Law Commons^™

"How Do I Design My Law Course?": A Quick Guide For New Professors, Steven Arrigg Koh

Faculty Scholarship

How do professors start teaching law? This question is a particular challenge for new law professors, who often lack resources for course design. Written from the perspective of a recently tenured law professor, this Essay offers four major categories of decisions: semester structure, classroom, final exam, and “professorial personality.” It argues that, for each decision, reasonable minds can differ. This Essay also provides some personal reflections on the decision-making to illustrate how one professor might weigh various considerations in course design. A final Appendix is a checklist for new professors.

How Law Schools Can Better Cultivate A Culture Of Engagement And Dialogue, Anton Sorkin

Pepperdine Dispute Resolution Law Journal

For the last few years, a competing culture has developed on university campuses based on what the National Jurist called the “protest generation.” These developments have seeped into law schools, creating not only tensions with the administrations, but also tensions between student organizations seeking to participate in accordance with their mission and purpose. Given the importance of legal education and the role of attorneys in society, this article advocates for law schools to cultivate a culture of engagement and dialogue by establishing private forums where student leaders may work out their differences in a civil and constructive manner. Within these …

Not A Pretty Picture: Race, Gender, And Inequality In The Legal Profession And Legal Education, Tanina Rostain

Georgetown Law Faculty Publications and Other Works

Responding to renewed interest in law school as a path to a career “to do well and do good,” this essay examines Nelson, Dinovitzer, Garth, Sterling, Wilkins, Dawe, and Michelson’s The Making of Lawyers’ Careers and its account of inequality and opportunity in the American legal profession. Based on a 20-year study of more than 2,000 lawyers, the book traces how credentials, race, gender, class, and law school selectivity profoundly shape career trajectories. The essay situates those findings within the divide in private practice between corporate practice and people law and interrogates the professional ideology—rooted in the lawyer’s traditional role …

From Understanding To Production: A Qualitative Case Study Of Instructional Alignment And Bar Examination Readiness At One Law School, Mackenzie E. Gray

Education (PhD) Dissertations

Many law students who understand the law struggle to produce it under examination conditions.This qualitative case study examined how instruction in three settings at one ABA-accredited law school (first-year doctrinal, upper-division doctrinal, and for-credit bar preparation courses) shaped students’ perceptions of their readiness for the California Bar Examination. Grounded in metacognitive transfer theory, the study drew on 18 classroom observations across six courses, semi-structured interviews with seven students and four professors, and a simulated bar examination scored against a criterion-referenced rubric, all collected during the Spring 2026 semester. Interview data were analyzed through codebook thematic analysis. Five themes resulted. Students …

The Possibilities Of Constitutional Education, Mark Jia

Georgetown Law Faculty Publications and Other Works

Constitutional scholarship has traditionally focused on formal constitutional actors: courts, legislatures, and executives. These actors are often regarded as primary sources of constitutional law, or in some cases, as final arbiters of constitutional meaning. More peripheral in this literature are actors thought to transmit what courts and high officials have established. These constitutional educators, including law professors, legal journalists, and civics planners, are often overlooked for defensible reasons: They lack the normative authorities of formal institutional actors, and they do not exercise power as it is often understood in public law.

This Article advances a general theory of constitutional education …

Learning By Writing: Exploring Authentic Legal Learning Through Case Summaries, Ee-Ing Ong, Wei Yang Quek, Duan Ning, Magdeleine Lew

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

We use authentic learning as a pedagogical framework in a collaboration between our law school and the national Supreme Court of a Southeast Asian country, which facilitates law students’ development of their legal analytical and writing skills, and helps them better bridge the gap between existing legal curricula and the needs of legal practice. Akin to a writing apprenticeship, students write summaries on selected Supreme Court judgments, with their output reviewed by faculty as well as judicial law clerks from the court. The results are published on the court’s website and circulated to other stakeholders. In the post-exercise survey, participating …

Class Of 2026 Graduates Elected To Order Of The Coif, Benjamin N. Cardozo School Of Law

Cardozo Law News Archive

Cardozo School of Law recognized 31 members of the Class of 2026 who were elected to the Order of the Coif, a national honorary scholastic society recognizing the top 10 percent of each graduating law school class for academic excellence.

