The Aspen Leading Edge Podcast

11.28.23 Katerina Lewinbuk, South Texas College of Law Houston, talks about the third edition of her course book, Connecting Ethics & Practice: A Lawyers Guide to Professional Responsibility. She also shares how she teaches her course Mindful Lawyering and the importance of teaching mindfulness to future lawyers.   

11.14.23 Alyssa DiRusso, Samford University, and Stephanie Willbanks, Vermont School of Law, discuss the upcoming fifth edition of their book, Federal Taxation of Wealth Transfers: Cases and Problems. They also share their thoughts on the future of taxation and the removal of wills and trusts from the bar exam.

11.07.23 John Browning, attorney, and Chair of the Texas Taskforce for the Responsible AI in the Law, talks about the evolution of digital evidence starting from social media to today’s generative AI. He also provides advice for lawyers and law students to enhance and protect their social media presence.

10.31.23 Amy Vaughan-Thomas, Director of Academic Success at UMass Law, shares resources and advice for first-generation and first-year law students. She also talks about the internal and external pressures of being a law student and how that affects their work.

10.24.23 Kyle McEntee talks about starting Law School Transparency and the importance of engaging with students before they begin law school. He shares details about the Law School Admissions Council and LawHub as additional resources for upcoming students.

10.17.23 Justice Brian Hoffstadt and Laurie Levenson, Loyola Law School, discuss the new scenarios included in their casebook, Evidence Law: Practice, Problems, and Policy. They also share advice on teaching Evidence and what changes have been made in this field of law. Justice Hoffstadt also talks about how technology has impacted evidence law.

10.10.23 Patricia Baia, Touro Law School, shares the details of being an Instructional Designer and how designing courses has changed over the years. She also gives advice on how to mix up lessons and how to conduct self-reflection after every class.

10.03.23 Marc Miller, University of Arizona, Chris Robertson, Boston University, and Joe Terry, Aspen Publishing discuss the journey of creating JD-Next and the importance of law schools accepting this as an accurate formative assessment. They also share current statistics on how the program boosts law school performance.

09.26.23 Michele Pistone, Villanova University, talks about founding and directing VIISTA (Villanova Interdisciplinary Immigration Studies Training for Advocates). She describes the three different modules in detail and what each certificate represents.

09.19.23 Elena Langan, Dean and Professor of Law at Touro Law School, describes the FlexTime JD Program which gives students the opportunity to attend a flexible part-time law program. She shares insights from the first graduating class and what is ahead for the program, including a Manhattan campus next Fall. Elena also gives examples of interdisciplinary opportunities the students are given and the value it provides.

09.12.23 Christine Broucek, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, discusses the edition of her textbook, eDiscovery for the Legal Professional, and why many people can benefit from reading this text. She also talks about the increased importance of project management techniques as well as the ethical considerations during the process of eDiscovery.

09.05.23 Joseph Glannon, Professor, and Andrew Perlman, Dean and Professor, both of Suffolk Law School discuss teaching Civil Procedure today, specifically personal jurisdiction and the fourth edition of their casebook, Civil Procedure. They both explain the details of the recent Mallory and Ford Company decisions and how they will be taught in class. Joseph Glannon also talks about his Glannon Guide series and Examples & Explanations as well as PracticePerfect.

08.29.23 April Dawson, Associate Dean of Technology and Innovation and Professor of Law at North Carolina Central University School of Law, talks about her new book, Artificial Intelligence and Academic Integrity, and provides a sneak peek of the chapters. She also shares the details of the new NCCU Technology Law & Policy Center and how important the center is for future lawyers.

08.22.23 Esperanza (Espy) Franco, Spanish U.S. Immigration Attorney and author of the upcoming book, Emotionally Intelligent Lawyers: How to Navigate the Psychological Implications of Becoming a Lawyer. She takes time to explain the different lawyer identities that can impact mental health and the tools she provides to help gain emotional intelligence. Espy also speaks about the importance of teaching these tools and skills in law school.

08.15.23 James Gardner, University at Buffalo, and Guy-Uriel Charles, Harvard Law School, discuss the third edition of their book, Election Law in the American Political System. They also provide insight into the challenges in U.S. democracy and how the law is mediating those challenges. There is also a conversation about how the current climate in American politics is impacting election law.

08.08.23 Robert Lawless, University of Illinois, discusses the change he has noticed both in bankruptcy and his student post-pandemic. He also shares some details on the Program on Law, Behavior and Social Science and the Consumer Bankruptcy Project. Robert is also the co-author of multiple textbooks including, Empirical Methods in Law,Secured Transactions: A System Approach, and Bankruptcy and Article 9: 2023 Statutory Supplement.

08.01.23 Jill Barton, University of Miami, and Rachel Smith, St, John’s University discuss the third edition of their book, The Handbook for the New Legal Writer, and the addition of mindfulness icons throughout the book. They also both talk about what differences they have noticed in student behavior post-pandemic as well as how they see ChatGPT fitting into their legal writing classes.

