilling to deal with hard truths. Third, stoke a polarizing debate in which you cast yourself as the avatar of one side’s long-standing grievances. For this formula to work, it is important that the inflammatory remark be accompanied by some serious questions of policy, making it difficult to dismiss the discussion as wholly gratuitous, and the speaker must communicate contempt and scorn, putting opponents in a defensive posture from the start. It is easy to say shocking things, but it takes skill to generate a wave of outrage and ride it to sustained notoriety. Ms. Coulter is a talent, a provocateur of the highest order.

Whether by instinct or design, Professor Amy Wax, the Robert Mundheim Professor at Penn Law School, has taken Ms. Coulter’s formula and adapted it to an academic setting. In her most recent public spectacle, Professor Wax generated outrage last August with a co-authored op-ed and solo interview in which she framed real problems experienced by groups in society as evidence of the superiority of White culture and the inferiority of non-White value systems. In the op-ed, Professor Wax and her co-author proclaim that the problem with “inner-city blacks,” and “anti-assimilation . . . Hispanic immigrants” is their supposed rejection of what the authors call 1950s bourgeois values in favor of “identity politics” and “multicultural grievance polemics” that reflect an “antiauthoritarian, adolescent, wish-fulfillment ideal.” In her interview, Professor Wax makes clear that it is specifically “Anglo-Protestant” values that she valorizes, saying “I do not shrink from the word ‘superior’” when praising Anglo-Protestant culture and proclaiming that “everyone wants to go to countries ruled by white Europeans.” People who reject these views, the op-ed says, are “hypocrites” engaged in a “preening pretense of defending the downtrodden.”

Stripped of the scornful language and sententious hand-waving, Professor Wax’s argument amounts to this: White people as a group do better in society than many people of color because White people have better values; those values are the product of a superior Anglo-Protestant culture; and the problem with people of color is their failure or refusal to emulate White people and White values.

Penn Law faculty responded to Professor Wax in a number of ways last fall. Thirty-three signed a letter condemning her most inflammatory statements, and several published more extended responses. I joined four colleagues in writing an op-ed that discusses the bankruptcy of Professor Wax’s historical claims, and economists Jonathan Klick (a libertarian) and Jonah Gelbach (a liberal) wrote essays about the methodological emptiness of her empirical assertions. Professor Wax then began a media tour in which she has cast herself as an aggrieved truth-teller plagued by closed-minded colleagues. Most recently, the Wall Street Journal opinion page provided her a platform and put her forward as an exemplar of reasoned discourse amidst a throng of ignoramuses seeking to shut down debate on campus.

(continued after the jump-->)

 

Tenure Travails at the University of South Dakota

GREAT NEWS! SEE UPDATE AT END OF POST

Many TFL readers may know Associate Professor Myanna Dellinger, or be familiar with her work.  Myanna is the Editor-in-Chief of the ContractsProfBlog and a rising star in legal academia. She is the creator of the Global Energy and Environmental Law podcast (also available on iTunes), a frequent speaker at academic symposia and author of a dozen law review articles and many other publications.  

After graduating first in her class at the University of Oregon School of Law in 2008, she had two clerkships, including for the Hon. Procter Hug, Jr. on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.  Myanna started her academic career as a Visiting Assistant Professor at Whitter Law School in 2010-11 and then accepted a tenure-track position at Western State College of Law in 2011-12.  She was promoted to Associate Professor in 2014, effective for the 2014-15 academic year.  In 2014, she was recruited by the University of South Dakota School of Law Dean Thomas Geu and offered a lateral position as an Associate Professor for the 2015-16 academic year, which she accepted.  Since arriving at USD, Myanna has continued to thrive. She has published four highly-regarded law review articles since joining the faculty there, and has consistently received outstanding teaching evaluations.  In 2016, she received a Fulbright Fellowship to the Institute for Advanced Sustainability Studies in Potsdam, Germany.  She is highly involved in service to the school, the community and the broader profession and has brought significant positive attention to the school.    

With credentials like this, one would think that the University of South Dakota would be thrilled to have her and would be doing everything to keep her, especially given the fact that the law school has only one tenured female faculty member and was cited by the ABA in its last site visit for its lack of gender diversity.   Unfortunately, that is not the case.  Although the law school has been strongly supportive of Myanna, the central University Administration seems to be doing everything they can to make her feel unwelcome.

Business and Commerical Law Visitor, Willamette Law

Willamette University College of Law invites applications for a visiting faculty position for the 2018-2019 academic year.  We are interested in candidates to teach in the business & commercial law curriculum, including Business Organizations, Secured Transactions, and/or Contracts.  Candidates should have strong records of academic and professional achievement as well as the commitment to, and potential for, excellence in teaching and legal scholarship.  We welcome applications from all individuals whose backgrounds and experiences will enhance the diversity of our faculty.  Interested applicants should send a resume, together with a letter of interest, to Associate Dean Norman Williams, at normanw@willamette.edu   

For Men in the Legal Academy Who Want to Help Fight Sexism

Men in the legal academy, if you want to help fight sexism...

...do cite good scholarship by women. Empirically survey your own footnotes before sending in that manuscript....don't accept invites to speak on panels without racial and gender balance. Ask the question before accepting....do call out other men who speak over women in faculty meetings.

...do ask each law review that offers to publish your article about the racial and gender balance of the authors the journal has published in the last five years.

...do advocate for key committee leadership by women of all colors, men of all colors and other minority groups. Faculty hiring might look a wee bit different.

