University of Tennessee College of Law Professor Paula Schaefer has been named the college’s associate dean for academic affairs.
Schaefer, who joined the faculty of the College of Law in 2008, has taught courses in professional responsibility, civil procedure, e-discovery, pre-trial litigation, and behavioral legal ethics. As a lawyer, she practiced in the area of business litigation. She also coordinates and co-teaches the Semester in Residence in Nashville and focuses on developing innovative teaching methods to prepare students for practice. From 2011-2014, she chaired the committee that reviewed and proposed changes that have now been integrated into the 1L curriculum.
Schaefer assumes the position that has been held by Professor Alex Long since 2015.
During his tenure, Long oversaw development and implementation of the LL.M. in United States Business Law, helped launch a flexible schedule J.D. program, and chaired the committee that produced the College of Law’s assessment plan.
Schaefer’s scholarship considers issues of attorney ethics, fiduciary duty, and behavioral legal ethics, and she writes in the area of legal education reform, with a focus on professionalism issues.
Her research has been published in the Georgetown Journal of Legal Ethics, the Maryland Law Review, the Florida State University Law Review, and others. She is one of many authors of the book “Building on Best Practices: Transforming Legal Education in a Changing World.”
Schaefer is also the author of “Developing Professional Skills: Civil Procedure,” the co-author of “Developing Professional Skills: Professional Responsibility,” and the co-author of “Professional Responsibility in the Life of the Lawyer.”
Schaefer assumed her position Jan. 1, 2019.