Links:

The Handbook for the New Legal Writer, Third Edition

So Ordered: The Writer's Guide for Aspiring Judges, Judicial Clerks, and Interns

07.25.23 Martin Levy and Craig Jackson, both of Thurgood Marshall School of Law, share what set their book, Constitutional Law: Cases and Materials apart from the other Constitutional Law textbooks. Martin Levy also reflects on his 50 years of teaching and shares stories about the beginning of the Thurgood Marshall School of Law. There is also a great discussion about the importance of teaching history alongside Constitutional Law.

07.18.23 President Rodney Smolla, Vermont Law, dives deeper into his journey to his current position and explains what he enjoys about leadership. He shares some details of Vermont Law’s new online JD program and the benefits he has seen so far. Recorded prior to the Supreme Court decisions, Rodney Smolla gives his option and prediction on the affirmative action ruling.

07.11.23 Ronald Wright, Wake Forest Law, touches upon multiple projects he is working on including his book Criminal Procedures: Cases, Statues, and Executive Materials and The Jury Sunshine Project which focuses on researching juries and learning the statistics of how race, gender, and age play a role in selection. He also describes his current interview projects surrounding defense attorneys and electronic discovery as well as prosecutors and resentencing units.

Links:

Criminal Procedures: Cases, Statutes, and Executive Materials, Seventh Edition

Criminal Procedures: The Police: Cases, Statutes, and Executive Materials, Seventh Edition

Criminal Procedures: Prosecution and Adjudication: Cases, Statutes, and Executive Materials, Seventh Edition

07.04.23 Mary Basick, University of California Irvine, and Tina Schindler, Western State College of Law, talk about their new book, The MBE Decoded, and what they found when analyzing previous bar exams. They also share their thoughts and predictions about the NextGen Bar Exam.

Links:

The MBE Decoded

Essay Exam Writing for the California Bar Exam, Second Edition Update

California Performance Test Workbook: Preparation for the Bar Exam, Second Edition

06.27.23 Joe Regalia, University of Nevada Las Vegas, shares why he started Write.law and the ways he has seen it implemented in classrooms. He also shares his opinion on ChatGPT, what it means for the future of legal education, and why we should feel empowered by it.

06.20.23 Leah Teague, Baylor University, discusses the professional responsibility movement, teaching leadership and the law, and her book, Fundamentals of Lawyer Leadership. She dives deeper into a particular segment of the book, the leadership of self, and how she guides students to explore their personal morals and how they interact with their professional expectations.

06.13.23 Babak Boghraty shares his journey of creating a new global supply chain for Iran in the late 1990s through legal risk management and trust building. He then describes how he turned the experience into the Organizational Compliance and Ethics concentration at Boston University. Babak also wrote a book under the same name which is now in its second edition.

06.06.23 Jonah Perlman, Georgetown Law, talks about how he started his podcast “How I Lawyer” and what are some of the overarching themes he’s seen in over 100 episodes. He and Patty Roberts also have important conversations about why and how students and young lawyers should look to build a community instead of networking.

Link:

Website

05.30.23 Brannon Denning, Cumberland School of Law, talks about the seventh edition of American Constitutional Law: Powers and Liberties which he succeeded Calvin Massey. He talks about what drew him to the casebook in the first place and what revisions he’s made. Brannon also discusses what it’s like to teach his Guns and the Law course.

Links:

American Constitutional Law: Powers and Liberties, Seventh Edition

The Glannon Guide to Constitutional Law: Powers and Liberties: Learning Constitutional Law Through Multiple-Choice Questions and Analysis, Third Edition

05.23.23 Julie Steiner, Western New England Law, talks about the progression of incorporating digital learning in the classroom and the benefits of using digital tools to teach. She also tells the origin story of PracticePerfect Torts, how she uses it in her classroom, and what results she has seen from using the tool.

Links:

PracticePerfect

Digital Learning Advisory Panel

05.16.23 Amy Schmitz, Ohio State University and Janet Martinez, Stanford University talk about multiple projects including their future book together, Divided Community Project, and Schmitz’s casebooks Resolving Disputes: Theory, Practice and Law and Arbitration: Practice, Policy and Law. They also discuss in depth the impact of technology on conflict and how it can be used to resolve disputes.

Links:

Arbitration: Practice, Policy, and Law
Resolving Disputes: Theory, Practice, and Law, Fourth Edition
Divided Community Project
Dispute System Design
Arbitration Conversations

05.09.23 Lawrence Friedman, Professor at New England Law, gives his perspective on how lawyers and law schools are adapting and changing to the new digital world, including what challenges may arise when including A.I. in the classroom. Lawrence also talks about the process of writing the third edition of his casebook, Modern Constitutional Law: Cases, Problems and Practice, and what makes the casebook different from other constitutional law books.

05.02.23 Author, speaker, lawyer, and DEI consultant Helen Wan shares the story of how she wrote her book, The Partner Track which is now a Netflix series. Helen also speaks about her personal experience as a law student and working at a law firm in New York. Helen and Patty Roberts also share their advice on what they wish someone told them while in law school.

04.25.23 Nadelle Grossman and Eric Zacks discuss the updates in the second edition of Contracts in Context: From Transaction to Litigation including the importance of professional identity. They share how vital it is to include real life experiences in the classroom and how it has benefited students not only for the rest of their law school career, but also their day-to-day life.

