Surprisingly, the literature on lawyer-leader development has neglected adult learning theories. This Article addresses that gap and grounds the teaching of leadership in a well-established theoretical tradition. It presents the results of a design-based research study that applies Mezirow’s transformative learning theory to the design and delivery of a leadership seminar taught at Brigham Young University Law School. The study finds that 95% of students enrolled in the second iteration of the course took new, concrete leadership actions as a direct result of their participation in the class.
Leadership
Law Leadership and Professional Responsibility
By Joan Heminway on
As business law professors, we are always teaching leadership and professional responsibility (even if only interstitially), whether we are teaching in experiential, doctrinal, or other settings. Accordingly, an upcoming program hosted by the Section on Leadership of the Association of American Law Schools (which I chair this year) may be of interest. The program, a webinar aptly titled Leadership Development and Professional Responsibility, is next Tuesday, November 18, 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm ET/12:00 pm – 1:00 pm CT/11:00 am – 12:00 pm MT/10:00 am – 11:00 pm PT. Here is the synopsis.
How can law schools cultivate ethical judgment and the capacity for principled leadership among students? How might the Professional Responsibility course provide avenues for exploring broader questions related to lawyer leadership? This AALS webinar explores the relationship between professional responsibility, legal ethics, and leadership formation in legal education and examines how law schools can prepare graduates not only to practice law competently, but to lead with integrity and purpose.
I hope you can join us for this program. Registration is available here.
AALS Section on Leadership – Program of Interest
By Joan Heminway on
As you start in on the new work week, I want to let you know about the Section on Leadership’s webinar on Wednesday, September 17th, 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm ET/12:00 pm – 1:00 pm CT/11:00 am – 12:00 am MT/10:00 am – 11:00 am PT. The title for the program is “Adaptive Leadership Theory & Rule of Law as Resources in Challenging Times for Law & Legal Education.” The program description is set forth below.
Under authoritarian pressure, law schools may be tempted to self-censor or compromise their missions. Adaptive leadership offers deans and administrators strategic and moral tools to regulate stress, preserve mission integrity, and cultivate leadership across their communities. Complementing this, the Rule of Law Working Group—through the Holloran Center and Mellon-funded “Pluralizing” Legal Professional Identity project—is creating resources to embed democracy, equity, justice, and the rule of law into the curriculum.
You can register here.
The session has been organized, and is being led, by the section’s chair-elect, Tania Luma. She is joined by Kendall Kerew and Kelly Terry. This program promises to offer much wisdom to faculty and staff both in our institutional and instructional lives at work. I am excited to…