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15th Global Legal Skills Conference

Arkwright building
Conferences

The 15th Global Legal Skills Conference will take place at Nottingham Law School, Nottingham Trent University.

  • From: Sunday 30 July 2023, 5 pm
  • To: Tuesday 1 August 2023, 5 pm
  • Location: Newton Building, Nottingham Trent University, City Campus, 50 Shakespeare Street, Nottingham, United Kingdom, NG1 4FQ
  • Booking deadline: Tuesday 18 July 2023, 12.00 pm
  • Download this event to your calendar

Past event

Event details

The Global Legal Skills Conference focuses on international legal education and essential skills, including legal writing, legal research, legal reasoning, legal English, translations and advocacy skills. Additional topics include creating appropriate materials and assignments, cross-cultural and intercultural issues, classroom teaching, clinical legal education, academic support, international legal exchanges and related fields.

The conference audience will include legal writing professionals, international and comparative law professors, clinical professors and others involved in skills education, law school administrators, law librarians, and ESL/EFL professors. Also attending will be faculty members teaching general law subjects with a transnational or international component. Attendees have also included judges, lawyers, court translators, and others involved in international and transnational law. Attendees come from around the world, and as many as 35 countries have been represented in past conferences.

Find out more about Nottingham.

Programme

Sunday 30 July
10.30 - 12.00Welcome to Nottingham Small-Group Walking Tours (Optional). Meeting at the Left Lion in Market Square (Afford.Ripe.Hooked)  This will be a group self-guided walking tour with other conference attendees.
14.00 - 16.00Legal Field Trip: Guided Small-Group Tour of the National Justice Museum (Optional) (Feast.Stove.Guilty). Ticketed event £12 available with registration. The National Justice Museum will be open 10am-5pm daily so if you have not booked with registration it will still be possible to visit the museum, however, it will not be possible to join the guided small-group tour.
17.30 - 19.00Welcome Reception at the Metronome. (Metronome, Marco Island, Huntington Street, Nottingham, NG1 1AP) (Desks.React.Attend)
Monday 31 July
Newton Building
 LT1LT3LT6
9.00 - 10.00Registered participants/speaker check in LT4, Newton Building
10.00 - 11.00

Open plenary LT4 Newton Building


Matthew J. Homewood (Nottingham Trent University, England)
Mark E. Wojcik (University of Illinois Chicago School of Law, USA)
Kimberley Holst (Arizona State University Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law, USA)
Councillor Shuguftah Quddoos, The Sheriff of Nottingham
Lurene M. Contento (Chicago-Kent College of Law, USA)
Professor Jane Ching (Nottingham Trent University, England)
Julia Fromholz (Former Director of CEELI and Former Professor of Practice and Director of International Rule and Security Program at Arizona State University, USA)

11.15 - 11.45

1-1

ESL in the JD Program.

Rachel Croskery-Roberts (University California, Irvine School of Law, USA) Kimberly Holst (Arizona State University Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law, USA) Lurene M. Contento (Chicago-Kent College of Law, Illinois, USA)

Comparative Law and Policy Advocacy Skills (in Clinics).

Denis A. Guimares (AGPR – Law, Policy & Advocacy and CDES Centro de Estudoes de Directo Econômico e Social/Center of Studies on Economic and Social Law, Brazil)

Cross-Cultural Lawyering: Building Bridges in an Increasingly Fractured World.

Rachel Settlage (Wayne State Law School, Michigan, USA)

11.45 - 12.15

1-2

The Skills Audit – A Globally Transferrable Employability Tool.

Dr. Julia Jennings (Nottingham Trent University, England)

Developing Global Legal Research and Writing Skills Through a Unique UK-US Collaboration.

Matthew J. Homewood (Nottingham Trent University, England) J. Rich Leonard and Caitlin Swift (Campbell University Norman Adrian Wiggins School of Law, North Carolina, USA)

Developing Legal English Language Skills for the Modern World.

Natasha Costello (Université Paris Nanterre, France) Louise Kulbicki (University of Bergamo, Italy).

12.15 - 13.15Lunch – World Kitchen, Newton Building

13.30 - 14.00


2-1

Diversity & AI Ethics in the Legal Practice.

Tatiana Caldas-Löttiger (Liquid Legal Institute, Spain and Sweden)

Narrative Negatives/Negative Narratives.

Maria Termini and Joy Kanwar (Brooklyn Law School, New York, USA)

Virtual Internship Model: Empowering Students with Drafting and Employability Skills.

Mathew Game (Nottingham Trent University, England)

14.00 - 14.30

2-2

Artificial Intelligence: Friend or Foe in Global Legal Practice?

Michael D. Murray (University of Kentucky, J. David Rosenberg College of Law, USA)

Student Community and Partnership: Using Legal Skills-Based Initiatives.


Alannah Collins and Jill Dickinson (University of Leeds, England)

Dialogue Works! Using Virtual Live Feedback to Improve the Writing Skills of International LL.M. Students.

Gabrielle Marks Stafford (University of Colorado Law School, USA)

 

14.45 - 15.15


3-1

The Phenomenographic Approach to Discover Students’ Perceptions of Legal Skills.


