School Notes: Yale Law School
May/June 2025

Dean looks to strengthen international ties

In January, Dean and Sol & Lillian Goldman Professor of Law Heather K. Gerken visited Japan and China with members of the Law School faculty as part of a broader effort to build relationships internationally. The trip—during which the delegation visited the University of Tokyo’s faculty of law, Waseda Law School, Tsinghua Law School, and Peking University—affirmed the Law School’s commitment to broadening access to legal education, said Gerken. “At a moment when, across the globe, there is enormous pressure to close the doors of universities, now is the time to open ours still wider,” she said. 

Inaugural free speech conference reflects on Woodward Report

Scholars from across the country convened at the Law School on February 14 for a lively conversation about academic freedom and free speech, marking the 50th anniversary of Yale’s Woodward Report on freedom of expression. It was also the inaugural event for the Center for Academic Freedom and Free Speech, directed by David Boies Professor of Law Keith E. Whittington ’95PhD. The center aims to become a leading hub for academic freedom and free speech to safeguard these values for future generations. Dean Heather K. Gerken spoke about the Woodward Report’s enduring legacy at Yale. “Free speech and academic freedom are the touchstones of any academic institution, the twin guarantees of a robust scholarly life,” Gerken said. 

Professor named to AI project

Associate Professor of Law Ketan Ramakrishnan ’21JD has been named associate reporter to the American Law Institute’s (ALI) Principles of the Law, Civil Liability for Artificial Intelligence project. The project aims to “help courts, regulators, and technologists understand the legal implications of artificial intelligence to help guide decision-making and provide clarity for all parties,” according to ALI. Ramakrishnan joined the Law School faculty in 2023. His teaching and research interests include torts, contracts, property, AI governance, and moral and legal theory.