Jennifer Chiovaro received the David J. Maleski Award for Teaching Excellence.
Jennifer Chiovaro (J.D. ‘85), senior principal lecturer, received the David J. Maleski Award for Teaching Excellence for her innovation in teaching and creating the Lawyering: Practice-Ready Writing course, which prepares third-year law students to be effective professional writers.
The award recognizes faculty who make contributions that demonstrate teaching excellence and promote student learning, including teaching methods that integrate aspects of experiential learning or the formation of professional identity.
Chiovaro said she was especially honored to receive the award named after Maleski, a founding faculty member and professor who meant so much to her when she was a student at Georgia State Law.
“He put so much into his teaching,” she said. “He was so measured and calm—he was one of those professors you wanted to do well for.”
The same may be said for Chiovaro, who calls Georgia State Law her “second home and third child” and has devoted hours to ensuring students get the best possible training. Chiovaro had been teaching Advanced Legal Writing since 2008 until the Lawyering: Foundations program was launched in Fall 2012.
Chiovaro and Margaret Vath, senior lecturer, received a Teaching Innovation Grant to develop Practice-Ready Writing, which was piloted in Summer 2015. Chiovaro committed to teaching beyond her normal class load to offer a section this spring and summer.
“It was a great pleasure to develop and teach this innovative new course with Professor Chiovaro,” Vath said. “The class began as Jennifer’s brilliant idea. She performed hours of extensive scholarly research at the outset, created an alumni survey, and drafted the bulk of the classroom assignments. Because we worked closely for over one year in the development phase alone, I can attest first hand to exactly how tirelessly she worked.”
The course prepares students to be effective professional writers by teaching them to draft the same types of documents they would in practice. The class simulates a law firm setting; students must juggle client interviews, project assignment changes, urgent emails and client demands.
Chiovaro said one of the best parts of her job is seeing, and helping, her students gain confidence. “In order to get confidence they have to get comfortable being uncomfortable, which is inevitable in law school. Something magical happens when students realize they have the skills to tackle the challenge,” she said.
Practice-Ready Writing is getting recognition beyond Georgia State Law. Chiovaro and Vath presented on it at a regional conference and will present on it at a national conference.
“The originality, volume and depth of Jennifer’s materials is unique and impressive, and we ultimately hope to make such a course available to all students,” said Roy M. Sobelson, professor of law.
The goal is to further develop the course so that adjuncts can teach it, which will open it up to more students, Chiovaro said.
From her days as a student to her role as teacher, Chiovaro said she is appreciative of the education and supportive environment Georgia State Law provides. “Dean Kaminshine has consistently supported innovative teaching through this award and through grants, and that always puts our students ahead of the curve in practice.”