Faculty/Staff Profile
At Washburn Law, passionate and caring teachers help students to govern their own learning so that they quickly can become self-sufficient professionals with excellent, independent, critical judgment. I truly am fortunate to be teaching here, where faculty and students support each other and work together in a largely collaborative environment. I am also lucky to be teaching what I love to do the most. Legal reasoning and writing are the heart and soul of the law. One way to turn these difficult tasks into a powerful and satisfying experience is to tap into our students' tremendous personal creativity and desire to make a difference in the world. My goal is to work with students to demonstrate how much creative potential they can unleash through analysis and writing, so that they can find joy in their new profession while using their skills to solve human problems.
Professor Kowalska teaches in the law school's Legal Analysis, Research, and Writing Program, is the Director of International Legal Programs, and Co-Director of the International and Comparative Law Center.
Professor Kowalska's Justice Quote:
"Our world is increasingly interdependent, but I wonder if we truly understand that our interdependent human community has to be compassionate; compassionate in our choice of goals, compassionate in our means of cooperation and our pursuit of these goals. *** [T]here cannot be peace and stability as long as there is oppression and suppression. It is unfair to seek one's own interests at the cost of other people's rights" – H.H. XIV Dalai Lama, Human Rights, Democracy and Freedom
Professor Kowalska's Recommended Reading on Racial Justice:
"Reaching Backward and Stretching Forward: Teaching for Transfer in Law School Clinics," 64 Journal of Legal Education 258 (2014) (co-authored with Shaun Archer, Jason Eyster, Jim Kelly and Colleen Shanahan).
"A Tale of Two Sovereigns: Danger and Opportunity in Tribal-State Court Cooperation," 47 Tulsa Law Review 687 (2012).
"Toward a Pedagogy for Teaching Legal Writing in Law School Clinics," 17 Clinical Law Review 285 (2010).
"True North: Navigating for the Transfer of Learning in Legal Education," 34 Seattle University Law Review 51 (2010).
"The Forgotten Sovereigns," 36 Florida State University Law Review 765 (2009). [444 KB PDF]
"Assessment and Grading" in Legal Writing Sourcebook, 3rd ed. (edited by J. Lyn Entrikin and Mary B. Trevor) (American Bar Association, 2020) (with Emily Grant).
"Indian Courts," in Florida's Other Courts: Unconventional Justice in the Sunshine State (edited by Robert M. Jarvis) (University Press of Florida, 2018) (co-authored with Robert M. Jarvis).
Review, "The Science of Equality, Vols I & II" (Rachel D. Godsil, et al.), Article of the Month (February 2018), Institute for Law Teaching and Learning.
"How Do We Help to Encourage and Sustain Transcendent Motivation in our Students?," Idea of the Month, Institute for Law Teaching and Learning, September 2017.
"End-of-Year Reflections: How Does a Teacher Say Goodbye?," Idea of the Month, Institute for Law Teaching and Learning, April 2017.
"“Luddite” and Loving It," Idea of the Month, Institute for Law Teaching and Learning, September 2016.
"Let’s Talk about I-R-A-C," Idea of the Month, Institute for Law Teaching and Learning, May 2016.
"Mentoring 1L Work Habits: Weekly Goals," Idea of the Month, Institute for Law Teaching and Learning, January 2016.
"State Your Thesis," 84:10 Journal of the Kansas Bar Association 10 (November/December 2015).
"Drilling Down: Deeper Counternanalysis," 84:2 Journal of the Kansas Bar Association 12 (February 2015).
Review, "Understanding the Writing Habits of Tomorrow's Students: Technology and College Readiness" (Stefani T. Relles and William G. Tierney, 84 Journal of Higher Education 477 (2013)), Article of the Month (December 2014), Institute for Law Teaching and Learning.
"Getting Students into the Office," Idea of the Month, Institute for Law Teaching and Learning, September 2014.
"'Reading' the Classroom: Encouraging Students to Perform Assigned Readings," Idea of the Month, Institute for Law Teaching and Learning, March 2014.
"Much Ado About Issue Statements," 83:3 Journal of the Kansas Bar Association 16 (March 2014).
Review, "Lost in Translation in the Law School Classroom: Assessing Required Coursework in LL.M. Programs for International Students" (Julie Spanbauer, 35 International Journal of Legal Information 396 (2007)), Article of the Month (January 2014), Institute for Law Teaching and Learning.
"Classroom Management, Body Language, and 'Power Poses'," Idea of the Month, Institute for Law Teaching and Learning, September 2013.
