The Southeastern Association of Law Schools (SEALS) annual conference took place in Fort Lauderdale, Florida from Sunday, August 5 through August 10, 2018. The conference draws scholars from not only the southeast, but from all over the U.S. and worldwide. Numerous FIU Law faculty participated in the conference in a leadership capacity as either moderators or discussants in 20 panels throughout the week. The 2018 conference featured hot topics such as intellectual property, capital punishment, and the First Amendment. The conference allowed legal educators the opportunity to enhance their classroom teaching as well as newer faculty the opportunity to present a work in progress and receive feedback.
FIU Law participation included:
- Discussion Group: Law Libraries and Technology Disruption in Legal Information, Legal Education, and the Practice of Law – Lisa Davis
- CRIMINAL LAW & PROCEDURE WORKSHOP
Capital Punishment: Good Idea or Bad Idea? – Professor Eric Carpenter - INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY WORKSHOP
Fostering Creative Expression – Professor J. Janewa Osei-Tutu - FIRST AMENDMENT WORKSHOP
Discussion Group: Violent Protests — Charlottesville and Beyond
The protest by white supremacists in Charlottesville, Virginia sparked a new era in the history of protests. Some of the protestors were both strident and defiant, and they were met with an angry response. The end result was that one of the counter-protestors was killed. The Charlottesville protest was followed by similar protests in other cities. This panel examines whether special rules should apply to such protests. – Professor Howard Wasserman - S. Supreme Court & Legislative Update: Corporate, Labor, Civil Procedure, Administrative, and Regulatory Issues – Professor Hannibal Travis
- INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY WORKSHOP
The Intellectual Property and Information Ecosystem
This panel explores the connections among intellectual property, information law, and larger systemic concerns ranging from economic policy to social welfare. The panelists address a range of current issues including policy levers for administering and fostering innovation, promoting employment, protecting human rights, ensuring greater access to the fruits of innovation, and developing effective and adaptable governance models for emerging technologies. – Professor J. Janewa Osei-Tutu - Civil Procedure, Federal Courts, and the Constitution
This session allows newer scholars to present a work-in-progress, and receive feedback from the audience and a mentor. – Howard Wasserman - NEW SCHOLARS WORKSHOP
Employment Law and Employment Discrimination – Professor Michele Anglade - CONSTITUTIONAL LAW WORKSHOP
Legislative Generality and the Constitution: Klein, Equal Protection, and Legislative and Presidential Singling-Out – Professor Howard Wasserman - WRITING CONNECTIONS WORKSHOP
Redefining Status: Intersections of Diversity and Status in the Legal Academy – Professor Phyllis Kotey - NEWER LAW TEACHERS WORKSHOP
Discussion Group: Teaching Fundamentals II – Challenges Teachers Face in the Digital Era – Professor Scott Norberg - FIRST AMENDMENT WORKSHOP
Discussion Group: The NFL Protests: Protest and Free Speech in Modern America
Throughout the recent NFL football season, there has been much controversy regarding the fact that some players have chosen to kneel during the playing of the national anthem. These protests prompted President Trump to castigate the protestors in tweets, and Vice-President Pence to walk out of a football game before it even started. This discussion group examines the reasons for the protests their place in the history of U.S. protests, and the way forward. – Professor Howard Wasserman - WRITING CONNECTIONS WORKSHOP
Discussion Group: Connecting through Diversity – Teach, Learn, Educate Yourself – Professor Rosario Lozada Schrier - WORKSHOP ON LABOR AND EMPLOYMENT LAW
Discussion Group: Recent Developments in Disability and Health Law – Professor Kerri Stone - Works-in-Progress Workshop (Federal Courts/Civil Procedure) – Professor Howard Wasserman
- LABOR AND EMPLOYMENT LAW WORKSHOP
Discussion Group: New and Established Voices in Labor and Employment Law – Professor Kerri Stone - WORKSHOP ON LABOR AND EMPLOYMENT LAW
Discussion Group: Workplace Law at the Supreme Court – Professor Kerri Stone - CIVIL PROCEDURE WORKSHOP
Discussion Group: New and Established Voices in Civil Procedure – Professor Howard Wasserman - CIVIL PROCEDURE WORKSHOP
Discussion Group: The Revised Discovery Rules in Practice
Chief Justice Roberts famously indicated the 2015 discovery rule amendments were a “big deal,” designed “to address the most serious impediments to just, speedy, and efficient resolution of civil disputes.” This discussion group, with the benefit of more than two years of experience under the revised discovery rules, explores the extent to which the Chief Justice’s assessment is playing out in practice. Has the proportionately standard made a significant impact? Has greater uniformity been achieved with respect to the storage obligations for electronically stored information (ESI)? What approaches are courts taking with respect to sanctions for violations of the new discovery rules (especially in light of the Supreme Court’s recent decision in Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. v. Haeger)? And what future projects may the rules committee have in store regarding discovery and other matters? This discussion group gathers procedural scholars together for a dialogue on these and other discovery-related questions. – Professor Howard Wasserman
To view the full 2018 conference program, click here.