Passing It On: Wisdom and Encouragement from Recent Retirees

Whether you have been teaching for one year or a decade, we all have something to learn from those who paved the (hall)ways before us. Before turning in their citation guides, capping their pens, and entering their next acts, a handful of our recently retired colleagues—Mary Adkins, Deborah Borman, Charles Calleros, Candace Centeno, Susan DeJarnatt, Linda Edwards, Paul Figley, Jane Grise, and Joseph Kimble—graced LWI Voices with their fondest memories, best advice, and proudest achievements.

Jane Grise	Deborah Borman	Joseph Kimble
Linda Edwards	Paul Figley	Susan DeJarnatt

First, as we continue to find our footing in a new academic year, let’s reflect on this group’s fondest memories of teaching. These aspects of the profession may one day be what we miss the most, so let’s remember to cherish them now: the creativity in teaching and generating problems (CC, SD); the satisfaction of seeing students witness their own growth in legal studies (ChC, JK); the joy of connecting with colleagues—rather, friends—across the country on intellectual endeavors (DB, JG, MA), and, of course, the pure art and science of writing (LE).

Second, let us rest on the wisdom of this group’s professional advice as we carry out those activities. Newer members of our community may benefit most from what our colleagues would have shared with their younger selves: You don’t have to do it all, especially when it comes to individualized feedback for students who can only absorb so much (ChC, CC, SD). Give yourself a little grace because you are going to make mistakes (JK, LE). But trust yourself and do your best; you will find your style along the way (MA, JG). When you do find your style, live it out unabashedly—give public and student tours of your curated 275-piece collection of blues and rock art (JK), make the centerpiece of your office a Palm Beach County, Florida voting machine from the 2000 Presidential Election (MA), and hand out coins to students as positive reinforcement for unusual insights (PF).

Those who are more senior will perhaps appreciate a few reminders. After accumulating countless hours in and out of the classroom, this group is confident that our community teaches the most important course in the curriculum. They also find that our members lead the legal academy in effective pedagogy, fostering experiential learning that develops knowledge, skills, and judgment (MA, ChC). Therefore, they encourage us to advocate for ourselves and our colleagues and to take our rightful place in the academy (CC, SD).

Finally, let’s celebrate this group’s achievements, which are as diverse as they are inspiring. They have been movers and shakers in the academy, steering law schools through the unprecedented times of the pandemic (CC) and tackling scholarship that exposed deficiencies within our institutions (DB). Others supported the profession by serving as a style consultant for the complete redrafting of three sets of federal court rules (JK), defending American tax dollars for 32 years in the U.S. DOJ’s Civil Division (PF), and suing the “meanest lawyer in America”—a debt collection attorney who harmed many Philadelphia residents (SD). Still, others’ proudest achievements are in their personal lives, such as learning how to play the ukulele (JG), maintaining an amazing heirloom tomato garden (MA), building a retirement home (ChC), and raising strong, wise, and kind children (LE).

But perhaps this group’s greatest achievements will be the lessons impressed upon students over the years. Attorneys across the country now draft their documents with mantras echoing in their minds:

• “Gain comfort with legal uncertainty.” (ChC);
• “Concise! Concise! Concise!” (CC);
• “If you don’t understand what you are writing about, your writing becomes much more challenging.” (JG);
• “Make sure that topic sentences connect back and summarize forward.” (JK);
• “A synthesized Rule is valid if it is Simply Stated, Readily Applied, and Consistent with All Mandatory Cases.” (PF); and
• “Your job is to make the reader’s job easier.” (SD).

Others practice law trying to live up to this group’s broader charges: “Live up to the standards of a profession that serves humanity.” (DB); “Don’t sell yourself—don’t buy the BMW; you’re worth more than a car.” (LE); and “You are still a human being.” (MA).

So whether you are just launching your career in the academy or planning your own next chapter, heed the advice of our recently retired colleagues and let their encouragement sustain you this academic year. For our part, let’s be sure to congratulate them on their service to our community, the academy, and most importantly, their students.

And fueled by these joys, may we endure the one thing our colleagues uniformly exclaimed they were happy to leave behind: grading!