2023 Baylor Law Leadership Symposium Sheds Light on the “Power of Speech” in Fostering Civil Discourse

Waco --

The 2023 Baylor Law Leadership Symposium, hosted in collaboration with the Association of American Law Schools Section on Leadership and the Baylor Law Review, was held on Thursday, September 28, 2023. Under the theme “Power of Speech: Creating Environments in Which Free Speech and Civil Discourse Thrive,” the virtual event brought together legal scholars, professionals, and experts to discuss the critical issues surrounding free speech, civil discourse, and their significance in today’s society. Over 200 registered to participate.

Professor Leah Teague, Director of the Baylor Law Leadership Development Program, organized the symposium to build upon related efforts within the legal profession through the American Association of Law Schools and the American Bar Association. She said, “We are thankful to colleagues from around the country who joined us for this important conversation about the crucial work that occurs in law schools to prepare law students better to be effective lawyers and leaders. Teaching law students to engage respectfully with, and value, different perspectives is an important aspect of their professional identity formation and character development.”

The symposium began with a warm welcome from Patricia Wilson, Interim Dean and William Boswell Chair of Law at Baylor Law, who set the tone for the day’s discussions. The event’s schedule was designed to provide deep insights and thoughtful perspectives on civil discourse in America and the legal profession and strategies to promote civility and professional communication.

Following introductions by Professor Teague, the symposium opened with a panel discussion on “The State of Civil Discourse in America and the Legal Profession.” Moderated by Erwin Chemerinsky, Dean of the UC Berkeley School of Law, the panel featured distinguished legal experts, including:

• Deborah Enix-Ross, Immediate Past ABA President, Debevoise & Plimpton LLP
• Mark Alexander, President of AALS, Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law
• April Barton, Chair of AALS Leadership Section, Duquesne University Thomas R. Kline School of Law
• Sudha Setty, Dean of CUNY School of Law

This engaging conversation explored the significance of freedom of speech and techniques for encouraging law students and lawyers to exercise this right civilly and professionally.

Following the first panel, the symposium delved into “Creating a Culture of Civility.” This session, introduced by Lee Fisher, Dean and Joseph C. Hostetler-BakerHostetler Chair in Law at Cleveland-Marshall College of Law, and moderated by Kellye Testy, President and CEO of the Law School Admissions Council, featured prominent legal educators and administrators:

• Timothy W. Floyd, Tommy Malone Distinguished Chair in Trial Advocacy and Director of Experiential Education, Mercer University School of Law
• Tania Luma, Assistant Dean, Office of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, Loyola University Chicago School of Law
• Louis D. Bilionis, Dean Emeritus and Droege Professor of Law, Cincinnati College of Law
• Leah Teague, Professor of Law and Director of the Leadership Development Program, Baylor Law School

This session explored concrete offerings, programs, and activities that support a culture of civility, including professional identity formation, diversity and belonging training, public relations, and crisis management plans, among others.

The 2023 Baylor Law Leadership Symposium was a dynamic platform for thought-provoking discussions and an opportunity for legal professionals and scholars to share insights on the vital role of free speech and civil discourse in our society. Attendees left with a deeper understanding of these critical issues and a renewed commitment to promoting respectful and productive conversations in the legal field and legal education.

In addition to the thought-provoking discussions and engaging sessions held during the 2023 Leadership Symposium, Baylor Law would like to acknowledge and express our appreciation to the dedicated members of the Symposium Planning Committee who worked tirelessly to make this event a success:

• April Barton, Duquesne Kline
• Lee Fisher, Cleveland State
• Joan MacLeod Heminway, Tennessee
• Susan Jones, George Washington
• Tania Luma, Loyola Chicago
• Stephen Rispoli, Mayer LLP
• Hillary Sale, Georgetown
• Leah Teague, Baylor Law
• Kellye Testy, LSAC
• Ellen Yaroshef, Hofstra

For more information about the 2023 Baylor Law Leadership Symposium and future leadership events, visit Baylor Law's Leadership Program.

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Established in 1857, Baylor University School of Law was one of the first law schools in Texas and one of the first west of the Mississippi River. Today, the school has more than 7,800 living alumni. It is accredited by the American Bar Association and is a member of the Association of American Law Schools. Baylor Law has a record of producing outstanding lawyers, many of whom decide upon a career in public service. The Law School boasts two governors, members or former members of the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate, two former directors of the FBI, U.S. ambassadors, federal judges, justices of the Texas Supreme Court and members of the Texas Legislature, among its notable alumni. In its law specialties rankings, U.S. News & World Report ranked Baylor Law's trial advocacy program as one of the top 5 in the nation. Baylor Law is also ranked in the top 50 in the magazine's 2019 edition of "America's Best Graduate Schools." The National Jurist ranks Baylor Law as one of the "Best School for Practical Training," and in the top 15 "Best Law School Facilities" in the country. The Business Insider places Baylor Law among the top 50 law schools in the nation. Baylor Law received the 2015 American Bar Association Pro Bono Publico Award, making it only the third law school in the nation to be honored with the award since the award's inception in 1984. Learn more at baylor.edu/law 

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Baylor University is a private Christian University and a nationally ranked research institution. The University provides a vibrant campus community for more than 20,000 students by blending interdisciplinary research with an international reputation for educational excellence and a faculty commitment to teaching and scholarship. Chartered in 1845 by the Republic of Texas through the efforts of Baptist pioneers, Baylor is the oldest continually operating University in Texas. Located in Waco, Baylor welcomes students from all 50 states and more than 90 countries to study a broad range of degrees among its 12 nationally recognized academic divisions. Learn more at baylor.edu