CALI Launches New Updated Website

Posted on December 30, 2019 by scottlee

After many months of hard work and dedication from our team, we are pleased to announce the launch of our updated website!

Our primary goal during the redesign process was to create a more vibrant, user-centric, and responsive website across all platforms and devices. Specifically, we wanted to focus on making it easier for law students and faculty to navigate through our vast library of content promptly, not only at their computer but on mobile devices.

We simplified navigation to make it easier for teachers and students to find the CALI Lessons, eLangdell Books, Lawdibles podcasts, and other resources. Visitors can check out the CALI Zeitgeist page to see what resources are most used on the CALI website.

We hope you enjoy our new look!

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CALI announces the formation of the Law School and Bar Exam Study Skills Fellowship

Posted on July 1, 2019 by scottlee

The Center for Computer-Assisted Legal Instruction (CALI) announces the formation of the Law School and Bar Exam Study Skills Fellowship. The Fellowship is comprised of members of the academic success community from U.S. law schools. The goal of the Fellowship is to author CALI lessons to develop students’ critical-thinking skills. The materials will be peer-reviewed by the fellowship team and the CALI Editorial Board. Everyone at CALI member law schools will have access to these materials when they are published in late 2019.

The Fellowship was created with the support of a grant from AccessLex Institute.

“Our Directed Grant Program supports projects that are highly aligned with our research priorities and strategic goals, and the Law School and Bar Exam Study Skills Fellowship definitely fits that bill,” said Christopher P. Chapman, President and Chief Executive Officer at AccessLex Institute. “As we move ahead with our plan to create a market-altering bar prep program with input and feedback from law schools across the country, scholarship like this is invaluable.”

“This is a new area for CALI. CALI already publishes over 1000 tutorials covering doctrinal law classes. The new interactive lessons will focus on meta-skills for succeeding in legal education and will explore the intersection of law school and bar exam curricula. We have assembled a stellar team of academic success superheroes and hope to engage the broader community in future materials development,” said John Mayer, Executive Director, CALI.

Previous Fellowships have resulted in the addition of over 400 new lessons.

Introducing the Law School and Bar Exam Study Skills Fellows:

Professor Steven Foster
Oklahoma City University School of Law
Instructor of Law and Director of Academic Achievement
Bio

Nicole Lefton
Hofstra University Maurice A. Deane School of Law
Director of Academic Support and Bar Preparation & Assistant Professor of Academic Support and Bar Preparation
Bio

Courtney Abbott Hill
Syracuse University College of Law
Associate Director, Office of Student Affairs Academic & Bar Support Programs
Bio

Laura Mott
City University of New York (CUNY) School of Law
Director, Academic Skills Center for Evening 1L Program
Bio

Professor Allie Robbins
City University of New York (CUNY) School of Law
Associate Professor of Law
Bio

Renee Allen
University of Tennessee Knoxville College of Law
Director of Academic Success
Bio

Professor Melissa Hale
Loyola Chicago School of Law
Director of Academic Success and Bar Programs
Bio

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Sara Smith Joins The Center for Computer-Assisted Legal Instruction (CALI)

Posted on June 26, 2019 by scottlee

The Center for Computer-Assisted Legal Instruction (CALI) is pleased to announce the addition of Sara Smith as the new Assistant Director of Curriculum Development. In this newly created position, Sara will assist in the development of CALI’s e-learning materials for legal education, such as interactive lessons and free ebooks, and help facilitate CALI fellowships.

Prior to joining CALI, Sara was Associate Counsel in the American Bar Association’s (ABA) Center for Professional Responsibility. The Center provides national leadership in developing and interpreting standards and scholarly resources in legal and judicial ethics, professional regulation, professionalism, client/public protection, and professional liability.

Sara also served as the Research and Policy Analyst for the ABA Commission on Lawyer Assistance Programs (CoLAP), dedicated to assuring access to support and assistance for members of the legal profession facing mental health and substance use disorders, and provided staff support for the Working Group to Advance Well-Being in the Legal Profession, an ABA Presidential Initiative created to help legal employers support healthy work environments.

Before joining the Center, Sara served as the Research and Policy Analyst for the ABA Standing Committee on the Delivery of Legal Services, dedicated to improving access to lawyers and legal services for those of moderate incomes.

Sara received her Juris Doctor from Chicago-Kent College of Law, her master’s degree in Public Service Management from DePaul University, and her bachelor’s degree in political science from Northern Illinois University. Sara also holds a certificate in predictive analytics from DePaul University.

