Some of the thorniest issues that new law professors encounter in the classroom are those that we didn’t anticipate in advance. For all the time we spend discussing how to select the right casebook, how to structure a syllabus, how to think about our pedagogical approach to our classes, or how to write (and grade) exams, we devote surprisingly little attention to more specific issues like how to deal with obstreperous students; how to manage conversations about politically sensitive and/or emotionally fraught topics; or a host of other recurring problems in graduate school classrooms. Although these lessons are usually learned over time, new law professors don’t have the luxury of that experience. Thus, this panel hopes to bridge that gap by bringing together a cross-section of scholars from a variety of backgrounds, all of whom have been recognized for their exceptional teaching. Each of the panelists will offer their own views on particular issues they’ve confronted in their teaching careers, how they’ve handled them, and what lessons they’d pass along to their colleagues going forward.
Business Meeting at Program Conclusion.