Aspen Leading Edge

Daniel Thies, chair of the Council of the American Bar Association Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar, discusses the core principles and values of accreditation as well as the distinction between the American Bar Association and the Council. He also discusses the re-recognition process with the Department of Education.

Beth Burch, University of Georgia School of Law, discusses her new book, The Pain Brokers: How Con Men, Call Centers, and Rogue Doctors Fuel America's Lawsuit Factory, a never-told-before story of three women caught in a web of telemarketing scammers, shady doctors, and profit-hungry lawyers who turned fears surrounding a faulty medical device affecting millions of women into a goldmine. She shares how she learned about the story and provides a synopsis of the investigation.

Ian Nelson, co-founder of Hotshot, shares the origins of this learning platform, which law firms and schools can use to learn more about the legal profession. He discusses some of the video courses Hotshot offers, including Artificial Intelligence, Accounting & Finance, and a new one on Professionalism & Communication.

Jo Potuto, University of Nebraska – Lincoln College of Law, shares the story of creating her YouTube channel, Prof Jo Explains, where she covers trials, hearings, and all things law. She gives an example of one of the cases she is covering and who watches her videos.

Shannon Conway and Meijken Westenskow, both at the University of North Texas – Dallas, discuss the first edition of their book, Skills for NextGen: Client Scenarios in Torts. They share stories about the process of writing the book, as well as different ways to apply it in the torts classroom or for bar preparation.

Deborah Thorne, University of Idaho; Pamela Foohey, University of Georgia; and Robert Lawless, University of Illinois, discuss their new book, Debt’s Grip: Risk and Consumer Bankruptcy, which draws on data from the Consumer Bankruptcy Project, where they are all co-investigators. They discuss notable chapters that examine bankruptcy by age, race, and gender.

Grant Wilson, Executive Director of Earth Law Center, talks about the second edition of his book, Earth Law: Emerging Ecocentric Law – A Guide for Practitioners. He shares new information included in the book and how the subject is applicable for every aspect of law. He also gives examples of topics discussed in the book such as Animal Law, Ecocide, and Bioregional Governance.

Judge Xavier Rodriguez discusses the different AI and legal research tools emerging in the profession as well as the importance of proofreading AI results. He also shares the evolution of technology in the courtroom such as cell phone evidence and disappearing apps.

Elizabeth Schmidt of the University of Massachusetts Amherst and Allen Madison of the University of South Dakota discuss the fourth edition of their coursebook, Nonprofit Law: The Life Cycle of a Charitable Organization. They share updates to the book and discuss how nonprofit law has changed. There is also discussion about OpenAI's transition from nonprofit to for-profit status and what that could mean for the company's future.

Dean Usha Rodrigues of the University of Georgia School of Law reflects on her first year as law school dean. She discusses her vision for the law school, emphasizing the importance of excellence and access in legal education. Dean Rodrigues highlights the school's commitment to producing well-rounded graduates and the exciting developments in admissions and programs, including a focus on sports law and corporate counsel.