Cardozo Celebrates Class Of 2026 At 48th Commencement, Benjamin N. Cardozo School Of Law

Cardozo Law News Archive

Cardozo School of Law celebrated its 48th Commencement, honoring 304 J.D. graduates and 64 LL.M. graduates of the Class of 2026. The ceremony featured remarks by Dean Melanie Leslie, keynote speaker Chief Judge Rowan D. Wilson, and Yeshiva University President Rabbi Dr. Ari Berman, while recognizing student achievements, faculty excellence, and the resilience, leadership, and service of the graduating class.

Report On The 16th Session Of The International Institute Of Human Rights In Strasbourg, 1-26 July 1985, El Hiba Mahjoub

Revue Marocaine de Droit, d'Economie et de Gestion (Moroccan Journal of Law, Economics and Management)

This report presents the 16th session of the International Institute of Human Rights held in Strasbourg from 1 to 26 July 1985. It introduces the Institute, its academic mission, and the main themes addressed during the training session. The report also describes the relevance of the session for researchers, students, and practitioners interested in international human rights law and the protection of fundamental rights.

Review Of The Book Public International Law By Dr. Abdelkader El Kadiri, Mohamed Bennani

Revue Marocaine de Droit, d'Economie et de Gestion (Moroccan Journal of Law, Economics and Management)

This review presents Dr. Abdelkader El Kadiri's book on public international law. The reviewer situates the work within Moroccan legal education and highlights its usefulness for students and researchers in international relations and international law. The review notes that the book covers key aspects of public international law, including the principles, sources, and institutions of the international legal order, and reflects the needs of university curricula following the reform of legal studies. It emphasizes the contribution of the work as a reference tool for understanding contemporary international legal issues.

Reimagining Legal Education: The Transformative Power Of Small-Group Instruction, Michael I. Meyerson

Seattle University Law Review

Legal education is failing its students. Those entering their first year of law school have greater anxiety and less developed reading and writing skills than ever before. The traditional large Socratic class, which was never the most effective teaching method, has become increasingly counterproductive.

This Article contends that small-group instruction provides the opportunity for superior teaching, especially for first-year law students. Recent scholarship in active learning, educational psychology, and students’ mental health demonstrates the limitations of the traditional large Socratic class experience. Building on that theoretical foundation and informed by sustained classroom experience, this Article argues that small-group pedagogy more …

Saying “Yes, And” To A Changing Legal Profession Through Improv, Ben Bratman

The Journal of Law Teaching and Learning

As legal practitioners confront the potent impacts of society’s latest technological innovation, legal education can and should say “yes, and” to all the change and uncertainty by leaning into the teaching of human skills. That’s “yes, and,” as in the guiding principle of improvisational theater, or improv. As a form of embodied learning through play, improv exercises are a proven tool for building and refining fundamental human skills, often called the “soft” skills, within a low-stakes learning environment. They can and should be a part of any law school’s effort to graduate confident and skilled communicators who are strong team …

Cardozo Law Announces Three New Faculty Appointments, Benjamin N. Cardozo School Of Law

Cardozo Law News Archive

Cardozo School of Law announced the appointments of three new faculty members: Assistant Professor of Law Mridula Raman, Assistant Clinical Professor of Law and Co-Director of the Civil Rights Clinic Stefen R. Short, and Harold A. Stevens Visiting Assistant Professor of Law Fregine Sheehy. Their expertise spans criminal law, civil rights, disability justice, critical race theory, evidence, and human rights law.

Harnessing Ai In Legal Education: Opportunities For Innovation, Leadership, And Student Success, Peculiar Awa, Grant Shostak

Journal of Educational Leadership in Action

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is increasingly transforming the practice of law, from predictive analytics in policing and algorithmic sentencing to generative AI-assisted drafting and research. Despite this technological shift, legal education remains predominantly doctrinal, inadequately preparing graduates to function effectively in an AI-mediated environment. This paper contends that law and legal studies programs must integrate AI literacy, applied AI skills, and ethical instruction into curricula. By leveraging experiential learning, interdisciplinary collaboration, AI-driven simulations, and critical inquiry, institutions can produce graduates who are both technically competent and ethically grounded, ready to navigate the evolving legal profession.