...do look at racial and gender salary disparities on your own faculty, if the information is publicly available. Ask questions. In. Front. Of. Everyone.

...don't close your office door fully when meeting with any students, especially women.  In confidential situations, draw the door partially closed and speak quietly.

...don't date students.  If you respect women, men, and yourself, you can wait until after graduation.

...don't call on a female student to give the "woman's perspective;" don't call on a student of color to give the "black/brown/Asian/other" perspective.  No one speaks for an entire group. No one student should carry the burden of educating the rest of the class. You're the teacher.

...don't wait for a student to raise issues of gender, race, class, sexuality.  Lead by example and signal that these issues can be important.

...when teaching Crim Law, do remember that there are rape survivors in your classroom. They are not snowflakes; they are strong; but be considerate.

...don't comment on any student's appearance. If the student needs some friendly advice about what is or is not appropriate clothing for class or interviews, there's a Dean of Students for a reason.

...do instruct moot court judges that they are not to comment on students' appearances. If there are concerns that could hurt the student's career, rely again on the Dean of Students, not the moot court judges, to convey the info.

...don't call a mixed-gender group of staff or students "guys" (e.g., don't say, "Have the guys in the IT department check your computer," when there are women who work in the IT department, too.)

...do object to the use of the word "guys" to refer to a mixed-gender group of students, colleagues, staff (e.g., "Those guys did a great job"). Your vocal objection to the use of "guys" in a case like this would be a rare instance in which "mansplaining" is welcome, especially to other men. Don't make it women's work to be the ones who remind everyone else of the importance of gender-neutral language. Your school may even have a policy on it.

 

(cross-post from FeministLawProfs.com, here)

YLS 2018-19 Fellow in Private Law

The Yale Law School Center for Private Law is now accepting applications for the 2018-19 Fellow in Private Law.

 

The Fellowship is designed for graduates of law or related Ph.D. programs who are interested in pursuing an academic career and whose research is related to any of the Center for Private Law's research areas, which include contracts (including commercial law, corporate finance, bankruptcy, and dispute resolution), property (including intellectual property), and torts. More information about the Center can be found here.

 

The Fellowship in Private Law is a full-time, one-year residential appointment, with the possibility of reappointment. Up to half of the Fellow's work time is devoted to operating the Center; the remaining time is reserved for the Fellow's own scholarship and projects. Duties include organizing the Seminar in Private Law, academic workshops, and conferences, among other Center initiatives, and maintaining the Center's website (which does not require specialized technical skills).

 

The Fellow will begin in the Summer or Fall of 2018. Fellows receive a competitive stipend plus benefits and office space at the Yale Law School.

 

Applicants must have completed their J.D., Ph.D., or equivalent degree prior to the beginning of the fellowship. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis and must be received at the latest at sadie.blanchard@yale.edu by February 28, 2018.  All application materials must be submitted electronically. Applications should include all of the following:

• A cover letter of no longer than two pages explaining your interest in the Fellowship and describing your research interests
• A CV
• A law school or graduate school transcript
• A scholarly writing sample in English 

References will be requested at a later stage of the selection process. Applicants should be prepared to provide the names of 3 references upon request.

Law Dean Search: College of Law, Florida International University

Dean, College of Law Florida International University Miami, Florida

Florida International University seeks an energetic, practical, and visionary leader with a commitment to scholarly excellence and diversity to serve as Dean of the College of Law. Candidates with exceptional academic, public sector, or private sector experience as successful legal practitioners within complex organizational settings that involve multiple stakeholders are invited to apply. FIU is a vibrant comprehensive university offering 180 bachelor's, master's and doctoral programs in 12 colleges and schools. FIU is Carnegie-designated as both a research university with highest research activity and a community-engaged university. Located in the heart of the multicultural South Florida urban region, FIU's multiple campuses serve over 54,000 students, placing FIU among the ten largest universities in the nation. Annual research expenditures in excess of $132 million and a deep commitment to engagement have made FIU the go-to solutions center for local to global issues alike. FIU leads the nation in awarding undergraduate and graduate degrees, including in the STEM fields, to minority students. FIU's students reflect Miami's diverse population, earning FIU the designation of Hispanic-Serving Institution.

The College of Law (FIU Law) is the only public law school in South Florida, founded on the idea that a high-quality legal education should be affordable and accessible to a broad, diverse community with a commitment to public service. FIU Law's mission is to offer a high-quality legal education attuned to the challenges of globalization and devoted to serving the local, national, and international communities. FIU Law prides itself on graduating professional, globalized, and culturally savvy future lawyers committed to public service. FIU Law offers the Juris Doctor (JD) degree, a Masters of Law for Foreign Lawyers (LL.M.), a Juris Master (JM) degree for non-lawyers, and a variety of joint masters' programs. In fall 2017, the JD program enrolled 457 students and the LL.M. program enrolled 31 students from 12 countries. These students are taught by a diverse faculty of 31 full-time and 46 part-time teachers. FIU Law is accredited by the American Bar Association (ABA) and is an accredited member of the Association of American Law Schools (AALS). FIU Law ranks as the most diverse law school in Florida and graduates the highest percentage of Hispanic attorneys of any law school in the nation. FIU Law ranked number one in the state in the last four July examinations administered by the Florida Board of Bar Examiners.

