It’s time to move past the recent challenges. It’s time to reimagine and focus on a new day, a new us! It’s time to get creative and innovate to thrive! Learn and practice the deliberate creative process so you can generate and implement creative ideas for your students and your school. Keynote speaker: Dr. Amy Climer.
Conflict resolution is critical and part of our daily work. We will share expert recommendations for framing, facilitating, and following up in high-conflict interactions. We will help you respond more effectively when conflict arises, while also modeling productive conflict resolution as a critical tool for future lawyers. Participants will be invited to practice these skills as they might be applied to both real and hypothetical scenarios. You will leave with strategies, de-escalation tools, and mindfulness practices that support these important engagements.
Presenter
Lynn LeMoine,Dean of Students, Mitchell Hamline School of Law
We've all wondered whether our message is being heard by our students, faculty, and staff. Join us to discuss how to build strong communications strategies and work well with your communications department. We will discuss crisis communications, methods of communication, and how to be innovative without driving away your audience. You will walk away from this session with tools to facilitate stronger partnerships with your communications department and best practices to maximize student engagement!
Presenters
Andrew Berman, Associate Dean for Communications and Marketing, Maurice A. Deane School of Law at Hofstra University
Lisa Monticciolo, Dean of Students and Diversity & Inclusion Officer, Maurice A. Deane School of Law at Hofstra University
Kim Prince, Director of Marketing and Communications, Pepperdine University Caruso School of Law
Chalak Richards, Associate Dean of Student Life, Diversity, and Belonging, Pepperdine University Caruso School of Law
This report on results from the 2021 Survey of Law Student Well Being (2021 SLSWB) revisits topics from the 2014 SLSWB (use of alcohol and street drugs, prescription drug use, mental health concerns and help-seeking attitudes) while also looking at 1) how trauma may affect law students, 2) what concerns third-years as they approach bar preparation, and 3) what respondents said about things law schools do well and could do better to improve well-being.
Presenters
David Jaffe, Associate Dean for Student Affairs, American University Washington College of Law
Jerry Organ, Bakken Professor of Law and Co-Director of the Holloran Center for Ethical Leadership in the Professions, University of St. Thomas School of Law
Kate Bender, Assistant Professor of Counseling
Students are leaving law school with an understanding of the law but lacking executive functioning skills such as time management, project management, emotional regulation, and focus. By teaching executive functioning skills through an ethics-based lens, we can explain to students why the development of these skills is important in law school, practice, and life. This train-the-trainer style session will walk you through how to build an engaging and ethics-based presentation that you can take back to your institution.
Presenter:
Erin Lee Schneider, Assistant Dean for Student Services, Drake University Law School
Are you a non-JD working at a law school? Are you full of doubt and feeling inadequate? Do you question your expertise and feel you don't belong? This mindset can lead to self-doubt, stress, and be critical to our professional performance. Participants will explore impostor phenomenon and discuss strategies to flip the script on this phenomenon and ways to overcome and regain confidence in their roles as a non-JD in a JD world.
Presenter:
Misty Franklin, Director of Online Education & Academic Affairs, The University of Akron School of Law
We engage with students to become thoughtful leaders in an ever-changing world while working with many constituents and stakeholders to create space for belonging. During this session, panelists will discuss their experiences establishing programs centered around diversity, inclusion, engagement, and collaboration with student organizations, faculty, and the legal profession. Attendees will learn about examples of successful programs and ideas that they can implement at their institutions.
Presenters
Jeffrey A. Dodge, Associate Dean for Academic and Student Services, Assistant Professor of Law, and Joseph H. Goldstein Faculty Scholar, Penn State Dickinson Law
Vernadette Horne, Assistant Dean for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, St. John's University School of Law
Lisa Monticciolo, Dean of Students and Diversity & Inclusion Officer, Maurice A. Deane School of Law at Hofstra University
Darren Nealy, Assistant Dean of Students, The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law
Today’s law students need to be adaptive, resilient, innovative, and inclusive leaders. Supporting student growth in these areas will require shifting our mindsets and strategies. Join us as we reach for the future and explore three different models of leadership programming (curricular and co-curricular), taught within the context of the new ABA professional identity standard. Fly, walk, or speed away with ideas, materials, and potential assessments to prepare and empower students as they face a different professional and personal future.
