Aspen Leading Edge

 Korin Munsterman, Director of Legal Education Technology Program at UNT Dallas Collage of Law, discusses her journey through legal education and technology. She also shares practical ways professors and students can use generative AI in legal education.

Sam Panarella, CEO of The Foundation of Natural Resources and Energy Law, speaks about his new role and his time as dean of the UMass Dartmouth School of Law. He shares some of the accomplishments that were achieved during his time as dean, including developing a summer program in Portugal.

Anthony Crowell, Dean of New York Law School, discusses his journey to becoming dean eleven years ago. He also highlights the advantages of being located in New York City and explains how the school continues to engage with the community. Some initiatives he also talks about include the Think BIG Curriculum and the Constitutional and Citizenship Day Summit.

Ernie Walton, Dean of Regent University School of Law, discusses his journey to legal education and how he became dean. He also shares the incredible rise in rankings that Regent University is seeing for a young law school and how he sees the school growing. He also speaks about the Center of Global Justice and the Foundations of Practice programs.  

William C. Hubbard, dean of the University of South Carolina Joseph F. Rice School of Law, discusses the World Justice Project, where he acts as co-founder and chair of the Board. He shares the work the World Justice Project has been doing, including the Rule of Law Index, which serves as a source for original data on the rule of law.  

Martin Ellin, Dean at Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School, reflects on his first year as dean. He shares the interesting things going on at the law school, including the Criminal and Civil Justice Institute. He also provides insight into his upcoming emotional intelligence course, which he will teach over the summer, and explains why it is important for students to enhance their communication skills.

Luke Yingling, founder and CEO of Rhetoric, shares how he founded the company as a 2L and how it uses AI to deliver dynamic feedback and practice for students and universities. He discusses the different modules and events, including Moot Court Madness, interview preparation, cold-calling practice, and deposition preparation.

Tracy Simmons, Howard University, discusses the second edition of Law School for Dummies and how she joined the project. She shares some of the topics the book addresses, including financial aid, choosing a law school, imposter syndrome, and finding a mentor.

Daniel Thies, chair of the Council of the American Bar Association Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar, discusses the core principles and values of accreditation as well as the distinction between the American Bar Association and the Council. He also discusses the re-recognition process with the Department of Education.

Beth Burch, University of Georgia School of Law, discusses her new book, The Pain Brokers: How Con Men, Call Centers, and Rogue Doctors Fuel America's Lawsuit Factory, a never-told-before story of three women caught in a web of telemarketing scammers, shady doctors, and profit-hungry lawyers who turned fears surrounding a faulty medical device affecting millions of women into a goldmine. She shares how she learned about the story and provides a synopsis of the investigation.

Ian Nelson, co-founder of Hotshot, shares the origins of this learning platform, which law firms and schools can use to learn more about the legal profession. He discusses some of the video courses Hotshot offers, including Artificial Intelligence, Accounting & Finance, and a new one on Professionalism & Communication.

Jo Potuto, University of Nebraska – Lincoln College of Law, shares the story of creating her YouTube channel, Prof Jo Explains, where she covers trials, hearings, and all things law. She gives an example of one of the cases she is covering and who watches her videos.

Shannon Conway and Meijken Westenskow, both at the University of North Texas – Dallas, discuss the first edition of their book, Skills for NextGen: Client Scenarios in Torts. They share stories about the process of writing the book, as well as different ways to apply it in the torts classroom or for bar preparation.

Deborah Thorne, University of Idaho; Pamela Foohey, University of Georgia; and Robert Lawless, University of Illinois, discuss their new book, Debt’s Grip: Risk and Consumer Bankruptcy, which draws on data from the Consumer Bankruptcy Project, where they are all co-investigators. They discuss notable chapters that examine bankruptcy by age, race, and gender.

Grant Wilson, Executive Director of Earth Law Center, talks about the second edition of his book, Earth Law: Emerging Ecocentric Law – A Guide for Practitioners. He shares new information included in the book and how the subject is applicable for every aspect of law. He also gives examples of topics discussed in the book such as Animal Law, Ecocide, and Bioregional Governance.

Judge Xavier Rodriguez discusses the different AI and legal research tools emerging in the profession as well as the importance of proofreading AI results. He also shares the evolution of technology in the courtroom such as cell phone evidence and disappearing apps.

Elizabeth Schmidt of the University of Massachusetts Amherst and Allen Madison of the University of South Dakota discuss the fourth edition of their coursebook, Nonprofit Law: The Life Cycle of a Charitable Organization. They share updates to the book and discuss how nonprofit law has changed. There is also discussion about OpenAI's transition from nonprofit to for-profit status and what that could mean for the company's future.