Reporting to the Provost, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, the Dean is the chief executive and administrative officer of FIU Law. The Dean provides active leadership in the promotion, direction, support, and growth of the educational, research, and fundraising activities of FIU Law, maintenance of a high level of morale among the faculty, and encouragement of the spirit of learning among students. The Dean represents FIU Law in the community and identifies and hosts relevant community leaders and activities on campus. As chief executive, the Dean is responsible for the management and allocation of the budget, market-rate programs, and philanthropy, as well as compliance with accreditation standards, community outreach, marketing and enrollment, interdisciplinary initiatives, global outreach, and the effective management of FIU Law's administrative and financial affairs. The Dean consults with the faculty in designing the FIU Law strategic plan and sets the tone for FIU Law in encouraging excellence, recognizing achievement, and supporting appointments and promotions based on merit. The Dean is responsible for increasing academic excellence, creating opportunities for students, and fostering a collaborative spirit in FIU Law and with other colleges.

For this exceptional opportunity, the University seeks an innovative leader and strategic thinker with a broad understanding of the challenges facing legal education, and the ability to articulate a vision that positions FIU Law as a successful enterprise within a complex and growing public research university. The successful candidate will have the reputation, stature, skills, and credibility to attract strong faculty and students, to foster a scholarly community, and to obtain financial and other resources to strengthen FIU Law. S/he will possess a record of intellectual or professional accomplishments, also warranting appointment to the rank of tenured full professor; demonstrated ability in financial and human resources management, collaboration, and fundraising; a spirit of innovation; a strong external focus; and the ability to work within a diverse and multicultural environment. The successful candidate will have a record of fostering excellence in instruction, research, and service; a commitment to strengthening and supporting scholarship; and dedication to promoting faculty and student success. A JD or equivalent degree is required.

Screening will begin in mid-January and continue until an appointment is made. Nominations, inquiries, and applications (including a cover letter, curriculum vitae, and the names of five references) should be directed electronically to FIU_LawDean@Divsearch.com.

Kim M. Morrisson, Ph.D., Senior Managing Director or John Mestepey, Managing Director Nancy Helfman, Vice President and Senior Associate Diversified Search 2005 Market Street, Suite 3300, Philadelphia, PA 19103 215-656-3579

FIU is a member of the State University System of Florida and an Equal Opportunity, Equal Access Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. For more information, visit www.fiu.edu

Visiting Assistant Professor of Lawyering Skills: University of North Dakota (Hiring Announcement)

UNIVERSITY OF NORTH DAKOTA, Visiting Assistant Professor of Lawyering Skills, Position #00023353

The University of North Dakota School of Law seeks (1) to educate students for professional service in the law and law-related professions, (2) to explore legal issues of special significance to North Dakota and the region, (3) to attract a well-qualified and diverse student body and to assist students in making career decisions, (4) to promote improvements in the law and legal systems, the legal profession, and the administration of justice, and (5) to further the overall goals and objectives of the University of North Dakota.

The curricular mission of the University of North Dakota School of Law is to produce well-rounded legal professionals with the necessary skill set to serve as effective, innovative, and ethical leaders.  Our distinct character as one of the smaller public law schools in the nation informs our program of legal education, which is designed to produce competent and ethical lawyers with entry-level proficiency and professional self-sufficiency in any setting and reflects a cooperative and collaborative approach to teaching and learning.  Our curricular goals are to facilitate each student’s professional and personal development and to promote the highest professional standards, critical thinking, self- and other-awareness, creative problem-solving skills, life-long learning, and a commitment to serving society.

Duties & Responsibilities 
The University of North Dakota School of Law invites applications for a Visiting Assistant Professor of Lawyering Skills for a two- or three-year appointment to commence in Fall 2018. This is a full-time, non-tenure eligible faculty position with the primary responsibility of effective teaching. The successful candidate will teach two sections each semester (approximately 20 students per section; a 2/2 course load) of Lawyering Skills I & II, the required two-semester first-year legal research, writing, and analysis course. The position may have additional teaching obligations based on curricular and academic support needs. The successful candidate will join an autonomous yet collaborative Lawyering Skills program, in which faculty design their own syllabi, teaching materials, and assignments and supervise their own student teaching assistants. The successful candidate also will contribute to the School of Law’s curriculum and student success through additional teaching obligations; these additional obligations will be determined based on the School of Law’s curricular needs and the successful candidate’s interests and skills, and may include academic support programming, intercession courses, skills team coaching, etc.

The position offers an initial academic year contract that carries the possibility of re-appointment for up to three years based on satisfactory performance and curricular needs and contingent on administrative approval. The salary is $82,500 for a nine-month academic year appointment. The successful candidate will be eligible for financial support for expenses related to professional development efforts.

Minimum Requirements/Qualifications: 

• D. degree from an ABA-accredited law school
• licensed member in good standing of the bar in any U.S. or Canadian jurisdiction
• two years of recent legal work experience (which may include judicial clerkships)

Preferred Skills/Desirable Qualifications:

• a strong academic record
• excellent research, writing and editing skills
• either aptitude for or experience in teaching
• ability to work collaboratively with faculty and staff colleagues
• demonstrated commitment to teaching in the area of legal writing and research
• eagerness to work closely with law students
• experience in, or ability to design teaching materials and assignments related to, the areas of the University of North Dakota’s “Grand Challenges” (energy and environmental sustainability, rural communities, unmanned aerial systems, or information security)

To Apply: Please apply through our Human Resources Application Portal: https://und.edu/finance-operations/human-resources-payroll/careers/secure/job-openings-external.cfm?category=2000+Academic&all=cat&AppliTrackJobId=3991_37440&AppliTrackLayoutMode=detail&AppliTrackViewPosting=1

Applicants should submit a cover letter, current C.V., and law school transcript. The position is open until filled, with applications received by February 1, 2018 receiving priority consideration. The position will commence August 15, 2018.

