Leadership for the Third Wave
Arizona State University—Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law, Phoenix, AZ
July 16-19, 2025
Download the ALWD 2025 Call For Proposals
The theme for the 2025 ALWD Conference is Leadership for the Third Wave. The conference aims to explore the evolving landscape of leadership in legal writing and beyond. The theme encompasses:
- Current leadership roles in legal writing programs and their expanding scope
- The changing role of program directors, including:
- Curriculum development
- Advancement initiatives
- Communications strategies
- Leadership opportunities in "autonomous" or "non-directed" programs
- Strategies for legal writing professionals to embrace leadership roles, even when initially unintended, in:
- Law school faculties
- Law school and university administrations
- University governance
- Approaches to educating and preparing legal writing professionals for leadership positions
The conference seeks to foster a dialogue on how legal writing professionals can proactively pursue and excel in leadership roles—defined broadly—across various academic and professional settings.
The Conference Program Committee welcomes proposals related to the theme as well as those related to legal writing and the teaching of legal writing more broadly.
Proposals Related to the Theme
For proposals related to the conference theme, we invite proposals that align with one of the following three tracks:
- Leadership Beyond Program Directorships
This track seeks to explore leadership roles outside traditional LRW program directorships. Proposals could address:
- Role descriptions and responsibilities
- Essential skill sets
- Motivations, costs, and benefits
Topics may include:
- Deanships (including academic and associate dean positions)
- Directors of other law school programs and centers
- University governance roles
- Collaboration with development/advancement offices
- Working with media/PR professionals to promote LRW
- Leadership in national organizations
- Emerging Leaders and Directors
This track’s focus is current and aspiring program directors. Proposals may cover:
- Challenges and opportunities in program leadership
- Strategies for effective directorship
- Preparing for leadership roles
3. Leadership in Action
This track showcases innovative approaches to leadership in legal writing. Proposals could:
- Highlight program innovations that demonstrate leadership
- Reflect on past achievements and future goals
- Address where we want the field to be in 30 years
When submitting a proposal related to the conference theme, you will be asked to indicate which track your proposal best fits.
General Proposals
In addition, proposals on topics related to legal writing and the teaching of legal writing more broadly are also welcome.
Categories of Presentations
This year, the conference will offer several ways for individuals to participate:
- 25- and 50-minute presentations. These slots are open to presentations by individuals, pairs, or panels. Proposals should indicate the presenter’s desired length of presentation.
- Media presentations. Media presentations provide an opportunity for individuals to share their ideas through a poster, PowerPoint slideshow, short audio or video clips, or any other audio or visual work. Your imagination is the limit. These media presentations will be on display at various times and locations throughout the conference.
- Discussion Groups. Discussion Groups provide an opportunity for approximately 10-12 discussants and a moderator to have a conversation while including the audience in the discussion. Note that you do not need to recruit discussants to propose a Discussion Group. A separate call for participants will go out if a DiscussionGroup topic is chosen.
The conference will also feature invited speakers, chosen by a committee to address the conference theme.
One Appearance Rule
You are welcome to submit more than one proposal. That being said, to provide as many people as possible with an opportunity to present, you are only permitted to appear in one presentation. If more than one of your proposals is accepted, we will ask for your preference. Exceptions may be made for presentations by ALWD Committees and participation in Discussion Groups.
Deadline and Notification
The deadline to submit a proposal is Tuesday, November 12, 2024. The committee will attempt to notify applicants of selection by January 21, 2025.
Method
All proposals should be submitted through this Form for Proposals. If you need to type in the link, here it is: https://form.jotform.com/242657038619969
The form requests the following information:
- Presenter(s) name, email, title, school affiliation, and mailing address
- Title of the proposed presentation
- Date and location of any previous presentation on this topic
- Preferred format (25 minutes, 50 minutes, media presentation, or discussion group)
- Track that proposal best fits
- Topic related to theme
- Leadership Beyond Program Directorships
- Emerging Leaders and Directors
- Leadership in Action
- Topic not related to theme
- Topic related to theme
- A one-paragraph description of the presentation for the extended program ( 200 words)
- A two-sentence summary of the presentation for the condensed program (max. 50 words)
- Technology needs for the presentation. Please note that, while the conference committee will attempt to satisfy technological needs, you may need to supply your own technology.
- Optional: an uploaded file containing extended description of presentation, preliminary bibliography, or other information that will help the Committee make a decision
All members of the legal writing community are welcome to submit proposals and register for the conference. ALWD membership is not required.
If you have any questions, please contact Samantha Moppett at smoppett@suffolk.edu.