Overview
The abrupt move to online legal education in Spring 2020 accelerated the move to online legal education that has been slowly gathering steam in recent years. As more institutions consider the potential to expand their reach with online courses and programs, law professors must move past "pandemic teaching" and seriously consider how they can create and deliver quality legal education online.
"Law Teaching Strategies for a New Era: Beyond the Physical Classroom," (Carolina Academic Press, 2021) is the first comprehensive book on online legal education. Edited by Tessa Dysart (University of Arizona Law) and Tracy Norton (Touro Law Center), the book explores techniques, tools, and strategies that can assist all types of law professors in that endeavor.
This event took place July 22, 2021.
Conference Agenda
Welcoming Remarks
Marc L. Miller, Dean, University of Arizona James E. Rogers College of Law
Panel 1: The Future of Law Practice
COVID-19 greatly disrupted the day-to-day practice of the law. How many of these disruptions are here to stay? A panel of practitioners and judges will discuss the future of virtual law practice.
Presenters:
- David Lat, Founder, Original Jurisdiction, Moderator
- Katie Biber, Chief Legal Officer, Brex
- Hon. Stephen Louis A. Dillard, Presiding Judge, Court of Appeals of Georgia
- Patricia J. Martin, Office Managing Shareholder, Littler, St. Louis, MO
- Raffi Melkonian, Partner, Wright Close & Barger LLP
- Hon. Emily Miskel, Judge, 470th District Court, Texas
Panel 2: Becoming the Law School of the Future
Sometimes the first step is the hardest. Creating the law school of the future requires cooperation from faculty, students, and administrators. This panel will discuss how law schools can prepare for long-term online learning. It features panelists who wrote about getting faculty buy-in, offering faculty and students strategies to prepare their physical environment for online learning, digital wellness, accommodating students with disabilities, and helping students or clients without robust technology access.
Presenters:
- Tessa L. Dysart, University of Arizona James E. Rogers College of Law, Moderator
- Rachel H. Smith, St. John’s University School of Law
- Meredith A. G. Stange, Northern Illinois University College of Law
- Rachel Croskery-Roberts, University of California, Irvine School of Law
- N.E. Millar, Delaware Law School, Widener University
- Susan Landrum, Nova Southeastern University Shepard Broad College of Law
- Stephen A. Rosenbaum, University of California, Berkeley School of Law
Panel 3: Designing the Law Courses of the Future
Let’s face it—course design is a lot of work. Designing classes for online instruction takes careful planning and thought. This panel will offer attendees practical tips for converting their classes to an online structure. It features panelists who wrote chapters on designing synchronous, asynchronous, and blended courses, as well as building community within these types of courses and making the most of LMS platforms. It also contains several excellent presentations on using collaborative and team-based learning online.
Presenters:
- Tracy L. M. Norton, Touro College Jacob D. Fuchsberg Law Center, Moderator
- Kate Brem, University of Houston Law Center
- Kerry Lohmeier, University of Utah College of Law
- Veronica C. Gonzales-Zamora, University of New Mexico School of Law
- Ann Nowak, Touro College Jacob D. Fuchsberg Law Center
- Joy E. Herr-Cardillo, University of Arizona James E. Rogers College of Law
- Megan Bess, UIC John Marshall Law School
- Audrey Fried, Osgoode Hall Law School
- Antonia Alice Badway Miceli, St. Louis University School of Law
- Victoria Sutton, Texas Tech School of Law
Panel 4: The 1L and Casebook Curriculum in a New Era
Large doctrinal classes and 1L courses pose unique challenges to online teaching. This panel will feature panel presentations from professors who successfully moved their large casebook or 1L classes online. Each panelist will discuss one big idea, with time for questions at the end.
Presenters:
- Kimberly E. O’Leary, WMU Cooley School of Law, Moderator
- Emily Kline, Rutgers-Newark School of Law
- Lynn Su, New York Law School
- Kathleen M. Burch, Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School
- Brad Desnoyer, IU Robert H. McKinney School of Law
Panel 5: The Experiential Curriculum in a New Era
Online learning provides exciting opportunities and unique challenges for classes that focus on experiential education. This panel will feature presentations from professors who teach experiential classes online. Each panelist will discuss one big idea from her chapter, with time for questions at the end.
Presenters:
- Christine Church, WMU Cooley School of Law, Moderator
- Melina A. Healey, Touro College Jacob D. Fuchsberg Law Center
- Susie Salmon, University of Arizona James E. Rogers College of Law
- Leanne Fuith, Mitchell Hamline School of Law
- Emma Sokoloff-Rubin, Yale Law School
Closing Remarks
Patricia Salkin, Provost, Touro College
Contact
Please feel free to reach out to Tessa Dysart (tdysart@email.arizona.edu) or Tracy Norton (tnorton@tourolaw.edu) with any questions.