2026 Annual Meeting

Impact. Excellence. Resilience. 
The Enduring Contributions of Legal Education

At the beginning of the 20^th century, representatives of 35 law schools convened to establish a new association designed to strengthen American legal education, with the goal of producing lawyers, judges, and legal thought-leaders with the expertise and integrity essential for the country’s future. As we mark the Association’s 125^th anniversary (and our 120^th annual meeting), this year’s theme will look back at the enduring impact of American legal education—and the contributions of our faculty and staff colleagues—on our local communities, our nation, our society, and the world.  

Over our 125-year history, the Association’s annual meeting has become the gathering place that brings together legal scholars and educators from all over the U.S. and beyond. Those who serve as volunteers each year for the Association’s more-than-100 sections—and the faculty and staff that comprise our nation’s law schools—have had a lasting impact on how we train the next generation of lawyers; on the intellectual, pedagogical, professional, and theoretical underpinnings of our profession; on American jurisprudence and respect for equity, justice, and the rule of law; and on how law and legal institutions develop and change. The 2026 Annual Meeting will take stock of past achievements, with a particular emphasis on revealing voices and contributions that may have been hidden or not previously celebrated sufficiently.    

While not being pollyannish about challenges we face, reflecting on what the legal academy has accomplished is important. We live at a time when higher education is increasingly under attack. While criticism by those outside the academy is nothing new, the frequency of the attacks—now often founded on misunderstandings of what law schools do, a lack of appreciation for the variety among schools, and a misappreciation for innovations of recent decades—risk undermining the positive gains made. At the very least, a tendency exists to over emphasize perceived shortcomings without recognizing gains made.  

The contributions of many in our ranks—from faculty and staff at law schools of all kinds and sizes, with different missions, in all parts of the country—are contributions that we should be proud. Law students today are in many respects better prepared than in prior generations. The sophistication and breadth of the curriculum, including the lawyering skills, clinical, field placement, simulation, academic support, and other programs offered, is at an all-time high. Law Schools have dramatically deepened their commitments to public service, to giving back to their communities, and to broadening access to the profession. Our colleagues have furthered fields of thought, scholarship, and pedagogy for the benefit of our democracy. Many schools have expanded their interdisciplinary research to take on the thorniest, most difficult challenges in the face of a rapidly evolving world filled with technological and other changes. The professionalization of law school staff to better support our students has been striking. Schools have broadened their missions to try to equip the current generation with the skills and mindsets they need to succeed and live fulfilling lives. 125 years after our founding, American legal education remains a model for many in the world.

The founding of AALS reflected the tremendous growth and change across the nation at the end of the 19^th century. From its earliest days, AALS members convened to discuss, debate, and develop fields within the study of law, while at the same time advancing ideas and pedagogy on how best to train professionals who can think critically and provide solutions to the nation’s most complex problems. As we celebrate the Association’s 125^th year anniversary, there’s no better time for the legal academy to reflect on our past and re-dedicate ourselves to our collective mission and shared goals.