To find out why living and working in Greater Grand Forks is way cooler, check out www.GrandForksisCooler.com

In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identify and eligibility to work in the US and to complete the required employment eligibility verification form upon hire.  This position does not support visa sponsorship for continued employment.

The University of North Dakota is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer.  All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or other protected characteristic.  Women, minorities, veterans, individuals with disabilities, and members of other underrepresented groups are especially encouraged to apply.  Applicants are invited to provide information regarding their gender, race and/or ethnicity, veteran’s status and disability status on the form found at http://und.edu/affirmative-action/apcontrolcard.cfm.  This information will remain confidential and separate from your application.

This position is subject to a criminal history record check.             

In compliance with the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act, the University of North Dakota publishes an Annual Security and Fire Safety Report.  The report includes the university’s policies, procedures, and programs concerning safety and security, as well as three years’ of crime statistics for our campus.  As a prospective employee, you are entitled to a copy of this report.  The report and statistical data can be found online at http://und.edu/discover/_files/docs/annual-security-report.pdf .  You may also request a paper copy of the report from the UND Police Department located at 3851 Campus Road, Grand Forks, ND, 58202.

North Dakota veterans claiming preference must submit all proof of eligibility by the closing date.  Proof of eligibility includes a DD-214 and if claiming disabled status, a current letter of disability (less than one year old) from the Veterans’ Administration.   Please upload the DD-214 and other veterans’ preference qualifying documentation through the form found at http://und.edu/affirmative-action/apcontrolcard.cfm. 

Hiring Announcement: Instructor of Legal Research & Writing and Bar Preparation, Willamette University

Willamette University is accepting applications for an Instructor of Legal Research & Writing and Bar Preparation. The position will begin in August 2018.

The Instructor will ordinarily teach one section each semester of Legal Research and Writing and one section each semester of Legal Analysis for the Bar Exam. In his discretion, the Dean may substitute one section of either course for the other (i.e., the Instructor may be assigned two sections of LRW or two sections of the LAB class in a given semester).

Essential Functions:

The duties and responsibilities of this position include, but are not limited to, the following functions, which are not listed in any particular order of significance:
• Teach one or two sections of Legal Research and Writing per semester, which includes providing classroom instruction, timely written feedback on assignments, and individual academic counseling on progress towards course learning objectives. 
• Teach one or two sections of Legal Analysis for the Bar per semester, which includes providing classroom instruction, timely written feedback on student assignments, and individual academic counseling on bar exam readiness.
• Refine and/or develop and implement programming to assist students in passing the state bar exam.
• Work closely with students in both the legal research and writing and bar preparation programs, while maintaining professionalism and appropriate demeanor that encourages learning.

 
Additional information regarding the position may be obtained from the search committee chairperson, Professor Keith Cunningham-Parmeter, who may be reached at keithcp@willamette.edu

Full details of the position and application instructions can be found here.

Center for Law and the Biosciences Fellowship at Stanford Law School

The Center for Law and the Biosciences Fellowship is a residential fellowship that provides an opportunity to conduct research in the dynamic environment of Stanford Law School.  We prefer two-year fellowships to help the fellow complete a significant body of independent scholarship, but we are willing to consider one-year terms.  We expect fellows to dedicate most of their time to pursuing their proposed research projects, while dedicating about one-sixth of their time to organizing and implementing other Center activities, including our annual conference, our monthly speaker series, our biweekly journal club, and our other activities, as well as writing for our blog.  Fellows are encouraged to become part of a lively law-school-wide community of individuals with an interest in legal academia by attending weekly faculty lunch seminars and participating in activities with the other fellows at Stanford Law School to learn more about their legal scholarship and academic life.  For the 2018-2020 fellowship, we will provide fellows with workspace, a competitive stipend, and a generous benefits package. 

 

Link to more information: https://stanford.taleo.net/careersection/2/jobdetail.ftl?job=77395

Hiring Announcement: Assistant Clinical Professor of Law and Director of Bar Preparation (University of Memphis)

The University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law

Assistant Clinical Professor of Law and Director of Bar Preparation

The University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law seeks applicants for its new position as Clinical Assistant Professor of Law and Director of Bar Preparation. The holder of this 12-month position will be responsible for building upon existing efforts to develop the law school’s programming to support our students’ success throughout law school and on the bar exam. Responsibilities will include

• designing and implementing bar preparation programming, including assistance for graduates between graduation and the taking of the bar exam;
• coordinating with the law school’s Director of Academic Success Programs; and
• collecting and analyzing data on student success to assist in developing a plan to maintain and increase bar passage.

Candidates must possess a J.D. or equivalent law degree. Among other qualifications, candidates should have a strong desire to work with and a demonstrated potential for teaching and leading law students; substantial interest in national strategies for student success; and the ability to collaborate with other law school stakeholders. Experience teaching bar preparation is preferred.

Applicants must apply through the University of Memphis Work Forum at https://workforum.memphis.edu/postings/17587 and submit a letter of interest, resume, and list of three references. Inquiries may be made to Professor Daniel Kiel, Chair, Faculty Recruitment Committee, at dkiel@memphis.edu.