04.18.23 Kathy Stanchi and Bridget Crawford discuss the U.S. Feminist Judgements Project and their book, Feminist Judgments: Rewritten Opinions of the United States Supreme Court. Now a subject-based series, they share how the volumes are used in classrooms both as primary and secondary sources. Kathy Stanchi also speaks with Patty Roberts about the ninth edition of the Legal Reasoning and Legal Writing coursebook and what ChatGPT might mean for Legal Writing courses.

04.11.23 Legal Director of the ACLU in D.C. and Shikes Fellow on Civil Liberties and Civil Rights and Lecturer on Law at Harvard Law School, Scott Michelman talks about his experience at the ACLU from his start as an intern to what he is currently working on. He speaks on the story behind his casebook, Civil Rights Enforcement, as well as what has been added to the second edition.

04.04.23 Jordana Confino, Assistant Dean of Professionalism, teaches Peer Mentoring and Leadership, and Positive Lawyering at Fordham University. In our latest podcast, Jordana shares the importance of positive psychology with examples of discussions she has had with her students to demonstrate how important it is for law students and lawyers to implement it into their daily lives.

Links:

Jordana's Website
Values Discovery Guide
Fordham Law Office of Professionalism

03.28.23 The authors of Constitutional Law, Second Edition and An Introduction to Constitutional Law: 100 Supreme Court Cases Everyone Should Know, Randy E. Barnett and Josh Blackman discuss the multiple ways they have made teaching Constitutional Law approachable including their extensive scripted video series. Josh also shares the story of how he started Fantasy SCOTUS – the supreme court fantasy league.

03.21.23 Professors Ben Templin and David H. Spratt discuss the strengths and challenges for Millennial and Gen Z law students. To address the changing profile, Professors Spratt and Templin also share how they incorporate contemporary learning theory into the third edition of their book, Contracts: A Modern Coursebook.

03.14.23 Kali Murray and Rose Cuison-Villazor talk about the second edition of their book Integrating Spaces: Property Law and Race and how property law and ownership relates to social identity. They provide examples of how they expanded and sharpened the thematic materials of the first edition, including a historical analysis of immigration and property ownership as well as a more detailed chapter on reparations.

03.07.23 Marilyn Berger and Ronald Clark talk about Pretrial Advocacy: Planning, Analysis, and Strategy, 6th Edition, Trial Advocacy: Planning, Analysis, and Strategy, 5th Edition, and the new videos that correspond with both coursebooks on Casebook Connect. Marilyn Berger also touches on the Films for Justice Institute, how she became interested in creating documentaries, and the applications for visual learning.

02.28.23 The authors of Civil Procedure 11th Edition, Stephen Yeazell, Joanna Schwartz, and Maureen Carroll come together to discuss how they joined the author team, what is new in the most recent edition, and updates on Class Action and Litigation Financing. Joanna also speaks on her new book, Shielded: How the Police Became Untouchable.

02.21.23 Steve Foritano, Director of the First year Trial Practicum Program at Drake University discusses the details of the program which has been recognized as one of Bloomberg Law’s Law School Innovation Program finalists. He shares stories of not only student experiences but also his own as a Practitioner during one of these trials.

02.14.23 Provost, Graduate and Professional Division of Touro Law, Patricia E. Salkin sits with Patty Roberts to discuss her book, May It Please the Campus (Lawyers Leading Higher Education), and gives a preview of the themes and trends related to lawyers becoming Provosts and Presidents of universities. She also provides some helpful advice about transitioning into higher roles and uses her own experiences as examples.

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02.07.23 In episode 5, Gabe Teninbaum provides an overview of the Legal Innovation and Technology concentration at Suffolk Law School and how it prepares students for their future careers. He also references his book, Productizing Legal Work: Providing Legal Expertise at Scale and shares how it will guide law students and graduates looking to enter the legal technology space. Gabe and Patty also dive into ChatGPT and what it could mean for the future of legal education.

01.31.23 Colin Crawford, Dean and Professor at Golden State Law, shares his journey to becoming Dean and how he is navigating the new bar pass standard. Colin and Patty also discuss Golden Gate University's new Presidential Scholarships and how they will help students financially.

01.24.23 Alan Palmiter discusses his new book Sustainable Corporations and touches upon the future relationship between corporations and climate change, and the role shareholders have. There is also a conversation on the importance of personal integrity, collaboration, and trust within corporations.

01.17.23 Geoffrey Stone, University of Chicago, Leah Litman, University of Michigan, and Aziz Huq, University of Chicago are co-authors of the upcoming Ninth Edition of their Constitutional Law casebook with Aspen Publishing. In this episode, they discuss the important coverage in their new edition, including the Dobbs decision, and Religion Clause. They also give their opinion on the leak of the Supreme Court’s draft about overruling Roe vs. Wade and what it means.

12.31.22 Erwin Chemerinsky, Dean of Berkeley Law, and outgoing president of the Association of American Law Schools, talks about how he encourages free speech and inclusivity in his classroom, looks ahead to the 2023 AALS Conference, and reflects on his time as president.