“We are delighted to have Sara Smith join the CALI Team. She will expand our reach in producing high-quality interactive lessons, podcasts, and free/open casebooks,” says John Mayer, Executive Director, CALI.

When to contact Sara:

Questions about CALI Lessons
eLangdell Press, open/free casebooks
Interest in writing CALI Lessons (substantive areas of the law, including legal writing)
Lesson topic ideas
Lawdibles

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Join John Mayer at the Chinese and American Forum on Legal Information and Law Libraries Conference 2019

Posted on June 21, 2019 by scottlee

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5 Reasons Why You Should Attend CALIcon19 Conference

Posted on May 10, 2019 by scottlee

You might be wondering, “is the CALIcon19 Conference worth my time?” In short, YES! Here are five reasons why you should register for CALIcon19:

Education & Learning: The education program is a robust lineup of 30+ engaging sessions that goes beyond the typical lecture-classroom style. You will leave with an understanding of how forward-thinking professionals are implementing best practices to transform and improve the legal education community.
Value-added: We understand that budgets are tight these days. This why we have not increased the registration fee from last year. Click here to see everything included with your registration fee. Get your boss on board with you attending CALIcon19. Download and customize this letter that details the benefits your attendance can provide your law school.
Keynote Headliner – Speaker David Yearwood PH.D., CSTM: Dr. Yearwood brings a wealth of experience in the use of technological tools in education to enhance teaching and learning. Keynote Session Title: The Education Conundrum: Teach as you were Taught, OR Teach for the Future?
Thursday Night Reception: From a private tour of the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library, complete buyout of Lucky Strike Phoenix, and hosting a virtual carnival, our Thursday Night Reception has become our signature event. This year will be even bigger and better. You’ll be able to test your ability in various sport settings with a modern day twist. Some would say a “Paradigm Shift.”
Networking Opportunity: With 300+ legal educators and technology professionals in attendance, you will network and build connections with others in the community whom you can swap stories with year-round when it comes to identifying solutions for similar challenges.

Thank you to our SPONSORS!

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CALI’s A2J Author platform helps Albany Law School Launch Innovative Web-Based Tool

Posted on February 11, 2019 by scottlee

Albany Law School Launches Innovative Web-Based Tool
to Assist Lawyers Serving Nonprofits

Albany, N.Y.—Albany Law School announced today that it has released a suite of web-based programs to help lawyers better and more efficiently serve their nonprofit clients. Through the new Non-Profit Formation Tool, lawyers can easily create documents that are critical to gaining legal status for not-for-profit organizations in the State of New York.

The free Non-Profit Formation Tool uses guided interviews to assist lawyers in preparing two important organizational documents: the Certificate of Incorporation and By-Laws. After answering a few simple questions, lawyers and their not-for-profit clients can generate these documents with the push of a button.

The Non-Profit Formation Tool is available to lawyers working at nonprofit organizations and private attorneys serving their clients on a pro-bono basis. The Tool was created for the exclusive use of attorneys admitted to practice in New York State for the sole purpose of providing free legal assistance to individuals who seek to form non-membership based not-for-profit corporations under New York law. To request access to the Non-Profit Formation Tool, visit albanylaw.edu/resources/non-profit-formation-tool.

Albany Law School students—enrolled in the course “The Law of Social Entrepreneurship and Exempt Organizations”—designed the Non-Profit Formation Tool’s guided interviews, which were built on the A2J Author platform made available by the Center for Computer-Assisted Legal Instruction (CALI). During the process, the students, instructed by Professor Ray Brescia, the Hon. Harold R. Tyler Chair in Law and Technology, learned about representing social entrepreneurs and nonprofit organizations, grappled with the ways in which technology is impacting the practice of law, and explored ways to harness technology to improve access to justice, which is the goal of these guided interviews: to improve the ability of lawyers in New York to serve nonprofit groups across the state.

The Non-Profit Formation Tool is the latest example of Albany Law School’s leadership in practical and pedagogical innovation. Previously, Albany Law School partnered with the Empire Justice Center—a nonprofit based in New York—and the University at Albany to produce a web-based foreclosure guide designed to assist homeowners facing mortgage foreclosure without a lawyer. Also in collaboration with UAlbany, law students generated the New York Bank Ratings Index, a web-based program that enables individuals to choose the bank that best fits their needs through a customizable series of benchmarks.

