Aspen Leading Edge

In this episode of Aspen Leading Edge, we’re joined by Lynn S. Muster, Visiting Professor of Practice at New England Law | Boston and author of Appellate Advocacy: A Practice-Ready Approach, First Edition. After spending a couple of decades working for the appellate courts, Muster shares what she saw behind the scenes and how that experience shaped her book. She also walks through her book’s built...

Michael Kaufman, Dean of Santa Clara Law, joins the show to discuss leading a law school in the heart of Silicon Valley. He talks about his move from three decades at Loyola University Chicago School of Law to Santa Clara. He explains what it means to “innovate for the common good,” and how it shapes its 6 community-based clinics, including the Northern California Innocence Project, which has help...

Kellye Y. Testy, CEO and Executive Director of the Association of American Law Schools (AALS), breaks down the latest on legal accreditation, including the Department of Education’s recent review of the American Bar Association’s council, why it ended without a recommendation, and what it means for schools, applicants, and students. She also discusses the broader pressures facing higher education,...

In this episode of Aspen Leading Edge, we’re joined by William Magnuson, Professor of Law and Director of the Corporate Law Program at Texas A&M University School of Law. He talks about his first edition casebook, Mergers and Acquisitions, and his book, The Just and The Good: How Law Made the Western World. He also digs into why Texas is becoming a new center of business and finance, from rece...

James McGrath, president and dean of Cooley Law School, discusses his journey to becoming dean in 2019. He discusses the realities of running campuses in Lansing and Tampa. He also shares surprising evidence from Cooley’s own students and why he believes the future belongs to programs that combine access with rigorous support.

Mark Lee of USC Gould School of Law discusses the first edition of his casebook, Entertainment, Television, and Digital Media Law. He shares the evolution of entertainment law in the age of streaming services, Artificial Intelligence, and Deepfakes.

Katie Kempner, AALS Associate Director of Research and Data Analytics, speaks with Patty Roberts about their joint report, Relentless: The Pressures Shortening Law School Deanships and What Must Change. They discuss the origin of the idea and the process they used to survey and interview current and former deans from across the country. They also share a summary of their findings on why deanships...

Melanie Leslie, Cardozo Law, discusses her role as Dean and her experience over the past 12 years, including during the COVID pandemic, and plans to celebrate the school's 50th birthday. She also shares details about the Dean's Leadership Academy, which helps all faculty build fundamental leadership skills, such as giving a quick speech, understanding a budget, and managing a team. 

Barry Friedman of NYU Law and John Goldberg of Harvard Law School discuss the third edition of their book, Open Book: Succeeding on Law School Exams from Day One. They discuss the book's origins and what has been updated in this anticipated edition.

 Korin Munsterman, Director of Legal Education Technology Program at UNT Dallas Collage of Law, discusses her journey through legal education and technology. She also shares practical ways professors and students can use generative AI in legal education.

Sam Panarella, CEO of The Foundation of Natural Resources and Energy Law, speaks about his new role and his time as dean of the UMass Dartmouth School of Law. He shares some of the accomplishments that were achieved during his time as dean, including developing a summer program in Portugal.

Anthony Crowell, Dean of New York Law School, discusses his journey to becoming dean eleven years ago. He also highlights the advantages of being located in New York City and explains how the school continues to engage with the community. Some initiatives he also talks about include the Think BIG Curriculum and the Constitutional and Citizenship Day Summit.

Ernie Walton, Dean of Regent University School of Law, discusses his journey to legal education and how he became dean. He also shares the incredible rise in rankings that Regent University is seeing for a young law school and how he sees the school growing. He also speaks about the Center of Global Justice and the Foundations of Practice programs.  

William C. Hubbard, dean of the University of South Carolina Joseph F. Rice School of Law, discusses the World Justice Project, where he acts as co-founder and chair of the Board. He shares the work the World Justice Project has been doing, including the Rule of Law Index, which serves as a source for original data on the rule of law.  

Martin Ellin, Dean at Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School, reflects on his first year as dean. He shares the interesting things going on at the law school, including the Criminal and Civil Justice Institute. He also provides insight into his upcoming emotional intelligence course, which he will teach over the summer, and explains why it is important for students to enhance their communication skill...

Luke Yingling, founder and CEO of Rhetoric, shares how he founded the company as a 2L and how it uses AI to deliver dynamic feedback and practice for students and universities. He discusses the different modules and events, including Moot Court Madness, interview preparation, cold-calling practice, and deposition preparation.

Tracy Simmons, Howard University, discusses the second edition of Law School for Dummies and how she joined the project. She shares some of the topics the book addresses, including financial aid, choosing a law school, imposter syndrome, and finding a mentor.

Daniel Thies, chair of the Council of the American Bar Association Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar, discusses the core principles and values of accreditation as well as the distinction between the American Bar Association and the Council. He also discusses the re-recognition process with the Department of Education.

Beth Burch, University of Georgia School of Law, discusses her new book, The Pain Brokers: How Con Men, Call Centers, and Rogue Doctors Fuel America's Lawsuit Factory, a never-told-before story of three women caught in a web of telemarketing scammers, shady doctors, and profit-hungry lawyers who turned fears surrounding a faulty medical device affecting millions of women into a goldmine. She share...

Ian Nelson, co-founder of Hotshot, shares the origins of this learning platform, which law firms and schools can use to learn more about the legal profession. He discusses some of the video courses Hotshot offers, including Artificial Intelligence, Accounting & Finance, and a new one on Professionalism & Communication.

Jo Potuto, University of Nebraska – Lincoln College of Law, shares the story of creating her YouTube channel, Prof Jo Explains, where she covers trials, hearings, and all things law. She gives an example of one of the cases she is covering and who watches her videos.

Shannon Conway and Meijken Westenskow, both at the University of North Texas – Dallas, discuss the first edition of their book, Skills for NextGen: Client Scenarios in Torts. They share stories about the process of writing the book, as well as different ways to apply it in the torts classroom or for bar preparation.

Deborah Thorne, University of Idaho; Pamela Foohey, University of Georgia; and Robert Lawless, University of Illinois, discuss their new book, Debt’s Grip: Risk and Consumer Bankruptcy, which draws on data from the Consumer Bankruptcy Project, where they are all co-investigators. They discuss notable chapters that examine bankruptcy by age, race, and gender.

Grant Wilson, Executive Director of Earth Law Center, talks about the second edition of his book, Earth Law: Emerging Ecocentric Law – A Guide for Practitioners. He shares new information included in the book and how the subject is applicable for every aspect of law. He also gives examples of topics discussed in the book such as Animal Law, Ecocide, and Bioregional Governance.

Judge Xavier Rodriguez discusses the different AI and legal research tools emerging in the profession as well as the importance of proofreading AI results. He also shares the evolution of technology in the courtroom such as cell phone evidence and disappearing apps.