Presenters:
Mary Fitzpatrick, Assistant Dean, Albany Law School
Lucinda Gardner, Assistant Dean of Student Affairs, Washington College of Law
Alexis Martinez Executive Director, Equity & Compliance Programs, Georgia Institute of Technology
Rosemary Queenan, Associate Dean for Student Affairs & Professor, Albany Law School
While progress has been made on various social and legal fronts, LGBTQ+ individuals continue to face discriminatory and exclusionary experiences. So how are law schools supporting LGBTQ+ law students today? Come learn about policies and practices law schools are implementing to support LGBTQ+ students based on the 2021 LSAC Law School Survey and collaborate with your colleagues to compile concrete ways to improve your DEI efforts to better support LGBTQ+ law students.
Presenters:
Elizabeth Bodamer, DEI Policy & Research Analyst and Senior Program Manager, LSAC
As legal education contends with historic changes in pedagogy, the ongoing pandemic, and shifting economic forces, NALP/NALP Foundation's alumni studies provide unique insights on how alumni view their legal education, including skills preparation, employment, educational debt, and overall ROI. You’ll hear about trends and insights that deans of students and law school administrators can use right now, not only to make strategic decisions about student programming, curricular development, and alumni engagement, but also for benchmarking.
Presenters:
Fiona Trevelyan Hornblower, President/CEO, NALP Foundation
Skip Horne, Vice President for Engagement, NALP Foundation
Jennifer C. Mandery, Vice Preident for Research, NALP Foundation
Have you ever struggled to effectively address student conduct that is inappropriate or unprofessional, but is not a violation of your institution’s Honor Code or Code of Conduct? Join this session for a discussion of various approaches to student behavior that is problematic, but not necessarily actionable. Attendees will leave with strategies and practical tips for preventing and confronting student behavior that is “in the grey.”
Presenters:
Loni Burnette, Senior Director, Academic Services and Student Life, Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law Arizona State University
Jessica Fonseca-Nader, Assistant Dean for Enrollment and Scholarships, Associate Professor of Legal Research and Writing, St. Thomas University College of Law
Alex Sklut, Associate Dean of Students, University of Richmond School of Law
Self-directedness (or ownership or initiative) will be a key competency for law school graduates seeking to find success in legal practice. How can law schools do more to foster self-directedness (or stop doing things that discourage self-directedness!)? How can law schools assess the extent to which students are becoming more self-directed? This presentation will discuss a progressive approach to fostering greater self-directedness in law students and provide some insights on ways of assessing self-directedness.
Presenters:
Jerry Organ, Bakken Professor of Law and Co-Director of the Holloran Center for Ethical Leadership in the Professions, University of St. Thomas School of Law
Kendall Kerew, Associate Clinical Professor of Law and Director of Externship Programs, Georgia State University College of Law
Student Affairs professionals enforce student rules that they sometimes cannot influence. At times, faculty: 1. Do not understand the realities of day-to-day rule administration; 2. Lack knowledge about the system in which new rules operate; 3. Are reluctant to take responsibility or enforce unpopular rules. This discussion is led by two full-time law faculty members who recently served as an academic dean/interim dean and as the dean of students. They will discuss these challenges from all angles and provide an interactive, open, and honest dialogue to share lessons learned and concrete tips for developing a successful working relationship between faculty and other administrators to enhance student success.
Presenters:
Debra Moss Vollweier, Professor of Law (former Associate Dean for Academic Affairs), Nova Southeastern University College of Law
Michele Struffolino, Professor of Law (former Associate Dean of Students), Nova Southeastern University College of Law
The Department of Education announced a temporary change to the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program allowing borrowers to receive credit for past payments that would not otherwise have qualified. In this session, we’ll review the core requirements of PSLF and the new PSLF Limited Waiver, highlight the specific steps borrowers need to take before this opportunity expires in October, and share additional resources for you to share with your students.
Presenters
Jennifer Schott, Managing Director - AccessLex Center for Education and Financial Capability, AccessLex Institute
Jennifer DiSanza, Regional Director, AccessLex Institute
Having a well-developed leader identity, and sophisticated leadership skills and competencies has now become crucial to the success of law students and lawyers. Recognizing this, the office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and Office of Student Services at Mitchell Hamline School of Law developed the Conscious Leadership, Law, and Justice Stakeholder Centered Coaching (SCC) Leader development program. This session will discuss how the program was developed and facilitated, curriculum and materials used, and challenges and successes.