Review, "Do Reasons for Attending College Affect Academic Outcomes?: A Test of a Motivational Model From a Self-Determination Theory Perspective" (Douglas A. Guiffrida, et al., 54:2 Journal of College Student Development 121 (2013)), Article of the Month (May 2013), Institute for Law Teaching and Learning.
"Virtual Office Hours," Idea of the Month, Institute for Law Teaching and Learning, February 2013.
Review, "Undergraduate Teaching Faculty: The 2010-2011 HERI Faculty Survey" (Sylvia Hurtado, et al., Higher Education Research Institute), Article of the Month (November 2012), Institute for Law Teaching and Learning.
"Strengthen Your Paragraphs with Tailored Topic Sentences," 81:9 Journal of the Kansas Bar Association 12 (October 2012).
"What I Learned This Summer (About Multiple-Choice Assessment)," Idea of the Month, Institute for Law Teaching and Learning, August 2012.
"Mentoring New Legal Writers," 81:1 Journal of the Kansas Bar Association 12 (January 2012).
"Moving Lectures Outside of the Classroom," Idea of the Month, Institute for Law Teaching and Learning, December 2011.
"Demarginalizing Tribal Law in Legal Writing," 25:2 The Second Draft12 (Fall 2011). [300 KB PDF]
Review, "Empowering Minority Students: A Framework for Intervention" (Jim Cummins, 71 Harvard Educational Review 649 (2001)), Article of the Month (August 2011), Institute for Law Teaching and Learning.
"Setting Expectations for Exam Essay Structure and Strategy," Idea of the Month, Institute for Law Teaching and Learning, May 2011.
"Legal Writing as Art and Science," 50 Washburn Law Journal xiii (2011).
Review, "Disappearing Act: The Lack of Values Training in Legal Education - A Case for Cultural Competency" (Beverly I. Moran, 38 Southern University Law Review 1 (2010)), Article of the Month (January 2011), Institute for Law Teaching and Learning.
"Bringing Real Attorney Work Product into the Classroom," Idea of the Month, Institute for Law Teaching and Learning, October 2010.
"Using Classroom Technology to Teach Oral Argument," 23:2 Second Draft: Bulletin of the Legal Writing Institute 8 (Spring 2009).
"From Conflict to Cooperation: State and Tribal Court Relations in the Era of Self-Determination," 45 Court Review 48 (co-author with Aliza G. Organick) (2009). [105 KB PDF]
"Legal Rhetoric and the Way of Nonviolence," University of North Dakota School of Law, Teaching in Turbulent Times: Legal Writing’s Role in Eliminating Bias and Paving the Way Toward a More Just Judicial System, LWI One-Day Virtual Workshop, December 11, 2020.
Presenter and Panelist, "Sacred Bonds: Collaboration to Protect American Indian Sacred Sites," in panel Tribal/State Collaborations Related to Law Enforcement, ICWA, and Cultural Preservation, 22nd Annual Tribal Law & Government Conference Tribal-State Collaborations: Advantages & Obstacles, University of Kansas School of Law, Lawrence, Kansas, March 9, 2018.
Panelist, "Designing Legal Writing Problems Incorporating Access to Justice," 2018 Annual Meeting of the Association of American Law Schools, San Diego, California, January 6, 2018.
"Protecting Sacred Sites from Desecration under RFRA," 2017 Global Land & Resources Colloquium, University of Oklahoma College of Law, Norman, Oklahoma, October 21, 2017.
"Friends, Feasts, and the Rule of Law in Georgia," Washburn University Brown Bag International Lecture, Topeka, Kansas, February 8, 2017.
"Mentoring New Legal Writers," 2016 Selected Topics and Miscellany CLE, Washburn University School of Law, Topeka, Kansas, June 23, 2016.
"Real-World Practitioner Documents in Legal Skills Courses," Institute for Law Teaching and Learning Summer Conference, Washburn University School of Law, Topeka, Kansas, June 10, 2016.
"Advanced Case Law Literacy," Course on Law Teaching Methods and Legal Writing – The Advanced Series, Tbilisi, Georgia, December 3-6, 2015 (with Aïda Alaka).
"Scholarly Legal Writing for Translation," Workshop on Law Teaching Techniques and Legal Writing, Kutaisi, Georgia, December 3-6, 2015 (with Aïda Alaka).
Panelist "Publishing in Law Journals, Presenting at Conferences, and Teaching Other Classes: Advancing by Maximizing the Opportunities Available in the Legal Academy," 16th Biennial Conference of the Legal Writing Institute, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, July 1, 2014 (with co-panelist Teri McMurtry-Chubb and moderator Bill Chin).
