Sandra Simpson

Sandra Simpson Assistant Professor of Law slsimpson@lawschool.gonzaga.edu (509) 313-3809 B.A., University of Wisconsin at Oshkosh, 1989 J.D., University of Iowa, 1992 M.I.T., Whitworth College, 1999

Biographical

Sandra Simpson joined the law faculty as an assistant professor of Legal Research and Writing in August 2007. Prior to joining the law faculty at Gonzaga Law School, she spent three years teaching various classes, including American National Politics, Constitutional Law, Modern Congress, and Introduction to Law, at Whitworth College in Spokane, Washington. Before entering the teaching field, Prof. Simpson spent two years in general practice in Iowa City, Iowa, and five years as an employment defense litigator for Workland and Witherspoon, P.L.L.C., in Spokane, Washington.

In addition to teaching, Prof. Simpson is actively pursuing her passion and commitment to respecting all human life from conception to natural death. To this end, she is doing research in the area of the death penalty, institutional racism, abortion, and other life issues. Prof. Simpson also research, writes, and speaks in the area of assessment and teaching skills.

Presentations

• Taught a one-day seminar on teaching, Institute for Law Teaching and Learning Conference, Topeka, Kansas, June 2010
• There Must be a Better Way to Grade; The Key to Creating Effective Rubrics, Annual Rocky Mountain Legal Research and Writing Conference, Tucson, Arizona, March 2010
• Implementing Best Practices and Educating Lawyers: Teaching Skills and Professionalism Across the Curriculum, Gonzaga University, June 2009
• Thinking Critically About Teaching Goals Through Designing Effective Assessment Rubrics, Institute for Law Teaching and Learning conference, June 23, 2009
• Everyone Else is Doing it; Why Can't We?, 2009 Law and Society Annual Conference in Denver, May 30, 2009
• Family Feud: The Bluebook Edition, Rocky Mountain Legal Writing Conference, Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, March 13-14, 2009
• Presentation on applying educational theories on classroom management and student engagement to the law school classroom, Annual Rocky Mountain Legal Research and Writing Conference, March 21-22, 2008

Publications

Everyone Else is Doing It, Why Can't We? A New Look at the Use of Statistical Data in Death Penalty Cases, Iowa Journal of Gender, Race, & Justice, 2008