While the School of Law does not treat race, color, religion, national origin, gender, age, disability, or sexual orientation as dispositive in hiring decisions, the School of Law has a strong institutional commitment to hiring persons who will add to its diversity. The University of Memphis is an EEO/AA employer.

Law Dean Search: University of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC)

University of Missouri-Kansas City – Dean of the School of Law

 

OUR STORY

University of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC), one of the four University of Missouri campuses, is a doctoral research-intensive public university offering traditional and interdisciplinary programs and serving approximately 14,500 students. The University is well positioned to address the demands of the times in a dynamic and diverse city that deserves and requires the benefits that accrue from a strong public university.

 

The University of Missouri-Kansas City has a broad and inclusive educational mission with specific emphasis in three areas: health and life sciences, visual and performing arts, and urban affairs. UMKC’s unique profile includes the College of Arts and Sciences, University College, Honors College, Schools of Education, Nursing and Health Studies, Henry W. Bloch School of Management, Medicine, Law, Computing and Engineering, Biological Sciences, Dentistry, Pharmacy, and the Conservatory of Music and Dance.

The University has an institution-wide commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion and strives to create a welcoming environment where students, faculty and staff feel valued in their contributions. The successful candidate will have a genuine enthusiasm for students, the University and the Greater Kansas City region. UMKC is proud to be one of this region’s premier institutions of higher education. Our people are our most valuable asset in our quest to become a model public urban research university with signature graduate and professional programs and active engagement in our city and throughout the region.

 

POSITION OVERVIEW

 

The University of Missouri-Kansas City seeks a dynamic and visionary leader for the position of Dean of the School of Law. UMKC School of Law is committed to educational excellence, outstanding scholarship, diversity, inclusiveness, and respect for people, ideas, and justice. It is dedicated to educating students to become outstanding lawyers who will serve their communities and the nation in the highest traditions of the legal profession. UMKC’s juris doctor degree program is designed to prepare students for the challenges faced by 21st century lawyers, public officials, and executives. The law school offers emphases in Business and Entrepreneurship; Advocacy; Child and Family Law; Intellectual Property Law; Urban, Land Use and Environmental Law; and International, Comparative, and Foreign Law; as well as LL.M. degrees in Taxation and Lawyering. Law students are encouraged to engage in interdisciplinary work across multiple UMKC academic units.

 

This position offers an opportunity for a talented, multi-skilled and committed individual to lead a vital unit of the University. The Dean is responsible for providing academic, strategic and administrative leadership for the school, articulating a vision for 21st century legal education, fundraising, and enhancing the strong relationship that exists between the School, its alumni and the various sectors of the legal, business, and government communities. The Dean serves as a senior academic leader of the University, reports to the Provost, and will work collaboratively with fellow Deans.

 

The Dean is expected to have: (1) a thorough understanding of both the challenges and the opportunities facing legal education today, along with creative/innovative ideas for tackling those issues; (2) the ability to recruit and support excellent and diverse faculty, students and staff; (3) strong operational and financial skills; (4) outstanding administrative and management skills, including team building; (5) the ability to effectively communicate with a wide range of stakeholders; and (6) the ability to achieve success in both external outreach and fundraising. The successful candidate will have leadership experience that provides a foundation for success in an academic setting.

 

QUALIFICATIONS

 

The Dean will ideally possess a commitment to innovation in legal education and a broad knowledge of the legal profession. A juris doctorate is required. Candidates must have a demonstrated record of successful executive leadership and comparable credentials and/or experience sufficient to warrant the respect and confidence of the academic community. The ideal candidate will be experienced in partnering with the legal community as well as the business and civic communities at large. We expect strong experience in the critical areas of administration, fundraising, and commitment to diversity and inclusion.

 

SALARY AND BENEFITS

 

UMKC offers a competitive salary, affordable medical and dental plans (no waiting periods), 403(b) savings plan, and University-paid long-term disability and life insurance benefits.

 

HOW TO APPLY

 

Nominations and inquiries, which will be treated in confidence, are welcomed and should be sent to:umhrexecutivesearch@umsystem.edu. Applicants who wish to apply should submit a letter expressing interest in and perspectives on the position, curriculum vitae, and other materials supporting candidacy, including names and contact information for at least four references to www.umkc.edu/jobs. References will not be contacted until advanced stages of screening, and candidates will receive prior notification. Applications will be reviewed until position is filled. Applications should be submitted by January 30, 2018 for fullest consideration.

 

Boston University Law Dean Search

Dean, Boston University School of Law

Boston University invites applications for the Law School Deanship. The Dean provides academic, intellectual, and administrative leadership of the School of Law. The successful candidate will be nationally recognized, with demonstrated leadership and administrative skills, strong scholarly visibility, and will understand and value the culture of integrity, inclusion, innovation, intellectual life, and student services that characterizes BU Law. The Dean will share the law school’s strong commitments to excellence in research, teaching, and practice, and will lead the School in its ongoing mission to prepare a diverse body of students for the ethical practice of law around the globe, to serve the public interest, and to provide the profession, the academy, and the public with ideas, perspectives, and analyses that enrich a comprehensive understanding of the law, adapted to the needs of a changing world.

