February 26, 2026

Faculty Appearances: January Highlights

Our January faculty digest highlights Southwestern scholars whose work is shaping courts, campuses,  national media, and beyond.

Southwestern Faculty at the AALS Annual Meeting in New Orleans, Louisiana

• Ronald Aronovsky, as 2025 Chair-Elect of the AALS Section on Alternative Dispute Resolution, organized and served as moderator for the Section's panel discussion entitled: The Future of Mandatory Arbitration: Pathways for Reform. Ronald also became the 2026 Chair of the AALS Section on Alternative Dispute Resolution, as well as the Secretary of the AALS Section on Litigation.
• Meera Deo co-organized the Discussion Group session, Working Toward Wellness. Nine participants (and 30+ audience members) engaged in conversation about their research, law school courses, and attempts during classes and clinics to help students (and themselves) achieve wellbeing.

• Darby Dickerson attended the Deans Forum and was a discussant on a panel entitled: We Manage, We Pivot, We Move Forward, and We Lead.
• Andrew Gilden presented during the Trusts and Estates program: Privacy, Social Media, and the World of Trusts & Estates. In his remarks, Andrew explored how evolving privacy issues and AI-related developments are reshaping trusts-and-estates doctrine, teaching, and practice.  
• Byron Stier was elected to the AALS Executive Committee of the Section on Torts & Compensation Systems.
• John Tehranian spoke on a panel entitled: Intellectual Property Pedagogy in Theory & Praxis.

• Rachel VanLandingham moderated the National Security Law program: Judicial Deference in the National Security Space: Is It Warranted? The discussion focused on the role and limits of judicial deference in national security matters.  

Chris Cameron

• On January 16, Chris published an Op-Ed in the Los Angeles Daily Journal: Reports of My Depth Are Greatly Exaggerated: A Survey of Arbitrators' AI Use. In this piece, Chris reports and comments on a recent survey showing that most professional arbitrators—87 percent of respondents—make no current use of artificial intelligence tools in their practice. While conceding that this figure will undoubtedly increase, Chris urges a cautious approach to AI due to the widely reported problem of “hallucinations” in legal citations.

Catherine Carpenter

• On January 2, the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals issued a decision in Sanderson v. Hanway, 163 F.4th 1101 (8th Cir., 2026), permanently enjoining the enforcement of a statute requiring registered sex offenders to post a sign at their residence on Halloween stating, “No candy or treats at this residence.” As President of Alliance for Constitutional Sex Offenses (ACSOL), Catherine has taken the California-focused organization nationwide with funded lawsuits challenging various aspects of registration and notification schemes. The present suit involves a facial First Amendment challenge to the “Halloween signs” statute in Hazelwood, Missouri, and the Eighth Circuit agreed with the organization and affirmed the district court’s ruling that the statute unconstitutionally compels speed. ACSOL’s Executive Director, Ms. Janice Bellucci, argued the case before the panel.

Meera Deo

• On January 6, the ABA Journal published a long-form interview with Meera about the 2025 LSSSE Annual Report: Disability, Engagement, and Belonging in Law School: Insights from LSSSE Survey. The article shares highlights from the report, suggestions for how to better support students with disabilities, and information regarding the tremendous reception the report has received.

Meera Deo & Darby Dickerson

• On January 7, both Meera and Darby were once again selected for inclusion in the National Jurist’s annual list: The 25 Most Influential People in Legal Education. From the write-up: “Deo is one of the most influential empirical voices in legal education.” Meanwhile, “Dickerson is the longest-serving female law dean in the country and a leading national voice for innovation, professionalism and access in legal education.” Southwestern was the only law school with two individuals selected for the 2024 list, and it is the only law school with two individuals featured on the 2026 list. Congratulations to you both!

Darby Dickerson

• On January 26, Darby was quoted in an ABA Journal article: Independent Law Schools Seek Backup Accreditor as ABA Legal Ed Council is Under Review. In the piece, Darby explains the importance of pursuing a second accreditation from the WASC Senior College and University Commission given the significant portion of Southwestern students who rely on federal financial aid.
• On January 5, Darby attended the Independent Law School Leadership Conference in New Orleans, Louisiana. While there, Darby was a discussant on a panel entitled: Strategic AI Implementation.

Andrea Freeman

• On January 29, Andrea gave an interview to Francesca Moriero for an article in Fanpage entitled: Perché l’amministrazione Trump è ossessionata dal latte intero? (translated as Why Is the Trump Administration Obsessed with Whole Milk?).
• On January 22, Andrea gave an interview to Sarah Todd for an article in Stat: What RFK Jr’s Milk Mustache Says About the Historic Power of Dairy in the U.S.
• On January 22, Andrea travelled to Lewis & Clark Law School in Portland, Oregon. While there, Andrea participated in a panel discussion focused on her latest book, Ruin Their Crops on the Ground, alongside Professor Michele Okoh and student members of BALSA and NALSA.

Andrew Gilden

• On January 26, Andrew was a guest on the Taboo Trades Podcast (hosted by University of Virginia School of Law Professor Kimberly D. Krawiec). On this episode, Andrew appeared alongside his coauthor, Professor Sarah Rajec, to discuss their recently published piece: Patenting the Taboo: Sex, Drugs, and Abortion, 27 Yale Journal of Law & Technology 474 (2025).
• On January 21, Andrew gave a virtual presentation for the NYC Bar Association’s Copyright Committee Meeting. In collaboration with Eva Subotnik, Andrew discussed research on the proposed federal NO FAKES Act and other bills regulating the use of dead peoples’ images in generative AI.

