Neumann honored by Association of American Law Schools

Hofstra Law School, Hempstead, N.Y. — Hofstra Law Professor Richard K. Neumann, Jr. will receive the 2009 Legal Writing, Reasoning and Research Section Award from the Association of American Law Schools (AALS).  Neumann is being recognized for significant lifetime contributions to the field of legal research and writing.  AALS will bestow the award upon Neumann during its annual meeting January, 2009 in San Diego, Calif.

"In recent years, legal writing professors have developed many new and very effective ways of teaching students how to write clearly, professionally and persuasively.  I am honored that they have chosen to give me this award," said Neumann.

Neumann was chosen from an extraordinary pool of nominees nationwide.  “Professor Neumann is a gifted scholar who has left a lasting mark in the field of legal research and writing.  Over the years, he has made a positive impact on countless students at Hofstra Law and law schools around the country," said Hofstra Law School Dean Nora V. Demleitner.

Neumann has been a proud member of the Hofstra Law faculty since 1978.  "Hofstra Law School has been excellent in innovative teaching and providing the best for our students," Neumann said.

Earlier this year, Neumann presented “Academic Freedom and Legal Writing Faculty” and
participated on a panel “Developing a Methodology for Comparing Discourse Communities” at the Conference of the Legal Writing Institute.

In 2003, Neumann was the first recipient of the Thomas F. Blackwell Award for his "outstanding contribution and leadership to the field of legal writing."  The award was presented to Neumann at the annual meeting of the AALS in Washington, D.C.   Sponsored by the Association of Legal Writing Directors (ALWD) and the Legal Writing Institute (LWI), the award is named after the late Professor Thomas F. Blackwell, who was well-known in the field of legal writing and a member of the ALWD board of directors. 

Neumann is a leading authority on legal education and the teaching of legal writing, and the author of the textbook “Legal Reasoning and Legal Writing” which is used in law schools across the country.   He is a former member of the ALWD board of directors and executive committee, and a frequent speaker at conferences of legal writing teachers and directors.

In addition to legal writing and research, Neumann has taught contracts, transactional lawyering, civil procedure, legal interviewing, counseling and negotiation, pretrial litigation, legal writing, federal courts, trial techniques and clinical courses.

Neumann holds a bachelor’s degree from Pomona College, a diploma from University of Stockholm, a Juris Doctor degree from American University and an L.L.M. from Temple University.