For MLaw Students:

Procedure for requesting an individual meeting regarding exam feedback

(1) Email Yulisa Ortiz (yortiz@umich.edu) to request a copy of your exam. To make it easy for her, please include your exam ID in your email.

(2) Review the exam memo that I posted on Canvas, which contains a “model answer” and my commentary.

(3) Write a short memo that covers the following: (a) A description of how you prepared for the exam. What study strategies do you think proved helpful? What strategies do you think you should adopt next time? (b) Identify at least one area of strength and one area for improvement. Please quote from your exam answer in identifying these areas. (c) Identify at least two areas where your exam differs from the model answers provided. Please quote from both your exam answer and the model in laying out these differences.

(4) Send me an email that includes the memo as an attachment, contains your exam ID number, and lists your availability to meet.

Policies regarding research assistant positions with the Psychology and Law Studies (PALS) Lab

If you would like to work with me as a research assistant, please send PALS Lab Manager Madhulika Shastry (mshastry@umich.edu) an email with your resume and we will be in touch about next steps.

Policies regarding supervised papers (including LAW 900)

If you would like to write a paper with me, please send me an email with a 1-2 paragraph summary of your proposed topic. You may take Law 900 with me for 1-3 credits, pass/fail only. In addition, because I believe strongly in peer feedback, you will be required to send a full draft of your paper to at least one other law student for peer feedback, and to revise in light of their comments. Accordingly, you will also be asked to give written comments to at least one other student on their draft. If you have a particular date by which you would like to receive comments from me (e.g., an external deadline), you must send me your draft at least 14 days beforehand.

Policies regarding recommendation letters and reference requests

I strongly prefer that, if you would like a letter from me, you make the request by email rather than in person. Please email me at least 14 days before the first letter will be due. If I agree to write a letter for you, I will ask you to send me additional materials and request that you email me a reminder 7 days before the letter is due. If I have already written a letter for you in the past, you can email me with 2 days’ notice. Please include all instructions about where the letter needs to be emailed, uploaded, mailed, etc.

Please note that for federal clerkship recommendations, I abide by the timeline laid out in the federal law clerk hiring plan.

If you do not need a letter, and are simply requesting to list me as a reference, I ask that you make the request (again, by email, please) with at least 2 days’ notice. Unless we have spoken previously, I expect you to ask permission before listing my name.

Please note that as of Fall 2023, I have decided to decline all requests for letters of recommendation for GSI positions at the University of Michigan. My reasons for this policy are threefold: (1) recommendation letters are often not required or considered when GSIs are selected; (2) Typically, the skills required to perform well as a GSI (e.g., expertise in the relevant field; teaching ability) are not those that I can speak to; and (3) Given the volume of recommendation letters I write, I must prioritize those that help students obtain positions that are relevant to their legal training.

For prospective Ph.D. and J.D. students:

I occasionally receive emails from prospective Ph.D. applicants or J.D. applicants asking to speak with me about my work and what it might be like to do research with me. While I enjoy speaking with prospective students, I have decided to decline all requests to have individual conversations with applicants in advance of their being admitted to the University of Michigan. I have adopted this policy in order to avoid favoring students who have special connections or who have received advice about how to network with faculty. The admissions departments at the Law School and LSA conduct careful reviews of applicants; once they have admitted you and you are considering matriculating to UM, I view that as the best time for us to have these types of conversations. With that said, outside of the application process, please feel free to get in touch with questions about my research.