KU Law faculty to present at 2021 AALS Annual Meeting

Margaret Hair

Faculty participating in AALS meeting: Melanie DeRousse, Virginia Harper Ho, Uma Outka, Alex Platt, Kyle Velte, Sarah Deer

LAWRENCE – Several University of Kansas School of Law professors are presenting this week at the Association of American Law Schools’ (AALS) annual meeting.

The event, themed “The Power of Words,” is being held virtually from Jan. 5-9. With 250 sessions and 900 moderators, speakers and discussion leaders, the AALS annual meeting is the largest annual gathering for law school faculty.

KU Law faculty presentations, panels and other 2021 conference functions include:

  • Clinical Associate Professor Melanie DeRousse is moderating the Section on Family and Juvenile Law panel, “Family Law - Creative and Experiential Teaching Tips.”
  • Professor Virginia Harper Ho, Earl B. Shurtz Research Professor and associate dean for international and comparative law, is presenting her work at the Section on Environmental Law and Securities Regulation Joint Program, “Theory Meets Policy” and moderating the Section on East Asian Law & Society panel, “East Asian Responses to Crises - Pandemics, Trade, Climate, and Beyond.”
  • Professor Uma Outka, William R. Scott Law Professor and associate dean for faculty, is a commenter for the Environmental Law Section session, “New Scholarship in Environmental, Energy, Natural Resources, Agricultural, Food, and Animal Law."
  • Associate Professor Alex Platt is presenting his paper The Non-Revolving Door in two sessions, “New Voices in Securities Regulation” and “New Voices in Business Law,” as well as his paper Is Administrative Summary Judgment Unlawful? on the panel “New Voices in Administrative Law and Legislation.”
  • Associate Professor Kyle Velte is a commenter for the session, “New Voices on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Issues” and moderator for the AALS Arc of Career Program, “Opportunities and Challenges for LGBTQ+ Persons in Leadership in Law Schools.”
  • Sarah Deer, KU Law courtesy faculty, is presenting for the Section on Indian Nations and Indigenous Peoples session, “Language of Traditional Power and Words of Colonization.”

Several KU Law faculty and administrators also serve in leadership roles in AALS sections and committees. KU Law leadership in the AALS includes:

  • Christopher Drahozal, Scholarly Papers Review Committee for the 2021 AALS Annual Meeting
  • Virginia Harper Ho, executive committee, Section on East Asian Law & Society; and executive committee, Section on Comparative Law
  • Uma Outka, executive committee, Section on Scholarship; secretary-elect, Section on Natural Resources and Energy Law; and executive committee, Section on Environmental Law
  • Meredith Schnug, executive committee, Section on Pro Bono and Public Service Opportunities
  • Leah Terranova, chair-elect, Section on Balance in Legal Education
  • Kyle Velte, chair-elect, Section on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Issues; and member, AALS Arc of Career standing committee
  • Shawn Watts, treasurer, Section on Clinical Legal Education
  • Lua Yuille, chair-elect, Section on Economic Globalization and Governance

Photo: Faculty participating in AALS meeting: Melanie DeRousse, Virginia Harper Ho, Uma Outka, Alex Platt, Kyle Velte, Sarah Deer