Co-Facilitator and Presenter, "Legal Writing Workshop V: Best Practices in Structure, Strategy, and Style," National Center for Commercial Law and USAID's Judicial Independence and Legal Empowerment Project, Free University of Tbilisi School of Law, Tbilisi, Georgia, June 12-14, 2014 (with Aïda Alaka).
Presenter and Facilitator, "Best Practices in Government Report Writing," Ministry of Justice of Georgia Workshop, Tbilisi, Georgia, June 11, 2014 (with Aïda Alaka).
Workshop Facilitator, "Legal Writing-Clinic Collaboration Workshop," Elon University School of Law, Greensboro, North Carolina, May 9, 2014.
Presentation and Workshop, "Teaching IRAC: What Do We Tell Our Students and What Do They Hear?: Facilitating the Transfer of Learning Across the Law School Curriculum," Elon University School of Law, Greensboro, North Carolina, May 8, 2014.
"Namaste India: A Summer of Teaching, Learning, Law, and Language," Washburn University Brown Bag International Lecture, Topeka, Kansas, April 16, 2014.
Legal Drafting: Translating the Deal into a Contract," Legal Analysis & Writing Workshop IV, Free University of Tbilisi School of Law, October 9-11, 2013 (with Aïda Alaka).
"Curricular Integration and Cat Herding," Central States Legal Writing Conference, University of Kansas School of Law, Lawrence, Kansas, September 28, 2013 (with Andrea Boyack).
Presenter, "Nation to Nation: The Essence of 'Government-to-Government' Relations in Tribal-Federal Consultations," Symbiosis Law School Faculty Seminar, Symbiosis International University, Pune, Maharashtra, India, August 6, 2013.
"Mind the Gap: Preparing Students for Experiential Learning with a Legal Writing Intersession Course," Association of Legal Writing Directors' 2013 Biennial Conference, Marquette University Law School, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, June 27, 2013.
Panelist, "Meow! Meow!: Ways to Herd Cats and Coordinate in a Directorless Program," Association of Legal Writing Directors' 2013 Biennial Conference, Marquette University Law School, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, June 27, 2013 (with Joseph Mastrosimone, Emily Grant and Jeffrey Jackson).
"Teaching Law Abroad: Bringing Home Interactive, Student-Centered Learning," Institute for Law Teaching and Learning, Hybrid Law Teaching, Washburn University School of Law, Topeka, Kansas, June 8, 2013 (with John Francis).
Moderator, "International Impacts of Climate Change on Indigenous Peoples," Tribal Law & Government Center Conference, University of Kansas School of Law, Lawrence, Kansas, March 1, 2013.
Legal Writing Curriculum & Course Design," Legal Analysis & Writing Workshop III, Free University of Tbilisi School of Law, January 21-23, 2013 (with Aïda Alaka).
"Persuasive Legal Writing for Professors and Practitioners," Train-the-Trainers Workshop, Free University of Tbilisi School of Law, Tbilisi, Republic of Georgia, October 8-10, 2012 (with Joseph P. Mastrosimone).
Moderator, "Demarginalizing Diverse Members of the Legal Writing Classroom," Student Populations: Diversity Matters (Legal Writing Institute one-day workshop), Washburn University School of Law, Topeka, Kansas, December 1, 2012.
Opening Plenary, "Value of Variety in Action," 2012 Annual Conference of the Institute for Law Teaching and Learning, Gonzaga University School of Law, Spokane, Washington, June 25, 2012 (with Sandra Simpson, Gerry Hess and Michael Schwartz).
Co-taught One-Week Seminar, "Legal Writing and Analysis for Law Professors and Practitioners," Free University, Tbilisi, Republic of Georgia, June 11-15, 2012 (with Aida Alaka).
Panelist, "Views from the Tenure Track," The 15th Biennial Conference of the Legal Writing Institute, Palm Desert, California, May 31, 2012.
Panelist, "Designing Legal Research Exercises in Context and WestlawNext Pros & Cons," Legal Research: Teaching Strategies and Current Issues Panel, Legal Writing Institute Teaching Workshop, University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law, Kansas City, Missouri, December 2, 2011.
Moderator, "Curtailing Birthright Citizenship Panel," Breaching Borders: State Encroachment into the Federal Immigration Domain?, Washburn University School of Law, Topeka, Kansas, October 21, 2011.
