At a recent job interview, the dean of a law school asked me what my teaching specialization was. Without hesitation, I told him, “Legal writing.” And it’s true, to a point. It’s my favorite subject to teach, and writing for legal publishers is what I do when I’m not teaching.
But it would be more accurate to say that I’m a generalist. I love all the main topics of substantive law: Criminal Law, Criminal Procedure, Evidence, Family Law, Property Law, Torts, Contract Law, Wills & Trusts, Ethics, Civil Procedure… to name just a few. I’ve taught all of these and more at the paralegal level, and some of them at the bar review level. I wouldn’t have it any other way.
When I recently taught Communication and Negotiation, I was able to pull communications examples from many different fields of law. When some students in my last Evidence class asked me on a break to explain Jurisdiction and Venue to them, I could sum it up in 60 seconds. (This only works because they knew more than they realized they did. I helped them organize the information their previous professor had already given them.)
There are many advantages to being in touch with more than one area of law. I can help students see where the practices overlap and recognize when it may be necessary to bring in another firm. I can vary the examples I use and keep the discussion fresh. Of course, it’s fun for me, too, since I love the law – in all its many forms.
