(Image from Carol M. Highsmith’s America, public domain, available from Rawpixel)
The Outreach Committee of the Section on Legal Writing, Reasoning, and Research of AALS welcomes interested attendees to join us for a series of events at the annual meeting of the Association of American Law Schools (originally scheduled to take place in San Francisco), January 5–9, 2021. The LWRR “Dance Card” below lists many sessions that may be of interest to the LWRR community, along with special outreach sessions to help LWRR members get to know each other. Check back here for more information as the meeting approaches. You can bookmark this page on your mobile device to keep updated on new information. The page’s design is easy to read on a phone. (If you want a walk down memory lane, the 2020 dance card is also available.)
All times listed on this page are U.S. Eastern Standard Time (UTC–05:00). Be sure to adjust the times for your home time zone!
When you register for the AALS conference, you will receive a confirmation with a link to your own “attendee” portal. You should go there and register for the individual sessions you want to attend. (You register separately for our outreach events; see the next section here.) Note the advice of AALS regarding registration for these online sessions:
All meeting attendees (including speakers) should register in advance. Some events have limited space available, so we recommend you sign up early; if you register later, the risk increases that sessions you want to attend will be at capacity. If you plan to attend one or more sessions, you should register for them in advance by building your personal event schedule. We ask that you let us know now which programs you think you will attend because we will use this program registration information to determine the Zoom needs and capacity of each session. You can change your schedule at any time in order to attend late-breaking sessions, or simply because you change your mind.
“Virtual Excursions” in San Francisco (Outreach Committee Events)
The Outreach Committee of AALS’s Section on Legal Writing, Reasoning, and Research invites you to take a couple virtual excursions in and away from the virtual conference hotel while attending AALS’s national meeting, which was originally scheduled to take place in San Francisco. Register once here if you wish to attend any or all of these scheduled events (all times Eastern Standard):
- “Pre-lunch gathering in the hotel lobby” for new professors and first-time AALS attendees. Wednesday, January 6, 11:30a.m.
- “Wine at Fisherman’s Wharf” to debrief the program. Wednesday, January 6, 3:00p.m.
- “Sunset at the Embarcadero” to catch up with colleagues at day’s end. Thursday, January 7, 4:15p.m.
- “Coffee at the SFMOMA Cafe,” creating time for scholarship. Friday, January 8, 3:30p.m.
“Dance Card”
This list identifies sessions sponsored by the LWRR section or likely to be of interest to its members. AALS’s complete program listing is available online. Legal Writing Prof Blog offers another list that may have items not visible here. See the note above about the wisdom/necessity of registering for sessions in advance.
Tuesday, Jan. 5, 2021
11:00 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. EST
What is AALS and Why Does it Matter for My Career? And How Do I Get the Most Out of the Annual Meeting
AALS Arc of Career Program: A Session for First Time Meeting Attendees
11:00 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. EST
Mindfulness in Legal Pedagogy
Section on Teaching Methods, Co-Sponsored by Balance in Legal Education
1:15 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. EST
Post COVID-19 Online & Hybrid Learning Pedagogy Best Practices and Standards Development
AALS Discussion Group
Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2021
11:30a.m. – noon EST
Outreach Committee virtual excursion: “Pre-lunch gathering in the hotel lobby” for new professors and first-time AALS attendees. (Separate registration.)
12:15 p.m. – 1:15 p.m. EST
Section on Legal Writing, Reasoning, and Research – Award Presentation
1:15 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. EST
The Future Has Arrived: The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Legal Writing and Research
Legal Writing, Reasoning, and Research Co-Sponsored by Technology, Law and Legal Education, and Law Libraries and Legal Information
3:00 p.m. – ?? EST
Outreach Committee virtual excursion: “Wine at Fisherman’s Wharf” to debrief the program. (Separate registration.)
Thursday, Jan. 7, 2021
11:00 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. EST
The Growth Mindset; A New Vision for Legal Education and Resiliency in the Legal Profession
Section on Balance in Legal Education
2:45 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. EST
How the Pandemic Made Me a Better Teacher – Lessons Learned and Plans for Change
AALS Discussion Group
2:45 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. EST
Rhetoric, Justice and the Construction of Law
AALS Open Source Program
4:15 p.m. – ?? EST
Outreach Committee virtual excursion: “Sunset at the Embarcadero” to catch up with colleagues at day’s end. (Separate registration.)
Friday, Jan. 8, 2021
11:00 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. EST
Race, Racism & the Language of Law School: Power of Words in Shaping Professional Identity
AALS Discussion Group
1:15 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. EST
AALS Workshop for Pretenured Law School Teachers of Color
2:45 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. EST
Disability and COVID-19 – Lessons from Disability, Lessons from the Pandemic
AALS Hot Topic Program
2:45 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. EST
Spreading the Word – Law Professors as Teachers, Scholars, and Legal Influencers
Section on New Law Professors
3:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. EST
Outreach Committee virtual excursion: “Coffee at the SFMOMA Cafe,” creating time for scholarship. (Separate registration.)
4:15 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. EST
Section on Legal Writing, Reasoning, and Research: New Scholars Showcase
4:15 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. EST
Gender Power, and Pedagogy in the Pandemic
Section on Women in Legal Education, Co-sponsored by Clinical Legal Education, Legal Writing Reasoning, and Research and Teaching Methods
Saturday, Jan. 9, 2021
1:15 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. EST
Defining Scholarship in the Twenty-First Century
Section on Scholarship, Co-Sponsored by Constitutional Law, Comparative Law, and Law and Anthropology
2:45 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. EST
Actions Speak Louder than Words: Anti-Racism in Law Schools
AALS Hot Topic Program
Looking forward to seeing you (virtually) in SF! Meanwhile, if you have questions, contact either of us.
Brian Larson, co-chair
Hilary Reed, co-chair