Richmond Law Hosts Seventh Annual Junior Faculty Forum

The University of Richmond School of Law hosted its annual Junior Faculty Forum last week, bringing to campus more than 50 of the nation’s most innovative rising legal scholars.

Organized by Profesor Allison Tait, associate dean for faculty development, the forum encourages the exchange of ideas and research among junior legal scholars—those who have fewer than seven years of teaching and research experience in legal education.

“With so few intentional spaces for legal scholars early in their careers to discuss their scholarship and receive constructive feedback, we’re delighted that we we’re able to continually offer this opportunity to junior faculty,” said Tait.

Noah Smith-Drelich, assistant professor of law at Chicago-Kent College of Law, has attended the forum for the past two years and finds it a helpful tool in his ongoing scholarship.

“I had a really good experience last year and I have a project that I feel is at a the perfect stage to get feedback from this group of people,” he said. “The forum is a valuable opportunity to get people to think about your ideas, engage with them, and give you their feedback.”

”What makes this forum particularly valuable is that it’s a safe space for junior faculty to not only talk about their ideas, but also other things in the academy in general, that might be difficult for the most junior of faculty to bring to senior colleagues who they might not know very well yet,” he continued.

Presenters discussed a range of topics, such as “Licensing University Trademarks for Use in College Athlete NIL Deals”, “Criminal Justice in the Data State”, and “Disability Law as Contract Law.”

“I’m always impressed by rigor, energy, and promise of the young scholars who attend the forum,” said Wendy Perdue, dean. “I’m glad that we’re able to consistently offer this venue as a resource to our rising legal education colleagues.”