This year, students are also working on an online portal that will provide guidance to nonprofit groups nationwide on compliance issues concerning political-activity limits under Internal Revenue Service guidelines and the federal tax code.

The students and faculty involved in these projects have written about their experiences, and the work of the law school in promoting innovation in the delivery of legal services, in the Albany Law Review, Albany Law Journal of Science and Technology, and elsewhere.

Albany Law School is a small, private school located in the heart of New York State’s capital where it has educated leaders since 1851. The institution offers students an innovative, rigorous curriculum taught by a committed faculty. It has an affiliation agreement with University at Albany that includes shared programs, and access for students and faculty to learn from one another. Students have access to New York’s highest court, federal courts, the executive branch, and the state legislature. With approximately 10,500 alumni practicing across the country and several continents, Albany Law’s graduates serve as a vital community and resource for the school and its students. The school offers the J.D.—the traditional law degree—along with a Master of Science degree with several concentrations, including an online M.S. program, and LL.M. degrees. In 2019 the school launched We Rise Together: The Campaign for Albany Law School, a $30 million capital campaign. Visit albanylaw.edu.

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Webinar: Using an open formative assessment platform for legal education

Posted on January 18, 2019 by scottlee

Join us for a complete walkthrough of the CALI QuizWright® system. We’ll show you how to create simple formative assessments that you can use in class to gauge where your students are. This demonstration will begin with the creation of questions followed by putting those questions together into a quiz. The quiz will be published to the CALI website and attendees will be able to take the quiz while we review the CALI LessonLive process.

Who Should Attend?

Law faculty/staff looking to increase the output of their efforts employing formative assessment methodology in the classroom.

RESERVE YOUR SEAT

Can’t make it to the live presentation? RSVP and we’ll send you the recording.

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

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The Center for Computer-Assisted Legal Instruction (CALI) Welcomes Dean Mary Lu Bilek of CUNY School of Law to the Board of Directors

Posted on January 5, 2019 by scottlee

At its Annual Membership Meeting on Thursday, January 3, 2019, the Center for Computer-Assisted Legal Instruction (CALI) Board of Directors appointed Dean Mary Lu Bilek to fill the vacancy of outgoing Board Member Professor Patrick Wiseman from George State University College of Law whose term ended on January 1, 2019. All CALI Board members are unpaid volunteers and we much appreciate the efforts by Professor Wiseman in their support of CALI. “We bid adieu to Professor Patrick Wiseman of Georgia State who is retiring from the CALI Board of Directors after too many years to count. Patrick is a wonderfully innovative law professor and deep dabbler in interesting technology. His service to CALI over the many years was invaluable and we will miss him,” said John Mayer, Executive Director, CALI.

“It’s an honor to be asked to join CALI’s Board. This organization’s leadership in promoting innovation in teaching, its focus on active student learning, and more recently its leadership in exploring and supporting the use of technology to deliver legal services to the underserved, squarely aligns with my interest and expertise as well as my law school’s values and vision. I could not be more excited to be part of the dialogue about how to use technology to amplify and expedite legal instruction and access to justice,” said Dean Bilek.

Mary Lu Bilek is dean of the City University of New York School of Law, where she began teaching as one of the founding faculty in 1985. In her capacities as a faculty member, associate dean, and interim dean she promoted student-centered instruction, developed and implemented innovative practice curriculum, created a robust bar support program, and pioneered Pipeline to Justice, a new model of legal pipeline program.

In 2016, Dean Bilek was named one of the “Most Influential People in Legal Education” nationwide by National Jurist, a leading news source for law students. Prior to becoming dean of CUNY Law, Dean Bilek was dean of the University of Massachusetts School of Law where she strengthened its access and public service missions and launched the Justice Bridge Legal Center. She currently serves the Council of the Profession, the Task Force on the Civil Right to Counsel, and the Committee to Enhance Diversity in the Profession at the Association of the Bar of the City of New York. She regularly presents on issues related to the future of legal education, diversity in legal education, the bar examination, access to justice, legal incubators, and legal pipeline programs.

Posted in CALI Announcements, CALI Spotlight, For Faculty | 1 Comment

The Center for Computer-Assisted Legal Instruction/CALI (a non-profit consortium of US Law Schools) announces a new, free website service… a2j.org and a2jauthor.org … for courts, law schools, non-profits and lawyers to create expert systems for pro se litigants to address the access to justice gap.

