Faculty and leadership from the Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University participated in the American Association of Law Schools (AALS) Annual Meeting, held January 6–9, 2026, in New Orleans, Louisiana. Centered on the theme “Impact. Excellence. Resilience. The Enduring Contributions of Legal Education,” the conference brought together legal educators from across the country for the largest convening of law schools in the United States. Through panels, workshops, and section meetings, the Annual Meeting serves as a critical forum for sharing scholarship, shaping national conversations on legal education, and fostering cross-institutional collaboration on emerging legal and policy challenges at a time of significant social, technological, and regulatory change.
Several Pace Haub Law faculty presented their scholarship and represented as leaders and organizers at the conference, underscoring the school’s national engagement and leadership within AALS sections and committees.
Professor Bridget J. Crawford, currently serving as Secretary of the AALS Section on Aging and the Law, helped coordinate the section’s program, “Aging with Dignity: Legal Challenges to Federal Cuts and Their Impact on Vulnerable Older Adults.” She also presented her scholarship at multiple sessions, including “Working the Unrecognized Shift: Informal Labor, Tax Compliance, and the Structural Limits of Employee Benefits” at the Section on Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation, and “Privacy, Personhood, and the Trusts of Tomorrow: Embryos and Emerging Fiduciary Challenges” at the Section on Trusts & Estates annual program.
Professor Lauren Roth, Chair Elect of the AALS Section on Law, Medicine and Health Care and a member of the Executive Committee of the Section on Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation, played a significant role in coordinating Annual Meeting programming for both sections. She presented on Trump 2.0’s Impact on Employee Benefits, participated in the Aging and the Law panel on federal cuts affecting older adults, and moderated a works-in-progress session focused on employee benefits law.
Professor Achinthi Vithanage, Executive Director of Environmental Law Programs, delivered a presentation titled “It Takes Two to Transition: Utilizing AI-driven Digital Twins in the Just Transition” as part of the flagship panel for the Natural Resources and Energy Law Committee. She also participated in the annual gathering of Environmental Law Center directors and joined the Environmental Law Field Trip to St. James Parish with Rise St. James.
Visiting Assistant Professor Sara Gonzalez-Rothi participated in the Works-in-Progress session for Environment, Energy, and Natural Resources, workshopping a paper applying institutional design principles to the advancement of marine protected areas in the United States.
Adjunct Professor Danielle M. Kocal was recognized as the newly elected Secretary of the AALS Section on Balance and Well-Being in Legal Education. She is also a member of the Section on Academic Support.
