The Association of American Law Schools (AALS) held its Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C. from January 3–6, 2024. Bringing together law school deans, administrators, and faculty from around the country, the Annual Meeting informs how they teach, publish, and lead their institutions. This year, the Meeting’s theme centered around, “Defending Democracy,” and New York Law School was very well represented through faculty and administrative leaders appearing on panels, receiving awards, and taking on new leadership roles.
Dean and President Anthony Crowell entered his second year of service on the AALS Executive Committee, and attended the Committee’s meeting. Dean Crowell, in collaboration with Adjunct Professor Andrew Brunsden, also developed and organized a special “Hot Topic” panel titled “Sharing Strategies to Teach and Engage Students During the 2024 Election Cycle,” which was held on January 6, the third anniversary of the Capitol insurrection. Professor Brunsden served on the panel which featured law school deans and faculty members.
Penelope “Penny” Andrews, John Marshall Harlan II Professor of Law and Director of the Racial Justice Project, received the Deborah L. Rhode Award, a joint recognition by four AALS sections and the inaugural Impact Legacy Award from the AALS Section on Minority Groups. Many colleagues from around the country joined these events to celebrate Professor Andrews’s extraordinary contributions to the profession, including her scholarship, mentorship, and leadership. We are so proud and fortunate to have her as a member of the NYLS community. Please be sure to read Professor Andrews’s poignant remarks that she delivered after receiving the Impact Legacy Award.
NYLS Faculty Engagement at the Annual Meeting
Associate Dean Heidi K. Brown became a member of the Executive Committee of the AALS Section on Balance and Well-Being in Legal Education.
Professor Kris Franklin served on the “ASP Writes!” roundtable and attended the House of Delegates meeting.
Assistant Dean Cherie McPherson served on a panel about the NextGen Bar Exam titled “Legal Writing, Reasoning, and Research,” which was co-sponsored by Academic Support, Law Libraries and Legal Information, and Student Services.
Professor Justin Murray became the Chair of the Criminal Procedure Section after serving a year as the Chair-Elect of the Section. He also helped organize four events that the Section hosted during the conference, covering the following topics: (1) constitutional issues concerning warrants for electronically stored information; (2) the future of Miranda under the Roberts Court; (3) adapting the criminal procedure curriculum to prepare students for the NextGen Bar; and (4) scholarly works in progress pertaining to criminal procedure.
Professor Rebecca Roiphe served on a panel hosted by the Professional Responsibility Section entitled “Lawyers Duties to Constitutional Governance.”
Professor David Simson became Chair for the Section on Employment Discrimination Law.
Professor Amy Wallace served on a panel titled, “‘A Pathway Forward’ Pipeline Programs as Response to the Elimination of Affirmative Action in Admissions — A Tool for Law Schools to Shape Democracy.”
