Faculty and Administration Profiles

Mary Ann Becker

About

In addition to being the Associate Director of the Legal Writing Program, Professor Becker has taught legal research and writing to first-, second-, and third-year law students and a law and literature seminar to undergraduates. She focuses her teaching, research, and presentations on the best techniques to prepare students for the practice of law and writing pedagogy. Before teaching, Professor Becker practiced as a litigation attorney in mid-size and large international law firms in Chicago. She graduated from Northwestern University with a BA in French language and literature. She earned her JD from DePaul University, graduating summa cum laude and Order of the Coif, where she was the Symposium Editor for the DePaul Law Review and a legal writing tutor.

Degrees

BA, Northwestern University
JD, DePaul University College of Law

Program Areas

Legal Writing

Professional & Community Affiliations

ALWD Adjunct Programs Committee, Chair (2021-current) and Member (2019-current)
CVLS Advisory Board Member (2017-present)
Member, Board of Editors, The Second Draft: The Official Magazine of the Legal Writing Institute (2010-2014)

Courses Taught

Legal Writing

Selected Publications

Recent Publications

Understanding the Tethered Generation: Net Gens Come to Law School, 53 Duq. L. Rev. 9 (2015) (lead article).

Step Away from the PowerPoint: Using Mirror Neurons to Enhance Student Learning in the Classroom, 19 L. Tchr. 1 (Fall 2012).

What is Your Favorite Book?: Using Narrative to Teach Theme Development in Persuasive Writing, 46 Gonz. L. Rev. 575 (Spring 2011) (lead article).

Recent Presentations:

Speaker, Constructed Reality: Understanding the Generations to More Effectively Teach the Current (and Upcoming) Generation of Law Students
Institute for Law Teaching and Learning Conference,Washburn University School of Law, Topeka, KS | JUNE 2019

Panelist, Leading Unicorns: A Roundtable Discussion of Adjunct-Based LegalWriting Programs
ALWD Biennial Conference, Sufolk University Law School, Boston, MA | MAY 2019

Panelist, Deliberation in the Age of Social Media
Philip H. Corboy Lecture in Advocacy, Loyola University Chicago School of Law, Chicago, IL OCTOBER 2016

Panelist, Legal Scholarship
Southeastern Legal Writing Conference, University of Miami Law School, Miami, FL JANUARY 2016

Speaker, From Teacups to Lawyers: Why Understanding the Tethered Generations Viewpoint Matters to Law Professors
Faculty Speaker Series, Southwestern Law School, Los Angeles, CA NOVEMBER 2015

Speaker, You Are Not Alone: Developing Best Practices for Teaching the Tethered Generation
Faculty Workshop, Campbell University y, Raleigh, NC MARCH 2015

Panelist, Alternative Legal Careers
Chicago Bar Association, Young Lawyers Career Committee, Chicago, IL MARCH 2015

Presenter, Understanding the Tethered Generation: The Net Gens Come to Law School
Fourth Colonial Frontier Legal Writing Conference, Duquesne University School of Law, Pittsburgh, PA DECEMBER 2014

Presenter, Creating Practice Ready Students Through Post-Conferencing
16th Biennial Conference of the Legal Writing Institute, Philadelphia, PA  JULY 2014

Presenter, Law & Literature: A Legal Looking Glass
Law & Literature Conference, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN NOVEMBER 2014

Panelist, Developing Student Assignments to Meet Learning Outcomes
Best Practices: Focal Point Seminars, DePaul University, Chicago, IL NOVEMBER 2014

Presenter, Creating Practice Ready Students Through Post-Conferencing
Central States Regional Legal Writing Conference, Kansas City, MO SEPTEMBER 2013 

Panelist, Teaching Law
Chicago Bar Association, Young Lawyers Career Committee, Chicago, IL APRIL 2013 

Presenter, What is Your Favorite Book: Using Literature to Teach Persuasive Writing
15th Biennial Conference of the Legal Writing Institute, Palm Springs, CA MAY 2012