Dan Rodriguez (Northwestern; Google Scholar; 2014 AALS President), AALS, Forward:

I would put at the top of my wish list of fundamental improvements to the Ass’n, improvements which can only happen with the resolve and hard work of a new director, and the contributions of volunteers who are part of the leadership crew:

First, AALS needs to step up as an organization to collect in a meaningfully systematic way data, data about all sorts of matters critical to our collective welfare.  This includes data concerning entry-level hiring (the pool, outcomes, etc), lateral hiring, visits, deans and other leadership positions — in short, key data which bears on the workforce of the professiorate and management of member schools. …

Second, and related to the above, AALS should actively encourage analysis and studies (small, medium size, and big) involving law school issues.  This includes not only faculty-related issues, but issues involving students, expenditures (including law school costs and financial aid), curricular initiatives, and outcomes. …

Third and finally, AALS should look more actively for opportunities to facilitate conferences, meetings, and other gatherings (because of costs, it may well be that remote gatherings are a more reasonable compromise) to assist law professors, especially younger ones, with their work.  Strangely, professional development used to be a bigger part of the AALS agenda than currently. …

[W]ith new leadership, and the fresh energy and perspectives it brings, it is a very good time for reflection upon what AALS could do but presently does not (or at least does not so much).