Professor Jacob Noti-Victor Accepted To 2026 Harvard/Stanford/Yale Junior Faculty Forum, Benjamin N. Cardozo School Of Law

Cardozo Law News Archive

Professor Jacob Noti-Victor was selected to present his paper, Copyright Litigation After Generative AI, at the 2026 Harvard/Stanford/Yale Junior Faculty Forum. Chosen through a competitive double-blind review process, his paper examines how generative artificial intelligence is reshaping copyright litigation and proposes procedural reforms to address emerging legal challenges.

Maurice Q. Robinson ’09 Honored At 16th Annual Ballsa Celebration, Benjamin N. Cardozo School Of Law

Cardozo Law News Archive

Cardozo School of Law honored alumnus Maurice Q. Robinson ('09) at the 16th Annual BALLSA Celebration for his leadership, service, and commitment to mentoring students and strengthening the law school's alumni community. The event also recognized recipients of the BALLSA Scholarship and celebrated the contributions of Cardozo's affinity groups.

Situating Ai Within The History Of Technological Adaptation In Law, Karin Mika

SLU Law Journal Online

This Article argues that the current anxiety surrounding generative artificial intelligence (AI) in the legal academy is the latest iteration of a recurring historical cycle. By examining the introduction of other technological enhancements in the law, the author demonstrates that each technological shift was initially met with skepticism regarding the potential loss of critical thinking skills. However, history shows that these tools ultimately pushed the profession away from a focus on mechanical form and toward a deeper engagement with substantive analysis and strategic advocacy. Rather than posing an existential threat, AI represents a logical next step that can automate the …

Remarks From Environmental Law And Policy Review'S Fiftieth Anniversary Celebration

William & Mary Environmental Law and Policy Review

Volume 50 is a milestone for the William & Mary Environmental Law and Policy Review. To that end, on March 20, 2026, the eve of our Symposium, ELPR staff members, alumni, and supporters gathered to celebrate ELPR’s 50th year of scholarship. Hayden Miller, Professor Jonathan Adler, and Jeffrey Regner delivered remarks at the event. Additionally, Professor Lynda Butler, ELPR’s Faculty Advisor from its conception through Volume 49, prepared remarks. This article contains excerpts from the remarks given.

Generative Artificial Intelligence With A Human Touch: Building Hana, Conrad Johnson

Faculty Scholarship

This Essay examines how generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) can be integrated into legal education and public interest law practice in a way that meaningfully enhances — rather than diminishes — human judgment, professional responsibility, and access to justice. Drawing on the experience of Columbia Law School’s Lawyering in the Digital Age Clinic, the Essay situates GenAI within an experiential pedagogy that emphasizes competence, ethical awareness, and collaborative problem-solving. It argues that law students and lawyers must move beyond a passive or uncritical use of GenAI tools; toward a deeper understanding of how these systems operate, the risks they pose, and …

Cardozo Law Introduces New Course On Theatre Law, Benjamin N. Cardozo School Of Law

Cardozo Law News Archive

Cardozo School of Law introduced Theatre Law, the first law school course devoted entirely to the legal framework of the live stage industry. Taught by Adjunct Professor Ben Feldman, the course explores contracts, intellectual property, labor relations, licensing, financing, and other legal issues unique to theatrical productions, providing students with specialized training in entertainment law.

Cardozo Stands Alone With A+ In Trial Advocacy From Above The Law, Benjamin N. Cardozo School Of Law

Cardozo Law News Archive

Cardozo School of Law received an A+ in Trial Advocacy from Above the Law in its 2026 law school rankings, becoming the only law school in the nation to earn the highest distinction. The recognition highlights Cardozo's Intensive Trial Advocacy Program (ITAP), experiential curriculum, simulation courses, clinics, and competitive advocacy programs that prepare students for courtroom practice.

Teaching Contracts: My Journey With Spellbook And Ai Pedagogy, Gregory M. Duhl

William & Mary Law Review Online

I am integrating Spellbook, an AI tool for contract drafting and review, into my first-year law school Contracts course in spring 2026. Although Spellbook is highly effective, its educational value hinges on the pedagogical framework structured around it, a framework typically not licensed along with AI tools. In-house instructional design expertise can provide this framework, and the professor-instructional designer partnership offers one model for successful AI integration. Strong tools paired with robust instructional design yield learning experiences in which AI augments, rather than supplants, the cultivation of legal judgment and critical thinking. This collaborative approach among educators, instructional designers, and …

Professor Monroe Price, Former Cardozo Dean And Distinguished Scholar, Dies At 87, Benjamin N. Cardozo School Of Law

Cardozo Law News Archive

Cardozo School of Law commemorates the life and legacy of Professor Monroe Price, who served as dean from 1982 to 1991 and helped shape the school's growth and academic identity. A pioneering scholar in media law and legal education, Price founded and advanced numerous signature programs at Cardozo while making lasting contributions to intellectual property, communications law, American Indian law, and international legal scholarship.

