By AALS President Melanie Wilson, Dean, Washington and Lee University School of Law
“Each of you is acting with courage in your teaching, scholarly pursuits, and service to law schools and universities, as well as in your communities, defined sometimes narrowly and often broadly. Let’s continue to build courage in ourselves and to urge others—our colleagues, campus partners, students, staff members, and alumni—to be courageous.”
AALS announced the appointment of Kellye Y. Testy to the position of Executive Director and CEO, effective July 1, 2024. Testy is currently the President and CEO of the Law School Admission Council (LSAC). She succeeds Judy Areen, who is retiring after serving as Executive Director for the past 10 years.
By Mark Alexander, 2023 AALS President and Dean, Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law
“I am hopeful that law schools and legal education will continue to help prepare our students to be engaged in our democracy in meaningful ways. That we continue to work collaboratively to make our profession stronger and to equip our students to fight for what matters to them. Because I believe this is our greatest contribution as lawyers who have chosen to serve as legal educators.”
By Judy Areen
“It has been my honor and privilege to serve as your executor director for ten years, and I thank you for it. I know that the Association remains in the very good hands of an extraordinary Executive Committee and full-time staff as well as our members schools who are so well represented in this House of Representatives.”
The 2024 AALS Annual Meeting drew more than 2,300 law school faculty, deans, professional staff, and sponsors to Washington, DC in early January to explore the theme “Defending Democracy,” as selected by 2023 AALS President Mark C. Alexander.
Through a nationwide survey, AALS again measured how much law schools contribute to the delivery of much-needed legal services through clinics, other experiential courses, and pro bono activities of law students.
The AALS Committee on Sections has selected the AALS Section on Alternative Dispute Resolution as 2023 Section of the Year.
Penelope Andrews (New York Law School) and Renee Knake Jefferson (University of Houston Law Center) have been awarded the Deborah L. Rhode Award, a joint honor by four AALS sections. The annual award serves as a memorial to Deborah L. Rhode, who died in January 2021 after an illustrious career in law.
Dean Angela Onwuachi-Willig (Boston University School of Law) and Professor Michael Pinard (University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law) are the recipients of the Michael A. Olivas Award for Outstanding Leadership in Diversity and Mentoring in the Legal Academy, a joint recognition by five sections of the Association of American Law Schools (AALS).
The 2025 AALS Annual Meeting will be in San Francisco from January 7-11. The theme, selected by AALS President Melanie Wilson, is “Courage in Action.” The request for program proposals from the Program Committee for the 2025 Annual Meeting is now open.
The 2024 Conference on Clinical Legal Education in St. Louis, Missouri (May 1-5) will examine what lessons can be drawn from Ferguson and other continued efforts to advance and protect the rights of marginalized communities in the face of backlash and retrenchment.
Established in 2006, the AALS Triennial Award for Lifetime Service to Legal Education and the Law recognizes career contributions by an outstanding current or retired faculty member at an AALS member school.
While the Directory of Law Teachers is printed once a year, tenured, tenure-track, long-term contract, and emeritus faculty are welcome to update their biographies at any time throughout the year.