Boston University School of Law routinely ranks at or near #20 in U.S. News and World Report’s law school rankings, as well as in the Leiter Law Report’s ranking for law school scholarly excellence. Without sacrificing scholarly excellence and engagement, the faculty of BU Law has long enjoyed a strong reputation for teaching effectiveness that sets us apart from most highly-ranked law schools. Historically, BU Law has ranked first or near the very top of the Princeton Review’s rankings of law teaching faculties. BU Law enrolled 236 J.D. students in the class of 2020, with a median undergraduate GPA of 3.73 and a median LSAT of 165. Since its founding in 1872, BU Law has been open to all students of ability, without regard to religious affiliation, gender, or race. We strive to honor our early commitment to diversity and inclusion through concrete and visible measures that evolve with understandings of cultural competency in an increasingly diverse legal profession. The law school’s culture is also characterized by commitments to integrity, teaching excellence, curricular innovation, public service, and a rich intellectual life marked by influential scholarship and the collegial exchange of ideas.

 

The full-time faculty includes 43 tenured and tenure-track professors, 13 full-time faculty primarily focused on experiential teaching, the Law Librarian, and several full-time lecturers. Among the primarily classroom tenured and tenure-track faculty, eleven hold Ph.D.’s in the fields of Anthropology, Economics, History, Law, Philosophy, and Political Science. The faculty is highly productive and influential, including leading scholars in fields such as administrative law, antitrust law, constitutional law, corporate law, criminal procedure, critical race theory, feminism and law, health law, intellectual property, law and economics, and legal history. The faculty produce books, articles, casebooks, and other scholarly works at an impressive volume. The publication of ambitious scholarly books—a hallmark of an outstanding law faculty—has become a signature strength of our faculty in recent years.

The law school has benefitted greatly from the exceptional 14-year leadership of Dean Maureen O’Rourke. O’Rourke leaves the school with very well-functioning administrative leadership across a range of areas from admissions and financial aid to career development and student affairs. The law school is housed in a new state-of-the-art complex, including the Sumner M. Redstone Building, a nearly 100,000-square-foot, five-story classroom facility that opened in 2014, and the 17-story Law Tower, which re-opened in 2015 after a complete renovation. A capital campaign launched in 2012 with a goal of raising $80 million by 2017 was recently extended to raise $100 million by 2019. There is no remaining financial obligation on the building, and when the campaign is completed, an additional $55 million over and above the building expense will remain for enhancement to financial aid, faculty scholarship, and programmatic support. Simply put, the law school is in a moment of enviable strength on which the next dean will build.

Additional information about this search is available at:

http://www.bu.edu/provost/bu-school-of-law-dean-search/

Nominations and expressions of interest should be sent to: Professor David I. Walker (Chair), lawdeansearch@bu.edu, or Law Dean Search Advisory Committee, c/o Office of the University Provost, Boston University, One Silber Way, 8th Floor, Boston, Massachusetts 02215.

Prospective candidates should include a letter expressing interest and a current curriculum vitae. Candidates will be asked to provide references after preliminary review and screening. Confidentiality will be maintained in the search process; references will be contacted only with the explicit consent of the applicant. While nominations and applications will be accepted until a new Dean is selected, interested parties are encouraged to submit their materials before January 31, 2018, to ensure full consideration.

Boston University is committed to fostering a diverse University community within a supportive and respectful environment. We believe that the diversity of our faculty, students, and staff is essential to our success as a leading research university with a global reach, and that diversity is an integral component of institutional excellence. Boston University is an equal opportunity employer and gives consideration for employment to qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, military service, or because of marital, parental, or veteran status or any other characteristic protected by law.

The 2017 Bottom 10 Law Schools in the Country

As I have noted in a recent column, 10 schools have been found out of compliance with ABA Standard 501 on Admissions,  which requires that school admit only students who appear capable of earning a J.D. and passing the bar. Although several of these schools have been found out of compliance just in the last few months, there was ample evidence during this year’s admissions season of what the ABA was willing to tolerate and what the ABA considered out of bounds.  So the big question this year was whether the ABA’s increasingly aggressive campaign to stop predatory admission practices would result in more schools raising their admission standards to acceptable levels.

Well, the new ABA Standard 509 Reports are out, and the results are not encouraging. Several schools have clearly not learned from the experience of their peer schools and have admitted classes that are very likely to incur ABA scrutiny.  It seems that some schools are so desperate to stay open that they are willfully violating Standard 501 even though they must know that sanctions are likely – call it the Charlotte School of Law strategy.   

In addition to the ABA 509 single school reports, the ABA helpfully compiles data on all the schools into sortable Excel spreadsheets, making school by school comparisons relatively simple.  Drawing from the “First Year Class” spreadsheet, I have compiled a list of the bottom 10 least selective law schools in the U.S. (excluding Puerto Rico) by LSAT score (in some cases I have also considered UGPAs as a tiebreaker) for the 2017-18 school year.

The Bottom 10

1. Thomas Cooley Western Michigan U - 146/142/139. Cooley has already been found out of compliance with Standard 501 by the ABA. They recently lost in their efforts to get a restraining order against the ABA to keep this secret from prospective students and did little to improve their chances of having that decision reversed with this year’s embarrassing incoming class, with similar credentials to last year’s (147/141/138).   But the school is still making a fortune with an entering class of 458, third largest in the country (after Georgetown and Harvard). Cooley accepted 85.6% of applicants, far and away the highest acceptance rate in the country.  (Vermont, with 159 entering 1Ls, was second, with a 78.8% acceptance rate.)