Learning In Action: Cardozo Students Provide Legal Support To Central Valley Entrepreneurs, Benjamin N. Cardozo School Of Law

Cardozo Law News Archive

Students from Cardozo Law's Entrepreneurship and Community Business Clinic traveled to California's Central Valley to provide legal education and support to local entrepreneurs. Through workshops, client counseling, and community outreach, students assisted rural businesses and nonprofits while gaining hands-on experience in transactional and community-based legal practice.

Rethinking Legal Education: Demystifying Neurodiversity And Building An Inclusive Future, Jennifer Kindred Mitchell, Charlie Amiot

The Journal of Law Teaching and Learning

This article contributes significantly to the discourse on legal education by arguing that embracing neurodiversity not only enhances the learning environment for all students but also cultivates a legal profession that is truly reflective of societal diversity. Ultimately, neurodiversity should be embraced as an asset. By adopting inclusive practices, legal education can nurture the promise of ND students and improve outcomes for all. This article seeks to inspire a new paradigm that celebrates neurocognitive diversity’s contributions to the legal profession.

Neurodivergent (ND) students comprise approximately a quarter of the law school population, yet traditional legal education often fails to meet …

Editorial, Mohammed Bennani

Revue Marocaine de Droit, d'Economie et de Gestion (Moroccan Journal of Law, Economics and Management)

This introductory note explains the dual mission assigned to universities in Morocco by the legal framework governing higher education: teaching and scientific research. It underlines the practical obstacles faced by a young institution such as the Faculty of Law in Casablanca, including limited documentation resources, insufficient availability of teacher-researchers, and a lack of material means for disseminating research. The text then presents the journal as a platform for reflection, discussion, and interdisciplinary exchange among scholars and students. It also defines the review as a bridge between the university and wider academic and professional circles in Morocco and abroad.

The Fashion Law Names Cardozo A Top Law School For Fashion Law, Benjamin N. Cardozo School Of Law

Cardozo Law News Archive

The Fashion Law recognized Cardozo School of Law as one of its Top Law Schools for Fashion Law, highlighting the school's interdisciplinary curriculum, the FAME Center, and its student-run Fashion Law Society. The announcement also notes the upcoming celebration honoring Barbara Kolsun and the FAME Center's anniversary.

Milbank Expands Partnership With The Perlmutter Center For Legal Justice At Cardozo Law, Benjamin N. Cardozo School Of Law

Cardozo Law News Archive

Milbank LLP announced a significant expansion of its partnership with the Perlmutter Center for Legal Justice at Cardozo School of Law, increasing its charitable commitment to $2.5 million through 2029. The expanded funding will strengthen the Milbank Exoneration Review Unit, support additional staffing, and advance post-conviction advocacy for wrongfully convicted and excessively sentenced individuals.

The Laura And Isaac Perlmutter Foundation Expands Support For The Perlmutter Center For Legal Justice At Cardozo Law Of Yeshiva University, Bringing Their Total Contribution To $16 Million, With Up To An Additional $2 Million Committed, Benjamin N. Cardozo School Of Law

Cardozo Law News Archive

The Laura and Isaac Perlmutter Foundation announced an additional $500,000 gift to the Perlmutter Center for Legal Justice at Cardozo School of Law, along with a four-year matching commitment of up to $2 million. The expanded support will strengthen the Center's work on wrongful convictions, clemency, resentencing, and experiential legal education while advancing criminal justice reform initiatives.

Dean Leslie Named One Of The National Jurist’S Most Influential People In Legal Education, Benjamin N. Cardozo School Of Law

Cardozo Law News Archive

Dean Melanie Leslie was named one of The National Jurist's 25 Most Influential People in Legal Education for 2026 in recognition of her leadership at Cardozo School of Law. The announcement highlights her role in advancing social justice, innovation, institutional growth, and leadership development in legal education.