Elaine Walsh (Technological University of the Shannon: Midlands, Republic of Ireland)

International and Comparative Legal Technology.

Drew Simshaw (Gonzaga University School of Law, Washington, USA)

Best-Practices Informed by Linguistics Research and Pedagogy.

Mari Sakai (Georgetown University Law Center, Washington D.C., USA)

15.15 - 15.45

3-2

Preparing students for the Global Legal Job Marketplace by Incorporating Experimental Learning.

Sha-Shana Crichton (Howard Law School, Washington D.C., USA)

The International Harmonization of Security Rights.

Henry Gabriel (Elon University School of Law, North Carolina, USA)

Teaching Legal English in Romania and Ukraine.
Roberta M. Ward (University California, Davis School of Law, USA)
15.45 - 16.15Networking break - LT4
16.15 - 17.00



4-1

Challenging Assumptions, Expanding Horizons: Reminding Yourself of the Student POV.

Pamela Taylor-Barnett and Anneka Ferguson (University of New South Wales, Australia)

Adapting American Legal Writing to a Civil Law Context: Good Legal Writing is Good Writing in Any Language.

Jennifer Franklin (William & Mary Law School, Virginia, USA) and Rachel Morley (National Center for State Courts, Virginia, USA)

A U.S. Law School with Chinese Characteristics.

Andrew Shepherd and Edward Platt (University of Arizona, James E. Rogers College of Law, USA)

17.00 - 17.30

4-2

Reinventing the “Bourne Identity” Approach to Legal Education.

Hilary Bell (Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Qatar).

Operationalising a “New Standard” for Legal Education in South Africa – Opportunities and Challenges.

Bradley Greenhalgh (Faculty of Law, Stellenbosch University, South Africa)

Teaching Legal Writing and Analysis in Italy and Bhutan.

David W. Austin (California Western School of Law, USA)

18.30 - 20.30Conference Dinner at the Old Chemistry Theatre, Newton Building
Tuesday 1 August 2023
LT1LT3LT6

9.00 - 9.30


5-1

Beyond Briefs and Memos: Teaching Students to Write Legal Documents for Regional and International Treaty Bodies.

Christine Venter (Notre Dame Law School, Indiana, USA)

Non-Traditional Approaches to Promoting Active Learning.

Camille M. Davidson (Southern Illinois University School of Law, USA)

Rethinking How We Teach Persuasive Writing.

Theodore Myhre (University of Washington School of Law, USA)

9.30 - 10.00

5-2

Linking Academic and Soft Skills for an International Student Cohort in IP Law.

Thorsten Lauterbach (Robert Gordon University, Scotland)

Practice Makes Perfect: An Integrated Approach to Drafting Witness Statements by Trainee Trade Mark Attorneys.

Jane Jarman and Peter Vaughan (Nottingham Trent University, England)

Reflexive Encounters in Comparative Legal Rhetoric: How Culture Affects Persuasion in the Law.

Adam Todd (University of Dayton School of Law, Ohio, USA)

 
10.15 - 10.45
6-1

I Like the Way You Work(shop) it: The ABA’s Cultural Competency Standard and the Foreign-Trained Lawyer.


Kate Brem and Megan Davis (University of Houston Law Center, Texas, USA) and Sylvia Lett (University of Arizona James E. Rogers College of Law, USA)

Methodological Support for International LL.M. Students in Integrated LL.M. Programs.

Johann Morri and Beth Greenwood (University California, Davis School of Law, USA)

Integrating Worldview Theory into Clinical Education: Teaching How to Negotiate Across Worldviews.

Constance Browne (Boston University School of Law, Massachusetts, USA) and Silvia Glick (Harvard Negotiation Journal, Massachusetts, USA)

10.45 - 11.15

6-2

Professional Identity and Cultural Competency in the First-Year Curriculum.

JoAnne Sweeny, Heend Sheth and Kelly Meurer (University of Louisville Louis D. Brandeis School of Law, Kentucky, USA)

Introducing Foreign LL.M. Students to U.S. Law: A Narrative Approach.

Todd M. Stafford (University of Colorado Law School, USA)

The Power of “As If”: Teaching the Annexation of Hawai’i

Williamson Chang (University of Hawai’i at Manoa, William S. Richardson School of Law, USA)

 

11.30 - 12.00

7-1

Empowering Students to Empower Readers: A Systematic Approach to Creating User-Centered Documents.

Mark Cooney (Western Michigan University Thomas Cooley Law School, USA)

Skills for Success: Preparing Law Students for Life After Law School.


Sadie Whittam, Tina McKee and Kathryn Saban (Lancaster University, England)

Developing Critical Reading Skills.

Pavel Wonsowicz (UCLA School of Law, California, USA)

12.00 - 12.30

7-2

The History and Future of Global Legal Skills.

Mark Wojcik (University of Illinois Chicago School of Law, USA)

Shared Understanding: Preparing International Students for an International Client Base.

Mirelle Butler and Jaclyn Celebrezze (University of Washington School of Law, USA)

Advancing Legal Advocacy: Enhancing the Skills of Iraqi Lawyers to Protect Survivors of Gender-Based Violence.