Presenters:
Shammah Bermudez, Director of Disability and Student Services, Mitchell Hamlin School of Law
Rick Petry, Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Mitchell Hamlin School of Law
This workshop gives all attendees an opportunity to discuss how NALSAP can better support its members to thrive in our profession. Using the deliberate creative process introduced by Dr. Amy Climer on day one of the conference, we will explore critical questions about such issues as staffing and office structures, portfolio scope, training and professional development, and what we need to advocate for in order for our law schools and organizations to support us in our work. Outcomes will guide future endeavors of our association.
ABA Standard 303(b) now directs law schools to provide opportunities for professional identity formation throughout a law student's law school career. This session provides an overview of the myriad ways in which a law school can support the professional identity formation of its students. The session will highlight the value of a "whole building" approach -- with consistent messaging provided by different constituencies within the law school at different touch points during law school.
Presenter:
Jerry Organ, Bakken Professor of Law and Co-Director of the Holloran Center for Ethical Leadership in the Professions, University of St. Thomas School of Law
Kendall Kerew, Associate Clinical Professor of Law and Director of Externship Programs, Georgia State University College of Law
Alex Sklut, Associate Dean of Students, University of Richmond School of Law
Janet Stearns, Dean of Students and Lecturer, University of Miami School of Law
Educators need adaptable and exciting classroom resources that develop students’ capacity for active listening, increased empathy, and peer-to-peer education. This session will introduce the Narrative 4 story exchange methodology and give NALSAP members the chance to participate in a story exchange with their peers. After the session, participants will be ready to implement this methodology into their student leadership and mentorship programming at their home institutions. More information about Narrative 4 is at https://narrative4.com/.
Presenter:
Katie Beck, Director of Student Affairs, Indiana University Maurer School of Law
Outside of accommodations, how can law schools increase accessibility and inclusion for students with disabilities? Learn how to use universal design principles and other practices to create an environment where students with disabilities thrive throughout law school. You will leave this session armed with specific strategies for improving accessibility in classrooms and programming and making the entire law school experience more inclusive for students with disabilities.
Presenters:
Melissa K. Angelides, Associate Director of Student Services, St. John's University School of Law
Kristin N. DiBiase, Associate Dean for Student Affairs, Seattle University School of Law
Jeffrey A. Dodge, Associate Dean for Academic and Student Services, Assistant Professor of Law, and Joseph H. Goldstein Faculty Scholar, Penn State Dickinson Law
Susan Landrum, Assistant Dean of Academic Success & Professionalism, NSU Shepard Broad College of Law
An administration's engagement in the proactive identification of issues with law students is critical to reducing mental health crises on campus and improving student retention and success rates. Come learn the knowledge and skills necessary to implement a process and plan for proactively identifying issues faced by certain law students so that assistance can be implemented early on, thus setting them up for greater success and well-being.
Presenters
Angie D'Agostino, Dean for Students & Campus Affairs, Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University
Natalie Pagano, Director of Student & Campus Affairs, Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University
There are challenges to student connections in the best of times; how do we foster connections and relationships in what may be the worst of times? Discuss and develop real-time solutions to the difficulties of building relationships with students who have been predominantly remote and who may have resentment around larger societal concerns. Learn how to respond to students with concern and empathy, and discuss the psychological impact of disconnection on academic performance, among other areas.
Presenters
Kaila Mikkelsen, Assistant Dean, Students, Allard School of Law University of British Columbia
Chalak Richards, Associate Dean of Student Life, Diversity, and Belonging, Pepperdine University Caruso School of Law
Peak Mind: Find Your Focus, Own Your Attention, Invest 12 Minutes a Day is a transformational new book by UM Psychology Professor Amishi Jha. This session will address 1) the science of attention and mindfulness as applied to the military and others in high-stress careers; 2) ways we in student affairs can improve our personal well-being and effectiveness; and 3) specific ideas to incorporate mindfulness into the law school experience for our students.
Presenters
Amishi Jha, Director, Contemplative Neuroscience and Professor of Psychology, University of Miami
Scott Rogers, Director, Mindfulness in Law Program, University of Miami School of Law
Janet Stearns, Dean of Students and Lecturer, University of Miami School of Law