Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2025

Keywords

rule of law, lawyer professionalism, corruption, course creation

Abstract

This Essay reflects on a Rule of Law course taught at the University of Arkansas School of Law since 2009, exploring its evolution and purpose over fifteen years. Moving beyond a historical survey of the rule of law and debates about its meaning, the course integrates diverse disciplines such as psychology, economics, and current events to cultivate lawyer professionalism through a rule of law lens. Central to the course is a focus on corruption—its causes, consequences, and cures—with professionalism presented as a key antidote, and an emphasis on helping students define what the rule of law means to them and why it matters, encouraging a personal and professional commitment to upholding it. This Essay includes guidance for others seeking to design similar courses, while tracing how this specific course came to incorporate a sustained focus on corruption alongside the rule of law.

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