June 23, 2023

Catholic Law's Stephen Mortellaro, Visiting Clinical Assistant Professor, delivered a presentation as part of a workshop conference hosted on June 9 by the Association of American Law Schools (AALS). Entitled “Overcoming Common Pitfalls for New Lawyering Skills Professors,” Mortellaro’s lecture provided strategies designed to help them avoid common mistakes that can make their first years of teaching appear daunting. Strategies discussed included developing a teaching persona; fostering instructional transparency; incorporating active learning into the classroom; providing feedback to students that is neither too little nor too much; providing balanced feedback to students that is critical and encouraging; and setting realistic expectations for the first few years of teaching lawyering skills.