Fowler Law Bids Farewell to Professor Robin Slocum

As the fall semester came to a close, Chapman University Dale E. Fowler School of Law bid not only a temporary farewell to students for winter break but also a more permanent goodbye to Professor Robin Slocum, who retired after 15 years teaching at the law school.

In her years at Chapman, Robin taught courses in client interviewing and counseling, legal research and writing, mediation, negotiations, professional responsibility, and psychology of conflict resolution. One of her textbooks,
Legal Reasoning, Writing & Persuasive Argument
, has also been adopted by numerous law schools nationwide. In a 2015 article in the
Journal of Legal Education
, Southern Illinois University School of Law Professor Melissa Marlow calls Professor Slocum a pioneer in enhancing student education with authenticity in teaching, noting a presentation by Slocum entitled “Beyond PowerPoint and Movie Clips: How to Reach your Full Potential as Teachers” in 2007. A favorite among many for her positive spirit and dedication to both her field of study and her students, Robin will be equally missed by faculty and students alike.

“If there was an award for the happiest law professor, Robin would have won, hands down.” – Professor Scott Howe

“We have been so fortunate to have Robin as a faculty colleague and friend these last 15 years.  She is a pioneer on the topic of authenticity in teaching in legal education.  Her scholarly work on emotional competencies and self-awareness in lawyering is extremely significant, and she actually practices what she preaches.  Robin has touched all of us with her authenticity, humanity, and warmth.  I am so thankful to have had the opportunity to work with someone so bright, caring and kind.”  – Professor Susanna Ripken

“The classes I took with Robin Slocum were, without doubt, some of the most important educational experiences I had while in law school. Particularly invaluable was the class Professor Slocum created on the Psychology of Conflict Resolution. It provided me with skills and strategies I use nearly every day, now that I’m practicing entertainment law, in managing personalities and negotiating deals in my clients’ best interests. Robin’s class was ahead of its time. She was ahead of the curve, innovative, sensitive and prescient about what students needed in order to be better equipped to practice law.”  - Jan Breslauer, Esq. (’12)