Invited speaker, "Toward a Pedagogy for Clinical Legal Writing," The Clinical Theory Workshops at New York Law School, New York, New York, September 30, 2011.
"Teaching for Transfer in the Clinic, Learning for Transfer: (Re)conceptualizing What We Do in Clinics and Across the Curriculum," Conference on Clinical Legal Education, 2011 AALS Mid Year Meeting, Seattle, Washington, June 16, 2011 (with Shaun Archer, Jason Eyster, Jim Kelly, and Colleen Shanahan).
"Engaging Students Through Culture," Engaging and Assessing Our Students, Institute for Law Teaching and Learning 2011 Conference, New York Law School, New York, New York, June 3, 2011.
"Toward a Pedagogy for Teaching Legal Writing in Law School Clinics," Stetson University College of Law, Gulfport, Florida, January 13, 2011.
"Teaching the Third Sovereign: How and Why to Include Tribal Nations and Courts in Legal Writing Courses," 14th Biennial Conference, Legal Writing Institute, Marco Island, Florida, June 30, 2010.
Co-Presenter, "Building a Bridge to Everywhere: Improving Transfer of Learning from Legal Writing Programs to Other Contexts," Teaching Law Practice Across the Curriculum, Institute for Law Teaching and Learning, Washburn University School of Law, Topeka, Kansas, June 18, 2010 (with Aïda M. Alaka).
"The Transfer of Learning in Legal Education: Using Schema Theory to Connect the Curriculum," Teaching Law Practice Across the Curriculum, Institute for Law Teaching and Learning, Washburn University School of Law, Topeka, Kansas, June 17, 2010.
Co-Presenter, "Building a Bridge to Everywhere: Improving Transfer of Learning from Legal Writing Programs to Other Contexts," Professionalization of Legal Writing Programs, Association of Legal Writing Directors Seventh Biennial Conference, University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law, Kansas City, Missouri, July 17, 2009 (with Aïda M. Alaka).
Co-Presenter, "Bridging Skills 'Back to the Future': Transfer of Learning within the Legal Writing Classroom," Rocky Mountain Legal Writing Conference, Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, March 14, 2009 (with Aïda M. Alaka).
"Toward a Pedagogy for Clinical Legal Writing," 23rd Annual Midwest Clinical Law Conference — Building Bridges: Creating Clinical Opportunities through Collaboration, Indiana University School of Law, Bloomington, Indiana, November 14, 2008.
"The Forgotten Sovereigns," Faculty Exchange Lecture, University of North Dakota School of Law, Grand Forks, North Dakota, October 22, 2008.
"Substantive Criminal Law in Tribal Court" and "Tribal Court Practice," multi-session panels at Introduction to Tribal Court Practice, Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation, Mayetta, Kansas, October 3, 2008 (with John Francis and Aliza Organick).
"The Invisible Sovereigns: Why and How to Introduce Native American Nations and Tribal Courts in the First-Year Legal Writing Curriculum," 2008 Rocky Mountain Legal Writing Conference, University of Utah S.J. Quinney College of Law, Salt Lake City, Utah, March 22, 2008.
"Better Advocacy Through Persuasive Issues and Point Headers," The Art of Advocacy: Not-So-Secret Tips for Writing Effective, Persuasive and Ethical Legal Briefs, Washburn University School of Law, Topeka, Kansas, March 10, 2007.
Visiting International Scholar in Residence, Symbiosis Law School, Symbiosis International University, Pune, Maharashtra, India, July - August 2015; including guest lectures and seminar at Symbiosis Law School, Hyderabad.
Visiting International Scholar in Residence, Symbiosis Law School, Symbiosis International University, Pune, Maharashtra, India, July – August 2013.
Co-Chair, 17th Biennial Legal Writing Institute Conference, Portland, Oregon, July 10-13, 2016.
Site Planning Committee Chair, "Student Populations: Diversity Matters," Legal Writing Institute (one-day workshop), Washburn University School of Law, Topeka, Kansas, December 1, 2012.
Member, Board of Directors, Association of Legal Writing Directors, 2018-2021.
Member, Kansas Judicial Council State-Tribal Judicial Forum Advisory Committee, 2015-2016.
Member, Board of Directors, Association of Legal Writing Directors, 2014-2018.
Co-Chair, Legal Writing Institute Committee on Cooperation Among Clinical/Externship and Legal Writing Faculty, 2010-2012 (regular member from 2008-2010; 2012-2014).
Member, Legal Writing Institute Diversity Initiatives Committee, 2010-present.
Co-Chair, Website Committee, Association of Legal Writing Directors, 2008-2011.