2. Texas Southern – 146/143/141. Already sanctioned by the ABA for standards violations and under remedial measures, Texas Southern nevertheless enrolled a large class of 256 students, a significant increase from last year’s 227.  Unfortunately, these students are virtually all at high risk of failure.  The school grew its class by lowering its already dismal admission standards across the board.  Last year they were at 147/145/142.  What are they thinking? The school should be placed on probation.

3. (Tie) Appalachian – 149/143/141 Found out of compliance by the ABA last January and formally notified in May, they hid this fact from prospective students and managed to nearly double their class from 38 to 73 entering students, while very modestly increasing their numbers from 147/143/140. The bottom half of the class are all at extremely high risk of failure.  Their bottom 25% UGPA is an especially woeful 2.51, the lowest of any law school in the country.  Appalachian also boosted enrollment in its upper divisions by taking 16 transfers from Charlotte School of Law, which is not likely to boost their abysmal bar passage rate. Expect Appalachian to be sanctioned.

3. (Tie) Southern – 146/144/141. Number one on my list of schools that deserve to be sanctioned but haven’t yet. Southern has enrolled 200 students, virtually all of whom at are very high or extremely high risk of failure. They increased their class size to 200 from 171, so they could have raised standards, but basically held steady at atrocious. (Last year: 146/143/141) Where are you, ABA?

5. (Tie) Charleston – 148/145/142 Charleston enrolled a large class of 251 students, up from 215, by admitting 71% of applicants.  They could have been more selective and raised their standards considerably.  Last year: 149/145/141. So, for the last three years, at least 75% of Charleston’s class has been made up of high risk students.  The ABA must put a stop to this exploitation.

5.  (Tie)  Thomas Jefferson –  147/144/142.  In January, TJ was found out of compliance by the ABA on Standard 501.   TJ dishonestly kept this secret from its prospective students, enabling the school to grow its enrollment.  But this school is digging itself is an ever deeper hole by admitting a pathetically weak class in a state where students with LSATs below 146 have extremely poor prospects of passing the bar, and everybody below 150 struggles.   Last year TJ had 232 students with a profile of 147/143/141, and the second highest non-transfer attrition rate in the country at 37.2%.  Despite knowing they were facing sanctions due in part to its lax admission policies, TJ chose to increase its class size and essentially maintain its abysmal admissions standards.  The one point increase at the 50^th and 25^th percentiles was offset by lower UGPAs across the board.  Not surprisingly, TJ was recently placed on probation by the ABA.  Expect droves of transfers from TJ this winter and next summer, and continued bar passage woes for the foreseeable future, assuming TJ can stay in business.   

7. N.C. Central – 149/145/142. Now that Charlotte has closed, NC Central takes over the mantle of least selective law school in North Carolina.  To their credit, they did raise their LSAT standards a bit by shrinking the class from 183 to 166.  Last year they were at 149/144/141.  But this one point increase at the 50^th and 25^th was offset by lower UGPAs across the board.  More troublingly, NC Central had the highest level of 1L non-transfer attrition of any law school in the country last year, at 37.7% nearly twice the rate that the ABA has stated will result in presumptive non-compliance with Standard 501.  The ABA needs to take a hard look at NC Central.

8. (tie) Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School – 149/146/144.  This school was recently notified that they are out of compliance with Standard 501 by the ABA, and now I am starting to understand why.  They’ve slipped from 2016 when they were at 149/148/145, and they had a 21.9% non-transfer attrition rate, 12^th worst in the country, and above the ABA’s presumptive exploitation rate of 20%.   Last year they had 195 entering students.  This year 216.  This was not the year for the school to grow the class by lowering their standards.

8. (tie) Florida A&M University – 149/146/144. FAMU is up a smidge from 148/145/144 last year, but not enough to reverse their sliding bar passage rate. With 222 students, up from 151, they could have maintained their class size or even grew modestly and raised standards considerably, instead of growing by 50%, remaining in the bottom 10 nationally. FAMU is practically begging for ABA scrutiny.

10. Concordia – 151/147/144. Although there are four other schools with a bottom 25% at 144 and 50% at 147,  and two of these have lower LSATs at the 75% by one point, the UGPAs at Concordia are by far the lowest of these five schools (3.24/2.90/2.59) so they narrowly edge the competition for the coveted tenth slot in the bottom 10.  Although Concordia had great bar results last summer, they have placed their future in jeopardy by lowering their standards for the fourth year in a row.  Their entering class of 2014 was at 157/152/149.  2015: 154/150/146.  2016: 151/149/145.  This year: 151/147/144.  And other than Valparaiso, which recently announced it was suspending admissions,  Concordia had the smallest entering class of any law school in the country, at just 48 students.  Not good signs.

Dishonorable Mention:

There are 6 schools with 25% LSATs at 144 – which I categorize as Extremely High Risk.  Two (FAMU and Concordia) made the bottom 10. These schools have presumably calculated that they are safe from ABA scrutiny based on prior ABA adverse actions.  In light of the recent finding of non-compliance against Atlanta’s John Marshall, these schools may find that they have miscalculated.  Even if they get a pass from the ABA, these schools should be ashamed that they have stooped so low as to be admitting over a quarter of students from the bottom 23% of LSAT takers.

