AALS Annual Meeting

AALS Annual Meeting
Name	AALS Annual Meeting
Status	Active
Genre	Conference
Frequency	Annual
Venue	Varies
Location	United States
First	1900s
Organizer	Association of American Law Schools

AALS Annual Meeting

The AALS Annual Meeting is the largest yearly gathering of law professors in the United States, bringing together faculty from law schools, deans from institutions, administrators from organizations, and representatives from legal associations. The meeting convenes participants affiliated with institutions such as Harvard Law School, Yale Law School, Stanford Law School, Columbia Law School, New York University School of Law and professional bodies including the American Bar Association, National Association for Law Placement, Association of Legal Writing Directors, Law School Admission Council, and Federal Judicial Center. Prominent attendees frequently include scholars who have affiliations with University of California, Berkeley School of Law, University of Chicago Law School, Georgetown University Law Center, University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School, University of Virginia School of Law, Duke University School of Law, Northwestern Pritzker School of Law, Cornell Law School, University of Michigan Law School, and Boston University School of Law.

Overview

The meeting is hosted by the Association of American Law Schools and typically features plenary sessions, panel discussions, workshops, and caucus meetings that attract faculty from institutions such as Emory University School of Law, Vanderbilt University Law School, Washington University School of Law, University of Minnesota Law School, and University of Texas School of Law. Sessions often involve speakers from organizations including the American Constitution Society, Federalist Society, Brennan Center for Justice, Legal Services Corporation, and Equal Justice Initiative. The program highlights scholarship linked to courts such as the United States Supreme Court, United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, and topics intersecting with agencies like the United States Department of Justice, Securities and Exchange Commission, Federal Reserve Board, and Department of Homeland Security.

History and development

Early gatherings trace roots to meetings of faculty from schools such as Columbia Law School and Harvard Law School in the early 20th century, evolving alongside legal reforms associated with statutes like the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and judicial milestones including the Brown v. Board of Education decision. The meeting expanded during eras marked by legal developments involving the New Deal, the Taft Court, the Warren Court, and landmark cases such as Miranda v. Arizona and Roe v. Wade. Over decades the event grew alongside the professionalization of legal education exemplified by accreditation standards promulgated by the American Bar Association and curricula innovations influenced by scholars from University of Chicago and Yale. Technological shifts introduced panels on topics involving the Electronic Frontier Foundation, National Institute of Standards and Technology, and debates linked to the Patriot Act.

Organization and governance

Governance is led by the Association of American Law Schools Board of Directors and committees drawing members from law faculties at Georgetown University, University of California, Los Angeles School of Law, University of Southern California Gould School of Law, Rutgers Law School, Temple University Beasley School of Law, and Fordham University School of Law. Program committees coordinate with sections representing specialized fields such as constitutional law, criminal law, and clinical education, involving scholars associated with University of Notre Dame Law School, Seton Hall University School of Law, Saint Louis University School of Law, University of Colorado Law School, and University of Iowa College of Law. Administrative functions work with staff experienced in events management who liaise with venues in cities like New York City, San Francisco, Washington, D.C., Chicago, and Los Angeles.

Program and sessions

Typical programming includes panels featuring faculty who have published in journals such as Harvard Law Review, Yale Law Journal, Columbia Law Review, Stanford Law Review, Michigan Law Review, and University of Pennsylvania Law Review. Sessions address topics linked to courts and statutes including the United States Supreme Court, International Court of Justice, United Nations, World Trade Organization, trade agreements like the North American Free Trade Agreement, and treaties such as the Geneva Conventions. Workshops often bring together scholars from institutions like Indiana University Maurer School of Law, Arizona State University Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law, University of Washington School of Law, University of North Carolina School of Law, and Ohio State University Moritz College of Law.

Attendance and participants

Attendees include deans from Harvard Law School, Yale Law School, Stanford Law School, and other leaders; fellows from centers like the Baker Botts Center, Center for Constitutional Rights, Hoover Institution, Berkman Klein Center, and visiting scholars from international institutions such as Oxford University, Cambridge University, University of Toronto Faculty of Law, Australian National University, and National University of Singapore. Participants also include representatives from bar associations such as the New York State Bar Association, California Lawyers Association, Texas Bar, and non-governmental organizations like Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, and International Committee of the Red Cross.

Impact and controversies

The meeting has shaped hiring practices, curricular reforms, and scholarship dissemination, influencing appointments to benches such as nominees to the United States Supreme Court and policy debates involving the Department of Justice and Congress of the United States. Controversies have arisen over topics like academic freedom, speaker invitations involving figures associated with the Federalist Society and American Constitution Society, diversity concerns reflecting histories linked to affirmative action cases such as Grutter v. Bollinger, and security issues echoing reactions to events involving Occupy Wall Street and protests related to decisions by the Supreme Court of the United States.

Awards and recognitions

The meeting presents awards and recognitions, often honoring scholarship featured in venues like the Harvard Law Review and recipients from institutions such as Georgetown University Law Center, New York University School of Law, University of Michigan Law School, University of Chicago Law School, and Columbia Law School. Honors may include lifetime achievement acknowledgments comparable in prestige to awards from the American Bar Association and named prizes linked to benefactors and institutes such as the Hoover Institution and various law school centers.

Category:Legal conferences