AALS, forward

I was sorry to miss this year's AALS annual meeting, a meeting I have long participated in, in both "official" and unofficial capacities, from my earlier years up to the present.  Flawed, inconvenient, and expensive, it still is the single best gathering of law profs to schmooze, exchange ideas, make and renew friendships, and participate in the extra-law school community of which we are a part.

This year was momentous in one key respect:  It reflects the end of the tenure of Judy Areen, the long-time executive director (before that, the acclaimed Georgetown law dean).  As a point of personal privilege, I led the search that brought Judy to AALS many years ago, a search that involved not only the methodical vetting of talented candidates but, frankly, a full court press on Judy to convince her to undertake this major role in legal education following so many years of service she had already provided as dean and in other respects.  We said yes, she said yes, and the rest has been a splendid history, with Judy contributed so much to the organization and to the legal academy.  Mazeltov, Dean Areen, and thank you for your exceptional service.

As we turn our direction toward the future, I would put at the top of my wish list of fundamental improvements to the Assn'n, improvements which can only happen with the resolve and hard work of a new director, and the contributions of volunteers who are part of the leadership crew:

First, AALS needs to step up as an organization to collect in a meaningfully systematic way data, data about all sorts of matters critical to our collective welfare.  This includes data concerning entry-level hiring (the pool, outcomes, etc), lateral hiring, visits, deans and other leadership positions -- in short, key data which bears on the workforce of the professiorate and management of member schools.  My colleague, Sarah Lawsky, has done yeoman service to us in her efforts to collect and collate data on, especially, entry-level hiring. But Sarah has frequently noted that without the muscle and skill that AALS could and should provide as an organization, the ultimate information is incomplete.  This is absolutely critical for AALS to get deeply engaged in, with the help of the many empiricists who populate member law schools.  Do it, AALS!

Second, and related to the above, AALS should actively encourage analysis and studies (small, medium size, and big) involving law school issues.  This includes not only faculty-related issues, but issues involving students, expenditures (including law school costs and financial aid), curricular initiatives, and outcomes.  Even if the AALS believes itself limited in its capacity to do big studies internally, there is an army of law professors ought there who would be adept at undertaking important analyses, if only they had data and some logistical help.  AALS could and should provide such help; it currently doesn't, except in the thinnest of ways; and under new leadership, if should step up its game;

Third and finally, AALS should look more actively for opportunities to facilitate conferences, meetings, and other gatherings (because of costs, it may well be that remote gatherings are a more reasonable compromise) to assist law professors, especially younger ones, with their work.  Strangely, professional development used to be a bigger part of the AALS agenda than currently.  Thanks to the good efforts of student law journal editors and myriad centers and institutes, there is much activity in the scholarly space.  (The work of clinicians, under the aegis of AALS, CLEA, and other relevant orgs, should be noted).  But AALS can contribute through important, focused efforts and energies.  Some of this started during the pandemic; new leadership should accelerate these efforts.

There are many more suggestions I could make; and perhaps even better suggestions that others could contribute from their own experiences with AALS.  But, with new leadership, and the fresh energy and perspectives it brings, it is a very good time for reflection upon what AALS could do but presently does not (or at least does not so much).