Reflections on the AALS Teach-In Webinar Series on Professional Independence and the Legal Profession
AALS recently concluded its six-part Teach-In Webinar Series on Professional Independence and the Legal Profession, a national program designed to examine the pressures facing lawyers, judges, law schools, and legal institutions in the US today. Created under the leadership of AALS Immediate Past President Austen Parrish (Dean, UC Irvine School of Law), the series convened scholars, practitioners, judges, and global experts to explore how professional independence and the rule of law can be strengthened across government institutions and the legal profession. Each session in the series was sponsored and organized by a host school, center, or program. It ran from March 25 through April 29, 2026.
Parrish said the idea for the series grew out of a “terrific conversation at the 2026 Annual Meeting,” where it became clear that the profession needed deeper, sustained engagement with the escalating threats to independence with rising attacks on judges, litigation surrounding executive orders targeting law firms, and broader concerns about democratic backsliding. “A core value—that has long existed and has been fundamental to law in the US—is that lawyers must be able to vigorously represent dissenting, unpopular, or politically sensitive clients, without fear of reprisal,” he noted.
Although the initial concept was a single teach‑in event, the scope quickly expanded as Parrish and AALS connected with leading law school centers studying the legal profession. “The multi-part conversation enabled us to reach a broader audience and hear from more voices,” Parrish said.
The series was designed to fill several gaps in the broader conversation within legal education. “While many law schools have hosted important programs, it’s widely believed that more was needed,” Parrish explained. The series aimed to provide timely, expert analysis while also creating a lasting resource through publicly available video recordings. “There’s considerable misinformation out there,” he added, “and discussing principles of professional independence and the changing nature of the legal profession is important.”
Attendees of the series included law school faculty, deans, staff and students as well as judges, lawyers, media, and other members of the legal community. Several law students received a certification for attending at least five of the six sessions.
The recordings for all six sessions in the series can be found on the AALS website and YouTube Channel:
- Session 1: Rule of Law, Executive Orders, and the Legal Profession
Organized by UC Irvine School of Law’s Center for Empirical Research on the Legal Profession and the Fred T. Korematsu Center for Law and Equality - Session 2: Principles for Independence of the Legal Profession
Organized by Princeton University Program in Law & Public Policy - Session 3: Defending America’s Independent Judiciary and the Rule of Law
Organized by University of Washington School of Law - Session 4: Professional Independence and the Justice Department
Organized by Georgetown Law Center on Ethics & the Legal Profession & Fordham University School of Law Stein Center for Law and Ethics - Session 5: At a Crossroads: U.S. Anti-Corruption Policy and the Changing Landscape of International Enforcement
Organized by Indiana University Maurer School of Law Stewart Center on the Global Legal Profession - Session 6: The Profession, the Market, and the State: Reimagining Professional Independence for a VUCA World
Organized by Harvard Law Center on the Legal Profession
Scholars such as Jay Krishnan (Indiana University Maurer School of Law), Deborah Pearlstein (Princeton University School of Public and International Affairs), Mitt Regan (Georgetown University Law Center), Ann Southworth (University of California, Irvine School of Law), and David Wilkins (Harvard Law School), along with deans Tamara Lawson (University of Washington School of Law) and Christiana Ochoa (Indiana University Maurer School of Law), “jumped in without hesitation,” Parrish said, emphasizing the strength of the collaborations behind the series.
“The centers and law schools that came together are doing terrific work,” he said. “I’m grateful that AALS was open to hosting this important series and grateful for the tremendous work of AALS staff that made this webinar series possible.”
He also thanked Peter Zeughauser (Chair, Zeughauser Group), whose support was instrumental in advancing the student writing competition that was established as part of the series. Zeughauser also spoke on one of the panels, played a critical role in organizing the discussion at the 2026 Annual Meeting, and helped promote the series.
Entries for the student competition are due by August 1, 2026 and can be submitted to [email protected]. The selected paper will receive a $3,000 cash prize, and the Journal of Legal Education has agreed to review the student paper for publication consideration.
Parrish hopes the series will continue to serve as a resource for students, faculty, and practitioners. He also underscored the ongoing relevance of the issues discussed. “These issues aren’t going anywhere,” he said, pointing to the Justice Department’s recent decision to continue pursuing an appeal to revive executive orders targeting major law firms for their past representation of political opponents of President Trump. “Targeted attacks on lawyers for just doing their jobs not only create a significant chilling effect, but undermine the rule of law.”