Sherizaan Minwalla (Taboo, LLC, USA)

12.30 - 13.45Lunch – World Kitchen, Newton Building

13.45 - 14.15

8-1

Diversifying the Classroom for Diverse Learners.

Sabrina Lopez (University of Florida Levin College of Law, USA).

Policy Clinics: Why and How?

Liz Curran (Nottingham Trent University, England); Rachel A. Dunn (Leeds Beckett University, England); Siobhan McConnell (Northumbria University, England)

The Rule of Law, Economic Development, and Global Legal Skills.

Nadia E. Nedzel (Southern University Law Center, Louisiana, USA)

14.15 - 14.45

8-2

Training Mindful, Emotionally Intelligent Lawyers.

Elizabeth Knowles (Northeastern University School of Law, Massachusetts, USA)

Voz de las Victimas: A Framework Model to Expand Practical Legal Training in Latin America.

Evelyn H. Cruz (Arizona State University, Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law, USA)

Teaching Common Law Legal Analysis to Students from Civil Law Countries.

Jeffrey Proske and Michael T. Colatrella (University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law, California, USA)

 

15.00 - 15.45

9-1

*Newton LT6 will run from 15:00-16:00

Synthesis Through Art – A Simulated Class.

Lurene Contento (Chicago-Kent College of Law, Illinois, USA)

International Collaboration of Law School Faculty and Administrators to Develop Practice-Ready Global Leaders.

Margaret Hughes Vath and Leila Lawlor (Georgia State University College of Law, USA) and Alexis Martinez (Georgia Institute of Technology, USA)

From Classroom to Courtroom: A Focus on Clinical Legal Education in a University Teaching Law Firm.

Katie Smith (Nottingham Trent University, England)

What if Miley Cyrus Twerked on the Table of Da Vinci’s Last Supper? Teaching Legal Writing from a Copyright Perspective Can be Done Globally.


Nancy Costello (Michigan State University College of Law, USA)

15.45 - 16.15Networking break - LT4

16.15 - 16.45


10-1

Encouraging Cross-Cultural Student Learning: Speaking and Listening as a Lawyer.

Robin Juni (George Washington University Law School, Washington D.C., USA)

Current Challenges in Legal Education: How Can LL.M. Course Design Respond to New Technologies, Stimulate Motivation, and Create Conditions for Self-Study?

David Sehnálek (Masaryk University, Czechia)

Teaching Common Law Legal Methods and Analysis to Global Students in Abu Dhabi.

Charles Calleros (Arizona State University Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law, USA)

 
16.50 - 17.50

Closing Plenary and Award Ceremony – LT4


Mark E. Wojcik (University of Illinois Chicago School of Law, USA)
Kimberly Holst (Arizona State University Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law, USA)
Lurene Contento (Chicago-Kent College of Law, Illinois, USA)
Matthew J. Homewood (Nottingham Trent University, England)
David W. Austin (California Western School of Law, USA)
Claudia Cascione (University of Bari Department of Law, Italy)

Accommodation

Hotels within easy walking distance of the conference include:

Parking

The City Campus is located right in the middle of Nottingham city centre. The closest motorway junctions are junctions 24, 25 and 26 on the M1. If you are using a sat nav to find us, the city campus postcode is NG1 4FQ, or you can get directions to NTU.

We suggest you use the Park and Ride tram service, as parking in the centre is expensive. We recommend that you use one of the following sites:

  • The Forest (NG7 6AQ)
  • Phoenix Park (NG8 6AS)
  • Toton Lane (NG9 7JA)

If you’re intending to park in the city centre, the closest and largest facilities to the city campus are:

  • Trinity Square (NG1 4BT)
  • Talbot Street (NG1 5GG)
  • The Victoria Centre (NG1 3QN)

Air travel

The Skylink bus service from East Midlands airport takes about an hour and comes into the City on Friar Lane, just off the central square.  From the square you can catch the tram. This is a “short hop” costing £1.50 single but you must buy your ticket from a machine before you get on the tram. Alternatively you could walk from the square, following the tram tracks, to reach us.

From London airports, it is possible to take a long distance National Express coach to Nottingham Broad Marsh Bus Station, near the railway station.  It does, however, take about 4 hours. Otherwise, take a tube or train into central London and travel by rail from St Pancras Station.

From Birmingham airport, you’ll need to take a Cross Country train from Birmingham International airport at the station to Birmingham New Street station (10 minutes) and change there for trains to Nottingham (about an hour).

Rail travel

From London, the direct East Midlands Railway route is from St Pancras Station, although you are sometimes directed to travel from Kings Cross station via Grantham.

From the station the simplest way to reach us is by using the tram to the Nottingham Trent University stop. This is a “short hop” costing £1.50 single but you must buy your ticket from a machine before you get on the tram.

Booking information

Registration is required.

Tickets are £250.

Location details

Room/Building:

Newton Building

Address:

Nottingham Trent University
City Campus
50 Shakespeare Street
Nottingham
United Kingdom
NG1 4FQ

Past event

Still need help?

+44 (0)115 941 8418