The Professional Development Committee has changed to an easier more streamlined process and invites AALS Sections, faculty, or informal groups of faculty at AALS member schools to submit a preliminary proposal for a conference or workshop in 2014 by June 29, 2012.  The Committee encourages proposals for major courses and also for programs that are sufficiently broad enough that they will interest more than the membership of a single AALS section or subject area. The AALS also encourages proposals that contemplate different or innovative types of programming or develop interdisciplinary themes.

The Association's professional development programming consists of one-day workshops at the Annual Meeting and two-day workshops and three-day conferences at the MidYear Meeting. Programs need not fit any particular format, but many past conferences and workshops have fallen into one of the following categories:

1. Subject matter programs aimed at faculty who teach particular subjects or types of courses such as the 2009 MidYear Meeting Conference on Business Associations and the 2010 MidYear Meeting Workshop on Civil Procedure;
2. Programs for groups with similar interests other than subject matter such as the 2010 MidYear Meeting Workshop on "Post Racial" Civil Rights Law, Politics, and Legal Education: New and Old Color Lines in the Age of Obama and 2011 Workshop on Women Rethinking Equality;
3. Programs that cut across subject matter lines or integrate traditional subject matter such as the 2012 Workshop on Environment, Torts and Disaster; 2012 Workshop on IP, Internet and Bio Law; and the 2012 Annual Meeting Workshop on the Future of the Legal Profession and Legal Education: Changes in Law Practice: Implications for Legal Education
4. Programs dealing with matters of law school administration or legal education generally such as the 2011 Annual Meeting Workshop for Deans and Law Librarians; the 2011 Conference on the Future of the Law School Curriculum; and the 2012 Annual Meeting Workshop on Academic Support-Got ASP?: Leveraging Academic Support Principles and Programs to Meet Strategic Institutional Goals; and
5. Programs exploring the ramifications of significant developments in or affecting the law such as the 2008 Annual Meeting Workshop on Courts: Independence and Accountability.

To facilitate the submission process proposals requirements have changed. AALS Sections, faculty and faculty groups can now submit preliminary proposals. These preliminary proposals can be two to three pages long. They should include: (1) a description of the areas or topics that might be covered (e.g., the intersection of criminal law and immigration); (2) an explanation of why it would be important and timely to undertake such a program in 2014; (3) an indication of the format and/or brief description of panels (e.g. a panel on immigration incarceration; a panel on immigration crimes; a panel on immigration and the Miranda amendment). It is also recommended that preliminary proposals include (4) suggestions for members of the planning committee and potential speakers. Since planning committees value diversity of all sorts, we encourage recommendations of women, minorities, those with differing viewpoints, and new teachers as speakers. Specific information regarding the potential speaker's scholarship, writings, speaking ability, and teaching methodology is valuable but not required for the proposals.

Preliminary proposals are extremely helpful as a starting point for the planning committee. Planning the actual program, including the choice of specific topics and speakers, is the responsibility of the planning committee, which is appointed by the AALS President. The planning committees appointed as a result of a proposal generated by an AALS Section include one individual who is in a leadership position in the proposing section, and other teachers in that subject area.

As indicated above, proposals should be submitted by email by June 29, 2012, to profdev@aals.org. Jane LaBarbera, AALS Managing Director, would be pleased to discuss proposal ideas with you and to answer any questions you have about the Association's professional development programs. Please send your questions by e-mail to profdev@aals.org.