 The other four at 144:

• South Dakota – this state flagship university has truly fallen on hard times. They are down to 57 1Ls (5th smallest in the country) with an LSAT profile of 150/147/144 (down from 152/148/144 in 2016) and plummeting bar pass rates. The school needs to move from tiny Vermillion to Sioux Falls to survive, but this proposal has been nixed.
• Southern Illinois – Another state school with very weak students, identical to South Dakota at 150/147/144, but with much worse UGPAs. Down from 150/148/145 last year.
• Roger Williams - 151/147/144 down from 153/148/145.
• Oklahoma City – 152/147/144. Last year 151/147/144.

The Next Tier:

There are 20 law schools with a bottom 25% LSAT at 145 (26^th percentile).  There is probably safety in numbers here, as the ABA is unlikely to take action against so many schools with similar numbers.   This group includes one school that was previously forced to take remedial measures for violating admission standards (Ave Maria), one school that is currently on probation (Arizona Summit), and another school that has recently received notice of non-compliance with Standard 501  (Florida Coastal).  Florida Coastal has argued that they should not be considered in non-compliance because they have raised their bottom 25% to 145.  But the 509 report reveals that they did so by taking a lot of students with dreadful undergraduate records.  The UPGA profile at Florida Coastal for 2017 is 3.10/2.83/2.59 – worse even than Western Michigan Thomas Cooley! (The average undergraduate GPA in the U.S. is about 3.15.)  Only three law schools in the country have comparably awful UPGA profiles:  Appalachian, Thomas Jefferson and InfiLaw sister school Arizona Summit (3.15/2.81/2.53).  For comparison purposes, Ave Maria’s UGPA numbers are 3.52/3.16/2.83, about average in this cohort of 20 schools.  Ave Maria seems to have weathered the storm under the leadership of Dean and President Kevin Cieply and is on the rebound, with 97 1Ls, up from 88 last year, and a two-point improvement at their LSAT 25%.  Meanwhile, it is not clear if Arizona Summit can survive, with just 49 matriculants, down from 143 last year (and 450 in 2011!).  In 6 years, Arizona Summit went from tied with NYU for the 12^th largest entering class in the country to the fourth smallest entering class.   With the fifth highest non-transfer attrition rate in the country last year at 27.2%, they are likely to continue to get smaller.  That is one way to go from for-profit to non-profit.   

Some Other Observations

There is a new format for the ABA 509 Reports, and overall there is more useful data, particularly regarding attrition. One area of concern with the new report format is that schools with part-time programs are no longer required to report the admissions credentials of their part time classes separately.  As I noted in a recent column, many schools were admitting substantially weaker students into their part-time divisions, leading to concerns about exploitation of this cohort. Now, there is no way to know if law schools are doing so.  The ABA should require that this data be reported in future years. 

Bar passage data, like employment data, will now be reported separately. Bar passage data should be out in March, employment data in April.

Law Dean Search: Ohio Northern University

Ohio Northern University in Ada, Ohio, seeks applications and nominations for the position of Dean of the Claude W. Pettit College of Law. A successful candidate will build on the College’s strengths, while navigating the challenges currently facing law schools, so that the College is well-positioned for the future. Applicants must have a Juris Doctor, or equivalent degree, and a history of scholarly productivity and/or relevant professional experience that would allow for tenure within the Pettit College of Law at the rank of Professor. Desired qualifications include: demonstrated administrative ability, experience in budgeting, fiscal management, assessment, and management of law admissions with a strong connection to legal practice and bar organizations. Personal scholarly activity with demonstrated support for faculty scholarship and engagement as well as experience in higher education development, alumni relations, and legal education are equally important. For a more detailed profile of the position, please go to https://www.onu.edu/academic_affairs/dean_law.  Nominations and expressions of interest may be sent electronically to Ted Ford Webb at  Pettit@fordwebb.com  or 978-371-4900.

The Benefits and Downsides of Live Tweeting at Conferences

At legal academic conferences, as well as academic conferences in other fields, it has become increasingly common for attendees to live tweet from sessions they attend, using hashtags that they create or that have been promulgated by conference organizers, or a mix of both.  See, e.g., #AALS2016, #AALS2015, #LSMEX17.  Today's Chronicle of Higher Education has an article by Noah Berlatsky on The Dangers of Tweeting at Conferences.  Here is an excerpt:

Conference planners should also keep in mind the dangers and downsides of live-tweeting. They should alert attendees to potentially dangerous hashtags and encourage live-tweeters to use only official conference hashtags. Presenters should have the right to ask people not to live-tweet during their talk, and shouldn’t have to explain their reasons.

In short, default permission for live-tweeting should be expected at a scholarly meeting. But tweeters should be aware of the dangers, and presenters should be able to opt out easily if they wish.

Social media isn’t negative or positive in itself; it’s just a tool. As with any tool, you want to know how it works, when to use it, and where the sharp edges are. If organizers, tweeters, and presenters are careful and knowledgeable, Twitter can amplify and deepen the conference experience.

The full article is here.  The author cautions against the inadvertent use of hashtags that may attract trolls, the concern that academic work might be quoted out of context, and the possibility that a blind peer-review process could be compromised (less of a problem for law profs who publish mostly in student-edited journals).

Given how many law profs there are on Twitter (see, e.g., here for data on law prof Twitter users from 2015; anecdotally, the number seems to have increased since then), I found the Chron article to be thought-provoking. 

Journalist and historian David Perry gives this succinct advice: "If you think the paper sucks, don’t tweet it. Don’t say it’s bad; you don’t need to lie and say it’s good. Just stop tweeting. And I have done that. There have been papers about which I had nothing nice to say. So I said nothing at all, as our mothers taught us."