The winners of the annual AALS Scholarly Papers Competition have been selected. The competition is now in its 39th year, and recognizes scholarship from faculty who have been teaching for five years or fewer. The winners will be recognized during a ceremony at the Annual Meeting on January 9, 2025.
The selection committee recognizes the following outstanding authors and papers:
“The Hand Formula’s Unequal Inputs”
Christopher Brett Jaeger
Assistant Professor, Baylor University School of Law
In the article, Jaeger examines how jurors judge reasonableness. Working from tort theory, he identifies tractable predictions about what influences lay reasonableness judgments, then tests those predictions through a series of original experiments. His findings suggest that both economic and Kantian considerations influence lay judgments of reasonableness.
“As a junior scholar, I am honored and encouraged to know that this research resonates beyond my personal interests,” Jaeger said. “This award has been incredibly motivating as I continue this line of experimental research, and I am thankful to my mentors and colleagues for their ongoing support.”
“Bankruptcy Fiduciaries”
Christopher D. Hampson
Assistant Professor University of Florida Levin College of Law
In the article, Hampson examines the complex world of fiduciary duties in bankruptcy cases. He challenges whether the proper objective is always to maximize the monetary value of the bankruptcy estate, suggesting that there’s a role for corporate purpose in bankruptcy — especially for nonprofits and social enterprises. The article will be published in an upcoming issue of the Iowa Law Review.
“I feel incredibly honored to receive this award and profoundly grateful to the scholars and colleagues who helped me develop my research,” said Hampson. “Bankruptcy law is both intellectually rewarding and practically significant, because financial distress pushes us to ask hard questions about what we really value. I deeply appreciate the recognition from AALS, and I hope it helps build even more interest in bankruptcy as a field.”
The AALS Committee to Review Scholarly Papers for the 2025 Annual Meeting included distinguished legal scholars from around the country, including:
- Andrea L. Dennis, University of Georgia School of Law
- Cathy Hwang, University of Virginia School of Law
- Jason Mazzone, University of Illinois College of Law, Chair
- Todd E. Pettys, University of Iowa College of Law
- Maria Ponomarenko, The University of Texas School of Law
- Kyle C. Velte, University of Kansas School of Law