Leaning Into Uncertainty: Ensuring Quality Legal Education During Coronavirus

Tuesday, May 26, 2020

12:30 PM-6:00 PM

A Roundtable Conference

As we plan the 2020-21 school year, we face manifold challenges and complications. How do we deliver excellent distance education? How do we hybridize our law school, with caps on class capacity and many community members unable to appear in person? And how do we keep the strong, supportive communities we have worked so hard to build? We are all rapidly identifying challenges and working to address them. This Roundtable Conference aimed at deans, associate deans, and other administrators is an opportunity to share concerns and resources, learn from each other, and develop connections that will support us through the coming year.

Schedule of Sessions

Tuesday, May 26, 2020

12:30 EDT - Opening Plenary

12:45 EDT - Roundtable 1: Beyond Zoom! Moving from Emergency Virtual Classrooms to a Rigorous, Engaging Online Experience

Presenters:

• Ellen Murphy, Associate Dean for Strategic Initiatives, Professor of Practice, Wake Forest University School of Law
• Rebecca Purdom, Executive Director for Graduate and Online Programs, Professor of Practice, Emory University School of Law

2:30 EDT - Roundtable 2: Designing Curriculum and Programs in a World of Social Distancing: Sections, Schedules and Changing Circumstances

Presenters:

• Joel Nichols, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Professor, University of St. Thomas School of Law
• Candace Centeno, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, Professor of Law, Director of Duane Morris LLP Legal Writing Program, Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law

4:15 EDT - Roundtable 3: Maintaining High Quality Experiential Learning Opportunities from a Distance

Presenters:

• Christine N. Cimini, Associate Dean for Experiential Education, Professor of Law, University of Washington School of Law
• Alicia Alvarez, Professor of Law, Associate Dean for Experiential Education, UIC John Marshall Law School, The University of Illinois at Chicago

Wednesday May 27, 2020

12:30 EDT - Day 2 Plenary

12:45 EDT - Roundtable 4: Sustaining a Sense of Place and Well Being for our Students

Presenters:

• Emily Scivoletto, Senior Assistant Dean for Student Affairs, University of California, Davis, School of Law
• Staci Rucker, Assistant Dean for Academic Affairs, Student Affairs and Diversity, University of Cincinnati College of Law

2:30 EDT - Roundtable 5: Maintaining Morale and Community Among Faculty and Staff

Presenters:

• Zahr Said, Associate Dean of Research & Faculty Development and Professor of Law, University of Washington School of Law
• William McGeveran, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, University of Minnesota Law School

4:15 EDT - Roundtable 6: Maintaining Strategic Priorities and Institutional Health Through Crisis

Presenters:

• Marcilynn Burke, Dean and Dave Frohnmayer Chair in Leadership and Law, University of Oregon School of Law
• Darby Dickerson, Dean, Professor of Law, UIC John Marshall Law School, The University of Illinois at Chicago

5:50 EDT - Final Plenary

Presenter:

• Bill Adams, Deputy Managing Director, ABA

External Members of Planning Committee

• Barry Currier, Managing Director Emeritus, ABA
• Ben Cooper, Senior Associate Dean, Professor of Law, and Frank Montague, Jr. Professor of Legal Studies and Professionalism, University of Mississippi Law School
• Darby Dickerson, Dean, Professor of Law, UIC John Marshall Law School and AALS President
• Melanie Leslie, Dean, Dr. Samuel Belkin Professor of Law, Cardozo Law
• Kim Mutcherson, Co-Dean, Professor of Law, Rutgers Law School
• Zahr Said, Associate Dean of Research & Faculty Development Professor of Law, University of Washington
• Emily Scivoletto, Senior Assistant Dean for Student Affairss, UC Davis School of Law