Posted on December 11, 2018 by scottlee

For Immediate Release

Chicago, IL – December 10, 2018 – Today we announce the launch of a2j.org and a2jauthor.org. The “a2j” stands for Access To Justice. a2j.org is a brand new website where anyone in the world can host A2J Guided Interviews™ created at a2jauthor.org. Registration at a2jauthor.org is free. A2J Guided Interviews help self-representing litigants (SRLs also known as pro se litigants) fill out a legal form or work through a legal decision or provide other legal guidance.

A2J Guided Interviews are expert systems formatted as a decision tree of questions that collect information and branch the user through an interactive interview that results in a court form ready for printing and filing. A2J Guided Interviews have served over 5 million people in the past decade from legal aid and court websites.

The access to justice gap is immense. Over 50% of people eligible for legal aid cannot get it because there aren’t enough legal aid lawyers. In some jurisdictions, over 90% of the litigants are self-represented. Automated forms are not the entire solution, but they can be a valuable tool. CALI’s goal for this project is to provide a free service to automate those things that should be automated and allow lawyers more time to practice at the top of their license.

There are hundreds of small, legal processes that can be automated and there are 50 states, so there are thousands of projects for law schools, clinics, courts, legal aid, non-profits, and volunteers with appropriate subject matter expertise.

Access to justice is a core mission for CALI – a consortium of law schools. Legal education has a significant role to play. Legal process automation is a 21st-century law practice skill that is valuable for law students. We want to facilitate a culture of responsibility in the legal profession addressing the access to justice gap and that begins in law school. Our member law schools support and benefit from this project for its ability to provide experiential learning for law students in law school courses and make justice more accessible at the same time.

CALI has a track record of success with this access to justice…

1. A2J Author has been used to automate over 1000 court forms, legal processes, and intake systems.

2. A2J Author has been used over 5 million times in the past 10 years and is ADA compliant (WCAG 2.2 AA) and mobile friendly.

3. A2J Guided Interviews have received thousands of positive testimonials from the DIYForms court-based project in New York.

4. Successful projects in over a dozen law schools where A2J Author was integrated into a law school course.

Aspiring authors must register for an account at www.a2jauthor.org where they can create A2J Guided Interviews and publish them to a2j.org to make them available to the world. Free training videos are available at www.a2jauthor.org and our YouTube channel at youtube.com/a2jauthor. We also offer periodic live webinar training. Visit the website for more information.

CALI is the Center for Computer-Assisted Legal Instruction, a 501(c)(3) non-profit consortium of most US law schools that works at the intersection of legal education, technology and access to justice. CALI was incorporated in 1982 by the University of Minnesota School of Law and Harvard Law School. Follow CALI on Twitter at @caliorg. Follow A2J Author on Twitter at @a2jauthor.

CALI and Chicago-Kent College of Law launched the A2J Author project in 2004 as a result of a legal design project to study the access to justice problem in the United States.

CONTACTS
John Mayer is the Executive Director of CALI and has worked in legal education for over 30 years. He can be reached at jmayer@cali.org or followed on Twitter at @johnpmayer or 312-906-5307.

Jessica Frank is the A2J Project Manager and can be reached at jessica@cali.org and runs the @a2jauthor Twitter account.

LINKS REFERENCED
– www.cali.org – CALI website
– a2jauthor.org – Register to begin creating A2J Guided Interviews
– a2j.org – Website where A2J Guided Interviews are hosted
https://www.youtube.com/user/A2JAuthor/playlists – free training videos for A2J Author
– @caliorg – CALI’s official Twitter account
– @a2juthor – A2J Author official Twitter account
– www.nycourts.gov/ip/nya2j/diytestimonials.shtml – Testimonials about the DIYForms used at the New York State Courts (which uses A2J Author)
– https://www.cali.org/faq/15779 – Information about CALI membership.
– https://www.cali.org/content/members – List of current CALI members.

Posted in A2J, CALI Announcements, CALI Spotlight, CALI Tools, General Topics, Legal Practice, Open | 1 Comment

Nominations for CALI Board is Open

Posted on October 2, 2018 by scottlee

Help us shape the future of Legal Education

The Center for Computer-Assisted Legal Instruction (CALI) is seeking nominations of qualified and enthusiastic individuals from the legal education community to fill vacant positions on its Board of Directors. If you or know someone that would like to contribute to the research and development, strategic planning, and governance of CALI, then click here.

About CALI

The Center for Computer-Assisted Legal Instruction (CALI) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that does research and development in online legal education. Over 90% of US law schools are members.

CALI was incorporated in 1982 by the University of Minnesota Law School and Harvard Law School.