A Desert Setting for Hot Admission Topics

There is no disputing that the climate in law school admissions is changing. Each of us is feeling the effects, but there is no reason to go it alone. LSAC’s 2017 Annual Meeting and Educational Conference will take place May 31–June 3 at the JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort & Spa in Palm Desert, California. The annual meeting is the perfect setting to congregate with law school admission colleagues to explore tactics, strategies, and coping mechanisms for the challenges we are facing. The theme of this year’s conference is Embracing the Changing Climate in Law School Admissions.

Featured speakers include:

• Jer Thorp, a data artist whose work focuses on adding narrative meaning to huge amounts of data. Through cutting-edge data-visualization techniques, Mr. Thorp helps people and corporations take control of the information that surrounds them, using technology and data as a new way to tell stories.
• Francesca Gino, a professor of business administration in the Negotiation, Organizations & Markets Unit at Harvard Business School, and the author of Sidetracked: Why Our Decisions Get Derailed, and How We Can Stick to the Plan. In her session, Professor Gino will explain exactly why our decisions get derailed and what we can do to stick to the plan—at work, in our personal lives, and as organizations.
• Jia Jiang is the founder and CEO of Wuju Learning, a company that helps organizations become fearless through rejection training. Also known as the “Rejection Guy,” Mr. Jiang is the author of the best-selling book, Rejection Proof. He is a newly minted TED speaker, and his blog, 100 Days of Rejection Therapy, documents and analyzes his journey to discover and conquer the fear of rejection.

The conference schedule is overflowing with learning and networking opportunities. A new addition this year is a full-day, preconference Admission Leadership Boot Camp for senior JD admission professionals. The boot camp is designed to provide advanced, intensive training on skills required for senior-level admission leaders to function effectively in the current admission climate, and will include sessions on leadership, strategy, enrollment management, implicit bias, and crisis management.

And, of course, there will be healthy doses of food, fun, relaxation, news, and conversation along with all of the serious stuff.