AALS hosts more than 100 free sections for law school faculty, administrators, and staff that are organized around various academic disciplines, affinity groups, and areas of professional interest. New law faculty are encouraged to join one or more sections and connect with colleagues across the country and may be particularly interested in the Section on New Law Professors and the Section on Teaching Methods.
Sections engage their membership throughout the year through a variety of efforts. Most sections host email discussion groups where members have conversations about latest developments and scholarship in their field. Section leaders also keep members informed through newsletters and organize webinars on timely topics. Many sections also host annual awards, offer mentorship programs for early career faculty, produce works-in-progress programs, and compile teaching resources, among other activities. Sections also plan most of the programs at the Annual Meeting.
The AALS Annual Meeting, held in early January each year, is the largest gathering of law faculty in the world. To encourage early career faculty to take advantage of the networking and professional development opportunities at the Annual Meeting, AALS offers a discounted registration rate of nearly 50 percent for professors in their first three years of teaching.
To kick off the conference, AALS hosts a session for first-time attendees followed by a reception for new faculty. The session features a panel discussion with AALS leadership and senior faculty that covers how to get the most out of the meeting. The presenters also highlight the many opportunities to become more involved in AALS and make connections that are so critical to advancing one’s teaching and scholarship.
The Section on New Law Professors typically organizes one or more sessions at the meeting that are geared for early career faculty. Several AALS sections plan works-in-progress and “new voices” sessions in addition to their main programs that bring together junior and senior law faculty. These programs aim to help newer faculty develop foundations for scholarship and teaching and connect with leaders in their fields.
Faculty Focus – Navigating Faculty Politics
Presenters give advice to new law professors on navigating faculty culture and politics within law schools.
Faculty Focus – Supporting Struggling Students
Presenters share methods for identifying struggling students and point to law school and university resources where students can find the assistance they need.
Faculty Focus – Excellence in Online Instruction
Experienced presenters share best practices and other tips for professors who are teaching online classes for the first time.
Faculty Focus – Work-Life Balance and the Demands of Scholarship
Presenters provide advice to early career faculty on finding time for scholarship amid a hectic workload and personal schedule.
Faculty Focus – Creating an Inclusive Classroom
Experienced professors discuss ways new faculty can intentionally build an inclusive classroom with a focus on what works from experience and what doesn’t.
Faculty Focus – Establishing One’s Presence in the Classroom
Presenters offer advice to new faculty on developing their own style of teaching that is both effective and consistent with who they are.
Faculty Focus – The Importance of Service
This session explores the importance of service for new faculty, including what role it plays and should play in evaluations and tenure review.
A Session for First-Time Annual Meeting Attendees
This session is intended for new law professors and administrators who are interested in getting the most out of the Annual Meeting and participation in AALS. After a quick introduction to the organization, members at various stages of their careers discuss their experiences with AALS.
Section on Teaching Methods – Myth Busting: Learning Styles as a Pedagogical Tool
This session explores learning styles and examines if differentiated instruction should play a role in law school learning environments.
Section on Technology, Law & Legal Education – Teaching Responsible AI Together
Presenters share their insights on how to teach responsible AI to students with diverse backgrounds.
Section on Technology, Law & Legal Education – Tools for Every Course: Integrating Technology Across the Curriculum
This webinar covers how law schools approach teaching technologies, the benefits of integrating technology in law schools, and how to start teaching technology in your own classes.
AALS Workshop for Adjunct Faculty
At this two-hour virtual workshop, experienced instructors offer tips on preparing a class, conducting class sessions, assessing student performance, and learning from student feedback.
Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law
December 5-6, 2024
Chicago-Kent College of Law, Illinois Institute of Technology
December 6, 2024
University of Connecticut School of Law
January 31, 2025
University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School
January 31, 2025
Published weekly during the academic year, the AALS Legal Education News Digest contains articles about law schools, higher education, and the legal profession. Law faculty can learn about the latest developments in legal education including new law school programs and courses, faculty publications and scholarship, and the accomplishments of schools, faculty, and staff. An archive of articles organized by subject is available online. Faculty can also search the archive on the News & Publications page.
TaxProf Blog
November 25, 2024
Excess of Democracy
November 25, 2024
