4th Annual Junior Faculty Federal Courts Workshop

FIU College of Law will host the Fourth Annual Junior Faculty Federal Court Workshop on February 2-4, 2012. This program was started at American University back in 2008 by PermaPrawf Steve Vladeck and has become an annual event in the Fed Courts scholarly community.

The workshop pairs a senior scholar with a panel of junior scholars presenting works-in-progress. Five senior scholars have confirmed participation this year: Susan Bandes (University of Miami), Lee Epstein (USC), Theodore Eisenberg (Cornell University), Martin Redish (Northwestern University), and Suzanna Sherry (Vanderbilt University).

This year, we are spreading the conference out over two days (meaning an extra day in Miami in February, not a bad thing). It begins with a dinner on Thursday, February 2, then panels on Friday and Saturday. Each panel will consist of 4-5 junior scholars, with a senior scholar serving as moderator and commenter and leading a group discussion on the papers.

The workshop is open to non-tenured and recently tenured academics who teach and write in Federal Courts, Civil Rights Litigation, and associated topics. Those who do not currently hold a faculty appointment but expect to do so beginning in fall 2012 are welcome. The program is also  open to scholars wanting to attend, read, and comment on papers but not present.  There is no registration fee.

FIU will cover all meals for those attending the workshop, including a welcome dinner on Thursday and reception on Friday. The College of Law has arranged for a discounted block of rooms at the Westin Colonnade in Coral Gables, as well as transportation to the College of Law. Go to the Conference website for more information.

Those wishing to present a paper must submit an Abstract by November 15. Papers will be selected by a committee of past participants; presenters will be notified by December 10. Those planning to attend must register by January 10, 2012. The program is also open to non-presenters who want to attend, read and comment on papers, and participate in the discussion.

We are setting up a web site and submission e-mail; we will provide all that information as the submission and registration dates draw near. Anyone wanting to submit right away can send abstracts to me at [email protected].

In the meantime, save the dates of February 2-4.