Dean Usha Rodrigues of the University of Georgia School of Law reflects on her first year as law school dean. She discusses her vision for the law school, emphasizing the importance of excellence and access in legal education. Dean Rodrigues highlights the school's commitment to producing well-rounded graduates and the exciting developments in admissions and programs, including a focus on sports law and corporate counsel.

Dean Mark Alexander, Villanova University, reflects on ten years as a dean and his time as president of the Association of American Law Schools. He also discusses the Building Bridge Initiative at Villanova, which highlights two perspectives on specific topics and underscores the importance of civil discourse. Dean Alexander also speaks about having Pope Leo XIV as an alum.

Lisa Lerman, Columbus School of Law, Philip Schrag, Georgetown Law, and Robert Rubinson, University of Baltimore, discuss the seventh edition of their casebook, Ethical Problems in the Practice of Law. They share an example of a problem found in the book and how they incorporate polling into their Professional Responsibility class. They also share details on the newly expanded section on government lawyers.

Veronica Finkelstein, Wilmington University, and Kristin Walker, Syracuse University, discuss the first edition of their coursebook, Case Closed: A Practical Guide to Mastering Pretrial Advocacy. They share the importance of including case files and how the text differs from NITA. They talk about how they kept the NextGen Bar Exam in mind when creating the exercises in the book.   

Joseph William Singer, Harvard Law School, and Eduardo Peñalver, President of Seattle University and soon-to-be President of Georgetown University. They explore the evolution of the book Property Law: Rules, Policies and Practices, its unique approach to teaching property law, and the integration of statutes and social issues into legal education. The conversation also touches on the future of legal education, the role of AI, and the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration.

Donald Langevoort, Georgetown Law, Ann Lipton, Colorado Law, and Patrick Corrigan, University of Notre Dame, discuss the eleventh edition of their Securities Regulation casebook. They discuss the constant changes in the field and how Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies are handled under securities regulation. They also share their thoughts on how the field is on a global scale.

Peter Oh, University of Pittsburgh School of Law, discusses the first edition of his casebook, Corporate Law and Governance: Principles and Practice. He shares how the book balances featuring Fortune 500 companies and small businesses, as well as the evolving landscape of ESG and DEI initiatives.

Erwin Chemerinsky, UC Berkeley Law, and Laurie Levenson, Loyola Law School, discuss updates to the fifth edition of Criminal Procedure. They share their thoughts on why the subject is taught inconsistently across the country and how their casebook can be adapted to any course structure.

Chris Chapman, President and Chief Executive Officer of AccessLex Institute, discusses the reconciliation bill that caps federal student loan interest rates and shares how some schools are working to make law school affordable and accessible. Chris also shares the multiple focus areas and resources AccessLex provides.  

Alejandro Zeind, UNAM School of Law, Antonio Zeind, UNAM School of Law, and Erica Schommer, St. Mary’s University School of Law, discuss their recent book, Migration: A Binational Perspective for Mexico and the U.S. They share the story of how the book came together and the importance of collaborating with their students.

Margaret Hu, William & Mary Law School, discusses her new casebook, AI Law and Policy. She shares the primary stress points of AI and the Blueprint for an AI Bill of Rights. Margaret also shares how national security will be affected by AI.

Rachel Anderson, UNLV William S. Boyd School of Law, shares her experience in international law and offers advice for anyone considering pursuing international business transactions. Rachel also provides details about her first-edition casebook, International, Transnational, and Comparative Business Transactions.

Stephen Thaman discusses the first edition of his casebook, Criminal Procedure: A Comparative Approach, and shares the importance of examining the criminal process across different countries. He also talks about the importance of having engaging professors and students.

Elizabeth Kronk Warner, Dean of the University of Utah College of Law, shares updates on the law school, including a new Mental Health Legal Clinic, which will be in partnership with the Huntsman Mental Health Institute’s Crisis Care Center and the upcoming Undergraduate minor in Legal Studies. She also shares what the AALS Dean Steering Committee, where she is chair, has been up to.

Stephen Yeazell, UCLA, Joanna Schwartz, UCLS, and Maureen Carroll, University of Michigan Law School, discuss the twelfth edition of Civil Procedure and what new updates have been made to make the text more readable. They also share their thoughts on current events in Civil Procedure and how they are incorporating it into the classroom.

Mark Geistfeld, of NYU Law, discusses the third edition of his casebook, Product Liability Law in the Age of AI, which highlights new problems and cases related to artificial intelligence. He discusses specific cases related to Amazon Marketplace, video games, social media, and self-driving vehicles, such as Waymo.

Richard Moberly, Dean of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln School of Law, reflects on the past ten years as dean, including the new strategic plan. He also discusses the Rural Law Opportunities Program, which will encourage undergraduate students to pursue law and, in return, practice in one of the many rural areas in Nebraska.

