The Women in Legal Education Conference, held from October 17 to 19, 2024, at the University of Colorado Law School, was organized by Dean Lolita Buckner Inniss in her capacity as the 2024 chair of the Association of American Law Schools (AALS) Women in Legal Education (WILE) Section. This event aimed to revive a mid-year gathering focusing on the pivotal role of women in the legal academy and practice, exploring how gender identity intersects with other facets of identity to influence participation in the legal sphere. The conference was co-sponsored by the Law School Admission Council (LSAC).
Key topics addressed during the conference included the historical perspective of women in the legal academy, examining their past, present, and future roles; women's leadership within and outside law schools, encompassing positions such as managing partners and deans; status-related issues concerning instructor positionality and hierarchical structures within law schools; and the feminization of student bodies and its potential impact on institutional missions, visions, values, and access to the legal profession.
The conference featured a series of panels with distinguished speakers from various sectors of the legal field. Notable participants included Susan L. Krinsky, Interim President and CEO of LSAC; Angela Onwuachi-Willig, Dean and Ryan Roth Gallo Professor of Law at Boston University School of Law; and Melanie Wilson, Dean and Roy L. Steinheimer, Jr., Professor of Law at Washington and Lee University's School of Law. Attendees had opportunities for networking during events such as the Meet & Greet Happy Hour and the Reception & Dinner at the Boulder Cork.
This conference was particularly beneficial for legal educators, law practitioners, and students interested in understanding and advancing the role of women in legal education and practice. It provided a platform for reflection on the substantial changes over the past century, with women now constituting over 55% of law students nationally and holding significant positions as faculty and deans. The event fostered collaborative efforts and support within the WILE section and extended these beyond to other sections, aiming to create a more inclusive and equitable legal environment.
Categories
Speakers(14)
Amy Bauer
Associate Dean for Instructional Development and Teaching Professor at University of Colorado Law School
Associate Dean for Instructional Development and Teaching Professor at the University of Colorado Law School, examining the feminization of student bodies.
Camille Nelson
Dean at University of Hawai’i at Mānoa, William S. Richardson School of Law
Dean of the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa, William S. Richardson School of Law, contributing to conversations on women as leaders in law.
Cyndi Nance
Dean and Nathan G. Gordon Professor at University of Arkansas at Fayetteville School of Law
Dean and Nathan G. Gordon Professor at the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville School of Law, discussing women's leadership roles.
Daiquiri Steele
Associate Professor of Law at University of Alabama School of Law
Associate Professor of Law at the University of Alabama School of Law, examining the impact of student body feminization.
Darren Bush
Leonard B. Rosenberg Professor of Law at University of Houston Law Center
Leonard B. Rosenberg Professor of Law at the University of Houston Law Center, discussing hierarchical structures in legal education.
Jen Rosato Perea
Managing Director of ABA Accreditation and Legal Education at American Bar Association
Managing Director of ABA Accreditation and Legal Education, speaking on the historical perspective of women in the legal academy.
Jessica Dixon Weaver
Associate Dean for Research, Vinson & Elkins Faculty Fellow and Professor of Law at SMU Dedman School of Law
Associate Dean for Research, Vinson & Elkins Faculty Fellow and Professor of Law at SMU Dedman School of Law, discussing access to the law professoriate.
KK DuVivier
Professor and John A. Carver, Jr. Chair in Natural Resources Law at Sturm College of Law
Professor and John A. Carver, Jr. Chair in Natural Resources Law at Sturm College of Law, examining instructor positionality within law schools.
Kris Jackson
Senior Assistant Dean of Enrollment Management at University of Colorado Law School
Senior Assistant Dean of Enrollment Management at the University of Colorado Law School, discussing impacts on missions and values.
Mary Bowman
Clinical Professor of Law at Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law
Clinical Professor of Law at Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law, addressing status-related issues within law schools.
Melanie Wilson
Dean and Roy L. Steinheimer, Jr., Professor of Law at Washington and Lee University's School of Law
Dean and Roy L. Steinheimer, Jr., Professor of Law at Washington and Lee University's School of Law, discussing the future of women in legal education.
Naomi Mann
Clinical Professor of Law at Boston University School of Law
Clinical Professor of Law at Boston University School of Law, contributing to discussions on access to the legal profession.
Sean Scott
President and Dean at California Western School of Law
President and Dean of California Western School of Law, contributing to discussions on the past, present, and future of women in legal education.
Susan L. Krinsky
Interim President and CEO at Law School Admission Council
Interim President and CEO of the Law School Admission Council, delivering opening remarks at the conference.
Event Details
- Date
- October 17-19, 2024
- 3 days
- Location
- 🇺🇸 Boulder, United States
- Wolf Law Building, University of Colorado Law School
- Pricing
- Unknown
- Audience
- Legal educators, law practitioners, and students interested in women's roles in legal education and practice.