KJ Greene

• On December 23, KJ was a guest on The Sports & Entertainment Risk Management Alliance’s SERMAPod podcast, hosted by founder Rich Lenkov. On this episode, Might As Well Sue: The Van Halen Fair Use Case, KJ discussed copyright fair use, as well as a photographer’s lawsuit against the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Museum’s use of Eddie Van Halen guitar photos in one of its exhibits.

Faisal Kutty

• On January 28, Faisal published an Op-Ed in Newsweek: When Immigration Policing Loses Its Humanity. In this piece, Faisal examines recent ICE enforcement actions and argues that increasingly militarized immigration policing undermines public trust, due process, and human life. Further, Faisal warns that treating immigration enforcement like a war erodes both democratic accountability and the legitimacy of law itself.
• On January 21, Faisal participated in a Newsweek contributors’ debate alongside Paul du Quenoy (President of the Palm Beach Freedom Institute): Should the U.S. Put Boots on the Ground in Iran? Faisal argued that U.S. military intervention would strengthen authoritarian hardliners, suppress internal reform movements, and destabilize the region. Faisal further asserted that regime change imposed by force would undermine democracy and the rule of law.
• On January 5, Faisal published an Op-Ed in Newsweek: The Venezuela Operation Is a Dangerous Test for International Law. In this piece, Faisal examines the international law implications of the U.S. military operation in Venezuela and argues that it constitutes a clear violation of the UN Charter. Faisal warns that asserted justifications for the operation based on drugs, regime illegitimacy, or mere expediency risk normalizing lawlessness and eroding the global legal order.

Robert Lutz

• On January 29, Robert assisted petitioner, in a Superior Court Mediation conducted by the Honorable Alan Honeycutt, in expanding the interpretation of Cal. Corp. Code Section 7515.
• On January 28, Robert gave a virtual presentation to the legal staff of the U.S. Department of Commerce's Commercial Law Development Program entitled: Facilitating Pro Bono Opportunities via the ABA. During the presentation, Robert described his role as Director-Coordinator of the ABA-CLDP Pro Bono Program—a role in which he accesses ABA memberships of the Senior Lawyers Division, as well as Sections of International Law and Business Law, to identify qualified pro bono volunteers to conduct international commercial law technical legal assistance abroad.

Jonathan Miller

• On January 23, Jonathan served as a commentator for Professor Diego Werneck Arguelhes's talk at Southwestern based on his forthcoming Article, Dilemmas of a Powerful Court: The Case of the Supremo Tribunal Federal in Brazil. Professor Arguelhes's revised Article, and accompanying commentary from Jonathan, will appear in the fall 2026 issue of Southwestern's Journal of International Law.

Orly Ravid

• On January 25, Orly attended the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah, where she moderated a Solidarity House Panel: How Policy Will Shape the Future of Independent Film. The panel explored how shifting policies across labor, technology, funding, and distribution are reshaping independent documentary filmmaking. Panelists examined the regulatory changes affecting creators, the opportunities and constraints they introduce, and how filmmakers and cultural organizations are responding and navigating an evolving and uncertain industry landscape.

Rachel VanLandingham

• On January 6, Rachel authored an Op-Ed for MS Now: The law isn’t on Pete Hegseth’s side as he attempts to demote Mark Kelly. In this piece, Rachel explains why Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth's persecution of Sen Mark Kelly—in threatening to reduce the retired military officer's retirement rank—is unlawful and speech suppressive under the First Amendment. 
• Throughout January, Rachel continued to offer public-facing expertise regarding a variety of military and national security issues ongoing during the second Trump Administration.
  • On January 15, Rachel was quoted in an article published in Business Insider discussing Senator Mark Kelly’s lawsuit seeking to block Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and the Department of Defense from moving forward with actions that could reduce his military retirement pay and retired rank. These actions, Rachel explains, have “no legal basis."
  • On January 14, Rachel was quoted in an article published in the Colorado Springs Gazette regarding recent guidance issued by the Air Force Academy’s active dean encouraging instructors to avoid making absolutist statements about the U.S. capture of former Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. “A fundamental component of teaching the law is to ask students to apply the law—a particular rule—to a particular context, such as Venezuela. There are right and wrong answers, and at times they are quite black and white.”
  • On January 12, Rachel sat for an interview on MS Now’s The Weekend--a show hosted by Alicia Menendez, Michael Steele, and Symone Sanders-Townsend. During the episode, Rachel criticized the Pentagon's use of an unmarked aircraft during one of its killings of alleged drug smugglers in the Caribbean.
  • On January 12, Rachel was quoted in an article for NBC Palms Springs, and in an article for CNN News online, discussing Senator Mark Kelly’s lawsuit against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
  • On January 11, Rachel was quoted in an article published in the Arizona Daily Star regarding the legal implications of a threatened unilateral military strike in Mexico under the asserted rationale of tackling “organized crime and drug trafficking.”
  • Also on January 11, Rachel was quoted in an article published in The Hill regarding the U.S. military capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in his own home. “There’s no legal basis for extraterritorial law enforcement action that involves violating the territorial sovereignty, integrity, of another nation—period.”
  • On January 6, Rachel was quoted in a piece for US Naval Institute News regarding the threat to First Amendment freedoms posed by the Trump Administration’s punitive pursuit of Senator Kelly.  
  • On January 5, Rachel sat for a live interview on ABC News with Anne Flaherty to discuss the federal drug conspiracy charges Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro faces, as well as the implications of the U.S. operation.
  • On January 2, Rachel was quoted in an article published in The Latin Times regarding the December strike in Venezuela, characterizing the strike as “clearly unlawful under international law” and designed as “a mechanism of escalating pressure on Maduro without sending in troops into Venezuela."