Amy Schmitz, The Ohio State University, and Janet Martinez, Stanford Law School, talk about the first edition of their coursebook Digital Dispute System Design: Using Technology in Preventing and Resolving Conflicts. They share some examples of case studies included in the book and explain why it is essential for professors to incorporate technology into their courses.

Hari Osofsky, Northwestern University, reflects on her time as dean and her future plans, including the Rule of Law Global Academic Partnership and the newly announced Energy Innovation Lab. 

Sara Berman, USC Gould School of Law, talks about her experience in lawyering skills, academic success, and bar success. She also discusses the importance of critical reading and how reading with three senses will be the most effective tool.

Alena Allen, Dean of Louisiana State University Law Center, reflects on her first two years leading the institution and shares her vision for its future. She discusses her passion for mentoring lawyers who aspire to become law professors and offers practical advice on entering academia. Dean Allen also highlights LSU’s robust clinical offerings, including business law and income tax clinics, and emphasizes how these hands-on experiences help students discover their purpose in the legal profession.

Garfield AI is the first SRA-regulated AI legal services firm. Phillip Young, co-founder of Garfield AI, discusses the company's origins and its focus on small debt claims, helping small businesses recover outstanding invoices. He also shares some differences between the U.S. and the U.K. legal systems.

Ben Cooper, University of Mississippi School of Law, and Michael Cassidy, Boston College School of Law, discuss the third edition of Professional Responsibility in Focus and what updates they have made. They also share their thoughts on the relationship between AI and professional responsibility, including aspects of billing, disclosure, and privacy.

Douglas Laycock, University of Virginia Law School, and Richard Hasen, UCLA School of Law, discuss the updates to the sixth edition of their casebook Modern American Remedies: Cases and Materials. They detail the extensive teacher’s materials, including multiple syllabus options, extensive notes, and a robust teacher’s manual. Douglas and Richard also talk about the updates to the remedies field and why it is a vital course every student should take.

Corinna Lain, from the University of Richmond, discusses her new book, Secrets of the Killing State: The Untold Story of Lethal Injection, including the story of how she began writing the book and her research process. She also shares specific stories featured in the book, such as the origin of lethal injection and the stories of the executioners.

Monica Llorente, Northwestern Law, discusses the third edition of Drafting Contracts: How and Why Lawyers Do What They Do and the updates she made since joining the author team. She also shares the importance of AI, how the topic is constantly changing, and what she is doing to ensure that all the content within the text related to the topic is relevant.

Alex Kreit, Director of the Center of Addiction Law & Policy and Professor at Northern Kentucky University, discusses the changes in marijuana law and what they might mean in banking law. He also shares the new updates in the second edition of his casebook, Criminal Law in Focus, including the criminalization of homelessness, drug possession, and mass incarceration.

Stacy Leeds, Dean of Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law at Arizona State University, discusses the unique opportunities at the school, including the extensive Indian Legal Program and collaboration with the Navajo Nation. She talks about the Washington, D.C., and Los Angeles satellite campuses. She also shares her thoughts on the importance of Master's in Legal Studies programs and other related degrees that could prove beneficial to any professional.

Bernard Burk, Veronica Finkelstein, Wilmington University School of Law, and Nancy Rapoport, William S. Boyd School of Law, discuss the second edition of their book Ethical Lawyering: A Guide for the Well-Intentioned and the Importance of teaching Professional Responsibility. They also share their thoughts about AI in the field and how accounting firms are now adding lawyers. Veronica also gives an update on the new Wilmington University School of Law.

David Sklansky, Stanford Law School, and Andrea Roth, UC Berkeley, discuss the sixth edition of Evidence: Cases, Commentary, and Problems. They share details about the robust teacher’s manual and why they like teaching the course. There is also discussion about the rules of evidence and some of the unanswered questions.       

What’s the future of Wills, Trusts, and Estates in law school and beyond? In this episode, Naomi Cahn of the University of Virginia and Alyssa DiRusso of Samford University delve into the newly updated Wills, Trusts, and Estates in Focus, exploring why this field is more crucial than ever. From the impact of the NextGen Bar Exam to the rising demand for estate planning lawyers, they break down what aspiring attorneys need to know.

Andrew Manuel Crespo, Harvard Law School and the Institute to End Mass Incarceration, shares his journey from public defender to professor as well as the inspiration behind writing the first edition of Criminal Law and the American Penal System alongside John Rappaport. He gives details on what is included in the book and what students are looking for in their Criminal Law classes.

Douglas Whaley, Ohio State University, discusses his years of working in legal education and what changes he had seen throughout. He also shares his busy year of updating numerous casebooks including Problems and Materials on Secured Transactions, Problems and Materials on Commercial Law, and Problems and Materials on Debtor and Creditor Law.